Pick these up from a fine gent from head-fi. I had a similar set previously that I had to sell to raise some emergency funds. I felt guilty as soon as I did, and luckily was able to find another set. This pair is different, one being the black grado wooden box, and the slightly gold lettering on the L and R (the picture does a bad job of showing it). The cups are absolutely beautiful, and the font is really classy looking. Sound, for some reason these babies sound not only tolerable, but really nice with bowls. I could never listen to the bowls with RS-1's even my last vintage set, but these with bowls they still have great bass with nice smooth highs, and absolutely no harshness or glare up top. Take this with a grain of salt, my amp is being repaired at the moment and am forced to plug these into a receiver that i have lying around. Should get it next week, but am definitely enjoying the sound as is.

get flats anyway. nice looking pair. what gear are you pairing them with? didn't you have a big sell off...?

Oh don't worry I do have flats, never leave home without them

Basically, I took my expensive "hi end" rig and downgraded to a cheaper "mid fi" version. Meridian 508.24, Eddie Current Red Hat proto, vintage RS-1's. Plain and simple. Simply could not justify keeping the G08 around knowing the 508 is really close but with bigger bolder bass. Loved the HP1000's, but again just can't afford to have that kind of luxury. The rig that I have now is less than half the price of my last rig but as musically involving and more financially responsible for me.

...that really doesn't sound all that "mid-fi" to me

x2!

Grats on the RS-1s, they look fantastic!

do you think that box was painted by an owner? i've never seen a black Grado box.

The seller tells me that is how he received it. I have seen the black box before, from posts, I remember reading the 1st 100 were with the black box, which also had the gold L/R lettering. Looking at the box it definitely looks like it has been painted, certain parts that have chipped it really looks like its some kind of nice lacquer or something that is thick

Congrats! I've listened to your old pair a few times and wished they were mine.

Ryan, those use to be my vintage RS-1's! You bought them from Audiofiler, correct? (i think thats who got them from me).

Great pair of headphones.

I recently grabbed another steal on some vintage RS-1's- some of the darkest wood ive ever seen on a grado. Listening to them in rotation with the HP-2's is great experience- which ever mood your in, either it be something with fun and impact (rs-1) or to hear the musical nuances of quality recordings- you can balance it with the two.

Do you still have the HP-2's?

Nice. Do you know when this particular pair was made? I'm curious by what people mean when they say "vintage" RS-1s. The wackypedia entry for Grado Labs lists most of their models, but has no manufacturing dates. I started a thread on That Other Place about dates of manufacture and number produced of Senn and Stax stats (mostly courtesy of one obsessive Icelandic fellow.) I'd love similar info on Grado's dynamics.

So I take it this pair has been fully burned in, right Rhydon?

That's a beautiful headphone, congrats on your lucky find.

Congrats on your new pair, Ryan. They sure do look nice.

It pains me every time I see pics of vintage RS-1, though, knowing I've let few opportunities slip by me to obtain them (for very good prices) over the last three years.

You know, the black box made me think. The others boxes (the brown ones) that I have seen say "Grado Reference Series Cartridges" on them, not "headphones".

You know, the black box made me think. The others boxes (the brown ones) that I have seen say "Grado Reference Series Cartridges" on them, not "headphones".

Hmmm...I have seen those two, my last vintage RS1 set the box was the normal brown and said headphones on it. The clasping mechanism though on this current black one is a very nice tight locking one, my last one not so much.

Yup Rhydon got them from audiofiler, nice person to deal with. Unfortunately do not have the hp's anymore, when my finances settle in the future, might look to getting another set, and hopefully the prices will have settled a bit as well.

Hmmm...I have seen those two, my last vintage RS1 set the box was the normal brown and said headphones on it. The clasping mechanism though on this current black one is a very nice tight locking one, my last one not so much.

Yup Rhydon got them from audiofiler, nice person to deal with. Unfortunately do not have the hp's anymore, when my finances settle in the future, might look to getting another set, and hopefully the prices will have settled a bit as well.

You need to look in the really obscure places for cheap HP-2's.

You need to look in the really obscure places for cheap HP-2's.

tell me more about these obscure places!

tell me more about these obscure places!

Audio shops in Quebec? I'm guessing smaller audio stores in general that have customer trade ins and don't bother to look up how much they sell for.

why is it only in Quebec where its cheap?

why is it only in Quebec where its cheap?

Because no one goes there other than for the titty bars and heavy metal

Audio shops in Quebec? I'm guessing smaller audio stores in general that have customer trade ins and don't bother to look up how much they sell for.

Even if they look it up in the Audio Blue Book I'd wager a guess that it's nowhere near current with regard to the pricing of rare items like this, if it has them at all.

Basically, I took my expensive "hi end" rig and downgraded to a cheaper "mid fi" version. Meridian 508.24, Eddie Current Red Hat proto, vintage RS-1's. Plain and simple. Simply could not justify keeping the G08 around knowing the 508 is really close but with bigger bolder bass. Loved the HP1000's, but again just can't afford to have that kind of luxury. The rig that I have now is less than half the price of my last rig but as musically involving and more financially responsible for me.

is the Eddie Current Red Hat proto the balanced or single ended version?

i emailed Craig a little while ago, inquiring if the fully discrete SE version would become available, and due to a number of unfortunate circumstances, he said it was being pulled in favor of the $1000 more expensive balanced version.

I think it's called Red Top.

is the Eddie Current Red Hat proto the balanced or single ended version?

i emailed Craig a little while ago, inquiring if the fully discrete SE version would become available, and due to a number of unfortunate circumstances, he said it was being pulled in favor of the $1000 more expensive balanced version.

That is correct - he simply does not see the SE version of the red hat/top making business sense. There really hasn't been a lot of interest and its really a big endeavor to take on something new when you are really unsure if it is going to sell or not. However he feels the balanced will attract more attention, as the price will be around 1500 or so, and compared to the 3000 apache it should be a no brainer.

The proto that as of right now is mine is still being looked at and hopefully can be repaired. As it is the only SE version that will ever come out. I will probably end up with the balanced version anyways so no biggie.

I think it's called Red Top.

tomato...tomahto :]

thanks for the info recstar. if your single-ended redtop does get fixed and you want to let it go to finance the balanced version, let me know.

nice...did you get a deal on them cos the latest on head-fi went more than $1500

nice...did you get a deal on them cos the latest on head-fi went more than $1500

RS-1s for $1500, no fracken way. Brown headband or not I've never seen them sell for more than $600ish.

RS-1s for $1500, no fracken way. Brown headband or not I've never seen them sell for more than $600ish.

I sent an offer of $650 to the guy who had a pair listed yesterday. He responded that he had offers of $1,500. There was no way I was paying anywhere near that for them. They are good, but not that good.

I sent an offer of $650 to the guy who had a pair listed yesterday. He responded that he had offers of $1,500. There was no way I was paying anywhere near that for them. They are good, but not that good.

Jebus, that's just crazy. I would have trouble justifying them at $650, never mind 3x that. The list of headphones I'd rather buy in that range is not short.