[xsk3l3t0rx]

so i've owned a pair of hd600s for about 3 years. i'm looking for something that is not as difficult to drive, i.e. grados @ 32ohm. taking ito account the hardware that i'm currently running, AND the hardware i plan to buy in the future, i think a lower impedance set of cans is in my future. that being said, i enjoy the sennheisers very much, i think their sound reproduction is spot on. i dabble in some recording, but mostly use them for listening to music. without further ado, here is my setup(s):
 
setup #1: focusrite 2i4 audio interface (for recording) ---> headphone out jack -----> sennheiser HD600
setup #2: NuForce uDac2 ------> analog RCA out ------> woo audio 6 -----> sennheiser HD600
setup #3: focusrite 2i4 -----------> RCA output ------->woo audio 6 ------> sennheiser HD600
 
i have a hard time deciding which sounds best because i like to think that the nuforce is geared directly toward converting digital to analog (thats what it was built to do). the focusrite has that built in seemingly as an afterthought. also, the headphone out jack on the focusrite is supposedly only ~10ohms, so im asking a lot of it to drive 300ohm cans. out of convenience, i tend to use the focusrite more as my all around music listening device due to its flexibility to connect to external preamps via rca or the built in headphone jack.
 
would a purchase of the grado rs1e be a better match for my focusrite? for the record, im looking to get rid of my tube gear as i am moving to CA from MA anyway, (i dont want to travel with fragile, expensive tube gear). so losing the woo isnt a big deal to me. my intention here is not to push items as i am not yet eligible to post on the classifieds, but im a long time lurker with good intentions... i feel as though the focusrite could push the grados better, but would be less utilitarian than the sennheisers which are apparently industry standard for monitoring...
 
regardless, just in case anyone is interested, i would be willing to trade a pair of hd600s AND a woo audio 6 w/ stock tubes for a brand new grado rs1e.
 
this is what data im working with at the moment:
 
http://graphs.headphone.com/graphCompare.php?graphType=0&graphID[]=573&graphID[]=293&scale=30
 
i hope this is a good post, as i said before i'm a long time lurker, first time poster..

 

[b0000]

Make sure you look into the grado headphones a bit more since it has a very different sound signature than the hd600. Grados are really bright and sibilant in general. Just looking at all that extra treble energy on the graph makes me cringe a little inside.

 

[xsk3l3t0rx]

yea, i had noticed that on the frequency response chart as well. i strictly listen to rock (prog, classic, 80s/90s, melodic metal). bass is not crucial to me as i never listen to rap or hiphop. i dont mind the highs, as long as its not icepicky. how is the mahogany on the grados? is it just a gimmicky thing, or does it really contribute to the tone? i have to admit it looks sexy as hell, but i know in the audio world, sexy doesnt always equal good sound, in fact, many times its the opposite..

 

[b0000]

The wood looks pretty good imo, though honestly, i can't really comment on the sound. All i remember is trying out a bunch of grados, and taking them each of them off within a minute and concluded they all had too much treble for my tastes. I imagine listening to metal on them would be quite painful.
 
If you liked how your hd600 sounds, the most common suggestion for upgrades was usually the hifiman he500 (and now the he400i). Both headphones sound similar and can play every genre quite well.

 

[tomb]

The higher up you move in the Grado lines, the less harsh are the highs and the better the bass.  JMHO, but you're not going to do any better than an RS1 in terms of quality of sound, it's just that the sound itself will change characteristics with a PS500 (more bass - many prefer these over the RS1), PS1000, or GS1000 (extended soundstage).
 
The sound is not so different as some think between an HD600 and a Grado RS1/PS500, when the HD600 is properly amped and/or supplied with a Cardas cable.  If not, b0000 is correct: the sound between the two can be drastically different.
 
Basically, even though Grados are 32 ohm, they are still sensitive to amplifier selection.  They don't behave well with low-output-impedances, for instance, which is probably the real reason behind why many people recommend tube amps with Grados.
 
Anyway, Grados are my absolute favorite headphones.  I have tried and owned many different kinds - including many years with the HD600.  They are both great headphones.  Still, I always return to my Grados (HF-2's) as the go-to headphone in my inventory.

