Question For All "GradoHolics"
Jul 9, 2012 at 1:30 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 44

whirlwind

Headphoneus Supremus
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I have a couple of questions for the Grado Junkies.
 
Is there anyway that anybody has listened to every one of them , or at least like 5 different ones...post some comments here about what you liked and what seemed to be the best bang for the buck and so forth...interested in as much info as I can get....from actual users
 
Also....does anybody ever have sales on Grado cans and acessories....or is that something that just does not happen?
 
I love the Grado sound and I want to absorb as much info I can, from the people who have had hands on experience with them.
 
Thanks.
 
Jul 9, 2012 at 1:40 PM Post #2 of 44
I've had the 60i, 80, and 125. Of them, I actually ended up liking the SR80 the best after I made aluminum cups for them. The SR60 also sounded more enjoyable than the 125 when they had their cups replaced. The 125 is a bit brighter than the other two, but I prefer 'phones with greater bass presence.
 
If you're really into the Grado sound, may I suggest the magnums?

Hope this helped!
 
Jul 9, 2012 at 1:53 PM Post #3 of 44
Quote:
I've had the 60i, 80, and 125. Of them, I actually ended up liking the SR80 the best after I made aluminum cups for them. The SR60 also sounded more enjoyable than the 125 when they had their cups replaced. The 125 is a bit brighter than the other two, but I prefer 'phones with greater bass presence.
 
If you're really into the Grado sound, may I suggest the magnums?

Hope this helped!

It is going to be awhile before I can afford another set...but I want to absorb as much info as possible, so I will know what to get....who knows I may even want to try a 60i or 80.
 
I would love to have a pair of RS1 some day....but I may be wrong and find out from this info that I want something else.
 
Jul 9, 2012 at 9:31 PM Post #4 of 44
There is a difference between the RS1i and sr80i. I noticed it after the switch but I really noticed it after spending time with the RS1i and then going back to something lower (in my case the 80i). I still want to hear the 225i and see how much more I get for the big jump I made though lol.
I don't know about any sales but you could go the used route if you don't mind buying used if you can't find a good sale. 
 
Jul 9, 2012 at 9:37 PM Post #5 of 44
Quote:
It is going to be awhile before I can afford another set...but I want to absorb as much info as possible, so I will know what to get....who knows I may even want to try a 60i or 80.
 
I would love to have a pair of RS1 some day....but I may be wrong and find out from this info that I want something else.

 
I have heard alot of them,aside from the Alessandro series,the PS-1 and the HF series,it would take to long to write about all of the ones i did hear,so let me just say this.
 
I believe that the SR80i and the PS500 are the two best buys among Grado's current models,also i think that when you get to a certain price point,say around $500,the word ''better'' should be replaced by the word ''different'',you might prefer the PS500,to the $100 more expensive RS1i,simply because they sound so different and might be more you're cup of tea.
 
Also,for me,the SR325 and the PS500 represent the two extremes of the current lineup,of course the 325 beeing more treble oriented and ''in you're face'' and the PS500,more bass oriented,with more ''polite'' highs`.
 
And last,but certainly not least,a few days ago,after listening to a well recorded cd with my PS1000,i compared them with my SR80i and was shocked at how much of the lion's share i got with the SR80i,and to me this says a lot for the them,talk about a no brainer.
 
Hope this helps.
 
Jul 9, 2012 at 10:36 PM Post #6 of 44
I have heard all Grados from SR60i to PS1000. IMHO there is a lot of hype on this forum that makes people perceive certain headphones as "excellent". Out of all the headphones i tried there are only 4 i would buy if i had to. SR60i, RS1i, GS1000 and PS1000. The rest there is no point as the price isn't worth it at all and the sound quality isn't much different.
 
Currently i'm saving up to buy the PS1000 because they are in a class of their own. They have the same sound signature as my Edifier S730 as these are the only headphones i have tried that have a loudspeaker sound in a headphone.
 
Jul 9, 2012 at 10:51 PM Post #7 of 44
Quote:
I have heard all Grados from SR60i to PS1000. IMHO there is a lot of hype on this forum that makes people perceive certain headphones as "excellent". Out of all the headphones i tried there are only 4 i would buy if i had to. SR60i, RS1i, GS1000 and PS1000. The rest there is no point as the price isn't worth it at all and the sound quality isn't much different.
 
Currently i'm saving up to buy the PS1000 because they are in a class of their own. They have the same sound signature as my Edifier S730 as these are the only headphones i have tried that have a loudspeaker sound in a headphone.

 

you sure they sound the same as the Edifier S730D???

I mean yeah PS1000 is awesome and the bass is pretty impressive for grado but I can personally say that the PS1000 had better mids and more enjoyable neutrally colored like vocals
while the S730D is just messed up midbass that ruins the vocals.
 
I assume that you are just talking bout the sound signature and not the quality but in my opinion S730D totally doesn't sound like PS1000 :p
 
maybe I should relisten to PS1000
 
Jul 9, 2012 at 11:16 PM Post #9 of 44
 I just installed my new asus essence soundcard in my pc, been jamming for 3 hours now with my 325is
 
Personally, I just cant get enough of the quick attack in your face style that they have.......I take a break every hour for 5 minutes...and i am ready to go.
 
