[DefQon]

Quote:

''doesn't hold a candle'' seriously?, arent't you exagerrating a little ? 

Note the keyword in that post?
 
This is why I said in my post that OP should listen to it themselves, people will side to one particular brand based on favouritism this leads to mixed results, noise and lots of bias. 
 
Yes for classical, jazz or opera the PS1k does not touch the HD800 period. Both well powered. PS1k connected to a Melos Gold amp/Sudgen headmaster and HD800 to my modded Crack/Ball upgrade. I didn't even need the MK VI+ in my comparison. I don't hate Grado's (although I prefer Alessandro's), but the PS1k is far from a serious sounding headphone.

 

[stacker45]

Quote:

Note the keyword in that post?
 
This is why I said in my post that OP should listen to it themselves, people will side to one particular brand based on favouritism this leads to mixed results, noise and lots of bias. 
 
Yes for classical, jazz or opera the PS1k does not touch the HD800 period. Both well powered. PS1k connected to a Melos Gold amp/Sudgen headmaster and HD800 to my modded Crack/Ball upgrade. I didn't even need the MK VI+ in my comparison. I don't hate Grado's (although I prefer Alessandro's), but the PS1k is far from a serious sounding headphone.

 
You talk about favoritism, and yet, here you go again, ''the PS1k does not touch the HD800 period''  and my favorite, ''but the PS1k is far from a serious sounding headphone''. I too have compared the HD800 and the PS1000 on my system, and ended up preferring the PS1000, the difference is that i would never say that the HD800 doesn't hold a candle to the PS1000,, or that the HD800 is far from a serious sounding headphone, the way i see it, when you get to this level, there are no bad sounding headphones, just slightly better sounding ones.
 
As far as i'm concern, comments like yours have little, to no credibility, and reak of fanboyism, especially after seeing how in another thread, you said bad comments on the Abyss's sound, without having even heard them. As far as i'm concern, commenting on how headphones sound without having heard them, is a big no no.
 
If you'd take it down a few notches, you might be taken a little more seriously.

 

[Currawong]

I'd still recommend at least picking up a second-hand pair of LCD-2s for the kind of music the OP likes. I think unless someone who likes the same music and has the PS1000 the discussion is rather moot. 

 

[dleblanc343]

Quote:

 
I don't know if i'm the one you're referring to, but if not, had my vote for the PS1000, like i have said, the HD800 are very good sounding headphones, but as far as i'm concerned the PS1000 ts the better sounding of the two, and, you don't have to buy an amp for them to give you the lion's share of what they have to offer.

No I wasn't referring to you; only people I personally know from meets and shows. But it is definitely a good headphone, it does compete with other flagships; it's also very musical. But it's not necessarily the most cutting-edge and accurate headphone to me.
 
The important part is to go with preference when spending a lot of money; and trying everything is in your best interest! Hopefully OP tries both out before deciding.
 
I also don't think either the Grado or the Senn would be ideal for our friend here; I stated what I think is best in my first post.

 

[audiojoseph]

Wow,are you for real?This is first time i have heard anyone describe any grado headphone as having subdued midrange.You must be joking.And nine out of ten alleged serious audiophiles preferred  hd800 over ps1000?Was it due to the ps1000 subdued midrange?I Who,s the single minded person?.I attended the highend audio show in n.y.c.last 2 years,all 3 days concentrating strickly on headphones section.In response to your claim of 9 out of 10 choosing the hd800,i would suggest you question the hundreds of of the serious audiophiles that auditioned the hd800 there.There were many descriptions,none very good,and all made a point of the gruesome treble cringe.But again this is all subjective,maybe some people enjoy cringe.I am not attempting to begin another grado war,just trying to give the gent in question some helpful info to make right choice.It is true that everyones hearing is different,and all will choose to there liking.Some may prefer absolute accuracy,but that often is not the most enjoyable,others may simply choose one that just plain sounds enjoyable to their ears,and is not that what music,and audio is all about.In 1997 i sold my pair of infinity refferrence standard 1 speaker system.The sound from this system could never be approached by any headphone,but yes call me single minded in the sense that the grado ps 1000  is the one headphone that sounds even remotely like that.I have one suggestion to the gent considering which one to purchase,there is a company online called (The cableCompany),they have some kind of in home audition,if you do not like what you hear,send it back,and they do have senn.hd800,and grado ps1000.I am not certain of all details,but would be great for someone who does not have accsess to both.Happy listening!

 

[Focker]

I know where Stacker is coming from, and I think the main reason why some of these threads turn into p****ng contests is because of all the hyperbole and the way some people just completely fail to maintain any semblance of objectivity when it comes to posting their opinions and advice. When you go well beyond just stating your own preferences and start being blatantly dismissive of another's preferred headphone, it's going to ruffle some feathers. I have yet to come across any piece of audio gear - headphones or otherwise - where there was complete uniformity in terms of the feedback. Doesn't matter whether it's the HD800s, the Grado PS1000s, or Beats phones....you'll have those that love them, those that hate them, and everyone in between. 

