MS2 or MS2i,...Hmmmmm.......I wonder.

[F107plus5]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mercuttio I'm willing to bet that anything new coming from Grado Labs is going to be bassier, and it looks like he's in the headphone designing kick now. I'll bet he'll put out a new middle of the range headphone soon. Most recently re-designed were the 325i, PS1, HF1, and GS1000... three of those are bassier.

Which means the RS-2 could be either Reworked, Replaced, or Reduced in price.

....wonder which??!

 

[headphonejunkie]

If you are worried about brightness I just received my new 225's and they are not bright at all. They are also as light as a feather.

 

[Mercuttio]

Quote:

Originally Posted by F107plus5 Which means the RS-2 could be either Reworked, Replaced, or Reduced in price. ....wonder which??!

Well the RS2 is actuallyone of the newer Grados; it isn't as old as the SR60 or RS1, it was released later on. But...

The 325i was redesigned because it wasn't enough of a leap over the 225. It's possible that if the RS-2 isn't selling as well as other models, it could be redesigned. I know it's not one of the more popular headphones here... people usually (before the GS1000) go RS1 if they're going to spend that much money.

If any Grado needs a redesign, it's the SR125 I think... it sort of exist in no-man's-land price and performancewise.

 

[F107plus5]

Quote:

Originally Posted by headphonejunkie If you are worried about brightness I just received my new 225's and they are not bright at all. They are also as light as a feather.

Yeah, the lightness of my MS-1s is a plus as well. Heavier MS2 is a bit daunting.

In my case with ageing ears: "Brighter may be Better!!"

....the jury is still out.

 

[F107plus5]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mercuttio Well the RS2 is actuallyone of the newer Grados; it isn't as old as the SR60 or RS1, it was released later on. But... The 325i was redesigned because it wasn't enough of a leap over the 225. It's possible that if the RS-2 isn't selling as well as other models, it could be redesigned. I know it's not one of the more popular headphones here... people usually (before the GS1000) go RS1 if they're going to spend that much money. If any Grado needs a redesign, it's the SR125 I think... it sort of exist in no-man's-land price and performancewise.

Yeah, the signature of the RS-2 does seem to reflect a "newness." Since it already seems to be a bit bassy and slightly warm by design.

Maybe it just needs to be re-carved into a "Mushroom."!!??

 

[Mercuttio]

Quote:

Originally Posted by F107plus5 Yeah, the signature of the RS-2 does seem to reflect a "newness." Since it already seems to be a bit bassy and slightly warm by design. Maybe it just needs to be re-carved into a "Mushroom."!!??

Check out the design of the MS2i. It's already starting to look like a mushroom. My guess is that any newer designs will look similar to the MS2i / 325i... the outer edge of the "mushroom" covering the piece that holds it to the cup.

The best looking Grados to me are the MS2i, RS1, and GS1000.

 

[F107plus5]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mercuttio Check out the design of the MS2i. It's already starting to look like a mushroom. My guess is that any newer designs will look similar to the MS2i / 325i... the outer edge of the "mushroom" covering the piece that holds it to the cup. The best looking Grados to me are the MS2i, RS1, and GS1000.

It's an interesting trend; isn't it? Hiding the pivots.

Bringing the style from the 50s all the way up into the 90s!!

Only kiddin' of course. I think it's a good idea and will perhaps change the attitudes of some of the younger listeners.

I will miss the Frankenstein peg/WW2 bomber pilot look however.

Kinda quaint and traditional! And functional.

 

[F107plus5]

This thread just won't die! Arrrrrgh.......

Couple more questions for those familiar with both MS2 and RS-2:

I know it's not a good idea; but I wish to run my cans without an amp.

I've read that MS2i does OK without an amp. Not great, but not a real problem. But has anyone tried the RS-2 without an amp?

What were the results?

And No: Suicide is not a viable option!

And.

For the three people in the whole wide world who have heard the MS2i and RS-2 AND the MS-1: How do all three cans compare in soundstage? These MS-1 with 414s really aren't all that bad!!

 

[mjg]

why buy upper tier grados and not plan to use it with a proper amp? If your not going to use it eventually with an amp, your better off buying a lower tier model.

MS2i were the center of my last system for about 1.5 years... they are responsive to proper gear, you should do them justice, otherwise it's a waste of money.

Yet, of course you can just do what you want... You seem to be seeking advice here though.

 

[F107plus5]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mjg why buy upper tier grados and not plan to use it with a proper amp? If your not going to use it eventually with an amp, your better off buying a lower tier model. MS2i were the center of my last system for about 1.5 years... they are responsive to proper gear, you should do them justice, otherwise it's a waste of money. Yet, of course you can just do what you want... You seem to be seeking advice here though.

My problem is that I understand the importance of a good amp! Yeah; really!

Which of course is why I'm looking for the best cans in the Grado/Alessandro group that will give me the sound I'm looking for, but hopefully without the complexity and hassle(and expense; the Grandkids who live with us hate that) associated with bouncing from source to source throughout the day and dragging a bunch of wires and cases around! And since I'd really rather not mess around with a bunch of batteries; AC is just another plug!! Whew!

