So I've been thinking of getting RS-1 (again) and I'd love to grab a vintage pair, but I also know the chance of that happening is close to nil. With that in mind, has anyone heard the new button-less RS-1? I'm just curious if there are any differences in the sound with the re-design.

I have not heard it personally, but I have a friend from headfi who is local who has a vintage pair and a new button-less set as well. He told me recently he enjoys the new one as much as the old. Apparently to his ears the new one is warm and not bright, smooth with good mids and bass with flats. I trust his ears as I have been over his house and listened to his rig, and the fact that he owns a grado museum (original owner of HP-1, HP-2, HP3, SR-200, HPA-1, vintage RS-1, PS-1, etc.).

So I've been thinking of getting RS-1 (again) and I'd love to grab a vintage pair, but I also know the chance of that happening is close to nil. With that in mind, has anyone heard the new button-less RS-1? I'm just curious if there are any differences in the sound with the re-design.

Come Thursday, I'll be able to offer a comparison between a buttonless pair and a previous generation serial #3279. Once I get my darker wood, serial numberless pair back, I'll be able to compare that one as well.

There is a lot of murmuring that the new buttonless pair more resembles an older rs-1 or an ms-pro sonically, but nobody has said this who I can really trust. But I know I can trust me.

The #3279 is recabled with apuresound V3, so the comparison won't be totally pure.

I have not heard it personally, but I have a friend from headfi who is local who has a vintage pair and a new button-less set as well. He told me recently he enjoys the new one as much as the old. Apparently to his ears the new one is warm and not bright, smooth with good mids and bass with flats. I trust his ears as I have been over his house and listened to his rig, and the fact that he owns a grado museum (original owner of HP-1, HP-2, HP3, SR-200, HPA-1, vintage RS-1, PS-1, etc.).

This is good news, thank you for sharing.

I have not heard it personally, but I have a friend from headfi who is local who has a vintage pair and a new button-less set as well. He told me recently he enjoys the new one as much as the old. Apparently to his ears the new one is warm and not bright, smooth with good mids and bass with flats. I trust his ears as I have been over his house and listened to his rig, and the fact that he owns a grado museum (original owner of HP-1, HP-2, HP3, SR-200, HPA-1, vintage RS-1, PS-1, etc.).

That's a good sign.

Come Thursday, I'll be able to offer a comparison between a buttonless pair and a previous generation serial #3279. Once I get my darker wood, serial numberless pair back, I'll be able to compare that one as well.

Keep me posted on the comparison.

Now, only if they weren't so expensive new....

Come Thursday, I'll be able to offer a comparison between a buttonless pair and a previous generation serial #3279. Once I get my darker wood, serial numberless pair back, I'll be able to compare that one as well.

There is a lot of murmuring that the new buttonless pair more resembles an older rs-1 or an ms-pro sonically, but nobody has said this who I can really trust. But I know I can trust me.

The #3279 is recabled with apuresound V3, so the comparison won't be totally pure.

Wait, do you own three pairs of RS-1's?

Wait, do you own three pairs of RS-1's?

do you own three pairs of RS-1's?

do you own three pairs of RS-1's?

I wish - I have owned a pair before, though, along with MS-Pro at one point.

Wait, do you own three pairs of RS-1's?

To give less of a vague answer, yes I do. I won't for long though. After I've done my comparison I'm sure the two losers will be sold.

The scary thing is how good the HF-1 is. I can't believe this can retailed for $199. Blows the SR225 out of the headphone sea.

I have a buttonless pair that I got right after Christmas. Trouble is, I have only heard vintage RS1's at meets, so nothing useful I can give you. Although I'm just like you - would have preferred vintage but with the recent prices I ruled it out. And as for the new ones, well, I'll just say my 650's, K701's and even the MS2i's are getting dusty. The RS1's with flats in my rig seem to be exactly what I've been working towards.

well the one and only time I heard the new Grados was at the meet I held in San Leandro. I have a vintage brown leather pair and FooMe brought his new RS1s and there was no comparison to either of us. I felt a little bad telling him I thought they were way off the money but he readily agreed that the new ones sounded off. To me they were muffled sounding like a blanket was cast over the music. I am pretty sure he sold they pair quickly and tacked down a vintage rs1.

That said it is a personal choice as to whether the oldies are worth the scratch. Having heard the brown leather and next series after that the black leather no serial # they sound alike to me and are a much better value on the used market. I would not buy a new pair of these after hearing what they used to sound like.

My pair is a newer RS-1 but before they went buttonless. I've been experimenting with the pads a lot in the past few weeks (between bowls and flats), and while a lot of times flats work well, bowls are the only way to lift a very slight muffling of vocals that I get on some recordings.

do they look better in person than in the pics?

Mine look ok. Lighter yes, but none of the rough edged wood I'd heard about. Eyes of the beholder and that crap.

To give less of a vague answer, yes I do. I won't for long though. After I've done my comparison I'm sure the two losers will be sold.

The scary thing is how good the HF-1 is. I can't believe this can retailed for $199. Blows the SR225 out of the headphone sea.

Postjack, if you decide to sell a pair of the previous generations RS1's I may like to buy them from you. Contact me and I'll see if I can swing it.

Scratch that, I'm saving money to move, I can't afford a new pair of headphones. If I'm going to be upgrading at all I need a new CDP.

Come Thursday, I'll be able to offer a comparison between a buttonless pair and a previous generation serial #3279. Once I get my darker wood, serial numberless pair back, I'll be able to compare that one as well.

If you ever decide to let go of the serial numberless pair, let me know.

To give less of a vague answer, yes I do. I won't for long though. After I've done my comparison I'm sure the two losers will be sold.

The scary thing is how good the HF-1 is. I can't believe this can retailed for $199. Blows the SR225 out of the headphone sea.

Are you gonna sell the HF-1 as well? If so, I call dibs

Are you gonna sell the HF-1 as well? If so, I call dibs

I'm pretty sure the HF-1 stays.

Haj, if I decide to sell the serial numberless RS-1, I'll let you know.

If any of you RS-1 and MS-2 owners are thinking about selling your MS-2 I'm interested.

I'm pretty sure the HF-1 stays.

Haj, if I decide to sell the serial numberless RS-1, I'll let you know.

[whiny]But you have RS-1s[/whiny]

j/k, the hf-1s are something else though

[whiny]But you have RS-1s[/whiny]

j/k, the hf-1s are something else though

I had both, and don't have rs1s anymore

Got the buttonless RS-1 in today, been listening all night. Here are some quick pics with the previous generation RS-1:

They certainly aren't bad looking phones, but I admit that in person they lose some of their "oomph" visually. They don't really strike me as bold, flagship phones, but as rather timid and quiet looking. I think this effect has as much to do with the font as the lack of button. The overall quality of the wood, however, is about the same. I thought the wood itself would appear cheaper, but it doesn't. Maybe the way its cut, but not the wood itself.

As for the sound, there is certainly nothing wrong with them. They sound fantastic, no complaints at all here. Listening all night with zero fatigue. I'll do more comparisons later.

In the "recent" column on the right, this thread is showing up as, "Anyone tried the new butt...".

EDIT: Great, and now I'm the last to have replied.

Am I the only one who can't see the friggen pictures again.

I'm not with Opera.

Can't see it either.