[cappellano]

Hi all!
I spent the last year and more listening to my proline 750. I truly like them, they're so mesmerizing that usually i forget i'm wearing them, they simply disappear. The music seems to erupt from a totally black and deep space. They are also perfect at low volumes unlike some other headphones... but there's a problem... i miss something, something that was present when i had a pair of grado sr-80: the shivers along the back. It's difficult to explain, but somethimes when i listened to the grado's they reproduced music with all the drama, groove and power, yes power not slam (the pro are "pro" in this). Like an energy that wraps around each note reproducing the music like a flow, a flow that sometimes maked me twist mind and body, totally overpowered by music... The proline 750 are better for ALL the Analytical aspects of music reproduction plus they have some nice attributes (like the ones i've written above) but they miss the magic of grado headphone!! I also owned a pair of ms2-i at the same time of the pro, and I preferred the second. For me also the ms2-ì missed something, but they weren't as god as the pro in the other aspects.

But why I'm writing this?
Because I read of the proline hifi 780 and how good they are. It seems that they are more musical and live sounding than the pro but keeping all the good aspects of the pro. I think that they're are more gradoish than the proline 750, isn't it?? So i'm thinking to buy them, because i miss the involvment, the shivers.. or maybe I should think for a pair of grado rs-2?? They are sure an uber sr-80.. but there's a problem! I cannot give up the mesmerizing thing of pro, they're unfatiguing sound (at low-mid low volumes, 'cause if you turn the volume knoob they start to distort).

So, thinking that i've already have a proline 750 and that i preferred them over the ms2-ì, do you think that for me is better the hifi-780 or the grado rs-2 in order to rediscover the magic of music ?!?!

P.S. my favourite artists are tom waits, nick cave, david bownie, and a lot of other songwriters, but i love also strings (as arvo part and dirty three) and some post-rock and metal like isis, neurosis, explosion in the sky and ulver!!

 

[scott_d_m]

Hi cappellano ,

Ironically as I read your post, I'm sitting here listening to Bowie's "Sorrow", and for the first time with my new home set-up I'm experiencing those shivers your talking about(no I'm not cold

). Grados will do that to you I guess.

As far as choosing between rs-2's and HFI-780, that's a very tough call. I've heard niether of these cans, but am also very curious about them. I know the "ALO HFI-780" are getting alot of praise here lately. Might be something to look into. I would definately check the ALO sponsor forum for impressions.

Happy huntings, and I hope you get to experience those "Shivers" again soon.

 

[Rickio]

I definitely hear some magic with the HFI 780's and they are aggressive like the Grado's but not really so much in the same way. Because of the big bass slam and more of a soundstage etc.

I have not heard the RS-2 but have SR225 and love it but the HFI 780 is just bigger sound and to my ears and listening to Rock I prefer them for the moment.

Hopefully someone who has the RS-2 will chime in.

 

[nylan8301]

Calling Jgonino, come in Jgonino...

 

[cappellano]

Jgoninoooooooooo!!? *calling*

 

[cactus_farmer]

hmmm, I'd actually say just go with whatever sounds most neutral and non-fatiguing to you, because if you're listening to good music you'll get those weird shivers no matter what, like I have experienced them on my *gasp* stock iPod buds, my laptop speakers and my mate's boombox.

 

[BigJohn]

I haven't heard the latest ProLines, but listened extensive to the 750's.
I bought the Grado RS2 because I thought they were more natural sounding.
The ProLines exaggerated the bass a bit to much for my taste (The BD 770 was the bass king!)
I really like(d) the RS2, and the comfort issues so many people are fussing about never were an issue for me.
The fabric touching my head that the 750's had was unbearable for my balled head

Try before you buy, but go Grado anyway!

 

[pataburd]

As much as I liked the RAL/Proline 750, once I got a good taste of the RAL/K701, the 750 did sound exaggerated in the bass, so I sold them. (In fact, the stock K701 sounded better, IMHO, than even the RAL/PL750.)

If I were to do it over again with Ultrasone, I'd probably opt for the new 750Pro (a cosmetic-only re-issue of the Proline 750) rather than the HFI-780. With all the 780 mania on the loose, what, with the $249 HFI-780 being touted as the "poor man's Edition 9," I don't think I missed anything now by keeping the RAL re-cabled 750 and refraining from buying the Ed. 9 last year. That was one a/b I wished I'd conducted, though [i.e. RAL/Proline 750 v. Ed. 9], but none of the Ed. 9 owners were willing to reliquish their "darling(s)" while I still owned the RAL/PL750. : )

But that's water under the bridge now, because with the advent of the RAL/K701 and, more recently, my second go-round with the (stock) K501, I'm truly enjoying the music like never before, taking the time to listen analytically just long enough to re-affirm my solid preference for the AKG headphones v. other, worthy contenders (most recently, the SR-325i). : )

 

[Fitz]

I used to worry about analysing the music instead of just listening, but then I went AKG and now I can only enjoy the music and never accidentally start to analyse it.

 

[vcoheda]

when i'm comparing two headphones, i try to pay as much attention as possible. if not, i just listen. of course, it may be that the latter offers a better means of comparison anyway.

 

[BigJohn]

It's often when I'm just casual listening, while doing other things, that I notice certain things in either the music, or the soundquality of the system.
When I'm really trying to hear "things" I find it's too easy to start imagening things that maybe aren't even there...
Sometimes one tries to hear things that you've read or heard about.
Don't forget that no two persons ears are the same, and that no two persons hear the same.
Allso what for one is a big deal in SQ, for another doesn't matter at all.
I think it's important to just enjoy the music, and when something seems wrong in your system, it's soon enough to pay some more attention and try to solve the "problem"
To me my favourite songs sound great on whatever system I hear them, so no, I'm not listening analyticly very much, at least not consiously

 

[Klarnet Basowy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cappellano /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi all! I spent the last year and more listening to my proline 750. I truly like them, they're so mesmerizing that usually i forget i'm wearing them, they simply disappear. The music seems to erupt from a totally black and deep space. They are also perfect at low volumes unlike some other headphones... but there's a problem... i miss something, something that was present when i had a pair of grado sr-80: the shivers along the back. It's difficult to explain,

Ciao cappellano!

I had the same "problem".. I've repurchased a Grado Sr-60 and, despite the downgrade in many aspects of the sound reproduction in comparison with my previous setups, I'm discovering that I'm being very involved in the music I'm listening to, rediscovering the "shivers along the back".. "misteries" of the hifi.

 

[Duke309]

yeah I like "fun" headphones more than the almost monitor like headphones.

 

[jgonino]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cappellano /img/forum/go_quote.gif Jgoninoooooooooo!!? *calling*

Fear not my friends, I have arrived!

Ok, enough BS. I have owned the Ultrasone PROline 2500, as well as the Grado RS2. I listen to mostly Metal, as well as some rock, and a little bit of jazz.

The Ultrasone has more bass, and more weight and impact, than the Grado. However, the Grado has much more prominent mids, and has a really "lush" quality to the sound. I also found the highs on the Grados a lot nicer than the ultrasones.

Overall, it really depends on the bass response, as well as the form factor (open/closed, supra/circumaural)

Personally, I think the ultrasones has a more 'fun' sound, and will get you very involved in your music.


Hope this helps!

 

[BigJohn]

Ofcourse it's just what you like, but the ProLines give way too much bass...
That becomes very obvious when listening to acoustic music.
Or maybe I'm just an anti basshead, allso because I find many recordings having way too much bass on them...