[directmusic]

Since three days I listen to the PS1000. Initially I was not impressed, but after some burning in (not to loud according to grado) the PS1000 are a delight. The sound is near the one experienced with best reproduction on a system with speakers. Just music, very pure and convincing, so you can easy forgot you are listening it throw some gear. Sound is natural, open, rich coloured (positive) sound of the instruments, perfect voices, great stage, very little harshness, good dynamics, fantastic defined bass - as deep as it needs (I hear mostly classical music).The can's make quite everything well. The weight was initially a concern, but now I have forget it, the sound is that great. Limiting of course is the source: straight out of Cowon S9 (with normal sound setting) or listening with the S9 and the cobra D10. Music is not compressed, wav 48kHz, 1536kbps.

Has anyone experienced a comparison of these cans with the HD800?

Going back to the IEM Westone 3 is clear a step back and as I want also some IEM I think of purchasing some JH13. Has someone compared these cans with the Grado PS1000?


I apologize for my english.

My other gear: Shure ES530 and AKG K701 (both for sale)
Not in use now: Crimson preamp&mono amps, Epos ES14, all extensively modified.

 

[majkel]

I had on loan the HD800 for several days. The PS1000 are in another league for me. The HD800 have artificial, shortened decay and their soundstage lacks natural perspective, everything is huge no matter it's far or close. In addition, the PS1000 are very linear in the sense of volume, you can adjust it very loud or silent and hear the same characteristic, the HD800 sound like suffocating at low volume. Be happy with the PS1000 as I am. Or try the IEMs as it's more suitable for portable gear.

 

[mrarroyo]

The closest I have gotten was at an Orlando Florida mini meet. In it there was the HD800, GS1000, HP1000, HP2, RS-1, HF2, etc. IMO the HD800 is surpassed by HP2 and HP1000 w/o any problems.

The RS-1 sounds better than the HF2, which in turn sounds better than the GS1000. Owning the RS-1 I do not see my self owning the HD800, do not see enough of an improvement plus it needs great amplification and a great source. The HD800 did sound superb out of the Luxman headphone amp

 

[subtle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrarroyo /img/forum/go_quote.gif IMO the HD800 is surpassed by HP2 and HP1000 w/o any problems.

Interesting. Comparing the two side by side for a couple of weeks I found the HP2 had a very dark signature, was rolled off at both ends, and vastly detail recessed compared to the HD800. The midrange on the HD800, which is most important to me, was also clearly superior to the HP2. Honestly, with the price the HP2s are still fetching, it wasn't difficult at all to let them go.

 

[directmusic]

Thank you for your contributions, especially to majkel for his opinion. Yes, I'm enjoying the music with the PS1000.
There seems to be not much comparisons on the net with other high-end cans like the HD800, L3000, Stax.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

Originally Posted by majkel /img/forum/go_quote.gif I had on loan the HD800 for several days. The PS1000 are in another league for me. The HD800 have artificial, shortened decay and their soundstage lacks natural perspective, everything is huge no matter it's far or close. In addition, the PS1000 are very linear in the sense of volume, you can adjust it very loud or silent and hear the same characteristic, the HD800 sound like suffocating at low volume. Be happy with the PS1000 as I am. Or try the IEMs as it's more suitable for portable gear.

For me, I thought the PS1000 was a slight improvement on the GS1000 and I prefer the RS1 to the GS1000. But when comparing them A-B to the HD800, the HD800 won hands down.

There is absolutely nothing artificial in the HD800...nothing, it is the most neutral headphone out there. Grado's are far from neutral and thus more "artificial" and I would say more fun too. But for me (and many, many others) the HD800s are the better headphone.

The only other dynamic headphone that competes with it on the same level is the beyerdynamic T1 (which I do slightly prefer).

But, we all hear and prefer things differently...

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by subtle /img/forum/go_quote.gif Interesting. Comparing the two side by side for a couple of weeks I found the HP2 had a very dark signature, was rolled off at both ends, and vastly detail recessed compared to the HD800. The midrange on the HD800, which is most important to me, was also clearly superior to the HP2. Honestly, with the price the HP2s are still fetching, it wasn't difficult at all to let them go.

I compared Blutarsky's HP-1000 with Equinox cable to my HD800 with Warren Audio cable, and the HD800 were superior. The HP-1000 actually sounded fatiguing to me.

 

[hockeyb213]

While I have not heard a ps-1000 I can say on my rig (macbook pro > da11 > balanced b22) I greatly prefer my jh-13's to the hd800 which sound lean to me and lack the character and micro detail I got with my jh-13's. I also prefer my jh-13 to the ed8.

 

[IPodPJ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by majkel /img/forum/go_quote.gif I had on loan the HD800 for several days. The PS1000 are in another league for me. The HD800 have artificial, shortened decay and their soundstage lacks natural perspective, everything is huge no matter it's far or close. In addition, the PS1000 are very linear in the sense of volume, you can adjust it very loud or silent and hear the same characteristic, the HD800 sound like suffocating at low volume. Be happy with the PS1000 as I am. Or try the IEMs as it's more suitable for portable gear.