 

[b0000]

Audition it if you can! Your mileage may vary, i may just be more sensitive to treble than most people. Tomb is right though, the higher end models were easier on the treble. 

 

[sling5s]

Many who have listened to the new RS1e are saying the treble is almost absent-"like a speaker with blown Tweeter. It might be an exaggeration but the RS1e is a departure from the Grado sound. Check the Grado E series thread.

 

[b0000]

I've never heard the rs1e, but just looking at a graph of it, yea, that roll off is intense.
 
This is the original rs1 that op linked in the graph.
This is the rs1e.
hd600 for comparison
 
Open in multiple tabs and zoom in!
 
Here's the page where all the headphones are listed, including the hifimans that i mentioned.
 
nothing beats hearing it for yourself though.

 

[xsk3l3t0rx]

yea trust me guys, if i could audition i absolutely would. i live in central MA, and there is absolutely nothing around here to sample stuff out. we have one place roughly 40minutes away that sells hi-fi stuff, and thats it. personally, i like a lot of treble, never been much of a bass guy HOWEVER, not to the point where its shrill and hurts to hear obviously. my focusrite's headphone output is roughly 10ohms, i thought that a set of cans with a high resistance would require more power to drive them, am i wrong here? wouldn't a low impedance headphone be better matched for the focusrite 2i4? (e.g. if i have my hd600s connected, the vol knob sits around 3/4, so a lower impedance pair (grados rs1e) would only require a 1/4 turn of the vol knob right?) sorry if im putting this in laymans terms.

 

[b0000]

Oh that isn't the case. If you're speaking in terms of volume (gain) then the figure you want to look at is the headphone's sensitivity rating.
 
My akg q701 needs the most gain out of all my headphones with a sensitivity of 93db/mw  even though it's impedance is only 62 ohms. I used to own an hd800 (300 ohms) and it got louder much faster because it's more sensitive.
 
Just about any usb powered amp can make the vast majority of headphones go loud enough. Make sure the source (volume control on the pc) is set to max. My fiio e10 can certainly do it. 
 
Also, if you like a lot of treble, just looking at the graph of the rs1e, avoid it. You have to look at where the lines are relative to each other. A 10 dB difference is huge.

 

[kramer5150]

Keep them BOTH, unless you are financially strapped and can only afford one.  Seriously you are talking about two different cans that do so many different things so well.  There are LEGIONS of HF members over the decade who sold off those cans, only to scale up and down the ladder of dimini$hing return and return right  back to square 1.
 
I listen to the same kinds of music and honestly having both an RS1 and HD650 (an array of headphones actually) at my disposal really allows me to enjoy the music that much more.  Progressive rock is such a diverse field of musical styles, instrumentation, artist influences and recording techniques that in all honesty I don't think any one headphone can really do it all... at least not without missing a beat or two along the way.
 
Just my thoughts...  Good Luck though in whatever you chose!!

 

[xsk3l3t0rx]

that was an excellent response kramer. i appreciate your input on the matter. ive actually done a lot of research on audio, so im surprised i had forgotten about sensitivity. funny enough, i was trying to find some good bookshelves for my nuforce dda-100, and after reviewing a lot of speakers, i had settled on the klipsch rb-IIs. i had to learn frequency response, and how volume only increases by 3dB for every 2x in wattage,etc. audio is a very interesting field. i think i'll keep the sennheisers, as they've not been bad headphones at all. thanks guys for your knowledge and guidance. - dave

 

[kramer5150]

Sure... Then of course theres the counter-argument:  Multiple really good cans or one flagship?  To which of course theres no right or wrong answer.

 

[billybob_jcv]

Or, if you hang-out with the guys in the Summit-Fi forum, you might have a wall full of flagships...

 

[xsk3l3t0rx]

lol, well... i dont gamble because ive come to the conclusion i'll never win, so as with the lotto, i will show restraint with hi-fi as well. its not like i have garbage gear or anything, so i'll just enjoy what i have and research the technology behind it more so that maybe i can make better buying decisions in the future/ make my own amplifiers. i have an electronics degree, might as well put it to use..