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LCD-2 VS Grado RS1 for Rock
Jan 24, 2012 at 3:56 AM Post #211 of 230


Quote:
drez said:
I think it is subjective - to me the problem with the RS1i is the bad treble quality and patently unnatural presentation (2D, uneven/coloured, lacking bass extension)
 
They are fun to rock out with and do good things with electric guitar but, well everything else is pretty unrefined for the money ($700) and very genre limited IME.
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 There's a particular short guitar solo that I use as one of my electric guitar references - nice short
 listen for evaluation, it's Clapton on the axe playing along in Sting's 'It's Probably Me' ~ chain was as follows
 
 Laptop --> Wireworld UV USB ---> Nuforce DAC-9 ---> Chord Chameleon XLR cables ---> Violectric V181
 
 Gave it a rip with the HD600 and the LCD-2 ~ I felt more bite and verve with the HD600 than with the big Audeze
 unfortunately, occasionally my mind drifted and the whole solo just passed me by on the LCD-2. I might be too used
 to coloration now these days, but that electric twang was all but missing in terms of heightened extension.
 
 Standing front row when that was recorded ~ there is no doubt that there would be a hint of electric harshness,
 it's what makes that solo for me in the first place, the distortion.
 
 My 325i is the best headphone I've heard that just rips through that but that's me 
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Jan 24, 2012 at 4:43 PM Post #212 of 230

Tap, Tap
 
I find the grados very high and mid dominant...its a good phone, but at that price point I expect more as well, both in presentation and performance too!
 
Quote:
drez said:
What, why even argue that RS1i treble is smooth - this is pure nonsense - maybe if you chose an amp that smooths (colours) the treble you can cover up the uneven treble on the Grado but this does not make the Grado treble smooth.  
 
Still I have not heard your system so maybe if you do match an amplifier with enough smoothing of treble the RS1i magically has good treble presentation - I will have to take your work for it.
 
You can argue that any genre sounds good from the RS1i (same as you can argue any genre sounds good from LCD-2) but this is down to personal preference.  
 
Grado adds fun coloration but IMO is too lacking in other areas to be worth the money.  It's crazy to me to spend so much money on fun coloration but that is just IMO.  When I spend $700 I expect more than just fun coloration, I expect some technical audacity.
 
IMO Magnum might be worth the money if it brings the refinement up to an acceptable level.
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Apr 10, 2012 at 8:27 PM Post #215 of 230


Quote:
paulybatz said:
I have to disagree...did some A/B again this morning and the LCD just win hands down for all music genre...and even though they are heavier are much more comfortable to wear than the grado
 
(LCD Rev 1 with whiplash Cu cable, new stock RS-1)
 
 
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I think you both agree here.
 
 
Apr 11, 2012 at 12:49 AM Post #218 of 230
  The thing I like about Grado's is intimacy.  I honestly think some folks head geometry and skull sinus make-up plays a part in what headphones we prefer.  I hate Senns, too distant,  doesn't mean they are no good for everyone.  I like AKG Sextettes and 340s but think the new AKG's are limp,  that's just me.
 
 The nice thing about grados is we now have Magnums.   When you look at the construction compared to plastic headphones they are solid less likely to have resonants.  They bring you close to the music.  Some have mentioned the WA SET's and a well designed SET can be ideal for these phones as they only need a few milliwatts.   I love my Magnums and flea powered SET (which has lower measureable distortion at listening levels than an O2)  I think of Magnum/grados as a full range driver/SET audiophile headphone.  It was mentions to use a Melos SHA Gold with Grados,  look at the Stereophile measurements, the THD for that amp is absurd.  A good SET with OPT iron (instead of transistor output) will have 2H below audibility (-80db) at the typical 0.4Vrms grado listening level.  Some people don't get it and never will,  maybe its physical,  but its all good cause we all have unique preferences. 
 
  But the new orthos are interesting. I spent $79 on a pair of Fostex TP50RP's with little craft items for dampening along with ~$50 to put together an O2 and I am questioning my devotion to flea powered tube amps and Grados.  Orthos aren't a good match for tubes (unless you enjoy distortion from high plate swings and poor current transfer).   To design a proper tube amp for something like the LCD would require huge expense like Cooter's GM70 amp.
 
