[gaby1088]

Hello everyone, before you say search i want to let you know I searched like crazy for this!
I am new to this forum, my name is Gabe. 
I currently own the grado 325is model. I love them, but i recently found the opportunity to buy the rs2 model. The issue is that its the buttonless one and from what i have gathered searching there are two butonless versions. the rs2 and the rs2i... please let me know if thats true.. if it is true, how can i distinguish the difference between the rs2i and the rs2. 
 
If it were the case that the headphones are the buttonless rs2 non i (again, if that even exists), would the 325is sound better than the rs2 non i version? 
 
Thank you for all your help!!
 
best,
gabe.

 

[Carl6868]

I'm not sure on the different versions but someone will be along shortly who will no doubt.
 
You really need to have a listen to them and decide for yourself, i have 325is and i also had RS1i's but i thought the difference between them was quite small and i sold the RS1i's and kept the 325is and used the money to go towards something different (Sennheiser HD800)

 
Forgot to say welcome

 

[Chris J]

I don't own any Grados but I've spent some time listening to them in stores. 
I want to buy a pair of Grados but can't make up my mind as to which ones to get!

 
Just my opinion, but the RS-2i I heard were not as bright as the SR-325i.  The RS-2i is a more midrange focused 'phone.  In some ways it would be nice to have both 'phones for different types of music.

 

[Allforheather]

the only difference of the rs2 and rs2i is a sticker on the box they come with. 
 
I don't consider the rs2 is a direct upgrade to the 325s, but the rs2s are the most relax grado I've ever heard, and I've heard the entire prestige lineup, the rs1, and I also own the rs2s. I would suggest you give them a listen before you buy, a lot of us here consider them to be rather a deviation from the classic grado house sound, which I agree with, but that's exactly what makes them attractive to some of us. 

 

[gaby1088]

Cool. How come the reviews online say its a better headphone? Im sure something is different, if they upgraded it im sure it has something different. what do you mean its a deviation from the grado sound? I thought the rs2 and rs1 defined the grado sound haha
 
Again, i dont know if its the "i" or the regular rs2, and i definitely dont want to give up my 325is for something "lesser" 
 
 
 

 

[thelostMIDrange]

gabe, instead of lesser, how about the word different? and they are different. Never give up your current set of phones until you've compared them to the 'better' set is my advice. And if you can't afford both sets for the two weeks you will need them to overlap, then you can't afford to experiment right now. There's plenty of time when you're middle aged to get a set of rs grados.

 

[gaby1088]

I wish i could hear them, but they dont stock these headphones here in chicago. I just wanted to see if you guys have had experience with them. Thanks though!

 

[Allforheather]

Quote:

Cool. How come the reviews online say its a better headphone? Im sure something is different, if they upgraded it im sure it has something different. what do you mean its a deviation from the grado sound? I thought the rs2 and rs1 defined the grado sound haha
 
Again, i dont know if its the "i" or the regular rs2, and i definitely dont want to give up my 325is for something "lesser" 
 
 
 

Personally, I think the 325s do a better job at defining the grado sound than the rs2s. ha, well, personal opinion anyway. if you can't find a dealer in chicago, why not just try to buy them off an online dealer to demo, and return them if you don't like them. 

 

[gaby1088]

Good idea, i thought you couldnt return headphones. The issue im going to have with that is that I am not sure if the RS2 im looking at is the "i" version or not.

 

[Gwarmi]

Quote:

I wish i could hear them, but they dont stock these headphones here in chicago. I just wanted to see if you guys have had experience with them. Thanks though!