 

[dleblanc343]

Quote:

Wow,are you for real?This is first time i have heard anyone describe any grado headphone as having subdued midrange.You must be joking.And nine out of ten alleged serious audiophiles preferred  hd800 over ps1000?Was it due to the ps1000 subdued midrange?I Who,s the single minded person?.I attended the highend audio show in n.y.c.last 2 years,all 3 days concentrating strickly on headphones section.In response to your claim of 9 out of 10 choosing the hd800,i would suggest you question the hundreds of of the serious audiophiles that auditioned the hd800 there.There were many descriptions,none very good,and all made a point of the gruesome treble cringe.But again this is all subjective,maybe some people enjoy cringe.I am not attempting to begin another grado war,just trying to give the gent in question some helpful info to make right choice.It is true that everyones hearing is different,and all will choose to there liking.Some may prefer absolute accuracy,but that often is not the most enjoyable,others may simply choose one that just plain sounds enjoyable to their ears,and is not that what music,and audio is all about.In 1997 i sold my pair of infinity refferrence standard 1 speaker system.The sound from this system could never be approached by any headphone,but yes call me single minded in the sense that the grado ps 1000  is the one headphone that sounds even remotely like that.I have one suggestion to the gent considering which one to purchase,there is a company online called (The cableCompany),they have some kind of in home audition,if you do not like what you hear,send it back,and they do have senn.hd800,and grado ps1000.I am not certain of all details,but would be great for someone who does not have accsess to both.Happy listening!

 
It's not like I bashed the PS1000's... Yes, the mids are subdued in comparison to the bass and treble quantities; but I also mentioned the strong points of the phone and that they are indeed up there with some flagships. And also, I've worked at audio expositions and represented 3 brands on different occasions: Grado, Sennheiser and HiFiMAN. I am not showing any bias or allegiance to any brand; just stating my opinion about the PS1000. You can't argue that... 
 
Again, I've owned the PS1000's, and own the HD800, HE6, K702/65 and T50RP paradox at present. I've also owned the LCD3, HE500, ED8, SRH1840, RS1i, symphones Magnum MS2i for over 6 months; not to brag, but I've compared my fair share of headphones and am very familiar with measurements. I also compose music and ultimately went with the HD800's partially because the PS1000's dip from ~ 300 to 1000 hz.
 
In regards to the high end show in NYC, people go there for Hi-Fi stereo and speakers. Most people who try the headphones aren't necessarily familiar with headphone listening. Their critique isn't as refined as it's an entirely different take on sound versus stereo speakers. The PS1000's have a better "subwoofer" effect; so I understand the bias for speaker listeners to be impressed by the PS1000. Comparing headphones to speakers never works. Of course my Neumann KH120's will sound better than any headphone out there on my set-up; you simply cannot match good speakers' ability to image or portray space with a headphone.
 
Lastly, I want to repeat I have no dislike to Grado. I started off the hobby with Grado Alessandro, tried very hard to acquire HP1000's (my favorite sounding grado along with the HP2/1). I also owned the iGrado and GR8 iem's from them at one point.
 
Back to topic, my recommendations as stated earlier for OP still stand as: LCD3/HE6 (well-amped), LCD2/HE500 or Beyer T1. OP also seems to have not been online for a while; so we may be beating a dead horse while he's already made his choice.

 

[Takeanidea]

It's a good looking headphone is the ps1000. It's great for rock. The thing youd notice about the hd800s is the difference in the bass and the accent on the treble which further diminishes the effect of the bass. There is the crux of the matter. You get more detail with the hd800 but you have to get used to the less emphasis of the bass. I loved the t1s too, and how can you miss the chance for hifimans stuff as it's in the same budget? Is it that it's not available where you are? I love my hd800s and sold my lcd2's because in spite of superior warmth I found myself using the hd800s every time. I am a rock pop synth and acoustic lover with a smattering of classical sprinkled on top.
I am also well into my 40s so my age will have a bearing on the sound signature I like. Huge bass crashing symbals don't do it for me anymore even on metallica

 

[Takeanidea]

I'd still recommend at least picking up a second-hand pair of LCD-2s for the kind of music the OP likes. I think unless someone who likes the same music and has the PS1000 the discussion is rather moot. 

