What's your take on the RS-1?

[postjack]

Hmm... I don't know if the RS-1 is kickass with the Melos. After all the Melos was designed with the HP-2 in mind. And to these ears the two sound very different. I just mentioned the Melos since it's actually pretty cheap if you're patient.

I know I've spoke to a few people that I really trust at the NY Headfi meet and most of them agreed that the RS-1 + Melos does nothing wrong, it's just not the eargasm you get with the HP-2/SHA-gold/1

Ah, okay, thanks for the clarification.

[PFKMan23]

Does the Zana use OTL or OPTs?

The Zana Deux is OTL.

[NotoriousBIG_PJ]

Who made her amp?

Biggie.

Hey Aerius, don't make me quote myself. ;

Biggie.

[aerius]

Who made her amp?

Biggie.

She said it was some senior technician guy in the instrumentation division of the company she used to work for. That's all I know.

[postjack]

Received the RS-1 today. Initial impressions without being detailed, because I want to spend some more time listening to it.

This is my first high-end Grado; I own the SR225, and have owned the SR60 and SR325i. Once I got the box at work, I was excited to get home and listen to it, but I wasn't super-pumped juiced or anything. Got home, powered up the 999es, the PPX3 Slam, and made dinner. After dinner I opened the box, and pulling out the RS-1, was surprised at how light weight it was. The finish is beautiful and dark, I'm glad I have one of these as opposed to the newer, lighter wood.

All I have listened to is a touch of Clapton Unplugged before the tubes were through heating up, and currently Grateful Dead, Dick's Pick's 5. When the first notes of "Cold Rain & Snow" hit my ears, I was kind of shocked to feel a little heart flutter in my chest. I simply wasn't expecting that great of an improvement over the SR series. The biggest shock so far is the increase in soundstage and space. I'm not really good with audiophile terminology, so I can just say what I think, but the soundstage has increased greatly on horizontal axis: the sound is wider, not necessarily "taller". Still, this is surprising. The presentation, detail, and air around the instruments is what made my heart jump a little bit. Drums simply sound more real, and the keys sound as close to live as on any headphone I have heard. Bobby and Jerry's voice come through sweet and clear: damn it sounds like a DSO show (which is my only comparison since I never went to a Dead show!)

I'll continue to narrow down what I feel the RS-1 does well and what it doesn't do so well; after all, the only thing I've listened to is a Dead show from 1979, but in short, I think these are a keeper.

[humanflyz]

When I have enough money saved up, I'm going to ditch the HD650s and get a RS-1 setup: nothing too crazy, but just a complement to my K1000 system.

I made this decision when I was forced to switch to my HD650s after my roommate went to sleep, and I was listening to "Little Martha" by the Allman Brothers before that. When I switched, my first reaction was: where the fuck did the guitar go? The timbre and the tone of the acoustic guitar was terrible on the 650s, it just doesn't sound like a fucking acoustic guitar anymore. Man I was pretty bummed out for a good five minutes.

[deepak]

When I have enough money saved up, I'm going to ditch the HD650s and get a RS-1 setup: nothing too crazy, but just a complement to my K1000 system.

I made this decision when I was forced to switch to my HD650s after my roommate went to sleep, and I was listening to "Little Martha" by the Allman Brothers before that. When I switched, my first reaction was: where the fuck did the guitar go? The timbre and the tone of the acoustic guitar was terrible on the 650s, it just doesn't sound like a fucking acoustic guitar anymore. Man I was pretty bummed out for a good five minutes.

Tell this to PiccoloNamek

[humanflyz]

Tell this to PiccoloNamek

God I can't stand that guy; I mean liking your headphone is one thing, but he's just fucking extreme about it.

But Congrats on the HP-2s dude, I would love to have one someday, as I've realized that I am an AKG/Grado guy. I will get a chance to hear a GS1000 in my own system, and hopefully I'll like it this time.

[deepak]

God I can't stand that guy; I mean liking your headphone is one thing, but he's just fucking extreme about it.

