Zanth's GS1K/RS-1/MS-Pro/PS-1/HP-1000 Review Is Up

[tkam]

Thanks for clarifying that. So we have no idea which GS1000 he is referring to, his current new one or the previous prototypes that he has.

His review is based on the current production version.

[mr. nice]

im sorry to those i offended here. hopefully you guys can accept my apologies....

[bozebuttons]

In the "Units Reviewed" section of Part II he states "After 1.5 years, the GS-1000's too are well worked in, they have been my main headphone since I received them and I'd estimate 1200-1400 hours on them as a minimum", so I would assume this review was performed with a non-prototype pair of the GS1K's.

IIRC bozebuttons has one of the prototypes and I can't remember who has the other. I believe Jude had one of them at one point in time.

Jude owns the other prototype.

[Zanth]

Bozebuttons is right, Jude owns the other prototype. There is a chance though that there were 4 prototypes made and his sons have the original two.

The reason I put numbers to the review was so that folks not caring to read through it, could at a glance get a feel for how I felt about each phone. I even mentioned this in my review. The numbers represent something subjective overall but there are aspects of sound that is objectively different from each, so I tried to put a number to it so people could read that and be done with it. If they wanted more of an explanation they could read the review. Since the numbering system is intrascoring, I don't see why anyone would care that I used them or not.

If I could, I would own a pair of HP-1000's again, the Melos misses them a lot. That surely won't happen until I graduate though, prices are astronomical and way out of my budget.

[Zanth]

Thanks Jacob

[postjack]

yay zanth. Thanks for part two of the review.

[hirsch]

If I could, I would own a pair of HP-1000's again, the Melos misses them a lot. That surely won't happen until I graduate though, prices are astronomical and way out of my budget.

I did own a second pair of HP-1000's, or was it a third? My memory is going. In any event, I wound up selling each one (actually before prices skyrocketed, damn it). The HP-1000 sounds great by itself, but does not hold up well in comparison with other high-end headphones, including the PS-1 and RS-1, IMO. I did not regard it as a question of neutrality, but rather one of sluggishness. The HP-1000's smeared the sound a bit compared to the other Grado's, and more than a bit compared to headphones such as the R10, Qualia, or any electrostatic can. The only reason I would own an HP-1000 at this point would be peer pressure. So many people think the Hp-1000 is that great that a part of me wants to go back and listen and see what I missed. However, I think that I owned enough pairs for a long enough time with enough amps that I didn't miss much.

The GS-1000 is still a mystery to me. When I first heard it, I loved it. Since that time, I've yet to hear a pair that I'd want to listen to for an extended period. The pair I bought refused to burn in, and I returned them. Those I've heard since had the same signature sound. Probably not going to happen, as I'm now restoring and collecting vintage fountain pens, which is a hobby that makes audio look downright inexpensive.

[postjack]

The HP-1000 sounds great by itself, but does not hold up well in comparison with other high-end headphones, including the PS-1 and RS-1, IMO. I did not regard it as a question of neutrality, but rather one of sluggishness. The HP-1000's smeared the sound a bit compared to the other Grado's, and more than a bit compared to headphones such as the R10, Qualia, or any electrostatic can.

One man's sluggishness is another man's PRaT. But I admit I have difficulty swallowing the market price of the HP1000, which is one reason why I sold mine.

Probably not going to happen, as I'm now restoring and collecting vintage fountain pens, which is a hobby that makes audio look downright inexpensive.

A mint 51 empire cap set will run you about the cost of a HP1000, IIRC. However, I'm limiting my obsession to the cheaper SJ sterling capped vacs, modern Bexleys, and the occasional flexible nibbed vintage celluloid (I only have one now, a canadian waterman in a brown, arco-esque celluloid with a very flexible nib. amazing pen!).

[Zanth]

The only reason I would own an HP-1000 at this point would be peer pressure. So many people think the Hp-1000 is that great that a part of me wants to go back and listen and see what I missed. However, I think that I owned enough pairs for a long enough time with enough amps that I didn't miss much.

So very very true I really do like that snappy bass, but in so many ways (particularly compared to the R10's) the HP-1000's fall short and for that kind of money, I would want to start investigating wholely new sounds, not something that comes close to what I already have. Despite the HP-1000's being very linear and having a wonderful palpable bass, they aren't so different from modern Grados. R10's though, or Qualias (which I have not yet heard) would be such a dramatic difference that they would add nicely to my collection.

