riceboy

After some suggestions and requests I decided to listen to the same set of songs, but with the different pads on the MS2i and HF-1s. Right now I'm enjoying the MS2is with flats, but I do like the detail that the bowls provide. Overall the HF-1s are in the middle of the two MS2is with the different pads (bowls and flats). It was fun doing this comparison. Thanks to everyone for their suggestions and insights. It is much appreciated. Equipment Denon 2900 - DAC1 - PPX3 SLAM - MS2i Playlist: 1. Jack Johnson - Better Together 2. Taj Mahal/Toumani Diabate - Queen Bee 3. Eric Clapton - Tears in Heaven (unplugged) 4. Diana Krall Live - East of the Sun, West of the Moon 5. System of a Down - Chop Suey! 6. Jake Shimabukuro - While My Guitar Gently Weeps 1. The detail on the guitar is more upfront. Also the vocals are more upfront and clearer. I notice less bass in the song. 2. The detail is really good. I like the crisp sound of the guitars. The vocals are more brighter, but they sound good. The vocals do sound good as well. Again the bass is gone, but it sounds good. 3. I do notice the clarity in the guitar. Again the bass is gone, but the mids are clearer as well. 4. The piano sounds good, but I think I like how they sounded with the yellow pads. The bass player is more in the back because of the less bass impact, but I do like the it sounds more than the yellow pads. Everything is cleaner. The sound is not as muddled. 5. The guitars sound good in the beginning. The drums have nice punch to them as well. I like the sound a lot more with the bowls for sure. The vocals are clean and the surrounding instruments are more noticeable with better separation. 6. Wow the ukulele sounds so real. I like the detail and highs that I'm hearing. HF-1s 1. The guitar has more body to them, not as bright as the MS2i. I can hear more bass and the vocals sound good as well. Definitely more bass than the MS2i. 2. More bass and vocals are still clear, but not as clear as the MS2is. There is more body in the mids as well. The guitars also have more air or body around them. 3. The guitar has more air around it. The vocals sound good as well. I can tell there is more bass than the MS2is, but it's better than the flat pads. The flats seem to be more muddled sounding as well. But the yellow pads of the MS2i is better than the flats for HF1s. 4. I like the tone of the piano more on the HF1s. To me the HF1s has the RS1 sound, but not that 360 degree emersion, but it adds more body to the recording. 5. Not as much detail on guitar as MS2i, more bass is noticeable. Also, the drums have punch, but more air behind them. The vocals sound good as well. 6. The ukulele has a nice sound, but the MS2i has better detail IMHO. The HF1s made it seen there is air after each strum of the ukulele. MS2i with flats 1. The detail on the guitar is not as bright, but I notice that there is more bass than with the bowls. Everything has more air around it with the added low bass response 2. The guitars sound good, with nice air around them. The mids/vocals have nice air around them as well. Even though the guitars have air around them, I notice that the detail is still there. It doesn't sound muddled. 3. The guitar has air around it and it's not as bright as the bowls. The vocals seem more transparent sounding. 4. The vocals are not as upfront as the bowls. Again it's not as bright or detailed as the bowls, but there is more bass in the bass guitar and the drums seem to possess more air in each beat. 5. The guitars again have more air and the drums have more air punch behind them. The separation of the instruments coming at you is quite good. 6. The ukulele again has more air. The detail is good and the strums have more body to them. Also, when Jake hits his palm on his ukulele it felt like I was there seeing him do it. Also, the recording takes on a liquid feel to it. MS2i with bowls, 1. More highs and mids. It definitely lacks bass but everything sounds good. It's like an ATH-W5000, but without the bass. There is hardly much bass at all with the bowls. HF-1s with bowls 1. Detail is still there, but with more air and bass. It's not bright or detailed as the MS2i with bowls, but still good. It's in the middle between the MS2i with bowls and MS2i with flats. It doesn't have the most detail as the MS2i with bows, but pretty close with the upfront mids, but not as upfront as the MS2i with bowls. Also, there is bass, but not as much as the MS2i with flats. MS2i with flats Probably the most bass that I heard throughout this whole listening impressions between the different pads on the MS2i and HF-1s. It has a more floaty, airy, and liquid sound. I prefer the bowls a little more for the level of the detail it produces, but the flats would be less fatiguing to listen with in the long run. I could listen to this all day long with no ear fatigue.

Thanks . I'll give the flats a try and post some impressions later.

NFL football. My team lost again :'(

I just watched the season premiere of CSI NY and I believe "A Fine Frenzy" performed and played a part in the show. It was pretty neat. Her character was involved in the case they were working on.

I found the detail on the HD650 more enjoyable on the HD580 or HD600. I do agree that the bass extension on the HD650 is good.

Sorry to hear you didn't get them. Were these the ones you heard and wanted?

Same here. Don't mind watching the violence, but the rape scenes are a wee bit disturbing.