But Congrats on the HP-2s dude, I would love to have one someday, as I've realized that I am an AKG/Grado guy. I will get a chance to hear a GS1000 in my own system, and hopefully I'll like it this time.

The guys just crazy in love with them because he hasn't heard better. Honestly anyone that thinks they can give a 100% evaluation of the K1000 at a meet has some screws loose.

I've settled on the Grado/AKG sound as well. I would really like to tweak my K340 to do classical. The HD650 have the edge right now, and I can't use the K1000 at all times since they're so open.

[humanflyz]

So I got the RS-1s last night, and I'm not hearing any of the usual pejoratives that people usually throw at RS-1s: bright, harsh, no soundstage, etc.

All I'm hearing is a warm, seductive, and intimate sound; and this is from a less-than-optimal setup. And the soundstage thing is hugely overrated: RS-1s have depth, and while the size isn't as big, they don't have that two-blob effect that my Senns have. But really, the RS-1s just draw me into the music. Case in point: last night before going to sleep, I thought I would play one album first. So I put on the KT Tunstall album, listened to it all the way through and it sounded really great. So then I decide to play another album, this time Eric Clapton's Unplugged. Listened to it all the way through, sounded great, and then decided to play another album. So the next thing I know, I've finished two more albums and it was 5 o'clock in the morning

Now I'm just looking for a tube amp, and I'm wondering what people think about the WooAudio6: http://www.wooaudio.com/products/wa6.html

[PFKMan23]

Honestly, if you want any meaningful impressions, I think you'll just need to buy it as there realy hasn't been that much on it anywhere.

[deepak]

So I got the RS-1s last night, and I'm not hearing any of the usual pejoratives that people usually throw at RS-1s: bright, harsh, no soundstage, etc.

All I'm hearing is a warm, seductive, and intimate sound; and this is from a less-than-optimal setup. And the soundstage thing is hugely overrated: RS-1s have depth, and while the size isn't as big, they don't have that two-blob effect that my Senns have. But really, the RS-1s just draw me into the music. Case in point: last night before going to sleep, I thought I would play one album first. So I put on the KT Tunstall album, listened to it all the way through and it sounded really great. So then I decide to play another album, this time Eric Clapton's Unplugged. Listened to it all the way through, sounded great, and then decided to play another album. So the next thing I know, I've finished two more albums and it was 5 o'clock in the morning

Now I'm just looking for a tube amp, and I'm wondering what people think about the WooAudio6: http://www.wooaudio.com/products/wa6.html

Congrats the RS-1 are really nice. IMO the high end Grados need tubes to add some magic to their already awesome sound.

I'm thinking of selling my HF-1 and SR-225 (stupid impulse buy since they were dirt cheap) for an RS-1. Seems I can get 4 bills for the HF-1 on ebay

But I'm torn since the HF-1 works really well for poor recordings.

[postjack]

So I got the RS-1s last night, and I'm not hearing any of the usual pejoratives that people usually throw at RS-1s: bright, harsh, no soundstage, etc.

All I'm hearing is a warm, seductive, and intimate sound; and this is from a less-than-optimal setup. And the soundstage thing is hugely overrated: RS-1s have depth, and while the size isn't as big, they don't have that two-blob effect that my Senns have. But really, the RS-1s just draw me into the music. Case in point: last night before going to sleep, I thought I would play one album first. So I put on the KT Tunstall album, listened to it all the way through and it sounded really great. So then I decide to play another album, this time Eric Clapton's Unplugged. Listened to it all the way through, sounded great, and then decided to play another album. So the next thing I know, I've finished two more albums and it was 5 o'clock in the morning

