Zanth
SHAman who knew of Head-Fi ten years prior to its existence
- Joined
- Oct 11, 2001
- Posts
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I've been seeing a fair amount of FS ads here and on Ebay regarding "Vintage" RS-1's. I scratch my head when seeing the images of 2 year old headphones with the "buttons" with grand claims they are "vintage!"
Perhaps I'm overly pedantic but I figure that for most folks, vintage means "really really old." Perhaps the sellers are using the term properly as per a dictionary definition such as: "a period of origin or manufacture" which in a case for RS-1's one could claim a 1996-2006 "vintage" rather than what most here conceptually believe vintage to mean the early 1995-1996 versions.
Best for members here would be an internal version system we use to depict which "vintage" we are referring to.
For instance, I own a pair of "vintage" RS-1's from the first batch made. These RS-1's have what appear to be HP-1000 drivers tweaked out, richly stained cups but not REALLY dark ones. The cups have buttons and the headband is brown not black. Also, the lettering is gold all around, not silver. These came in the first type wooden box, there were two made.
The second "version" would be the RS-1's with what seems to be different drivers (at least from the markings/colourings) but otherwise look and sound the same from all reports at Headwize and early on Head-fi. They too came in a box, the second model box.
The third "version" sees the removal of the box, a black headband and silver lettering. The cups have buttons and the driver markings seem to be identical to the v2 RS-1's.
The fourth "version" sees the removal of the buttons on the cups but otherwise all else is the same. Sonically, for me, I'm still discerning any differences between v1 and v4, let alone v3 and v4.
I hope that folks that see a v3 and think that these are really really old and may well enjoy that miracle of mystical magic that comes from the v1 and v2 RS-1's (if there is any...) may well want to know that the tag "vintage" and the mark-up they see on these forums and Ebay might simply be a grab at one's ignorance or gullibility.
By most accounts, if v3 = v4 in all aspects save for the buttons being removed (which is the case) then the v4's should sound better because they have better airflow and less possible problems of resonance from the glued on wooden button. But that is just my opinion as well as some others who are thinking from the physics side of things. Again, I'm still listening myself to decide if there is anything different between v3 and v4 sonically. As for my immediate understanding of the v1 vs. v3 and v4, yes there is a difference, but is it only because they are older and have many hours on them vs. the newer models I'm evaluating? Perhaps so! Others completely disagree with me and even go so far as to claim the v1 and v2 RS-1's to be on par with the very best headphones ever made. I've always felt this way but now others who normally wouldn't enjoy the Grado house sound are claiming such things too. Quite incredible!
Perhaps I'm overly pedantic but I figure that for most folks, vintage means "really really old." Perhaps the sellers are using the term properly as per a dictionary definition such as: "a period of origin or manufacture" which in a case for RS-1's one could claim a 1996-2006 "vintage" rather than what most here conceptually believe vintage to mean the early 1995-1996 versions.
Best for members here would be an internal version system we use to depict which "vintage" we are referring to.
For instance, I own a pair of "vintage" RS-1's from the first batch made. These RS-1's have what appear to be HP-1000 drivers tweaked out, richly stained cups but not REALLY dark ones. The cups have buttons and the headband is brown not black. Also, the lettering is gold all around, not silver. These came in the first type wooden box, there were two made.
The second "version" would be the RS-1's with what seems to be different drivers (at least from the markings/colourings) but otherwise look and sound the same from all reports at Headwize and early on Head-fi. They too came in a box, the second model box.
The third "version" sees the removal of the box, a black headband and silver lettering. The cups have buttons and the driver markings seem to be identical to the v2 RS-1's.
The fourth "version" sees the removal of the buttons on the cups but otherwise all else is the same. Sonically, for me, I'm still discerning any differences between v1 and v4, let alone v3 and v4.
I hope that folks that see a v3 and think that these are really really old and may well enjoy that miracle of mystical magic that comes from the v1 and v2 RS-1's (if there is any...) may well want to know that the tag "vintage" and the mark-up they see on these forums and Ebay might simply be a grab at one's ignorance or gullibility.
By most accounts, if v3 = v4 in all aspects save for the buttons being removed (which is the case) then the v4's should sound better because they have better airflow and less possible problems of resonance from the glued on wooden button. But that is just my opinion as well as some others who are thinking from the physics side of things. Again, I'm still listening myself to decide if there is anything different between v3 and v4 sonically. As for my immediate understanding of the v1 vs. v3 and v4, yes there is a difference, but is it only because they are older and have many hours on them vs. the newer models I'm evaluating? Perhaps so! Others completely disagree with me and even go so far as to claim the v1 and v2 RS-1's to be on par with the very best headphones ever made. I've always felt this way but now others who normally wouldn't enjoy the Grado house sound are claiming such things too. Quite incredible!