Three odd years ago these marvelous cans were considered the cream of the crop from Brooklyn-based audiophile headphone house Grado Labs.

Schiit Audio Valhalla Wadia 121 decoding computer Peachtree Audio musicBox AudioQuest DragonFly USB DAC Even the wiring inside the RS-1 gets the royal treatment. The RS-1 features voice-coils wound from ultra-high purity, oxygen free copper -- Grado claims their use of ultra-high conductivity copper in both the speaker voice coils and all of the headphone wiring results in lower coloration than the typical low-grade copper wiring found in most headphones (some of which even use steel wiring, which distorts the signal). Special high power neodymium magnets in the drivers provide higher efficiency and better sound, which makes the Grados easier to drive to satisfying levels from most portable CD players. And finally, for perfect stereo imaging, Grado hand-matches each pair of headphone drivers for exact response. Wood enclosures are a rare sight on headphones, although they have been used previously by other manufacturers-also on their reference headphones. The RS-1 follows the same retro styling as the Prestige series, including utilizing the same design for the headband. Finished in suede, rather than the usual leather, you either will enjoy the way it sits on your head or you won't. These headphones get tone right, and do so with remarkable consistency. Whether you happen to favor Mark Knopfler over Eric Clapton, or Wes Montgomery over Grant Green, the Grados put sufficient distance between the artists and make each of them stand out. Materials do make a difference. I am reminded of a paper authored some 25 years ago by Ingo Titze, then chairman of the Wendell Johnson Speech and Hearing Center at the University of Iowa that examined the human vocal tract from a materials science perspective. He argued (in slightly paraphrased form) that "the human larynx is made of materials that vary considerably with time, temperature, and biochemical composition, … and even fails to obey Hooke's law; the stress-strain curves of vocal fold tissue being quite nonlinear." He felt that given these facts, "the larynx as a musical instrument would appear to be in the class of a plastic ukulele with rubber strings, and control of such an instrument to maintain accurate pitch and consistent quality would seem to be a formidable problem." Acoustic transducers certainly do not suffer from such limitations. In particular, headphones have always enjoyed an advantage over loudspeakers in terms of linearity and greatly reduced distortion levels. The fact that they sit on or over the ear makes for greatly reduced drive requirements. A fraction of a watt is sufficient to drive many phones to excruciating sound pressure levels. In fact, John Grado warns against extended listening at very loud levels, which "could seriously impair your hearing".Speaking of crude, we tee up Eminem’s Killshot and his biting delivery sounds as impassioned as we’ve heard it out of two earcups. The RS1x is so clear and direct it feels as through he’s telling us off, and yet there’s enough detail and dynamic insight, and then some, to prevent his expression ever sounding unduly shouty. With a cylindrical body just 60mm diameter these ‘phones look compact – they’re visibly smaller than most. Grado don’t supply a carrying case or even cloth pouch for on-the-go use, so something like a freezer bag may be needed for protection. Amplifiers: Cayin HA-1A, Singlepower Square Wave, HeadAmp Gilmore Lite v2 w/ DPS, Eddie Current EC/SS The current top of the John Grado line exemplifies what he has made the Grado name all about: hard hitting bass and exciting forward midrange, at the expense of extension, smoothness, build quality, and comfort.

The RS-1 can be used without an amp, and I find that my portable iRiver drives them quite well, with a slightly soft bottom end and a bit of euphonic softening of the highs as well. It's a nice match. With an amp in my home system, the bass is better controlled and more assured, and the highs a bit brasher and sometimes just a touch of harshness or glare in the lower highs/upper mids. The build still wears that hand-made feel, too, which isn’t to say that it looks or feels cheap but that it doesn’t particularly look or feel machined. Grado has been in the game long enough to know what it and presumably its customers like – tactile, no-nonsense design and lightweight comfort – and within that brief, the RS1x don’t disappoint. They join their sibling SR60s in being able to offer something so stunning that the price becomes irrelevant. These are not headphones for first time buyers, but if you want the best dynamic headphone I have yet to hear, the Grado Reference RS-1's are right up there. Now enters the first of a Reference Series, the RS1 which at 695.00 represents a serious bid for the high end market. Other headphone manufacturers have followed this same route, launching frighteningly expensive" flagship" models while continuing to put most of their effort into (and reap most of their rewards from) the more basic designs; think of Sennheiser and Sony. The secret to loving the Grado RS1e is burning in the headphones for 160-hours* acclimatizing to its sound.When you think you've heard everything on a recording, then you are ready for these Grados. With their firm yet feather-light feel, the music was like a warm sunny day, when a slight haze suddenly drifts by. Voices became effortless, humanly round, and instruments stretched around me in a cascade of sparkling details with a wonderful accuracy of timbre. They handled every kind of music with warmth, transparency and coherence. They just sounded and felt so right. First impressions were of surprising degree of warmth in the sound and a handling of bass and spatial elements that was more like listening to loudspeakers than headphones. This was a good start and encouraged me to play through a wider selection of 'test pieces' and favorite music than I normally do - and to continue listening to longer extracts. Okay, I've never used the Grados (or any headphones) in my reference system, nor have I listened to any audiophile-approved CDs or LPs on them. Yes, I'm sure any number of passersby have wondered aloud about the guy wearing these weird-looking headphones. But I have listened to a ton of music with the Grados and enjoyed every minute of it. It's rare that any audio product can come along and simply bowl me over. In this case, I yield. I just love these headphones! They have become my constant traveling companions. Thank you, John Grado--what's next? The 10-11kHz peak of the RS2e isn't there on the RS1e. In fact, the top octave is attenuated quite a bit compared to the rest of the spectrum. What seems surprising is that the RS1e now has a peak at 8kHz which I usually find more annoying than 11kHz peaks (RS2). However, this just didn't seem to be the case subjectively. This could be because the 8kHz peak is a few db lower and the mid-upper bass bump balances it out. The specs reveal a very wide bandwidth device, response extending from 12 Hz to 30 KHz with very tight driver matching, while the low weight of 9 ounces contribute to user comfort. I find the Grados much more comfortable than the vice-like grip of the Sennheiser HD 650.

