[paulybatz]

hey. Anyone have a comparison between the two? These are what I am considering for an open phone, perhaps there is something better in the $225-240 street price I got for them?


Anything else to recommend...perhaps in the next step up in price?

 

[pataburd]

The 2500 have fuller, deeper bass and IMHO sound more balanced than the 325i.

That said, the high frequency extension and detail of the 325i is pretty tough to beat, more refined, extended and detailed than the 2500.

For a unique set of headphones in their own right, I thought the 325i had more going for them than the 2500--at least when I owned the two of them together.

Also, I strongly preferred the Proline 750 to the 2500, and quite possibly to the 325i.

The Grados really are a treble-dominant listen; with a decent source and amp they can sound downright silky in the high frequencies, but it's not a balanced sound; bass is fast and punchy, but it's mostly a "midbass mirage." The 325i simply cannot go as deep and pronounced in the bass as the 2500.

IMM, the Prolines were everything the Grado SR series aspired to be, but the Ultrasones, I thought anyway, "beat the Grados at their own game," the only exception being the 325i's superlative high frequency delivery.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

The The 2500 may have fuller, deeper bass but they seemed a little recessed in the mids while the SR-325i are fuller in the mids and more present.

I preferred the 325i to the 2500 by a small margin based on the sound, but I really enjoyed the 2500 with a good tube amp that could provide rich forward mids. The 2500 are also more comfortable, but I felt more involved with the music when listening with the SR-325i (which were balanced however). Because I also preferred the richer forward mids and the stronger punchier bass of the Edition 9, I parted with the 2500 last summer. Then only last week I parted with the SR-325i in order to have a chance to try the ATH-AD2000 for myself (of which I haven't fully formed an opinion of yet).

 

[paulybatz]

Larry, let me know via PM how those other phones are...

...folks need some more feedback please.

Any RS-1 owners out there too, chime in? Or any other phone recommendations

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulybatz /img/forum/go_quote.gif Larry, let me know via PM how those other phones are... ...folks need some more feedback please. Any RS-1 owners out there too, chime in? Or any other phone recommendations

The AD2000 have a Cardas cable and plug installed by Moon Audio. They seem kinda like a PL2500 with the missing midrange presence restored, and slightly smoother highs and slightly less bass than the 2500. They have a similar air and space as the PL2500, which is just a little less solid or weighty sounding than the SR-325i. They are kinda like a cross between an HD600 and Grado - wide sound stage but not real deep, while all the Ultrasone go deep and wide, yet fast like a Grado or Ultrasone.

They rest on my ears with a suede leather like semi-circum/supra-aural pad, which is not totally supra-aural, but not a true "around the ear" circumaural either. But there is less pressure on the ears than the SR-325i, so more comfortable (these used ones may have had the headband stretched out by one of the previous owners).

The RS-1 so far are still my favorite of these, but I have never heard them with a stock cable, having bought them from APS already re-cabled. They have more weight or presence than the AD2000 with a similar sound stage - not too shallow and not too deep if I use bowls. The APS V3 RS-1 add a richness to the mids that the SR-325i didn't have, and with flats sound very similar to my old HP-1000 with signature cable. With flats the bass exceeds that of the PL2500 and AD2000.

 

[paulybatz]

Larry, that is some great info there!!!
Thanks for the detailed reply there...a lot to digest!
Pauly