The RS-1s are on the brighter end of the can spectrum, but not hurtfully bright like the 325i (to be fair, when I owned the 325i I had a solid state amp). Harsh, definitely not. Smooth as melted butter on a pecan pie at Waffle House, and as sweet, too. The soundstage on the SR225 and 325i was very small. One of the first things I noticed when I heard the RS-1s was like you said, the depth. The soundstage expanded greatly on the horizontal axis, though in some recordings I get the "fly buzzin' round my head" circular type of soundstage. I didn't like flats on the SR225 or 325i. I enjoy swapping between flats and bowls on the RS-1, and I've found myself rolling different tubes in depending on whether it will be a "flats" listening session (brighter, more neutral tubes) or a "bowls" listening session (bassier, warmer tubes). The RS-1s biggest shortcoming, in my opinion, is they don't like "busy" songs. Anything with lots of different tracks/instruments going crazy all over the place can confuse the RS-1, and the sound becomes a bit too dense, but still listenable and sometimes enjoyable. Having said that, the bowls help with slightly busier tracks, while the flats can be heaven for intimate, personal performances, like jazz for example.

But hell, since I've bought them they quickly became my main can. I've only picked up the Senns for a few classical listening sessions, and actually the RS-1s shortcomings made me appreciate the HD650 even more. I think they are great complimentary cans.

But for the RS-1s: jazz, rock, post-punk, dance, electronica, synthpop, industrial, futurepop... yep, sounds great with plenty of my tunes.

Sorry, I don't know anything about Woo amps so I can't help you there.

[Guest GlendaleViper]

I've been very happy with my RS-1s, and I am currently running them out of the EC/SS - not tubes, but the warmth of this amp is a beautiful match. For me, these have definitely become my main cans. I would say that most people would think otherwise... and for the price, it's an awful chunk of change to spend as a compliment to a main headphone.

Compared to the SR225, I'll agree that the soundstage is wider, but not significantly so. If you like a Grado's ability to image, then this will surely impress you; insofar as headstage/soundstage is concerned, this is still a Grado and should not be considered a strong point at all.

Pad rolling is very enjoyable, as mentioned earlier. I'll swap around with flats and bowls depending on what I'm listening to. I typically find that bowls get the most use, but for smaller Jazz ensembles, acoustic Rock and folk, and Hip-Hop, flats are the way to go. It's really a question of whether I want intimacy or brightness and the difference between pads is markedly stronger than on other SR models (excluding the MS2i/325i, which I've only heard with bowls).

Really, beyond that I'll just suggest that if you want them, get them. Buy used and if you sell them, you should be able to recoup your full price. Know that you're either going to love them to death or feel unjustified based on a price:use ratio. If you're a Rocker and listen to some Hip-Hop and small Jazz, these should be a priority purchase. Otherwise, they're likely to collect dust most of the time as a secondary.

[postjack]

Hey GlendaleViper, thanks for the tips, but I (the OP) bought the RS-1s a long time ago and they are my main can!

Welcome to Head-Case!

[Guest GlendaleViper]

Heheh. I kinda figured as much. I went through the entire thread, but it wasn't until I posted that I realized the OP was quite old.

Either way, good to know you're enjoying them. They are my "fun" cans... which means they get the most use, excluding my portables.

[n_maher]

Now I'm just looking for a tube amp, and I'm wondering what people think about the WooAudio6: http://www.wooaudio.com/products/wa6.html

Haven't heard the Woo (who has?) but I'd have a look at the Mapletree Ear + HD that's for sale at Head-Fi right now. I love that amp.

[postjack]

Haven't heard the Woo (who has?) but I'd have a look at the Mapletree Ear + HD that's for sale at Head-Fi right now. I love that amp.

Really? I've been curious about this amp for sometime, but to be honest with you, its crazy popularity and reputation as *the* amp for the RS-1 actually turns me off. That and Earl gives it a lukewarm review.

Can you compare it to say, the PPX3 Slam? Strictly for use with the RS-1.

[n_maher]

Really? I've been curious about this amp for sometime, but to be honest with you, its crazy popularity and reputation as *the* amp for the RS-1 actually turns me off. That and Earl gives it a lukewarm review.