The burlier Astell&Kern ACRO CA1000 Desktop Amplifier & DAC , with a full 15 volts of output available in “Super” mode is much more of a “desktop” device by virtue of its bulkier design and form factor. The CA1000 lent the RS2x a dose more authority and tonal mass when played in “High” mode, which I felt gave the best playable volume range. I mention this because the Grado RS-1's most distinctive features are the wooden ear cups. But unlike the Sony's veritable furniture, the wooden bits on the Grado look just like arboreal facsimiles of the company's non-organic models. What wonders are worked by a gorgeous, honey-colored trace of Mother Nature! The RS1x is a conventional dynamic headphone, meaning it has a mini-loudspeaker drive unit inside each ear piece, with conventional magnet+coil motor assembly – not a planar-magnetic then. Grado say only that the driver has a 50cm diameter and when I first heard it I thought “titanium dome”, meaning there was a cool, fast delivery. But as it was run in this softened to the sound I’ll talk about later and I suspected aluminium dome.We dig out a pair of first-generation RS1 and, as expected, are treated to an open, forward and insightful sound. Switch to the new RS1x, however, and the presentation is not only clearer and notably more transparent but also faster and livelier, making the veteran pair sound somewhat ponderous in comparison. The extent of the RS1x’s fleet-footedness has us drawing similar comparisons with rivals such as the Beyerydnamic T1 (3rd Generation), even if they chalk up points for their greater solidity, refinement and deeper bass. We commented on the new driver’s punchy nature in our SR325x review, and that talent certainly manifests in these Reference Series headphones too.

Other niceties which allude to its exclusivity are the driver matching to 0.05dB (yes, point-oh-five), vented diaphragms and something called "UHPLC" copper for the voice coils and connection cord. Think up your own meanings for the acronym. What's important is that the RS-1 is so comfortable that you'll soon forget you're wearing a pair. What you'll never forget is sound that's so smooth, coherent and palpable that you might even think about forswearing speakers, except for multi-listener sessions. These are keepers in my book... I will update my impressions this weekend when I have some time with a well used RS1i The Grado RS1e may look good, but padding is relatively spartan. Given the weight of this model, it’s not an immediate issue but pressure points may announce themselves during longer sessions, on the ears and over the top of the head. Sound Characteristics The build quality is a definite step up from the lower Grado models, but again is not particularly high. There is less plastic and more metal, but still a number of basic weaknesses in the design persist. The comfort is good for a Grado, due to low weight, but still sub-par compared to typical circumaural headphones. The Grado RS1e is a real toe-tapper with any genre; however if you’re fond of sub bass in your tunes, you may miss this a bit. As mentioned though, it may improve as the headphones receive more use. SummaryThe Grado RS1 phone is light, comfy, and a joy to hear. Even you-know-who's electrostatic headphone didn't seem as natural to me any of the times I've heard it. I wish it didn't cost so much, but frankly, that's about the end of my wish list. It’s only right that a fourth-generation model gets a fourth-generation driver. Grado’s ‘X Drivers’ debuted in the Prestige Series to which the 2021 What Hi-Fi? Award-winning SR325x and SR80x belong, and are implemented for the first time in 50mm size here. Grado says that they have been specifically tuned for the wooden enclosures they sit in and bring a "completely redesigned speaker and new harmony" to the headphones. Note: There are reports that the RS1e improves after a certain burn-in period which pays no heed to review deadlines. If possible, this reviewer will return and update these impressions if necessary.