[Mahasamadhi]

Hey there. This is my first post. It's been months that I've been reading on this useful and great forum. I'm Paolo, 23 years old, I live in italy, I study philosophy, electroacoustic music at the conservatory and I'm currently on the audiophile journey. I play, compose and listen to a lot of music (I've been through almost any genre (except for commercial music)), and currently I mostly listen to experimental electroacoustic music, ambient/drone electronic, avant-garde jazz. I had Sennhesier Momentum, grado 225e, rs2e (really love them, they've been a revelation and a true teacher in shaping hearing capacity, making me hear things I've never heard before even on tracks that I listened to hundreds times. Love the instrument separation, acoustic accuracy and clear and airy tonality), MrSpeakers Aeon (really liked them but a little pricey and I don't need a closed headphone), Hifiman Massdrop 4xx (really liked them but I preferred the 6xx), and currently I own only the Massdrop HD6xx. I listen through an Oppo HA-2 SE but I'm waiting for the Massdrop Cavalli amp to arrive, and also Massdrop Universal Plus IEMs.
What I'm asking you is: having no budget limit (I have a 65% discount on audio equipment for a bonus of my music school), what Grado should I buy? I'm enjoying the musical liquidity of 6xx and theyre engaging factor, but I miss the accurate airy acoustic details of Grado, especially for my music genres. In the first place I was thinking to buy again the rs2e (I regret selling them), but I already had them and now I don't have price limit, so I guess I can scale up (even if I've read they're some of the best in the range). I had one problem with grado (one of the reason I sold mine), after like 1 hour my ears starts to hurt because they touch the plastic grid inside. I though about buying G cushions pads but they change the sound signature. So I thought about going in the Gs1000e or 2000e territory (if possible I would avoid the PS1000e because I really love the wood cups and it would be nice to not spend too much, even if I would pay only 700 € for them), being hopefully an astonishing step up both in sound and comfort. The seller also has the GH2 in stock, and I've read really good reviews about them. The headphones I'm going to buy will be used all day long for accurate listening through Massdrop Cavalli amp both with digital files and vinyl. I will also use them to work and mix my tracks, so I want all the astonishing details and instrument separation I remember from the rs2e, but possibly even better, with better soundstage, imaging, and maybe less fatiguing (especially in comfort; I didn't found the grado sound signature annoying but maybe a little fatiguing in hours, something of coruse I'm not experiencing with the HD6xx, they're a blanket haha), and maybe some more bass? (didn't found the rs2e particulary lacking but I would enjoy some more rumble). Thanks
Example of music I listen to:
-Stephan Meidell, Metrics
-Stian Westerhus, Amputation
-Tim Hecker, Virgins
-Lawrence English, Wilderness of Mirrors, Cruel Optimism,
-Ben Frost, The Centre cannot Hold
-Akira Rabelais/Kassel Jaeger/Stephan Mathieu, Zauberberg

 

[Renato Fury]

Hey there. This is my first post. It's been months that I've been reading on this useful and great forum. I'm Paolo, 23 years old, I live in italy, I study philosophy, electroacoustic music at the conservatory and I'm currently on the audiophile journey. I play, compose and listen to a lot of music (I've been through almost any genre (except for commercial music)), and currently I mostly listen to experimental electroacoustic music, ambient/drone electronic, avant-garde jazz. I had Sennhesier Momentum, grado 225e, rs2e (really love them, they've been a revelation and a true teacher in shaping hearing capacity, making me hear things I've never heard before even on tracks that I listened to hundreds times. Love the instrument separation, acoustic accuracy and clear and airy tonality), MrSpeakers Aeon (really liked them but a little pricey and I don't need a closed headphone), Hifiman Massdrop 4xx (really liked them but I preferred the 6xx), and currently I own only the Massdrop HD6xx. I listen through an Oppo HA-2 SE but I'm waiting for the Massdrop Cavalli amp to arrive, and also Massdrop Universal Plus IEMs.
What I'm asking you is: having no budget limit (I have a 65% discount on audio equipment for a bonus of my music school), what Grado should I buy? I'm enjoying the musical liquidity of 6xx and theyre engaging factor, but I miss the accurate airy acoustic details of Grado, especially for my music genres. In the first place I was thinking to buy again the rs2e (I regret selling them), but I already had them and now I don't have price limit, so I guess I can scale up (even if I've read they're some of the best in the range). I had one problem with grado (one of the reason I sold mine), after like 1 hour my ears starts to hurt because they touch the plastic grid inside. I though about buying G cushions pads but they change the sound signature. So I thought about going in the Gs1000e or 2000e territory (if possible I would avoid the PS1000e because I really love the wood cups and it would be nice to not spend too much, even if I would pay only 700 € for them), being hopefully an astonishing step up both in sound and comfort. The seller also has the GH2 in stock, and I've read really good reviews about them. The headphones I'm going to buy will be used all day long for accurate listening through Massdrop Cavalli amp both with digital files and vinyl. I will also use them to work and mix my tracks, so I want all the astonishing details and instrument separation I remember from the rs2e, but possibly even better, with better soundstage, imaging, and maybe less fatiguing (especially in comfort; I didn't found the grado sound signature annoying but maybe a little fatiguing in hours, something of coruse I'm not experiencing with the HD6xx, they're a blanket haha), and maybe some more bass? (didn't found the rs2e particulary lacking but I would enjoy some more rumble). Thanks

Why a Grado, why not another brand ?