I actually found that it performed very well with both Senns and Grados alike despite it's Grado friendly Head-Fi rep. As far as Earl's opinion is concerned it's just that, his opinion. My own listening preferences vs. his reviews make me think that Earl and I might prefer a different kind of good sound.

Can you compare it to say, the PPX3 Slam? Strictly for use with the RS-1.

I haven't heard any of Mikhail's amps for over a year now and I don't use the RS-1s. My impressions of the Ear were with my HF-1s but I don't see why a good sounding amp wouldn't sound good with other phones that are similar. I don't put a whole lot of stock in tuning an amp for one particular set of headphones. At some point, a capable amplifier should be able to sound good with just about anything. Unless of course there are specific limitations stated by the manufacturer that would tell you right away that (for example) low impedance headphones need not apply.

Just my 2?

Nate

[deepak]

I've been very happy with my RS-1s, and I am currently running them out of the EC/SS - not tubes, but the warmth of this amp is a beautiful match. For me, these have definitely become my main cans. I would say that most people would think otherwise... and for the price, it's an awful chunk of change to spend as a compliment to a main headphone.

Compared to the SR225, I'll agree that the soundstage is wider, but not significantly so. If you like a Grado's ability to image, then this will surely impress you; insofar as headstage/soundstage is concerned, this is still a Grado and should not be considered a strong point at all.

Pad rolling is very enjoyable, as mentioned earlier. I'll swap around with flats and bowls depending on what I'm listening to. I typically find that bowls get the most use, but for smaller Jazz ensembles, acoustic Rock and folk, and Hip-Hop, flats are the way to go. It's really a question of whether I want intimacy or brightness and the difference between pads is markedly stronger than on other SR models (excluding the MS2i/325i, which I've only heard with bowls).

Really, beyond that I'll just suggest that if you want them, get them. Buy used and if you sell them, you should be able to recoup your full price. Know that you're either going to love them to death or feel unjustified based on a price:use ratio. If you're a Rocker and listen to some Hip-Hop and small Jazz, these should be a priority purchase. Otherwise, they're likely to collect dust most of the time as a secondary.

Is your EC/SS from the second batch?

I heard one a few weeks ago and both the owner and I agreed that it was an analytical amp. I didn't find it warm with any of the headphones I tried it with- K701, DT880 (new version), or HP-2.

[Guest GlendaleViper]

Second batch, yes. I assume you heard the original? Mine is very warm and musical. In fact, I am just slightly let down by its detail retrieval.

[deepak]

Second batch as well.

[Guest GlendaleViper]

With the new (video) opamp? Huh...

I can't say I'm finding the amp light on resolution, per se, but I've heard more detailed SS amps, that's for sure. What's sucking me in to the /SS is its musicality. Seems to really bridge the gap between a tubey sound with SS speed. I know I'm echoing a lot of other sentiments by saying that, but what can I say?

What's most striking about this little beast is just how lost you can get in the music. It's neither the warmest, nor the most detailed, but Craig has found some very magical middle ground that makes for an enjoyable listen.

I should also note that I have been less than thrilled with its performance with the K701. Not terrible, but I had more fun listening to the AKGs out of the Little Dot II (seriously) than the SS.

With RS-1s, it's heaven in a little box. Makes sense, since it was tailored for it specifically.

[aerius]

I should also note that I have been less than thrilled with its performance with the K701. Not terrible, but I had more fun listening to the AKGs out of the Little Dot II (seriously) than the SS.

It makes sense since the LD2 is a horribly coloured tube amp, except in this case the colourations work to its advantage in helping to fill out the sound of the K701 and not make it sound too sterile & tight. On anything close to a neutral amp the K701 ends up sounding sterile & dry.

[Guest GlendaleViper]

I agree with you Aerius. I have yet to hear a "neutral" amp match well with the K701, which is a shame, since I bought them to be a reference dynamic... you know, like they claim right on the cups...

A frustrating trial trying to get (what I think is) a very nice sounding headphone to play to the idea of neutrality without putting me to sleep or grating the membranes out of my eardrums.