[aural bliss]

My budget is about $700.  Open headphones.  Music genres: rock, acoustic, pop, rnb, hip hop, classical
 
Help me decide please!

 

[Gwarmi]

What are you planning on using as a source? portable? just out of your laptop headphone out?

 

[aural bliss]

foobar(wasapi) -> audinst hud-mx1 -> matrix m-stage

 

[Gwarmi]

Quote:

foobar(wasapi) -> audinst hud-mx1 -> matrix m-stage

Have you tried any Grado's on before? Comfort can be hit and miss with some people

 

[aural bliss]

Quote:

Have you tried any Grado's on before? Comfort can be hit and miss with some people

i auditioned the ps500.  loved what i heard.  i listened for about 30mins; comfort was fine for me

 

[Gwarmi]

 
Ahh good stuff so I take you're just curious about the He-500 as a comparison?
 
Only ever heard the He-500 the once myself, don't feel like I'm the best authority on it's signature,
hoping to get another one into the local store soon.
 
It was pleasant though, this was out of a colleague's Burson 160D ~ if you fancy bigger sound stage
in terms of width and height then it's a contender up against the PS500. For rock though, the impression
was that like the T1 it just didn't grab me like a Grado.
 
For classical you might lean back towards the HE-500. Splitting hairs really.

 

[aural bliss]

i'm leaning towards the ps500 since its about $150 less than the he-500.

 

[LCfiner]

I don’t know how valid this comparison will be since I only have the HE-5LE and not the HE-500. I can say with confidence that the HE-5LE are the hardest headphones to drive that I own (compared to the HD800 and the Grado HF2). I really need my new amp to arrive to see what they can do.
 
The HE-5LE sound very nice to my ears but they do not have that upfront grado “magic” at all so it’s a real different experience compared to the HF2 (and the PS500 is supposed to be real similar). The HE-5LE is a lot more similar to the HD800 in that it focuses on larger soundstage and a more neutral sound sig compared to the more energetic Grado.
 
My preference is for the HF2/ PS500 at this point. I just love that “on stage” feel for rock and acoustic guitar.

 

[tamahome77]

I disagree.  The HE-500 is simply a better pair of headphones especially with a capable amp.  The bass and mids on the HE-500 are superior as well.  The PS500 are no slouch though.
 
Quote:

PS500, of course...  Comfort issues?  It's like comparing ear pillows (PS500) to a brick on your head (HE-500), the comfort against Grado compared to the HE-500 is astoundingly laughable.
 
SQ wise, PS500 blow away the HE-500 across the board - MIDS yeah!  Highs - Yeah! Even in the BASS - yeah!  
 
PS500
Now the RS-2i are even a bit more natural, lighter and airier and $100 less!!!

 

 

[jerg]

Quote:

Mids on the Grados are WORLD famous for a reason.  Bass on the HE-500 barely registers at 30Hz.  Grados may in fact go deeper.  Even if there may be disagreement on the SQ, there cannot be reasonable disagreement about the comfort.  HE-500 are a brick.  If you like that on your head - enjoy.  SQ no matter how good cannot compensate for that.  The Fostex are same technology and are light as a feather - there is NO reason whatsoever that the Hifiman's and the Audeze's couldn't be made lighter with better materials - titanium, carbon fiber, even plastic what have you...  And their SQ, although not bad, is well over hyped as well.

HE500s are world-class headphones that compete in terms of sound quality shoulder-to-shoulder against LCD2s, STAX SR006s, and Senn HD800s. Grados sound is coloured to oblivion compared to them. There IS no overhyping, the proof is in the frequency response.
 
Higher-end Grados simply fall short in terms of technical advancements compared to other 'real' high-end selections.
 
 
 
Edit: also to OP, your setup should have sufficient power in driving a HE500 to its full potential.

 

[Head Injury]

Quote:

whatever world class means - both hifiman and audeze just popped on the scene - grado has been around for like ever...  there is a good reason for that - the product is awesome.  likewise stax.
 
hifiman and audeze are the FOM, they have a LONG way to go to prove themselves in the longevity department.  by no means they sound bad but the comfort issue, for one, is quite significant.  it's like comparing a chevy suburban to a BMW for road carving...  The chevy suburban are the hifimans and audezes - yea, world class for weight...  The grados, stax, heck senns, are the BMW.  sound, ergonomics, durability, company reputation and backing... it's all there...  now thats world class...
 
But hey, tape a pair of Maggies to your head, the sound would be "worth" it... not

Grados are for the most part antiques. The design hasn't really changed in decades, disregarding the GS1000 and PS1000 which both receive equal parts adoration and hate. They're still around because people buy them, often as a first headphone, and get sucked into the hype of the "Grado" sound. They measure pretty embarrassingly for high-end products. In fact, their low and high end products measure almost identically with the same pads, as far as distortion and frequency response go.
 
The last thing I would call a Grado is ergonomic and durable. You have to be joking. Heavy as they are, my LCD-2 are far more comfortable than Grados, either bowl or comfy pads.
 
Audeze and Hifiman have been around for a couple years now, their products measure well and have subjective praise behind them as well. Plus, they actually do real research and development, rather than pump the same drivers out in different material enclosures now and then.

 

[stacker45]

Wow!,i hadn't been on this forum for a while,but,things haven't changed a bit,it's still Grado vs the rest of the world.
 
Regarding the comfort issue,i think it's very personnal,we all have different size heads,and ears,i happend to like the comfort of Grados in general,especialy,my GS-1000 and RS-1,wich are both feather lite,I have to say though that i find my HP-1000 a bit on the heavy side.i have tryed the PS-1000,wich i tought sounded great,but were much too heavy for my taste
 
As for Grados being colored,maybe, but so what if they are,some people like a little spice on their food.i think it's great that we have so many brand to choose from,there's something out there for everyone.
 
 

 

[idletime1213]

I'd argue that arguing for a certain headphones with statements like:
 
 
Quote:

MIDS yeah!  Highs - Yeah! Even in the BASS - yeah!

 
 
is even more pointless...

 

[Focker]

Quote:

 PS1000 which both receive equal parts adoration and hate.

I'm relatively new to headphones, but even I know this is bunk. I've researched quite a few models over the past few months, and while the HE-500s are considered excellent headphones, the same is true of the PS1000s and PS500s. It's not even close to "equal parts adoration and hate". I actually hope to own a higher end model of both companies, but this sort of sensationalistic "anti-company X" mentality serves little purpose, IMO. If I had listened to the people who are anti-Grado for unsubstantiated reasons, I would not have had the opportunity to enjoy my SR80is over the past few weeks. Just like if I allowed the anti-hifiman folks deter me from enjoying that product line, I'd be missing out just the same. But just as with the HE-500s, there is FAR more praise for the Grado PS series than there is hate, and it's not even close.

 

[idletime1213]

The PS1000 hate is more for its stupendous price than any of its sonic qualities.