Why do so few own the Alessandro MS Pro?

[MaZa]

Quote:

To the above few posts, the MSPro is NOT the same as the HP1000.

Im sure that people didnt mean that they would be exactly similar when saying that MS2 or MS Pro would be poor mans HP1000, but something close enough since Josephs headphones are next to impossible to acquire. But is the overall soundsignature of higher-end Alessandros closer to John Grado soundsignature or Joseph Grado soundsignature, overall?

 

[Blackmore]

There is only one HIGH END Alessandro, thats MS PRO, and they have own sound sig, but nothing close to HP1000, imo.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaZa /img/forum/go_quote.gif Im sure that people didnt mean that they would be exactly similar when saying that MS2 or MS Pro would be poor mans HP1000, but something close enough since Josephs headphones are next to impossible to acquire. But is the overall soundsignature of higher-end Alessandros closer to John Grado soundsignature or Joseph Grado soundsignature, overall?

 

[sacd lover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Audiofiler /img/forum/go_quote.gif To the above few posts, the MSPro is NOT the same as the HP1000. I had all three Aless phones plus a RS-1 and HP1000 in my possession and can attest to say as much. With the right gear, I actually find the MS2i's with Flats or Senn pads closer to the HP series than the MSpro's or any other current production model Grado (I expect due to the metal alloy utilized, who knows).

I know I find the MS2 with flat pads to sound similar to the HP1000; hence my signature.

I was hoping the MS Pro would be similar to the RS-1; but without the treble edge. I kept holding off because of the price and my satisfaction with the MS2. However, Audiofilers input makes me wonder even more what they do sound like.

Maza, closer to the Joe Grado signature.

 

[MaloS]

With regards to people coming back to RS-1 and such but not MS-Pro - I am tempted to say that is due to already having preference to Grados. I wonder if non-Grado folks are losing out by not trying out an Alessandro.. (I for example do not like any of the SR/RS series, but the neutrality of HP series I find is to die for, so I was hoping Alessandros are in the same direction).

 

[MaZa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blackmore /img/forum/go_quote.gif There is only one HIGH END Alessandro, thats MS PRO, and they have own sound sig, but nothing close to HP1000, imo.

When I say "higher-end", I mean headphones that are either truly high-end, very good mid-fi range so we we are dealing with excellent headphones. This includes both MS2 and MS Pro, latter is just the highest-end Alessandro offers. Catch my drift?


Quote:

I know I find the MS2 with flat pads to sound similar to the HP1000; hence my signature.

I wonder if this is because HP1000 also uses flat pads?

So perhaps Alessandro and Joseph headphones are truly rather close, default pads are just so different creating more Johnish sound to Alessandros?

 

[sacd lover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaZa /img/forum/go_quote.gif I wonder if this is because HP1000 also uses flat pads? So perhaps Alessandro and Joseph headphones are truly rather close, default pads are just so different creating more Johnish sound to Alessandros?

Actually, the Alessandro use bowl pads just like the other Grados. With the same bowl pads the Alessandro/ Grado sound is still different. I use flat pads because I dont like the bowl pads presentation with any Grado. The Joe Grado sound has a more subdued treble and so do the Alessandros; although again, they dont sound exactly alike.

 

[MaZa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sacd lover /img/forum/go_quote.gif Actually, the Alessandro use bowl pads just like the other Grados. With the same bowl pads the Alessandro/ Grado sound is still different. I use flat pads because I dont like the bowl pads presentation with any Grado. The Joe Grado sound has a more subdued treble and so do the Alessandros; although again, they dont sound exactly alike.

No no no! I meant that the main difference between sound of Alessandro and Joseph Grado headphones is because Alessandros have bowl pads instead of flats that were used with Josephs headphones. So, if one ads flats to Alessandro headphones, does he have a headphone that has soundsignature very similar to Josephs old headphones? Or do Alessandros still have some distinct soundsignature of their own, different from Josephs and Johns? Difference between Alessandro and John Grado headphones are familiar to me, having owned several Grados and MS1, but I have never heard Josephs headphones so thats why I'm interested.