The GS-1000 is still a mystery to me. When I first heard it, I loved it. Since that time, I've yet to hear a pair that I'd want to listen to for an extended period. The pair I bought refused to burn in, and I returned them. Those I've heard since had the same signature sound. Probably not going to happen, as I'm now restoring and collecting vintage fountain pens, which is a hobby that makes audio look downright inexpensive.

I'm wondering if I have a special/unique pair or something. 5 Head-fiers have heard my GS-1000's and although one of them is completely in love with the HP-1000, he still really enjoyed the GS-1000's. The others adored the them and of the remaining 4 only one would choose the RS-1's over them because of the intimacy which he describes as definitively Grado. Something he craves and looks to a Grado for. So either my system just bodes well with them or I lucked out and got a sweet pair that more closely resembles the prototypes. Of the two prototypes, I liked one over the other. I'm not sure if Bozebuttons has the one I really liked or not. I do know that my pair of GS-1000's falls in between the sound of the two. As for vintage fountain pens...precious metal tipping, injections...craziness. I'm still searching for one really nice fountain pen that feels great in my hand and is built very well. I know of a Japanese fellow who custom makes titanium pens...$1400 I think and the build time is 8-14 months.

[deepak]

At least in my system the L3000 is more resolving than the HP-2 (both pairs I had). Still there is something addicting about the HP-2 sound, and it's not necessarily its "neutrality", heck I find them fun to listen to if the music is fun. But I don't find them smeared.

[bozebuttons]

Bozebuttons is right, Jude owns the other prototype. There is a chance though that there were 4 prototypes made and his sons have the original two.

John told me there where 3 prototypes,I believe one of them was the salad bowl prototype,& the 2 jude & I own.

[Dusty Chalk]

i don't find them to be smeared, either.

x4 -- they're one of the cleanest headphones I own, if not the cleanest.

[NotoriousBIG_PJ]

When I directly compared my rs-1's to sony r-10's, I found the rs-1's to have more of a 'smeared' midrange. So I could see why an owner of r-10's could come to that conclusion about another can.

Thats the only time I ever felt that the midrange sounded that way though.

Biggie.

[recstar24]

x4 -- they're one of the cleanest headphones I own, if not the cleanest.

I concur - very focused and precise.

[Zanth]

When I directly compared my rs-1's to sony r-10's, I found the rs-1's to have more of a 'smeared' midrange. So I could see why an owner of r-10's could come to that conclusion about another can.

Thats the only time I ever felt that the midrange sounded that way though.

Biggie.

Definitely. The R10's are a very fast headphones. Likely the fastest dynamic headphone outside of the Qualias (which I have not heard).

[purk]

Definitely. The R10's are a very fast headphones. Likely the fastest dynamic headphone outside of the Qualias (which I have not heard).

Yes, the R10 is second only to Qualia interm of speed. The missing link for the Qualia for me is slightly dried midrange and colder/brighter tonality.

x4 -- they're one of the cleanest headphones I own, if not the cleanest.

Yes, I they are very very clean sounding headphone. Perhaps one of the clenest next to the R10, Qualia, and K1000 (not in particular order). I was very impressed with the way the HP2 sounded with the Melos Sha Gold Reference.

[hirsch]

Please note that my description of what I heard with the HP-1000 was only in comparison with other headphones, some of which are very high caliber. At one point, I thought they were the best there is also (damn Vertigo-1 for cursing me with that first R-10). I will also note that in direct comparison, the HP-1 is less efficient and rolls off the high end in comparison with the HP-2. I've heard both headphones with both the Laboratory Standard and High-Bandwidth Reference cables, but that high-end rolloff is always there with the HP-1. I don't think the phase switch used is particularly transparent, but that's just my guess.

Rest easy. Your HP-1000's will sound the same as they always do, regardless of my personal opinion. They won't even drop in value because I think that there are better headphones. At the current price, I'd grab an OII and whatever Stax amp I could afford, and upgrade the amp later. The Omega II is simply superior to the HP-1000 in just about any way I can imagine (although you really need the right amp to push them, but that's true of the HP-1000 also.

OTOH, if enough people start dissing the HP-1000, we can create doubt in buyers' minds. Keep repeating it, and people may eventually come to their senses and stop paying silly prices. Market price would plummet, and we could all afford HP-1000's again...hmmm...boy does the HP-1000 suck.

[postjack]

at the current prices i would also get an Omega II and the best amp i could afford

Before its over with I will do exactly this. I'm kind of waiting for the dust to settle on the whole mk2 thing though.

stax rox