 

[Mahasamadhi]

Why a Grado, why not another brand ?

Because I miss them for the kind of details are able to reveal in the genres I listen to, but mostly because I can use the discount only one time and in one shop, and I found only one music shop that has hifi headohones (and also the audio interface Apollo that I need) and has in stock only Grado (full range) and Sennheiser

 

[Renato Fury]

Because I miss them for the kind of details are able to reveal in the genres I listen to, but mostly because I can use the discount only one time and in one shop, and I found only one music shop that has hifi headohones (and also the audio interface Apollo that I need) and has in stock only Grado (full range) and Sennheiser

Because it is a HI-FI store that sells HI-FI products, I suppose they let buyers test the products, if so, I suggest you do that and draw your own conclusions, or buy the most expensive.

 

[Mahasamadhi]

Because it is a HI-FI store that sells HI-FI products, I suppose they let buyers test the products, if so, I suggest you do that and draw your own conclusions, or buy the most expensive.

Actually it’s an online music shop without a real physical store, but I could go try Grados in another hifi shop.

 

[Renato Fury]

Actually it’s an online music shop without a real physical store, but I could go try Grados in another hifi shop.

Do it then, enjoy and test models from other brands, but since you are a music student, do not you think it would be ideal to have a headphone with a neutral signature?

 

[Mahasamadhi]

Do it then, enjoy and test models from other brands, but since you are a music student, do not you think it would be ideal to have a headphone with a neutral signature?

Yeah I would love to try Audeze and Focal for instance, Stax, and also others. Well I have 6xx and also had for 5 months MrSpeakers Aeon, both pretty neutral I guess, so yeah I like neutral, but the problem remain that I can't find instrument music shops that also have hifi headphones. This is the only one and only has Grado and Sennheiser. The other reason for Grado would be, as I said, the kind of details and presentations have with the music I listen to; they have a color and a sound signature but I don't consider them "not enough neutral" for critical listening, I found them to have a quite beautiful acoustic and live presentation of instruments, even with sibilants and resonances sometimes, but they're there also in the actual acoustic world we live in, and I like to hear them; I found HD650 for example to be much more colored in the sense they smooth things up and roll off some elements in the spectrum. They're a good all day headphone, with intimacy and energy bot soft and liquid in presentation. It's kind of a smooth liquid flow, but a relaxed and engaging one. Grado I remember to be much more analytical, energetic and acoustically alive

 

[Mahasamadhi]

Do it then, enjoy and test models from other brands, but since you are a music student, do not you think it would be ideal to have a headphone with a neutral signature?

Thanks for the answers btw, I also added to the first post some example of music I listen to

 

[Mahasamadhi]

Oh wow, actually I just asked and the vendor told me they can order stuff. I asked for Focal, Audeze, Mrspeakers and Hifiman. He said Focal yes, for the others he doesn't know at the moment

 

[Mahasamadhi]

So now my preference is Focal Clear

 

[Mahasamadhi]

Damn, it seems the vendor has access only to pro line headphones, so no hifi Headphones except for Grado and Sennheiser

 

[HBen]

In your situation/case I'd take a Sennheiser HD800 over any Grado any day ...
As others already mentioned you should definitely test before buying!
Good luck on your audio journey

 

[Hoegaardener70]

Is this thread still being read? Happy to give some insight comparing a hd800s with a gs1000e...

 

[smodak]

I would like to hear about your thoughts on hd800 vs gs1000e

 

[Hoegaardener70]

I would like to hear about your thoughts on hd800 vs ps1000e

I assume you mean the gs1000e. Well, the sennheiser is around 30% more expensive but is vastly superior in build quality, sophistication and sound quality. The grado has a sound signature which is very appealing with certain music, there is really shines- for me it is classic with violin, chamber music etc.. for these moments, it is on par with the HD800s or even more musical (but the sennheiser alsways wins on soundstage). But for many other types of music, electronic, metal etc the grado is too bright for my taste. And yes, the HD800s is bright too (if not driven properly) but never as sibilant and clearly off than the grado. The HD800s also is world class when delivering mids and bass, whereas the grado get a good enough. But if personal taste in music fits the Grado signature, it is a great headphone to have. But versatile it is not - whereas the HD800s is suitable for all genres. My 2 cents.