If you used the HD800 with the source you have listed in your signature, it's no surprise you didn't like them. I don't know about your amp since it's a DIY deal, but if it's not a world class amp it won't do the HD800 justice either.

The HD800 demand the absolute best and if you aren't able to give them that, they will have their shortcomings. But even with the worst DAC in the world they would still sound better to me than the PS1000.

 

[majkel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by IPodPJ /img/forum/go_quote.gif If you used the HD800 with the source you have listed in your signature, it's no surprise you didn't like them. I don't know about your amp since it's a DIY deal, but if it's not a world class amp it won't do the HD800 justice either. The HD800 demand the absolute best and if you aren't able to give them that, they will have their shortcomings. But even with the worst DAC in the world they would still sound better to me than the PS1000.

So the whole sense of your post is that better is what sounds better to you. My DAC is something more built from scratch than what you see on ebay, supplied from a different PSU and a toroidal transformer. I comapred it side by side to Accuphase DC801/DP800 combo so I know what I "lose". So did I with my amp against other regarded ones. Some say Metronome DACs do justice to the HD800 but a guy who tested this combo with modded ASL Twin Head with replaced tubes still prefers the PS1000. Still bad equipment? I heard PS1000 with his amp, too. Having money for top of the top it makes more sense to buy AKG K1000 and a decent pre-amp/power amp or monoblocks combo. It's really another league than HD800.

 

[IPodPJ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by majkel /img/forum/go_quote.gif It's really another league than HD800.

You're certainly entitled to your opinion, and if that's the sound you like more power to you, but you're among only a handful of people that feel that way. I personally hate Grados and would never own a pair, not even if you offered me the PS1000 for a $100 (well, maybe to resell them

). Out of all of the Grados, I think the HF2 is the only one that sounds decent enough to listen to.

The AKG K1000 are very nice headphones and I wouldn't mind having a pair. But I do not believe they outclass the HD800.

 

[majkel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by IPodPJ /img/forum/go_quote.gif You're certainly entitled to your opinion, and if that's the sound you like more power to you, but you're among only a handful of people that feel that way. I personally hate Grados and would never own a pair, not even if you offered me the PS1000 for a $100 (well, maybe to resell them ). Out of all of the Grados, I think the HF2 is the only one that sounds decent enough to listen to. The AKG K1000 are very nice headphones and I wouldn't mind having a pair. But I do not believe they outclass the HD800.

Again, you're floating between hate (Grado) and disbelief (AKG) instead of verifying the capabilities with your own ears and providing qualitative comparisons. Your requirements to make the HD800 sound good apply to the PS1000 and the K1000 as well, BTW.

Music is sound and emotions. From Grado I hear both, from the HD800 mainly the first part. That's a flaw for me and I tried to explained what is wrong with them from the technical and perceptual point of view for me. Maybe it's a wrong connection found but it doesn't change the fact I feel bored while listening to the HD800. On the other hand, looking at the impressions, the T1 seem to be what I would like very much. Beyer is a good manufacturer providing both sound and build quality. And I am not a Sennheiser hater. I like the HD438 very much. These are very good headphones, probably the best they ever made excluding the HE90/HEV90 combo.

 

[IPodPJ]

I'm not explaining the technical merits because I've done that many times in other threads. Music is about emotion, absolutely, and I fully admit that I am someone who listens for technical accuracy and finds it just as important as the music itself. If I wanted a less accurate phone that was able to convey emotion, I'd choose a Beyer DT800/600 or even better, the older Beyer DT911 from the '90s. I haven't heard the T1 yet so I can offer no comment on it, but I'm sure it's a very nice phone. The HE90 are wonderful headphones and the best electrostat I've ever heard, and the Sony R10 are the best closed headphone I've ever heard, but still I choose the HD800 and have built an entire system around them. In order for them to shine, that's what's required.

 

[Parafeed]

Quote:

Originally Posted by IPodPJ /img/forum/go_quote.gif The HD800 demand the absolute best and if you aren't able to give them that, they will have their shortcomings.

I'm not trying to be argumentative for the sake of it, but is it not possible that even with the "absolute best", one can still find the HD800 to have "shortcomings"? Not even "world class" equipment is able to "fix" the HD800 aircraft hanger soundstage. That's a shortcoming, and whilst subjective, several of us seem to have an issue with it. Including people who have heard the HD800 with expensive, high-end sources and amps.

 

[shabta]

I keep hearing a minority of head-fiers talk about the fact that HD800s have a wide soundstage as if it were a criticism. Speakers also have a wide soundstage (relative to most headphones). Many people like myself who spent most of their audiophile life listening to speakers, concert halls and even tiny little jazz clubs, have found the closed-in "in your head sound" of most headphones an adjustment and in many cases annoying. One thing that struck me as so unusually good about the HD800s is that they present a much more speaker-like soundstage.

Anyway, there is a lot more to say about this but that's probably enough of a digression from the main topic.