WhiteCrow
Is not fooled by rapper-endorsed products.
- Joined
- Jan 24, 2010
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Well I got up to 32 ohm today and to my surprise they had the RS-2 to use and some 325is. LET THE BATTLE BEGIN!!!!
Build: Well that can I say ones wood, ones metal and are built pretty much the same.
Sound: OH MY GOOOOOOOOOOOD!
325is: Well people on here say that the higher end models get brighter; that's a giant lie.The 325is were so smooth and warm I was in shock and thought maybe I put on the wrong headphone. The mids were still very in your face and engaging with a little sizzle but nothing NEAR the sr80i. Sibilance was almost completely gone; only on very very sibilant tracks did I get even the slightest hiss from hat drums. The 325is still had that sparkle to them that made them so fun to listen to and a rich coloration that just makes female vocals spring to life. Bass is still a grand canyon sized hole IMO but leagues better than the sr80is but it just does not have that silky texture and warmth of the RS-2.
RS-2: Oh lawd......These were made for me......
My initial reactions were jaw dropping. The classic grado mid range a super in your face high octane ball of energy;with tame mighs that have a sparkle and BASS. The sound signature of the 325is are the RS-2 were fairly similar in fact if I had not herd the RS-2 I would have snapped the clerks hands buying the 325is so fast. The mids were actually pretty similar, I herd only minute differences in the overall presentation of vocals the RS-2 being a bit softer granted they had hundreds of hours of burn in versus fresh out of the box*because 32ohms cool like that* so that culs have made a difference. The highs of the 325 still were sibilant, but it wasn't bad at all; just a slight sizzle on snare and hat drums and I actually quite liked it. BASS, this was the end all of the RS-2 I was listing.
Epica- Chasing the Dragon: The female vocals on the RS-2 were just amazing. So lush and vivid with a warm coloration that I could have died for. The bass drums and guitar were just covered in texture and I could actual hear the multitudes of string and reverberation coming form the violin and acoustic guitars.
NIN-Closer: This song came up on random and I nearly crapped my pants The opening bass thumping blew me away I honestly was beside my self and almost fainted. THEY HAVE EXTENT ION!!!!!! I was shocked and horrified at this alternate dimesnion of shattered expectations and a burning passion to make sweet sweet love to the RS-2. I literally had no Idea that the bass would go that low and have an almost prefect degradation over time. The texture is just so warm and color full it almost sounded like a tiny Cello or viola was being played in the ear cup anytime something symphonic happened. Bass with Industrial and techno was similarly treated but with almost a graininess that I found....a bit odd in that genres but by no means unpleasant.
Both: VOCALS!!!! Both of these cans did vocals exceedingly well. I honestly was not expecting the sr325is to not be shreiky sibilance cannons as I notice when people say bright on head-fi I always find sibilance. Smooth but light and airy with a warm full bodiedness. The clerk and I were talking them up pretty big and decided that it could be linked you a fine wine so to speak. Full bodied, rich and warm, exceedingly colored, bright undertones, and a resonance to tickle the pallet. The 325 were More in your face and almost a little more clinical, not to say they were uncolored because they wouldn't be Grado's if they didn't have color. The bass on the 325i as I said was still lacking and didn't have that rich full bodied texture of the wood but it didn't disappoint. SOUND STAGE!!!! Grado have a remarkably SMALL sound stage, smaller than closed cans IMO. The 325is had this smalls enclosed sound stage, a bit more open than the 80i's but still very small. The RS-2 were MUCH better IMO, not gigantic by any means but at least comparable the HFI-580 not a moutain climbing achievement but a marker stone for sure. The RS-2 I think I could even use for games, something the sr80i cried and wept in the cornet at the near mention.
Overall I loved both the 325is and RS-2, I have a very hard decision on what one to get as I really did love them both so much and the price difference is NOT small by any means. They both had Pro's and the RS-2 certainly were the stronger but the price jump is remarkable. My Friend who spend his time fawning over the LCD-2 as did I for a while. This man is a self proclaimed Grado hater, his reactions to the GS1000 was a big of a shout then riping them off his head and throwing them in the case. His reaction to the 325is was" This is not a grado, no this cant be made by grado" Not one negative thing to say even said he had a bit of "non-buyers remorse" for not snagging them off here a while ago. His reaction to the RS-2 was similar with a grin. Having only herd the sr80i I thought the comment about not being a Grado was kind of funny, Judging the "house" sound of a company from one low end headphone I that was a bit presumptuous. I indeed thought the True Grado sound started at the 325is and continues through out the RS-1, FU^K THE GS1000!!!!!
I do believe the Grado RS-2 are my Headphone Nirvana, I may have to settle for the 325is which I would be happy with but I would always search for the RS-2, I do believe I am going to forsake my money and get the RS-2 and DAC sometime, Normally the DAC would take presented but VINTAGE RS-2 WILL BE MINE!!!!!!!
I hope this was not to long winded and please excuse the sure to be strange syntax errors and odd phrasing...I just got off work and its 1AM ha ha ha ha.
ALSO TRIED THE HD800's and LCD-2, the HD800 were GODLIKE!!!!!, but the LCD-2 blew them out of the water. A richer tone, a little dark as the HD800 were very neutral, but the sound stage was just so much more open I was amazed. Not to mention they are a few hundred cheaper.
