[devouringone3]

i don't regret for one second having used that money to buy my PS1000, wich i prefer to my HP1000.

 
That is what I was thinking about when I said “I know where you come from” earlier

 

[maconhel]

Give a chance to other brands, Sennheiser HD600 is charming and comfortable. 

 

[alota]

Quote:

If it seems expensive, just remember you're helping Joe pay for his "glaucoma medication."

Sorry???i give Money to people who need.
but it is certainly not through trade

 

[abchead]

Just want to report that my upgraded pads finally arrived. Took almost 15 weeks but now I am happy.

 

[stacker45]

Are you happy because they finally arrived or because they're an improvement over the TTVJ flat pads?

 

[abchead]

  Are you happy because they finally arrived or because they're an improvement over the TTVJ flat pads?

 
Really can't say if there's any improvement over the regular flat pads; all I had were the bowls, which placed the drivers too far away.

 

[stacker45]

   
Really can't say if there's any improvement over the regular flat pads; all I had were the bowls, which placed the drivers too far away.

 
 
I see, and what would you say are the main differences between the bowls and the new flats?

 

[devouringone3]

The “new” flats sounds like flat pads; they retain the same sound signature overall, so if you want to compare them to bowls, compare them as if they were regular TTVJ flats.
 
But that changes nothing to the fact the improved flat pads (those I have, older version, 150 bucks) are immensely better. They have a lot more clarity (details, speed, accuracy); which make you realize the TTVJ flats (and to some extent all of the John Grado pads except the comfies) lack that clarity. Bass and highs sound less muffled and benefit a lot from that clarity increase, they also become incredibly better in many ways due to that (in a few words, they feel more present [as they just have been unveiled]).
 
They sound more uniform through the volume range, though TTVJ flats are the worst in that category.

 

[stacker45]

So i'm guessing that you have compared the imroved flats and the TTVJ ones with your improved HP2.

 

[devouringone3]

 
In my personal quest to find the best possible sound (for me and for my headphones) the pads have always been my number one priority (cup lining and/or driver modding and possibly even diaphragm tuning [on the HP 1000] can wait).
 
I have compared my Joseph Grado flat pads extensively and repeatedly with all my other pads (TTVJ flats, bowls and HD414s) on all of my Grado headphones (HP 1, Joseph SR100, Joseph SR325, vintage RS-1, John SR200, SR325i). The Joe Grado flat always constituted a clear improvement and not a side step. And what they do positively to the sound of the HP 1000, they do it positively to the John Grados also.
 
 
The HP 2i isn't like a different HP 1000; there are very little difference between them. I've spent much time analysing pads and realizing which does what and contributes what to the sound, so that I can isolate the headphone better in my critical listening (i.e. so that I can subtract in my head the effect of the pad that I'm using and be assertive about the headphones purely – i.e. make comments about the headphones independent of the choice of pads); I still have to pinpoint/understand in which ways my HP 2 was improved.
 
:/
 
 
But taking the time to reverse engineer and understand what these little foam “ear-adapter” do to the sound has been immensely rewarding for me; my special tape-modded HD414 pads, in my opinion, best even the Joe Grado flat pads in resolution and bass, with the negligible bonus of being cheaper to buy, more accessible / readily available (though they take quite a bit of time and are tedious to make) and more comfortable.
 
The effect of pad configuration on Grado headphones is monumental and drastic. When I adjusted and reduced the “aperture” (reduction of the volume of the “tape air chamber” [between the headphone and your ear]) of my sunflower pads (that's how I'm going to call my mod) by a few millimeters the sound went from much open to much closed in, lost airiness and details in profit of bass and fullness – overall sound signature became significantly darker.
 
Without tape (or any other rigid material; I like 3M Scotch tape) to conduct it, the bass bounces only once on your head/ear/tympani and then escapes by the air bubble matrix of any given foamy earpad.

 

[tamahome77]

Has anyone called Joe or sent in their HP1000 for the upgrade? Well, it's been almost 9 months since I last sent my headphones to Joe. I called him 2 weeks ago and he told me that he's trying to get his factory up and working so he can do work again. He's been giving me this "2 weeks" delay for so long. He told me he hasn't done any hp1000 upgrades because he's been pining away.

 

[BoogieWoogie]

I'm curious to know if keeps an organised file of HP2s owners in case he dies and then john grado/family could send back ? I know .. doesn't sound good, but it will happen sooner or later.

 

[stacker45]

You are just being realistic BoogieWoogie. I mean, it would be one thing if the turn around time was a week or two, but 9 months!, I don't care how old Joe is, in my opinion, this kind of delay is just unacceptable. And given the VERY long waiting period, I hope that he at least calls once in a while to let his custumers know how the work is progressing on their beloved headphones, especially given how expensive the mod is.
 
To be honest, the thought of Joseph passing away while working on my HP1000 is just one of many reasons why I don't send him mine. In the end, I really hope that you, (tamahome77), will like the way that your ''improved'' HP1000 sound. The thought of not liking the ''improved'' sound,  is yet another reason why I'm scared to go through with this. 

 

[tamahome77]

Well, there's another member that sent in his pair back in 2012 November and is still waiting for his pair.  Joe told me he's at the very very end of the upgrade process and should be shipping them back soon but he's got to make sure they sound perfect first.
 
update:  Just spoke with Joe today and he seems to be well and remembered who I am.  The headphones have been completed but he wants to do some more listening and testing before shipping them out.  Possibly in a week or two.

 

[rdreyer]

I am the member who has been waiting 15 months to get his HP1000 back. I have already heard a few times that my headphones were almost ready (and even once, back in August, that they were done and just ready to be shipped), and then we are back to "I'll start on them soon, and they'll be done in 2 weeks". I'm starting to lose hope that I will ever see them again.