[headphonejunkie]

I have been authorized to purchase a pair of pk2's for valentines day by my significant other. The question is will I be disappointed? Is there a significant difference to warrant such a purchase? I hope everyone says yes.

 

[tstarn06]

Well, I had both PK2 and PK3, and still have the latter. Just didn't think the difference was enough to keep both, so I sold the 2s. But it has been a long time, so my word might not mean much. I just remember thinking that the 2s weren't different enough to keep. And I got the 2s via a Head-Fi group buy ($49), celebrating the Chinese New Year. Of course, I wound up buying the PK1s with some of the money from the PK2 sale.

 

[headphonejunkie]

Ya. I can't afford pk1's. I may just wait.

 

[tstarn06]

A little off topic, but was the Grado upgrade a major upgrade (from SR80 to 225 to 325i)? Just thinking about it for the log haul. I am starting to use my SR80s a lot more around the house (sitting around the house), and want one good pair of standard phones. I do like the Grado sound.

 

[headphonejunkie]

From 80 to 325's is a big improvement. You still keep the highs you love with the 80's plus you get a lot more detail. The 225's are dark sounding in comparison to the 80's and 325's. The 225's do have added punch and bass in comparison to the 80's and 325's but the 325's are clearer sounding and have that extra detail to them.At first listen I thought the 325's were very bright but now after 50 hours burnin they are starting to sound a lot warmer.I am really starting to like these 325's. With an amp they really improve. I would get a nice tube amp for them. My SOHA works pretty good but it seems to be having a hard time giving them the power they need. I haven't installed jisbos buffers yet so I will have to see what happens after that.

 

[tstarn06]

Thanks. So moving up would mean a double buy (325is and tube amp). I will file that away.

 

[headphonejunkie]

They sound good without a tube amp. A tube amp just makes them sound even better. You could get the 325's first and an amp later.

 

[lui_boy]

I did exactly the opposite as tstarn06. I too owned the PK1, PK2, PK3, but ended up keeping the PK2. Maybe I didn't give the PK3's a fair chance since I bought them as gifts and sold the one I had only listening to it a few times. The PK3 had a darker, warmer presentation, but lacked the detail, resolution, and soundstage of the PK1 and PK2. The PK2 initially lacked bass, but after some break-in, it sounded pretty good. The PK1 had more bass but was hard to drive requiring an amp at all times. I didn't get a chance to break in the PK3, so it could have opened up a lot more.

 

[tstarn06]

Agree on the PK1, while some DAPs can drive it (Sony 816 is one), its only decent without an amp. In fact, it really requires an amp. I kept the PK2 for a few months, and then decided they were expendable, after letting the PK3s break in. Of course, having paid only $49 for the PK2s, I should have kept them as well, just for kicks. Oh well.