 

[sacd lover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaZa /img/forum/go_quote.gif No no no! I meant that the main difference between sound of Alessandro and Joseph Grado headphones is because Alessandros have bowl pads instead of flats that were used with Josephs headphones. So, if one ads flats to Alessandro headphones, does he have a headphone that has soundsignature very similar to Josephs old headphones? Or do Alessandros still have some distinct soundsignature of their own, different from Josephs and Johns? Difference between Alessandro and John Grado headphones are familiar to me, having owned several Grados and MS1, but I have never heard Josephs headphones so thats why I'm interested.

I owned the old Joe Grado SR-100/SR-200 and HP-1 .... though many years ago. There is no doubt about the distinction between the old and new Grados.

Moving on .... I did get to hear a HP-2 vs the MS2i at a meet I hosted last year; both with flat pads out of my Singlepower Extreme. I found many similarities. But, the main difference is the MS2i is still a little brighter in the treble. I like this added brightness, at the time, as the HP-2's can sound a little dark to me at times. But, the HP-2 has more bass quantity and a "something right quality" to the midrange that transcends the 2 .... or just about anything else.

Anyway, this comparison cemented my very favorable impression of the MS2 because of the 2's noticeable similarity to the HP1000.

 

[MaZa]

Thanks, thats what I meant.

 

[majkel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sacd lover /img/forum/go_quote.gif Moving on .... I did get to hear a HP-2 vs the MS2i at a meet I hosted last year; both with flat pads out of my Singlepower Extreme. I found many similarities. But, the main difference is the MS2i is still a little brighter in the treble. I like this added brightness, at the time, as the HP-2's can sound a little dark to me at times. But, the HP-2 has more bass quantity and a "something right quality" to the midrange that transcends the 2 .... or just about anything else.

So this might explain why the MS2i's where not what I like. Their trebles were too bright for me, like cold white color. I don't like cold sound at all. Maybe with tubes it gets more neutral but my SS amp is still on the warm side and I like it. It works very well with the SR325i's and DT880's, so if you say all of this you observed with the flat pads it looks like they wouldn't help in my case. Regarding the bass - it sounded for me like the MS2i's membrane became softer and lost some control compared to the SR325i's. It was unnatural to me. I can easily understand why people like the MS2i's but it doesn't fit my liking at all. I want more power, musicality, slight coloration doesn't bother me at all. Given the two, the SR325i's provide more of it. For more relaxed listening I've got my DT880 Pro's.
Reading this thread I'm getting more and more convinced to look somewhere else than the MS Pro's and keep the John's or Joseph's direction.

 

[subtle]

Here's a pair that was listed for sale and then never bumped. Give em a shot Asr.

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f10/fs...canada-302929/

 

[HiWire]

Maybe he got out of the speeding ticket

 

[Blackmore]

 

[kg21]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Asr /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've been doing some digging recently and found a disturbing lack of information on these headphones. There are maybe less than 20 current owners of these headphones on Head-Fi (may be inaccurate since I didn't really count) and only a handful of pages of FS ads for them. What's with the lack of interest? I'm not sure I understand this one.

I agree with you, considering how good they are they should have a huge following. They are actually the best headphone that I've had the pleasure of hearing and I've owned a lot of different headphones. I haven't heard any of the top tier headphones though to be honest (K1000, R10, Omega, HP1000 etc.). But I really like them more than the rs-1 for some reason. I can't say if they are like hp1000 but they are just awesome imo. The biggest problem i think is they retail for a lot more than the rs1 and you can only get them directly from alessandro.

 

[nickchen]

I had the opportunity to test the MS Pro for a few hours (together with MS1 amd MS2i) and found it astonishing MS1-ish. More precise soundscape, better attack & decay of course, but same "tone", nothing else spectacular differenciated it from its small brother. When playing rock & pop stuff, MS Pro and MS1 sometimes even became almost totally similar.