Overview i.e. what the makers say
Grado, one of the oldest family owned companies in the Audio Industry, has for almost half a century been the leaders in design engineering for the high-end audio and recording industries.
Grado is famous for their remarkable headphone and phono cartridge designs and hold over 48 patents. Company founder, Joseph Grado is credited as the inventor of the stereo moving coil phono cartridge. He is responsible for more innovations in phono cartridge design than any other person in our lifetime and was inducted into the Audio Hall of Fame in 1982.
Time honoured manufacturing know how and painstaking attention to design detail allows previously unattained levels of pitch control, harmonic accuracy and bass quality to be achieved. All Grado headphones and cartridges are hand made to Grado's full performance specifications... nothing leaves the factory unless it sounds pure Grado.
Grado headphones
All Grado headphones have a vented diaphragm design that incorporates a large air chamber. This design concept lowers the frequency resonance (distortion) of the diaphragm and extends bass response. The diaphragm is made of a low mass polymer, carefully formed to broaden resonant modes to reduce their amplitude. The diaphragm mass is determined with the compliance of the suspension in mind so that the desired low frequency resonance is achieved. The diaphragm's total mass is calculated to provide a full 20 KHZ bandwidth, while avoiding break-up at lower frequencies.
The Professional, Statement, Reference Series and along with the Prestige Series SR325is, SR225i and SR125i feature voice-coils that are wound from ultra-high purity, long crystal (UHPLC) oxygen free copper. The copper is slowly drawn through the die in extremely small increments and is annealed following each drawing operation. Ultra-high conductivity copper yields the clearest transmission and lowest coloration possible. The sound of UHPLC copper is smoother, cleaner and more dynamic.
All use very high power neodymium magnets to provide maximum efficiency and better sound. Each headphone driver is made to Grado's high standards, then pair-matched for exact imaging. These headphones also utilize UHPLC copper in the connecting cable.
All metal work for the PS1000 and SR325is is machined from a special non-resonant, very hard alloy. Grado utilizes a special processing method to increase the material's porosity. This complex treatment insures that the earphone chamber has no "ringing" which might obscure detail or add coloration.
Grado's wooden Statement and Reference Series are hand-crafted at their labs from a new specially selected species of mahogany. An intricate procedure of curing is done between production steps to achieve optimal sonic quality. The overall sound remains pure Grado, warm harmonic color, full bodied vocals, excellent dynamics and an ultra smooth top end.
Technical refinements for Grado drivers include improved diaphragm and voice coil design for increased bass response and a larger perceived sound stage. A unique process to "de-stress" the diaphragm results in enhanced inner detail. An increased ability to control driver resonance virtually eliminates distortion. For all models, an improved headband spring will afford greater comfort for the majority of listeners.
Grado headphones can reproduce as natural a soundstage from stereo recordings and provide as much listening pleasure as a good pair of speakers do. Grado headphones are free of room effects and placement problems, and they minimize any interference from external noise. They also offer portability and the ability to listen without worrying about the neighbours. With Grado headphones, you will hear recordings with greater clarity and with deeper bass than others! Grado headphones are the antithesis of mass production, as each Grado headphone is hand-assembled and closely scrutinized to meet full performance specifications in the U.S.A.
What we have to say about Grado
Yes, I think they’re correct. They really do make the most musically credible headphones available today.
The Grado Professional Series:
The PS 1000 – what the makers say:
"Grado is proud to introduce the new flagship of their headphone line, the PS1000. This hybrid design has an inner sleeve of a selected species of hand-crafted mahogany made by using an intricate curing process. Its outer housing of metal machined from a special non-resonant, very hard metal alloy utilises a special processing and casting method to increase the porosity of the alloy.
This combination of wood and metal insures that the earphone chamber has no "ringing" which might obscure detail or add coloration. The way the wood and metal housing moves air and reacts to sound vibrations is now virtually unaffected by transient distortions. Grado has also designed a new cable for the PS1000. The new eight-conductor cable design, utilising UHPLC (ultra-high purity, long crystal) copper, improves control and stability of the total range of the frequency spectrum.
