n_maher Posted August 9, 2007 Report Share Posted August 9, 2007 Just wondering if anyone else caught the new design of the RS-2s on HF? Items of note: 1. No more endgrain - now done "Larry style" with sidegrain. Pretty weak in my opinion. 2. No more button. I'm sure this was a man'f/labor based decision, one less assembly step and one less thing for folks to bitch about/fall off. 3. New font. Not my cup of tea but I'd have to see it in person to know for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deepak Posted August 9, 2007 Report Share Posted August 9, 2007 I need to see better pictures. I disliked the buttons on the RS series since their fonts were always mismatched between the button and the chamber. And I just like the Alessandro look. The wood grain might be a one off since no two Grado cups looks the same. But I agree the font is a bit weak and too close to the outer edge. Nitpicking here but I prefer it written as "RS-2" instead of "RS2" (unless that is a really faint dash in there). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dusty Chalk Posted August 9, 2007 Report Share Posted August 9, 2007 I'm not the biggest Grado connoisseur -- was that horseshoe-shaped thing always there, is that new, did it used to go all the way around, or what? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mulveling Posted August 9, 2007 Report Share Posted August 9, 2007 I think they look piss poor. I had a nice set of RS-2 a while back that looked leagues better than this. This is what $500 buys you at Grado these days?? Anything above $200-250 for this is a questionable value, IMO (even the nicer old ones were way overpriced). I posted my thoughts on head-fi as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n_maher Posted August 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2007 The wood grain might be a one off since no two Grado cups looks the same. They've always used end-grain in the past, it's a complete departure (and different manufacturing technique probably) from the previous RS-1 and 2 design. And the horseshoe has always been there Dusty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hYdrociTy Posted August 9, 2007 Report Share Posted August 9, 2007 That is so ugly. The previous rs2 was much better. They are trying to force more people to buy the rs1. Shame on them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mulveling Posted August 9, 2007 Report Share Posted August 9, 2007 Also it's real classy how Grado seems to have made no attempt towards notifying potential customers of the change, until after they'd received the new headphones from an online vendor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hungrych Posted August 9, 2007 Report Share Posted August 9, 2007 I'm not a fan... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
postjack Posted August 9, 2007 Report Share Posted August 9, 2007 I think just the fact that they are so obviously cost cutting makes them unattractive. In a vacuum they are decent looking headphones. Personally I find the GS-1000 to be a very attractive phone, as well it should be for a grand. Also the pair I briefly owned smelled fantastic. I really miss that smell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deepak Posted August 9, 2007 Report Share Posted August 9, 2007 New pictures are up. Rehosted on my photobucket since I think that's his personal website Not so nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
postjack Posted August 9, 2007 Report Share Posted August 9, 2007 Not so nice yeah, kind of cheapish looking in those shots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
en480c4 Posted August 9, 2007 Report Share Posted August 9, 2007 I could be wrong, but seeing older RS-2s and the sides of the new RS-2 in the additional pics leads me to believe it's just variations in the color of the wood. The closeups show obvious end grain. That said, I like the look without the buttons, and to be honest, I think the font is already growing on me. Edit: Having said all of that, I can (and have) turned better cups out of mahogany. I think choice of wood and attention to detail on finishing is definitely lacking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceman94 Posted August 9, 2007 Report Share Posted August 9, 2007 I hated the Grado button, but this looks like crap too...I like the old font, I guess. Maybe they're changing the naming scheme to match the GS1000 (no dash)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceman94 Posted August 9, 2007 Report Share Posted August 9, 2007 The HP series button is cool, but at least they could *try* to match the color between the wood button and the cups for the RS series. [/OCD] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justin Posted August 9, 2007 Report Share Posted August 9, 2007 It looks like it says Crado Reference Series must be the new chinese knock-off brand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patu Posted August 9, 2007 Report Share Posted August 9, 2007 I like this new look. I wonder if there are any changes in sound? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n_maher Posted August 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2007 With the better pictures I'm with Ian, it looks like end grain which is nice, I far and away prefer that to larry-style side grain. This would imply that the only changes are the font and the button. And nice catch Justin, that's a bang up job they did with the lettering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tkam Posted August 9, 2007 Report Share Posted August 9, 2007 Grado Quality Control strikes again . Honesty I hate how people will pass this off as just being an effect of them being "handmade." Bullshit its crap quality control and cost cutting measures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larryminator Posted August 9, 2007 Report Share Posted August 9, 2007 looks so cheap. I hope Grado don't make the choice to make the cheapest Headphones at the highest price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerius Posted August 9, 2007 Report Share Posted August 9, 2007 My middle school shop teacher would've flunked me for finishing wood that badly. They also need to replace their tooling since every single Grado cable gets pinched at the Y on the same side in every single headphone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n_maher Posted September 1, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2007 Holy shit, it appears that they did the same to the RS-1. Maybe this is just a bad picture but BLECH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deepak Posted September 1, 2007 Report Share Posted September 1, 2007 Holy crap, I see the rise in price of old RS-1s already Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hungrych Posted September 1, 2007 Report Share Posted September 1, 2007 Sweet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bhd812 Posted September 1, 2007 Report Share Posted September 1, 2007 My middle school shop teacher would've flunked me for finishing wood that badly. They also need to replace their tooling since every single Grado cable gets pinched at the Y on the same side in every single headphone. rumor has it on their carts are worse in terms of testing gear before they sell them. I heard of some fucked up horror stories regarding their carts. i think its part of the old school ghetto building and way of building a product they never seemed to change. one a good side if something works and has worked why change it on another side to todays standards the model of quality control is not up to par. but regardless Grado has one hell of a Customer service way that not many can come remotely clsoe to. something goes wrong just Call them up and give a sob story for a free fix. Grado has wowed me lots of times with all of my issues on all my grado headphone probelms i had..like its amazing how they just fx them with almost no questions. if i had the choice of better quality control at first or better service in the end i would take the service.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
909 Posted September 1, 2007 Report Share Posted September 1, 2007 grado is extremely lucky to have Head-Fi and customers will to pay up the nose for cheaply constructed, poor workmanship, and somewhat uncomfortable headphones--and their customer service in my experience isn't always wonderful either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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