[wakeride74]

Can anyone with the jumbos post some feedback on how the compare and what main differences they hear between the reversed bowls? Feel free to PM me if you'd like, thx

 

[roy_jones]

I'm so super annoyed that my HF-2's didn't arrive today. Two full weeks after they shipped and they're still not here? Come on...it's not like I live in Australia.

Not Todd's fault, obviously. Normally shipping times don't bother me, but this is a little ridiculous.

 

[The Uam]

Quote:

Originally Posted by roy_jones /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm so super annoyed that my HF-2's didn't arrive today. Two full weeks after they shipped and they're still not here? Come on...it's not like I live in Australia. Not Todd's fault, obviously. Normally shipping times don't bother me, but this is a little ridiculous.

Mine took like 2 and a half weeks to get here in Canada...

 

[Seba]

And mine took only 5 days from Todd to my local customs agent in Finland

It was very wise move to get them with USPS / EMS shipping option...

I tried to compare my old RS-2 vs HF-2 yesterday with my father's rig but SB Live! Platinum + Little Dot I+ doesn't show the differences with those two. I have to compare them with my rig later.

 

[rhw]

Visual comparison HF2 vs. RS1:

In my opinion RS1 wins.
Musically I am not sure. HF2 becomes more refined after running a longer time.

 

[cafe zeenuts]

Quote:

Originally Posted by roy_jones /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm so super annoyed that my HF-2's didn't arrive today. Two full weeks after they shipped and they're still not here? Come on...it's not like I live in Australia. Not Todd's fault, obviously. Normally shipping times don't bother me, but this is a little ridiculous.

Sorry mate, my only took 5 business days to get to Australia from Todd. This was ship via normal Priority Mail International not EMS

 

[Nirvana1000]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhw /img/forum/go_quote.gif Visual comparison HF2 vs. RS1: In my opinion RS1 wins. Musically I am not sure. HF2 becomes more refined after running a longer time.

AHHHH!The Picasos of headphones!

I wonder what would happen if you exchanged the housing chambers?And looking at the difference in thickness of the cables.IMO The HF2 definitely benefits sound quality from those cables.

 

[spahn_ranch]

Enjoying having both the HF2 and RS1i now, and the plan is to let one go eventually, but no rush and very early yet. Anyway, I was asked for a comparo in PM so may as well post that here too.

--
Re:

I'm still finding this out myself. My HF2 has only 50 hours yet, and my RS1i 550, but certainly I've been comparing them already out of my RA1 (w/ true 9.6V's). Regarding timbre, RS1i are slightly ahead at this point.

I was concerned with shrillness in the treble of old Grados, including classic RS1, but find that's not so much the case with these RS1i, and I can say even less so with the HF2. They're smooth, lush and very dynamic and fun. I want to try my RS1i with a tube amp, and the MAD Ear+ HD is at the top of that list; in direct comparison with the HF2 the RS1i can at times sound slightly on the dry side, whereas with the HF2 I just connect to anything I've listened to yet. Very "musical" indeed, and "to the point", while allowing me to easily pick a strand at will and follow it. In short, they're special and make some of my FLAC collection sound noticably less mechanical than I've heard before. HF2 are also more full bodied in the low registers; I notice wanting to nudge the volume control up a smidge or two after switching from HF2 to RS1i.

I listen to most kinds of music, but my musical salt of choice is electronic genres, often erring or the dark side. My cravings are for PRaT on the one side and all the overtones and grit of analogue synths or Hammond B3 for that matter. Clearly, the HF2 deliver and may already be ahead of RS1i in effortless avalanche-like PRaT. As for grit and overtones, like I said they're smooth; maybe they will mature into very refined phones just like RS1i. The latter I find are slightly ahead with grit, bite, twang. Not by much, but if an instrument is dry, RS1i lets me know. Not to suggest anything "cartoonish" about the HF2, rest assured it's hifi league; but, they make no apologies for being what they are, which is probably the better allrounder. I can safely say that I'm very much enjoying every beat with HF2/RA1. I recall someone saying they're more laid back than RS1, but the word that would make sense to me is effortless; powerful rather than "energetic".

My testing so far is with the MF V-DAC; I have a nice enough vinyl setup but with the cart it's slightly on the bright side and not the ideal match for RS1i. Not able to say which of the phones may come out on top in the best of systems, but with the stuff I have here, there's nothing to suggest that the two phones aren't in the same ballpark on absolute sound quality.