The PS1000 also utilises a newly re-configured voice coil and diaphragm design, resulting in unsurpassed speed and accuracy response. The cushion design creates the correct balance between the driver and hybrid housing to give the resulting musicality desired.
The cushion design also makes the PS1000 one of the most comfortable to wear headphones in the world. Grado has taken all their knowledge and years of experience in controlling resonances and eliminating distortions and this has culminated in the development of their finest headphone ever, the PS1000."
The PS 1000 – by someone who has listened and knows Grado headphones
Jason Morin aka Zanth on head-fi.org:
Never one to stop innovating, Grado has set out to create a new flagship and it is these new headphones, the PS1000, as I hear it, are the very best headphone Grado Labs has ever produced. What would so excite me as to claim such a thing? How about a hybrid metal/wooden headphone that incorporates the tone and timbre of the RS1s, maintaining the superior Grado mid-range, the hallmark of their sound and a resonance reduced decay which brings the sound closer to that of the PS1s and HP-1000s? How about all of that, dear listeners?
Well here it is, the evolution of the metal series and the wooden series, the PS1000 is the answer to all those who have for years hoped for a broad release of the PS1s or for those who wanted something even better than the GS1000s. The PS1000s are the very best Grado headphone ever made.
Sticking with the new developments of the GS1000, the PS1000 uses the same large cushions providing a very comfortable fit on the head, excellent for very long listening sessions. These cushions also push the driver further from the ear providing a large sound and headstage. The same shaped enclosure as that of the GS1000 is used but instead of the wooden outer housing, the housing is a metal alloy like that of the PS1 headphones. What makes this particularly interesting however is the inner housing, which is made of the same wood used in the RS series and for the GS1000.
The driver has been changed, has been improved, refining the sound even more than previous generation of headphones. The cable has also been changed and seems to be quite a bit thicker than the previous versions. All these changes and improvements make for a listening experience like none that I have ever had the pleasure of hearing.
Besides their appearance, which is that of a metal GS1000, one might well first recognise the weight of these headphones. Those who are familiar with my systems know that I own the PS1s and have owned over the years about a dozen HP-1000 series, the older Joseph Grado studio monitor headphones. These models are quite heavy, with the PS1s being heavier than the HP-1000s but the overall experience of that weight seemed to be reduced because of the thicker headband the PS1s used over the HP-1000s. Still, using the flat pads or the larger bowl pads, the headphones sat firmly on the head and were very noticeable.
I don't know many that forgot they were wearing them, this as opposed to wearing the RS1s or even better, the GS1000s, which are so very light in comparison. The GS1000s in particular are such a pleasure to wear for long periods of time because they are made from a light wood and the large pads are at once comfortable on the ear (now being circumaural headphones as opposed to the supra-aural fit of the older pads) and also divert the downward force of the headphones outward reducing the apparent weight at the top of the head. Since the PS1000s are made to the same dimensions as the GS1000s, with their larger housings, would one expect them to feel even heavier than the PS1s or HP-100's?
While in the hand, yes. While on the head? A surprising no! I equate this phenomenon to the large pads used which again, divert the downward force perpendicularly outward, so that the overall experience is more pleasing than the older metal headphone models. No doubt they are much heavier than the GS1000s, but they are not unpleasant to use and I found myself listening for eight hours straight with no complaints at all.
I rather much liked the weight because although I was aware of their presence, it was a positive awareness, where I wouldn't be inclined to just swing my head aggressively and perhaps launch the headphones into orbit. Hey, when headphones sound this good, some head-banging is to be expected!
As with any transducer it is the sound that matters and as I've already stated, to my ears, these are not just the best Grado ever made, they are the best headphones I've ever heard.
On first listening one will probably note two things sonically: an incredibly dynamic sound and a very smooth sound. The sound seems to literally jump off the drivers with an astounding attack without overemphasising or exaggerating any part of the spectrum as if the headphones are somehow working hard to reproduce this type of sound (or working harder than another set of headphones on the same system). There is no denying that the sound is more alive than anything I've ever listened to and yet the headphones are merely providing what is on the recording. A good analogy would be going from listening to the SR60s to the RS1s but think better, more dynamic and pure.
