Ok so basically you sugest to keep going in open backs with the sundara and the grado 80 (i already own portapros) i really want to step up a notch in the price range tho i already have a good range of sub 300 open backs but ive been watching the sundara for a while i will consider them
Well. I would if I wanted to learn as much as possible before moving up in cost.
There aren’t really any great closed backs (that I know of) until you spend more.
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I will check those. Watch a couple of reviews on them and consider the option . Thx
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LOL, I was going to say that I recently recommended to someone that they keep their Asgard 3 for a while and add a Bifrost 2, but I think that was you!
I really like my Burson Soloist, which is an amp only, but Burson told me it has a similar sound to the Conductor. @Tom_Ato is currently testing a bunch of different Burson amps and DACs, including the Conductor, and I believe he likes that.
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Got the new opamps for Soloist and testing can commence. So far very pleased with all Burson devices I have. I consider them to be very neutral hence I use them for testing gear. Cool thing about Soloist is that it has 3 gain levels making it a great choice for IEM’s too.
Conductor 3XR + Focal Clear = my personal reference setup (so far)
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Unlike @mfadio, if you’re trying to go part way upscale, I would suggest the Grado RS1e in place of his SR-80 suggestion. It has a lot less of the treble emphasis that Grado is critisized for (yet has plenty of treble - it is a Grado). But at the top of their “Reference” line offers exceedingly good soundstage and plenty of bass. It is a delightful contrast to the Sennheiser HD-650 and 580, offering to my ears, not just better soundstage but significantly more detail.
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I think you like checking FR charts. I suggest comparing the RS1e to things like the Clear, HD600 and ZMF.
Of course, FR charts do not tell the whole story but they do show you the tuning.
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A ZMF to get you in a different headphones perspective and this model in particular based on the headphones you love. It does what you beloved do in a better way and sums up them in one. It is a very pleasing headphone to wear and to use with high impedance and a gorgeous soundstage. Dynamics and tuning is spot on.
I believe that when someone has a good number of headphones the only possible upgrade is in refinement.
Aeolus has thus all.
I know it sounds like fanboy words but believe me it isn’t.
I’ve used for many months an Aeolus a brother kindly sent me and I can tell you those headphones are different. Period.
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Yes, the tuning is the mildest version of Grado house sound. The RS1e has a 50mm driver, which gives significantly better bass than lesser models. And of course - at the risk of sounding like a broken record, there is the fact that all Grado pads, S, L, and G, all fit and can be rolled without costing an arm and a leg.
You probably thought I would mention the “Tape Mod”. Well I would with the SR-80, and I’ve done it with my SR-60e, but I’ve not been tempted to try it with the RS-1e. Tyll’s website documented the effect of the mod in taming high frequency and increasing bass.
I Have an HD-6xx and find the RS-1e to be less fatiguing. and I have the HD-580 and find the RS-1e to be overall better tuned (And I really like the 580). Plus, it is easy to drive, unlike the HD-6xx, which I use on the Bifrost2/Lyr3 chain. I use the Grados on that chain, and with a DFC, or even DFB, and they are fine. The HD-6xx has more and warmer bass, but very much lacks detail and air in comparison to the Grado RS-1e, which is not surprising given the price differential and the Grado tuning.
But compare the SR-80e or i tuning with the RS-1e, and you’ll see why I suggest this model.
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I’ve been so tempted to buy a set so many times. I fear if I ever get to demo a set, it will be all over.
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I understand why some people don’t care for the typical Grado tuning. I bought my SR-60e to replace a pair of Sennheiser PX-100 that I destroyed when I was wearing a halo after a stupid 17 year old ran her Miata into me totaling my car and breaking my neck (C2 in 3 places). I got better, the car didn’t.
The SR-60 made me smile, even though it was clearly tuned a bit on the bright side. A friend had introduced me to Grado when he had one of the early Statement 1000 series. And @MCM was raising money for something and sold me his RS-1e in mint condition.
The soundstage on the RS-1e is just phenomenal. I don’t expect it to be like the exotic TOTL headphones, it’s just good clean business. I expect that most people who pan Grado for being overly bright have not listened to - or even examined the comparative FR of this model vs the Prestige series models.