Listened to Eagles...Clapton...Melissa Etheridge....Inxs....AC/DC....Seger
 
Damn....I love these cans
smily_headphones1.gif

 
Jul 9, 2012 at 11:31 PM Post #10 of 44
Quote:
I have heard all Grados from SR60i to PS1000. IMHO there is a lot of hype on this forum that makes people perceive certain headphones as "excellent". Out of all the headphones i tried there are only 4 i would buy if i had to. SR60i, RS1i, GS1000 and PS1000. The rest there is no point as the price isn't worth it at all and the sound quality isn't much different.
 
Currently i'm saving up to buy the PS1000 because they are in a class of their own. They have the same sound signature as my Edifier S730 as these are the only headphones i have tried that have a loudspeaker sound in a headphone.

 
I have to admit,that i'm surprised that you say you'd buy the GS1000 AND the PS1000,because i have both,and since i got my PS1000,i don't use my GS1000 much anymore,i'm even thinking of selling them,so i'm curious to know why you'd buy both.
 
Regarding the rest of the models,i too have heard them all from SR60i to PS1000,and i think that altough some of them do sound similar,when you compare the SR325 to the PS500 the difference is far from sublte,the more choices we have,the better we can cater to our needs,i believe that,in the end,it's all a question of sinergy,so even if i find the SR325is too bright,some might like them,either because their sound system's treble is naturally rolled off and the SR325is balances things out just enough.the exact opposite goes for the PS500.
 
Jul 10, 2012 at 12:46 AM Post #11 of 44
Well GS1000 is $1000 and PS1000 is $1700 here in Austraila so they are in different price brackets but still prefer the PS1000
beerchug.gif



PS500 is my least favourite because it doesn't have that Grado sound signature "in your face". SR325 is probably the best option if you want to get a good experience of Grado sound signature. There is a small improvement going up to RS1i but also more than double the cost so you're better off get the PS1000
biggrin.gif

 
Jul 10, 2012 at 1:14 AM Post #12 of 44
I am sort of getting the feeling that I own one of the most, if not the most agressive grado in the entire line up.
 
Am I at least some what accurate in that statement ?
 
Jul 10, 2012 at 2:49 AM Post #13 of 44
Quote:
I have a couple of questions for the Grado Junkies.
 
Is there anyway that anybody has listened to every one of them , or at least like 5 different ones...post some comments here about what you liked and what seemed to be the best bang for the buck and so forth...interested in as much info as I can get....from actual users
 
Also....does anybody ever have sales on Grado cans and acessories....or is that something that just does not happen?
 
I love the Grado sound and I want to absorb as much info I can, from the people who have had hands on experience with them.
 
Thanks.

 
 
Doesn't happen.  Grado's policy is list price only,
and their products are sold only through carefully selected dealers.
OTOH, most would say they're very fairly priced at retail.
 
 
 
Quote:
He clearly said they have the same sound signature
smile.gif

 
 This is just what I hoped for, as there is already some great info here.
 
On a side note, I just installed my new asus essence soundcard in my pc, been jamming for 3 hours now with my 325is
 
Personally, I just cant get enough of the quick attack in your face style that they have.......I take a break every hour for 5 minutes...and i am ready to go.
 
Listened to Eagles...Clapton...Melissa Etheridge....Inxs....AC/DC....Seger
 
Damn....I love these cans
smily_headphones1.gif

 
 
Quote:
I am sort of getting the feeling that I own one of the most, if not the most agressive grado in the entire line up.
 
Am I at least some what accurate in that statement ?

 
 
Yep, they're the most aggressive sounding headphones Grado makes. :)
 
 
 
 
(edited for formatting of quotes)
 
Jul 10, 2012 at 6:34 AM Post #15 of 44
I’ve owned a bunch. I currently have the SR60, MS2 and Magnum v4
 
SR60i. great introduction to the sound. the character is the same as the higher end cans but without the refinement. can become screechy with the foam comfies with some music.
 
MS1i. My first grado and a very good introduction to the line. probably the best choice for people outside the states to affordably try out the sound. I can’t remember enough details to compare them in detail to anything else here.
 
325i. too v shaped for my liking. they became Magnums.
 
MS2. just got these in a trade. More mellow than the 325 and one I’d easily recommend.
 
RS2. (non i version) I really liked these quite a bit. very light and comfortable and with a slightly darker character than the MS1 I had at the time. Another easy recommendation for someone wanting to try out a higher end grado.
 
HF2/ PS500. These are very similar in tone. Much more bass and lower midrange boost compared to other grados. less treble peakiness. The PS500 is better than my memory of the HF2 with a bit less harshness in the lower treble. The PS500 is probably my main recommendation for a high end grado these days (aside from a now discontinued magnum upgrade)
 
RS1 (non i). I had these at the same time as the HF2 last year and preferred them to those. But I don’t think I would choose them over the PS500. But I’d need to hear them side by side to say for sure. nice, punchy bass but the treble is a bit too unnaturally bright for something so expensive, imo.
 
GS1000. I liked the comfort and soundstage but the v shape FR was too much for me. the treble peaks are a bit nuts.
 
PS1000. more balanced than the GS1000 but the treble is still a problem for me. not on every song but for a few passages here and there. good soundstage, a bit heavy. 
 
Magnum v4 (aluminum cups and sleeves). I wish these were still being made. I got mine just in time, it seems. same sound character as the RS1 but with less harshness and ringing so the treble isn’t an issue for me. I’ve gone back and forth between these and the PS500 (they could both be had for the same price). The PS500 have more bass kick but more midrange shout. these are just a little bit thin with bowls but have a nice rich sound with flats. 
 

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