 No excuse for not being able to audition these in Chicago - this is straight from the Grado Lab website - surely one of these stores have
 one out on demo
 
 AUDIO CONSULTANTS
[size=medium]

847-864-9565​

EVANSTON​

IL​

[/size]
[size=medium]

CHAMPAGNE AUDIO​

217-355-8828​

CHAMPAIGN​

IL​

[/size]
[size=medium]

DECIBEL AUDIO​

773-862-6700​

WICKER PARK​

IL​

[/size]
[size=medium]

ELECTRONIC DIVERSIFIED​

309-688-2444​

PEORIA​

IL​

[/size]
[size=medium]

ESOTERIC SOUND​

630-933-9801​

WHEATON​

IL​

[/size]
[size=medium]

GLENN POOR AUDIO​

312-836-1930​

CHICAGO​

IL​

[/size]
[size=medium]

HOLOGRAPHIC AUDIO​

847-432-9107​

HIGHLAND PARK​

IL​

[/size]
[size=medium]

MIDWEST PRO SOUND​

773-975-4250​

CHICAGO​

IL​

[/size]
[size=medium]

MUSIC DIRECT​

312-433-0200​

CHICAGO​

IL​

[/size]
[size=medium]

PRO MUSICA​

773-883-9500​

CHICAGO​

IL​

[/size]
[size=medium]

SATURDAY AUDIO​

773-935-4434​

CHICAGO​

IL​

[/size]
[size=medium]

SOUNDS DELUXE​

630-887-9818​

CLARENDON HILLS​

IL​

[/size]
[size=medium]

SUNDOWN ONE​

217-793-8888​

SPRINGFIELD​

IL​

[/size]
[size=medium]

THE LITTLE GUYS​

708-754-8844​

GLENWOOD​

IL​

[/size]
[size=medium]

VAN L. SPEAKERS​

773-769-0773​

CHICAGO​

IL​

[/size]
 

 

[gaby1088]

I called the ones near me and they (rudely) said that they had to buy them and special order them (with no returns) apparently from what i understood they cant sell used headphones (they would be if i returned them)

 

[Gwarmi]

Quote:

I called the ones near me and they (rudely) said that they had to buy them and special order them (with no returns) apparently from what i understood they cant sell used headphones (they would be if i returned them)

 A lot of retailers cannot accept returns for 'change of mind' - two reasons :-
 
 1) They'd end up with mountains and mountains of barely used headphones that are no longer new. Every now and then you'd get a parasitic type customer
     who would literally buy and return every single headphone in the shop simply because - 'they can'.
 
 2) The shop loses all credibility for selling 'new headphones' - it then comes down to their 'word' that the 'new' headphones they're selling are not in fact
     re-packaged. Way I see it, once the store deals in re-selling returns (not demos) - the shop faces being labelled as a 're-packaged seller at full RRP'.

 

[powerpopper]

Quote:

 A lot of retailers cannot accept returns for 'change of mind' - two reasons :-
 
 1) They'd end up with mountains and mountains of barely used headphones that are no longer new. Every now and then you'd get a parasitic type customer
     who would literally buy and return every single headphone in the shop simply because - 'they can'.
 
 2) The shop loses all credibility for selling 'new headphones' - it then comes down to their 'word' that the 'new' headphones they're selling are not in fact
     re-packaged. Way I see it, once the store deals in re-selling returns (not demos) - the shop faces being labelled as a 're-packaged seller at full RRP'.

 
Good points, but I wonder how Amazon gets around this?
 
 

 

[Gwarmi]

Quote:

 
Good points, but I wonder how Amazon gets around this?
 
 

 Amazon operate on a different business structure to your average 'mom and pop' audio store around the corner, the sheer volume that they shift coupled
 with their mass purchasing power allows them to have a return policy ~ returned product which they probably go on to sell as 'close outs' to smaller re-sellers
 who make no secret that they're selling an 'open box' product.
 
 

 

[powerpopper]

Quote:

 Amazon operate on a different business structure to your average 'mom and pop' audio store around the corner, the sheer volume that they shift coupled
 with their mass purchasing power allows them to have a return policy ~ returned product which they probably go on to sell as 'close outs' to smaller re-sellers
 who make no secret that they're selling an 'open box' product.
 
 

To the OP...they do have a very generous return policy (30 days) and carry the full range of Grado products from what I can tell so that might be a way for you to go...