I had originally considered the MS2 as the highest I would dare to go without unessessary Amplifier Envy; but then the weight of the beast became an obstacle when I discovered that the judicious use of a couple 11/16" sockets to simulate the weight difference between MS-1 and MS2i exposed a weight problem. RS-2 is a far lighter set of cans with a sonic signature that would work quite well!

3/4 of my sources have reasonable phone outputs, so I was hoping.....

But yeah; that's why I'm looking for answers; so if I do have to break some rules, I'll have a pretty good idea of what to expect!

........Hmmmm.....if I use my MS-1s without an amp as I am now, in two of the other stations, and get a reasonable amp to stay permanently in the other, better, station(that I find I use more and more over the other)for use with my up-grad(o) cans, hmmmmmm....

Ok; new question:

Will MS2i or RS-2 work fairly well without an amp....for about a year?!

 

[Zorander]

You are being over-reacting over the MS-2 weight IMO.

 

[augustwest]

"I'm willing to bet that anything new coming from Grado Labs is going to be bassier, and it looks like he's in the headphone designing kick now. I'll bet he'll put out a new middle of the range headphone soon."

And that would a be good thing too! . . . .Now that the HF1 has been retired there is definitely a need for a mid range Grado that has an ample amount of bass response.

"My guess is that any newer designs will look similar to the MS2i / 325i... the outer edge of the "mushroom" covering the piece that holds it to the cup."

I bet that that your guess is right. I would guess that over time the whole line will be re-vamped in some fashion to fit with the mushroom styling, and if he makes them bassier sounding in the process then that will be a big plus too.

"why buy upper tier grados and not plan to use it with a proper amp? If your not going to use it eventually with an amp, your better off buying a lower tier model."

These are some of the most true words ever uttered at "headfi", it's a shame so many members don't heed them. . . . . If you don't plan on an amp just buy the SR80's, walk away and don't look back.

- augustwest

 

[F107plus5]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zorander You are being over-reacting over the MS-2 weight IMO.

I would have argued that point........Right up to yesterday.

I had been doing my weight testing with a couple of 11/16"(12 pt)sockets to simulate the 100 gm weight difference between the MS-1 and MS2i and I realize that even though I had "completed" the test after a six hour mini-marathon; that I am continuing to listen with the weights installed because the cans are more stable and thereby more comfortable.

More Comfortable!!??

Yeah!!

When I listen without the weights, the cans just kinda sit there.

If I add the weights while listening they suddenly feel too heavy. If I take the weights off while listening, then the cans feel unusually light.

If, however, I add the weights just before I put on the cans,(I won't leave the weights on while the cans are on the hanger)then the phones feel nice and stable and even more comfortable!

Go figure.

....a better pad would certainly help, though!

I'm going to continue this testing regimen for a few more weeks to be sure that this observation isn't caused by some wierd, deep rooted psychological desire in hopes of vindicating the poor much malligned MS2i. But the preliminary assessment is that, hey! These puppies may work!!

 

[nanoblaze01]

just buy them already. honestly, i wasn't phased at all by the difference between the weight of the ms-1 and ms-2.

 

[F107plus5]

Quote:

Originally Posted by augustwest "why buy upper tier grados and not plan to use it with a proper amp? If your not going to use it eventually with an amp, your better off buying a lower tier model." These are some of the most true words ever uttered at "headfi", it's a shame so many members don't heed them. . . . . If you don't plan on an amp just buy the SR80's, walk away and don't look back. - augustwest

You hit the point about amplification perfectly. It's true: It would be a waste of John Grados engineering tallents to not use his phones to the best of their capabilities. I know that, and I believe anyone reading these forums believe in that also.

I believe you also hit another big chunk of truth when you made the observation that so many members of this forum don't heed that axiom.

So true! A lot of folks say something like: "I really lust for(say)RS-1, and I can afford RS-1, but I can't afford all the other hardware that goes along with it." Some others can't sift through thread after thread of just which batch of fortyleven amplifiers, twenty seven DACs, interconnects of thirteen different varieties and seven hundred and fortysix different ways of putting even a small percentage of the combinations together to gain the required Synergy to get the darn thing to sound better than what it would have sounded like out of a reasonably good source, sans amp.

Then there's the third group beyond those in the know who for whatever reason can't do the "Right Thing!" and just plug their expensive cans into whatever HT receiver or relatively good quality CD player is available, and these folks probably include the greatest number of listeners.

....most everybody in the whole wide world but us!!

Uh...speaking just for myself however...soon's I decide on just "which" cans, by necessity, will be my "final" cans; then the search will be on to determine just which augmentation will be required to display said chosen phones to their best advantage. Anything less would be an insult.

Besides; the hunt is as much fun as the kill!! And since I've retired, I've got more time for the hunt than the funds for the kill!