Build: Well that can I say ones wood, ones metal and are built pretty much the same.
Sound: OH MY GOOOOOOOOOOOD!
325is: Well people on here say that the higher end models get brighter; that's a giant lie.The 325is were so smooth and warm I was in shock and thought maybe I put on the wrong headphone. The mids were still very in your face and engaging with a little sizzle but nothing NEAR the sr80i. Sibilance was almost completely gone; only on very very sibilant tracks did I get even the slightest hiss from hat drums. The 325is still had that sparkle to them that made them so fun to listen to and a rich coloration that just makes female vocals spring to life. Bass is still a grand canyon sized hole IMO but leagues better than the sr80is but it just does not have that silky texture and warmth of the RS-2.
RS-2: Oh lawd......These were made for me......
My initial reactions were jaw dropping. The classic grado mid range a super in your face high octane ball of energy;with tame mighs that have a sparkle and BASS. The sound signature of the 325is are the RS-2 were fairly similar in fact if I had not herd the RS-2 I would have snapped the clerks hands buying the 325is so fast. The mids were actually pretty similar, I herd only minute differences in the overall presentation of vocals the RS-2 being a bit softer granted they had hundreds of hours of burn in versus fresh out of the box*because 32ohms cool like that* so that culs have made a difference. The highs of the 325 still were sibilant, but it wasn't bad at all; just a slight sizzle on snare and hat drums and I actually quite liked it. BASS, this was the end all of the RS-2 I was listing.
Epica- Chasing the Dragon: The female vocals on the RS-2 were just amazing. So lush and vivid with a warm coloration that I could have died for. The bass drums and guitar were just covered in texture and I could actual hear the multitudes of string and reverberation coming form the violin and acoustic guitars.
NIN-Closer: This song came up on random and I nearly crapped my pants The opening bass thumping blew me away I honestly was beside my self and almost fainted. THEY HAVE EXTENT ION!!!!!! I was shocked and horrified at this alternate dimesnion of shattered expectations and a burning passion to make sweet sweet love to the RS-2. I literally had no Idea that the bass would go that low and have an almost prefect degradation over time. The texture is just so warm and color full it almost sounded like a tiny Cello or viola was being played in the ear cup anytime something symphonic happened. Bass with Industrial and techno was similarly treated but with almost a graininess that I found....a bit odd in that genres but by no means unpleasant.
Both: VOCALS!!!! Both of these cans did vocals exceedingly well. I honestly was not expecting the sr325is to not be shreiky sibilance cannons as I notice when people say bright on head-fi I always find sibilance. Smooth but light and airy with a warm full bodiedness. The clerk and I were talking them up pretty big and decided that it could be linked you a fine wine so to speak. Full bodied, rich and warm, exceedingly colored, bright undertones, and a resonance to tickle the pallet. The 325 were More in your face and almost a little more clinical, not to say they were uncolored because they wouldn't be Grado's if they didn't have color. The bass on the 325i as I said was still lacking and didn't have that rich full bodied texture of the wood but it didn't disappoint. SOUND STAGE!!!! Grado have a remarkably SMALL sound stage, smaller than closed cans IMO. The 325is had this smalls enclosed sound stage, a bit more open than the 80i's but still very small. The RS-2 were MUCH better IMO, not gigantic by any means but at least comparable the HFI-580 not a moutain climbing achievement but a marker stone for sure. The RS-2 I think I could even use for games, something the sr80i cried and wept in the cornet at the near mention.
Overall I loved both the 325is and RS-2, I have a very hard decision on what one to get as I really did love them both so much and the price difference is NOT small by any means. They both had Pro's and the RS-2 certainly were the stronger but the price jump is remarkable. My Friend who spend his time fawning over the LCD-2 as did I for a while. This man is a self proclaimed Grado hater, his reactions to the GS1000 was a big of a shout then riping them off his head and throwing them in the case. His reaction to the 325is was" This is not a grado, no this cant be made by grado" Not one negative thing to say even said he had a bit of "non-buyers remorse" for not snagging them off here a while ago. His reaction to the RS-2 was similar with a grin. Having only herd the sr80i I thought the comment about not being a Grado was kind of funny, Judging the "house" sound of a company from one low end headphone I that was a bit presumptuous. I indeed thought the True Grado sound started at the 325is and continues through out the RS-1, FU^K THE GS1000!!!!!
I do believe the Grado RS-2 are my Headphone Nirvana, I may have to settle for the 325is which I would be happy with but I would always search for the RS-2, I do believe I am going to forsake my money and get the RS-2 and DAC sometime, Normally the DAC would take presented but VINTAGE RS-2 WILL BE MINE!!!!!!!
I hope this was not to long winded and please excuse the sure to be strange syntax errors and odd phrasing...I just got off work and its 1AM ha ha ha ha.
ALSO TRIED THE HD800's and LCD-2, the HD800 were GODLIKE!!!!!, but the LCD-2 blew them out of the water. A richer tone, a little dark as the HD800 were very neutral, but the sound stage was just so much more open I was amazed. Not to mention they are a few hundred cheaper.