The attack is solid and fast and the transients are nimble with the transition to the decay sounding dead on, never lagging and the decay, oh that wonderful decay, notes trailing off into a black background, never sounding slow but never sounding overly quick either. The key I believe is in combining the wood and the metal.
The wood provides a fine immediate resonance, getting a nice tone and timbre but as the sound leaves the inner chamber, the metal's rigidity forces the waves to stay tight, reducing reverberation and permitting a very accurate decay and highly coherent sound throughout the note. I suppose the really clever trait here is that despite a seductive velvety smooth sound, one isn't missing out on any details. Not at all. This is how the PS1s are consistently reviewed and here too we find the same thing. We get the glorious subtleties of the sound, all the inner nuances, micro and macro details while enjoying a smooth sound that is closest to a live open air event. For those who have lusted for the liquid sound of the PS1s but want the better tone and timbre of the wooden Grados, the PS1000s deliver.
One other immediately noticeable aspect that I note in comparison to the GS1000s is that the mids sound more forward. If people felt that the mids were too far back in comparison with the RS1s or PS1s, then these headphones will fall closer in line with that sound vs. the GS1000s. There doesn't seem to be any disparity in any of the spectrums and this is not amp dependent, which I know first hand, many will praise.
The highs are never strident but smooth and extended, with wonderful sparkle and air. They are articulate without over emphasis. The bass is solid, palpable and authoritative without being overblown. The notes are deep and audible and work perfectly to provide the well-known Grado dynamics and that ever-elusive PRaT that Grados are naturally gifted at reproducing. I have always enjoyed the wonderful deep resonating bass of the PS1s but sometimes missed the extremely hard-hitting nature of the bass notes from the HP-1000s. No more!
These phones do both better than their older siblings. I have never heard better bass than when listening to Grados. Yet, I've always had to choose aspects of the bottom end and then equate the best with this model or that model. Now I can just go for one phone and one phone only and maintain a perma-smile as I listen to some drum n' bass.
Over the years, I've bought and sold a number of headphones, not just Grados. The three headphones I have chosen to keep on hand have been the Grado GS1000s, PS1s and RS1s. As sad as I have been in letting the HP-1000s go, time and time again, there has always been something about the above models that kept me listening more often for longer periods of time. Yet, if one were to ask me, Jason, which headphone would you keep if you could only have one? I could never answer perfectly. I enjoyed each model for specific reasons, feeling that each model had the edge in some dimension over the others.
My default answer then would be: “I'd choose the RS1s because my wife bought them for me as a gift during our first year of marriage." Only sentimentality pushed one model over another. The PS1000s are the first set of headphones that I've heard that would actually have me choose a ‘best’ headphone among the headphones I have on hand and have ever heard.
The PS1000s are finally, (and for those that upgrade often or think the grass is always greener, they know what I mean by finally), finally, the first set of headphones that would motivate me to sell all the rest, because these PS1000s do it all and do it as flawlessly as I've yet experienced. They give me everything that I've been searching for in headphones and do it in such a way that I can honestly say I'm not hoping for anything more. If more can ever be given, GREAT! But I've stopped looking. I've stopped thinking that a single phone can't do it all. Hyperbole be damned, this phone had me at hello.
Price for the PS 1000
Just complete the simple form here: http://www.stereo-now.co.uk/contact_stereonow.html and you should receive a price within 24 hours excluding national holidays and weekends.
Thank you.
Questions re Grado PS 1000?
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THE GRADO REFERENCE SERIES:
The RS1i – what the makers say:
"What does the ‘I’ stand for in the new RS1i from Grado? Improved, that’s what! Featuring a new species of handcrafted mahogany earpieces made using an intricate curing process; Grado has been able to optimise the tonal quality. The RS1i uses new upgraded dynamic transducers and the new eight conductor cable design all in an open-air configuration, the cups being open-backed. The result is a smooth, controlled and coherent sound with detailed dynamics. Frequency response ranges from 12-30 kHz and the drivers are matched to 0.05dB. Weighing 9oz, the headphones are an example of the wonder of Mother Nature with a gorgeous, dark-coloured mahogany look.