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Ive gotta say i never really tought about buying a grado before honestly i dont know why i dont find them appealing to me but i will definitly watch some reviews of the rs1e because i might want to get into new brands for a change i almost bought a celestee earlier today but i felt i need to go into sumthing i havent heard before . Thx for the advice
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Above is HD600. Deviation from Harman is about -3 to -5db in 7k to 10k range.
Above is RS1e. Deviation from Harman is +10db at 2k and -13db at 4.5k.
Maybe I’m reading the charts wrong.
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A couple of observations. The overall sound of the RS-1e does reflect some treble emphasis, yes around 2K. I do not hear a pronounced drop in the next octave, and when I listen to things like well recorded jazz combos, chamber music, classical small ensembles, piano, and so forth, I find they have great detail and air. Cymbals, bowed strings sound as they should compared to my experience with live music. Granted, my.ears are old and may have some FR issues of their own, but my brain tries to EQ.
The chart specifies “bowl pads” which are probably G pads. L pads are stock. The G pad gives a more over-ear compared to on ear experience. Some people despise on-ear (S or L pads) but I like it, and am open to hearing room noise.
The choice of pad will change the distance of the driver to the ear, which will affect sound and soundstage. And you should look at the “mod” for those that do not care for stock pad (this is a 2 cent reversible mod by putting tape around the L pad circumference) which Tyll graphs show significantly smooths the treble FQ that you point out.
I’m not challenging you, and I don’t own HD-600, so I did not compare the RS-1e to that model, I find the RS-1e to be an excellent foil for the Sennheiser sound. Their strengths are different. And the price is roughly in the same ballpark as a true HD-650 (the 6xx is a bargain in anybody’s book)
I listen to headphones that do have different sound signatures. The HD-6xx get ear time. The Hifiman SE- 560 gets ear time. The STAX SR-5n used to get more, but the Hive Nectars get much more time now. When I’m not at the station where I have the STAX amp and the BF2 and Lyr3, the Grado RS-1e gets the most ear time, and the Audeze LCDi3 (with Cipher) get the next most.
Someday I’ll pull the trigger on ZMF. And maybe on some higher end STAX. But the point of this thread was to help @Shaun_Beauvais find some new and different stuff. And the price is under half max budget. The ZMF is probably long term better, as may be the Celestee. But I’m pointing out an interesting spot on the path, not an end game.
If he had an e-stat amp or capability, I’d sure point out the Hive Nectar, which is MUCH closer to Harman, and my current fave of the headphones I own. Maybe this will help @Shaun_Beauvais and others to figure out where I’m coming from. Any reviewer or opinion may be from someone whose ears and musical tastes differ from yours.
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Thx for your help @pennstac i watched a couple of reviews on the SR1E and i am not ready to make that purchase just yet because of the huge subbass rolloff. Im not a basshead but all the headphones i own right now dont perform well in that area. I m considering the aeolus (althought with tax its over budget since im using CAD$) i also watched a couple of review about the gl2000 and in my budget range and interesting also.
I’m sorry for my suggestion about Aeolus, I thought you’re in USA.
With importing fees it is clearly less interesting as for the price.
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Nah thats fine if i pull the trigger on the Zmf, i’ll just put this on my credit card and pay it over 6 month anyway. I mean all the reviews i watched over this are positive. Its rare that everyone agree on a product in this hobby so i guess its a sign i wont be disapointed if i go with it
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Thank you for your kind reply, you made me happy.
It is quite rare to see/read so many different review and have the same great feedback.
Happy search and enjoy.
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This is why I suggested looking at the charts of the Clear, HD600 and ZMF.
These headphones are near universally viewed as being natural. You can see a definite pattern and similarities in the FR charts.
Everyone is different so there is a wide range of what their favorite headphone is.
But the farther you get from these headphones and the Harman curves the more specific the audience will be that will enjoy the headphone.
There is also a factor of hearing loss where older people like me might find the Grado SR60e/SR80e sound to have some attraction since it’s like having a built-in hearing aid to bring back the frequencies I don’t normally hear. Perhaps not so great for people that still have good hearing.
@Resolve did a video on the RS1e/RS2e which gives a lot of good info on different reference curves and how those two headphones compare to the curves.
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