Lcd2's definitely should not be overlooked they are superb I had em for 18 months. 2nd hand through this forum is another good bit of advice you'll savea fortune! But there are plenty of pretenders to the throne

 

[realstar]

I have owned and compared a lot of headphones including most of the dynamic flagships and some good vintage 'legend' pairs as well. I found after awhile that I have settled on the PS1000 being just about my ultimate headphone. I have never really warmed up to the HD800 in any big way. I did have a stint where the LCD-2 was my main headphone but slowly I have used it less and less and favor the PS1Ks. A lot of headphones attempt to create a little fake room where the music resides in (diffuse field perhaps?) and after awhile even though headphones like the HD800, T1 or LCD-2 have great resolution clarity and 3D effect they seem to lack when it comes to delivering the music directly to the listener in a kind of unmodified more live sounding way. The only other headphone that can do this as well is the AKG K1000. (but they can be a little bright and hard to drive without a good powerful full size amp)

Now maybe this is a difference of musical philosphy or tastes because I mainly listen to heavy metal and 1980's pop/rock/videogame kind of music and not into classical or jazz like a lot of guys on here. I also prefer turntables and vintage gear as a source instead of digital and for my setup and experience the PS1000 is absolutely worth considering in the current dynamic flagships and in fact I think it comes out ahead of the HD800 and T1 for my tastes. I will warn that the break-in period is long on the PS1K so I think some people have maybe never heard it at it's best. Another issue is the rod blocks are terribly inadequate so you will have to come up with a solution or check out Martin Custom Audio perhaps for replacements to the stock set. I made my own out of a couple little aluminum blocks I had off of something else and put some nice big thumb screws in to hold them in place. So don't go in expecting perfect build quality but you do get a one of a kind big smooth and realistic sound that few other headphones can hope to achieve.

With that being said I would also recommend the LCD-2 as long as they have an amp that can deliver a lot of voltage to drive them good. I think the overall balance of the sound is just very suitable with a lot of music and is really one of the best value and quality headphones made today. My only caveat is that I do find that they play things a little on the 'safe' side and perhaps dont really have many big mood swings with different kinds of music or recordings. You really can't go wrong with an LCD-2, however eventually you may be able to zero in on an even more specific sound that just happens to be perfectly suited to what you are looking to get out of your music listening experience.

I tend to prefer headphones that can deliver the intention behind the music instead of only the end result.

 

[stacker45]

Quote:

I know where Stacker is coming from, and I think the main reason why some of these threads turn into p****ng contests is because of all the hyperbole and the way some people just completely fail to maintain any semblance of objectivity when it comes to posting their opinions and advice. When you go well beyond just stating your own preferences and start being blatantly dismissive of another's preferred headphone, it's going to ruffle some feathers. I have yet to come across any piece of audio gear - headphones or otherwise - where there was complete uniformity in terms of the feedback. Doesn't matter whether it's the HD800s, the Grado PS1000s, or Beats phones....you'll have those that love them, those that hate them, and everyone in between. 

 
That is exactly my point, it's ok to be a Sennheiser fan, or a Grado fan, it's when people become fanboys, that they start losing their objectivity when referring to other headphones. As Focker knows, i consider myself a Grado fan, not a fanboy, that means that i can recognize that they're are many other great sounding headphone brands and models. The LCD2/3, T1, HD800, K701, 007/009 just to name a few, i mean, how much credibility would i have, if i started bashing on these mostly very well regarded headphones, not much, if you ask me.
 
As i have said many times before, even if we all have different tastes and sound systems, we do have something very important in common, and it"s the love of music reproduced through headphones.
Thanks Focker, for helping me clarify all this.

 

[zibra]

HD800 for such genres excluding classical? You must be joking? He5LE is better HD800 for that. And I would suggest AT LEAST listen to PS1000 or Denon D7100/D600.

 

[stacker45]

Quote:

HD800 for such genres excluding classical? You must be joking? He5LE is better HD800 for that. And I would suggest AT LEAST listen to PS1000 or Denon D7100/D600.

 
Translation please,

 

[zibra]

Guy is looking HP for trance, techno, rap and thinking about HD800. For me its just terrible. What else do you need to be translated?
Oh and I forgot metal. Looking at his post I highly doubt he ever heard HD800. So I assume his choice is based on positive reviews of HD800 overall plus PS1000 because his friend told him so. Not my money but please dont you think its bad from beginning? Better if he bought both DT990 and AKG701 for now. Its not that simple to build great system.

 

[stacker45]

Quote:

Guy is looking HP for trance, techno, rap and thinking about HD800. For me its just terrible. What else do you need to be translated?
Oh and I forgot metal. Looking at his post I highly doubt he ever heard HD800. So I assume his choice is based on positive reviews of HD800 overall plus PS1000 because his friend told him so. Not my money but please dont you think its bad from beginning? Better if he bought both DT990 and AKG701 for now. Its not that simple to build great system.

 
I don't know where you're from, but your previous post is missing words, and doesn't make much sense, so i hope it's not attitude i'm detecting here, because if it is, i suggest that you re read yourself before pressing submit.
 
This post is much better by the way, so they're is still hope