The RS-1 is the Masterpiece of the Grado collection, the Top of the Range product which oozes class both in looks and sound."
The RS1i – what other people say:
"A ludicrously pricey pair of headphones but the sound is that good – really!"
What Hi-Fi / England
"...the Grado RS1 adds up to a resounding no-brainer recommendation. Some refer to it as foot tapping, or pace and rhythm, I prefer the term kinetic energy. Whichever term resonates with you, be aware that the RS1 brings all of the above to the musical table
"
Dick Olsher / EnjoyTheMusic.com
"Grado's RS1 has been able to utilize the natural resonance of wood to produce – in our humble opinion – the finest headphones in the world. In fact, the word ‘masterpiece’ was bandied about frequently in the edit meetings."
Kenny Booras / Industry magazine
"RS1 is at its best with instrumental, vocal and small-scale groups, particularly if you like your music up front and personal. The Grados are clearly a music lover’s component, trading a little accuracy and detail for warmth, presence and tonal color – a trade most tube lovers would make any day. Try them on for comfort and sound, you’ll not be disappointed."
Phil Gold / Inner Ear Magazine
"Even in the heady group of contenders the Grado RS1’s luscious sound scores an immediate ‘wow’ response. But over the months living with the three headphones, I gravitate to the RS1 more than the others. I love these headphones."
Steve Guttenberg / Robb Report
"…offer what many audiophiles consider the most accurate sound quality available in headphones. The low end is warm, the high frequencies are crisp and clear, and there is never any distortion. This is, quite simply, the way music is supposed to sound!"
DETAILS magazine
2EDITORS' PICK! The chassis on these audiophile classics are handcrafted from cured mahogany, making them both light and dynamic. Amazing sonic detail, marvel at the clarity of your Steely Dan records. And thanks to a fully open design, you can have a conversation without reaching for the volume knob."
Paul Boutlin, Wired Magazine
"From their honey-hued mahogany earpieces to the ultra-pure, oxygen-free copper voice coils, the RS1 headphones ooze old-world craftsmanship. These headphones offer a sound that's warm, smooth and dynamic, revealing otherwise-hidden detail."
James Willcox, Mercedes Benz Magazine
"The RS1s are the only product ever nominated by STEREOPHILE for their ‘PRODUCT OF THE YEAR’ distinction, two years in a row! I say that the RS1 is a Masterpiece."
Ken Kessler, HI-FI NEWS – RECORD REVIEW
Rated Class ‘A’ on Stereophile's recommended components list. "It's rare that any audio product can come along and simply bowl me over. In this case, I yield."
Jack English, STEREOPHILE Vol.19, No.7
"I would urge any serious headphone listener to audition this Grado RS1."
John Borwick, Gramophone
"One of the year’s awesome high-end audio achievements."
Ken Kessler, Robb Report
"The RS1 offers something so stunning that price becomes irrelevant."
Gavin Isaacs, Audio Video
"If you value headphone listening enough to consider buying a reference dynamic, then you should audition the RS1s."
Wes Philips, STEREOPHILE Vol.19, No.7
"I can honestly say that there is no better sounding headphone than the Grado RS1."
Corey Greenberg, Home Theater Vol.3, No.5
"I'm very impressed with it," said Wes Phillips, an editor at Stereophile magazine who is evaluating the headset for next month's issue. "John introduces things that monster companies can't produce."
Excerpt / New York Times / 8/18/96 / Mark Cohen
"We've always had bit of a headphone fetish at
What Hi-Fi? We're often talking about how they can create your own private universe, plug directly into your favourite piece of music. Now we've heard the Grado RS1s, and our fetish has become an epic, full blown love affair. Ooooh..."
What Hi-Fi
Questions re Grado RS1i headphones?
Try here: http://www.stereo-now.co.uk/qa.html
Price for the RS1i
Just complete the simple form here: http://www.stereo-now.co.uk/contact_stereonow.html and you should receive a price within 24 hours excluding national holidays and weekends.
For further information please feel free to contact Howard on his direct mobile number 07870 192618 from 9.30am up to 9.00pm Monday to Thursday inclusive. Thank you.