   It all comes down to personal preference,  not measurements from a mic.  I would be very interested in finding an ortho be it a modded Fostex, Hifi-man, LCD, etc that has the intimacy of the Symphones.
 
Apr 11, 2012 at 7:48 PM Post #219 of 230
hmm maybe smooth wasnt the best way to describe the grados rs1i treble. but its definitely not bright or fatiguing in anyway. its toned down way more than the sr325 and isn't sparkly or anything. it can be a little rough and aggressive, but it doesn't hurt like other headphones do (d2000, beyers, pro 900).
 
 
listened to them earlier, just noticed that while the RS1 have less detail/highs than the Sr325 which i enjoyed alot, the Rs1 have much more depth, they go deeper into the music and are much more transparent than the 325.
 
Dec 5, 2013 at 7:28 PM Post #221 of 230
Funny to have stumbled on this thread as i was pondering just the same question. Was listening to some early Pearl Jam and Nirvana through my LCD2 headphones and something seemed missing. Put on my RS1i headphones and the raw guitars came alive. The sound may not have been as true, but the Grado sound that puts you on the stage just seemed more alive. Not that I would use them for everything -- I much prefer the sound of my LCD2 headphones for classical, jazz, and even much of rock -- but for that 90's grunge, the Grados just seem to work. (FWIW, source 24/88 music played through Amarra into a Cypherlabs Algorhythm Solo -dB balanced into ALO Rx3b. Grado RS1i stock & Audeze LCD-2 balanced via Moon Audio Silver Dragon cables.)
 
Oct 25, 2014 at 9:31 PM Post #223 of 230
ytsejamer said:
LCD-2 Rev.2 > RS-1 for Rock and Metal
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Honnestly I'm not sure anymore!
 
I have sold my LCD-2 a while ago because I have never been 100% satisfied by the sound of the electric guitars with the Audeze headphones.
 
Now I'm comparing the HE-560 with the SR225e and I'm coming to the same conclusion.  (e.g...the electric guitars sounds much better on the Grado headphones.)
 
Technically the LCD-2 and the HE-560 are better than the 225e or the RS1 but NOTHING can touch the Grados headphones for the electric guitars!
 
Oct 25, 2014 at 11:03 PM Post #224 of 230
Omg I can actually contribute to this one,
 
to start off with I've yet to hear an Offical Grado, I do how ever own a "Senn Grado" of which many RS1 owners prefer over the RS1 it self, now that said... the Grado and LCD Sounds are literally night n day imo
 
Now onto "crunch" my HE 4 has some nice Crunch to it, listening to Metallicas Master of Puppets Album now, and I can assure you it's a nice crunch a clean crunch, a crunch without any extra "crunch" though the Senn Grado has Crunch and Extra Crunch [which just sounds like over distorted, over clipped garbage] Yes metal is full of distortion, but Disorted Distortion sounds bad xD
 
Ehm, though the Senn Grado is still a nice can for Metal. [Still Prefer my HE 4 to it <3] 
 
Oct 26, 2014 at 11:47 AM Post #225 of 230
mshenay said:
  Omg I can actually contribute to this one,
 
to start off with I've yet to hear an Offical Grado, I do how ever own a "Senn Grado" of which many RS1 owners prefer over the RS1 it self, now that said... the Grado and LCD Sounds are literally night n day imo
 
Now onto "crunch" my HE 4 has some nice Crunch to it, listening to Metallicas Master of Puppets Album now, and I can assure you it's a nice crunch a clean crunch, a crunch without any extra "crunch" though the Senn Grado has Crunch and Extra Crunch [which just sounds like over distorted, over clipped garbage] Yes metal is full of distortion, but Disorted Distortion sounds bad xD
 
Ehm, though the Senn Grado is still a nice can for Metal. [Still Prefer my HE 4 to it <3] 
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I have never heard the HE-4 but I can tell you that my 225e is much better than the HE-560 with the heavy distorted guitars.
 
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