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I'll give it a try

I did try the HF-1s with bowls before and I liked them. When time permits I'll try and listen again with the HF-1s and bowls and post some impressions up. Maybe I'll do one with HF-1s with bowls and MS2i with bowls.

Here is a pic of my MS2i. I don't have the HF-1 with me now

Hi Everyone. This is my first post regarding impressions between 2 cans. Please feel free to let me know any comments or suggestions . Equipment Rega Planet - DAC1 - HD2 - Cans Playlist: Artist/Song 1. Jack Johnson - Better Together 2. Taj Mahal/Toumani Diabate - Queen Bee 3. Eric Clapton - Tears in Heaven (unplugged) 4. Diana Krall Live - East of the Sun, West of the Moon 5. System of a Down - Chop Suey! 6. Jake Shimabukuro - While My Guitar Gently Weeps a. Just a guy with his ukulele. He's one mad ukulele player HF-1s with flat pads 1. The vocals were more upfront than the MS2i and the sound floated with more air. There was a noticeable bass response in the background opposed to the MS2i. It was a more on the stage experience, opposed to the MS2is being a little more laid back. 2. Vocals again upfront. Presentation is really upfront. The vocals are clearer on the HF-1s. I can hear the instrument detail a lot better than the MS2i. 3. I like this presentation more, where I can hear ever lick of the guitar really clear. Clapton's voice is very clean and clear. The separation of Clapton's vocals, background vocals, and his guitar is just as good, but of course it is more upfront and forward. 4. The bass player sounds great with the cymbals in the background. I felt the tone of the piano was good as well. HF-1s felt more involving and captured your attention more than the MS2i. 5. The HF-1s right off the bat had a lot more punch and kick to the drums and bass. It's interesting but the guitars didn't sound as clear as the MS2i. I did hear some things in the background that I didn't hear as clear in the MS2i though. The HF-1s really gets your rocking, while the MS2i really bring out all aspects of the song from vocals to instruments. HF-1s are really fun. 6. There was a sense of more air with every pluck and strum on his ukulele on the HF-1. It was easier on the MS2i to imagine his finger plucking the ukulele than the HF-1. I was pulled more in on the MS2i. But the HF-1 once again does have a sense of air around each strum. MS2i with yellow pads 1. The vocals are more upfront with HF-1s and there is more detail that comes through with the guitar and cymbals in the background. Also, I felt there was cleaner bass response coming from the MS2i. 2. Presentation immediately sounds more laid back. Because of the laid back presentation the instrument and vocal separation made it easier to discern where everything is coming from. The highs are detailed, but the vocals seemed thinner. I'm guessing it's because it's more in the background and not upfront as the HF-1s. 3. Another presentation where I am 1 or 2 rows back from Clapton, but it still has a nice, warm intimate feeling. The separation of Clapton, the background singers, and his guitar is quite good. 4. Diana's voice is more in the background. I liked how the piano sounded on the MS2i a little more than the HF-1s. The bass was a little more tighter than the fuller bodied HF-1s. I could feel the bass guitar more on the HF-1s. 5. The vocals are great and I like how the MS2i keeps up with the fast pace of the guitars. The separation of guitars and other instruments are better on the MS2i. The vocals sound more clearer, where the vocals on the HF-1s don't sound as clear. 6. Every strum of his fingers hitting the ukulele strings are nicely articulated. It sounds like magic. HF-1 It's a can that is fun and lively. It has good punch and kick with rock, and a nice air around the instruments because of the added bass response. The presentation is more upfront and on stage as the other Grados. MS2i Overall the presentation is more front row (1 or 2 seats back). The separation of instruments was more prevalent than the HF-1s, which made it easy for me to hear more detail. The range is more flat, with less of the usual Grado colorization, but sounds enjoyable. It's a really great can as well.

Another Epica album and a MS2i

Yeah a little to rich for my blood. I might be able to spring for a W100 with that money, but I'm happy with the W5000 ATM.

You'll love it for sure Jack. It's gets good in Season 2 and 3. I mean there is so much twists and turns. It's fun.

Oh no. Another vote by deepak. Now I just gotta see this show.

Wow on HD-DVD. It must be really good. No, must resist. This week has so many Season beginning shows like House and CSI

Crap another show to check out. My friends have been praising this show for a while as well

I'll check it out. I liked watching Rome as well when it was on HBO.

Sure. I'll let you know when I post one up

Just got my MS2i today. So far I'm really liking how they sound. It seems to me that it has more bass than the other Grado cans I have. Only the SR325i had the same amount of bass IMO. Overall the highs is a little rolled off opposed to my RS1, HF1, SR325i, and GS1000. I do like the sound a lot and find myself enjoying them a bunch. If I feel the same way about the MS2i in the next month I might start selling my other Grado cans. We'll see, but so far so good .

Sunday Night Football

I do enjoy the ES7, but those look nice with the wood

Inside the NFL. It's Football Season

I saw Eric Clapton with Robert Cray opening