Still very early days, only had the HF2 for two days, and I do a lot of switching. I'm not a hifi-reviewer, but I'll be glad to give you my impressions on any specific qualities you're curious about, so shoot away, and genre specific if you like.

 

[rhw]

Thanks for posting your thoughts about the RS1 in contrast to the HF2.
Generally I agree with your findings.

I also spent some hours in listening to the HF2 and RS1 yesterday and today.
My RS1 is a mid 2008 model. I do not know exactly the difference to the newer RS1i. The cup looks the same, the cable is thinner. (Do they share the same driver?)
The HF2 may have appr. 160 hours now.
Source are lossless files on a MacBookPro. DAC/amp: D10 with optical cable or USB Monica NOS DAC > Yamamoto HA02.
At first the HF2 really seems to be or sound a bit louder, maybe it is more sensitive than the RS1 or it is in cause of the more pronounced bass, mid-bass.
With the D10 (744/EL8201) in comparison the HF-2 sounds darker, has less sibilance, while the treble sounds "harder". Voices, esp. male voices and instruments have more body.
In contrast the RS1 sounds smoother, lighter, more refined. Sometimes it is missing some impact, in the treble a bit "romantically".
While this impression might give the HF2 an advantage with the D10 (744), the Yamamoto changes the evaluation.
The HF2 while having good macro dynamic is missing some micro information. With the tubes the sound becomes too round.
The RS1 now gets more warmth, body, the treble becomes sweeter. Female voices are a real pleasure.
These Grados are both great. I can not decide which one to prefer (at the moment).

 

[rhw]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nirvana1000 /img/forum/go_quote.gif AHHHH!The Picasos of headphones! I wonder what would happen if you exchanged the housing chambers?And looking at the difference in thickness of the cables.IMO The HF2 definitely benefits sound quality from those cables.

Ouch - I will not change the housings ....
The new RS1i does have the thicker (8*) cable, I never read a comparison to the older once. Because I use an adaptor or an extension cable I do not know whether the cable will be relevant.
Maybe I will built a better adaptor and see whether this changes anything.

 

[MadMan007]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nirvana1000 /img/forum/go_quote.gif AHHHH!The Picasos of headphones! I wonder what would happen if you exchanged the housing chambers?And looking at the difference in thickness of the cables.IMO The HF2 definitely benefits sound quality from those cables.

It may but the cable from the y-split to the cups is deceptively large. It's mostly hollow with the wires inside, not 'solid' like other Grado wires. It's actually kind of disconcerting because the outer tube isn't very sturdy and could kink easily.

 

[Sherwood]

I thought you folks might appreciate this picture from a mini meet this last weekend:

 

[Drumonron]

At the moment I'm liking the HF-2 better than my RS-1 classic....I really think the HF2 wins when it comes to resolving detail from songs with a lot going on whereas with the RS-1 the detail will get lost in the warmth....it's hard to describe but the HF2s just gives me more detail and separation and speed or PRAT....voices are amazing too! I'm sure I'll change my opinion daily but IMHO...the HF-2s are at least on the same level or higher than the RS-1s if for no other reason but to hear the details when several instruments come together in moments of a song...no congestion, you know.

...stand by..

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sherwood /img/forum/go_quote.gif I thought you folks might appreciate this picture from a mini meet this last weekend:

very nice pic...the RS-1 in the pic is just like mine only mine is recabled with SAA Equinox....love it .

I think the RS-1s and HF2 Grado are so beautiful. I mean I love the sound of the HF-1s but the HF2 is a homerun...just bloody gorgeous! The perfect merging of industrial old world charm in sound and in looks - highly addictive sound but hey, I love percussion and let's just say I'm hearing the cymbals, hi-hats, toms and rolls like no other imo...all this and clarity...perfection!

 

[pearljam5000]

Drumonron could you please do a quick comaprison of the HD800 and HF2?
thanks.

 

[Aimless1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drumonron /img/forum/go_quote.gif the HF-2s are at least on the same level or higher than the RS-1s

The HF-2 and RS-1 are on the same level. I wouldn't give the nod to either one being better than the other. Just as the HF-2 clearly wins on tone and detail, so too does the RS-1 on warmth and aggressiveness. I like the RS-1 for rock and the HF-2 for jazz and vocals.