sferic@head-fi.orgI think in the larger world of mature, reasonable audiophiles the PS1000 IS considered as good as other flagship headphones. It\'s just on Head-Fi where the fanboy tribalism reaches such a fever. Especially on the "other headphone forum which shall remain..." namelessheiser on here.
The PS1000\'s are not a fashion statement. The packaging reminds me of generic paper towels. And you don\'t look like a borg while wearing them. Your friends will see them and think, "did your Dad give you these, was he into ham radio?" This is so disturbing to some folks they can\'t just hear them objectively. And hey, I love fashionable tech, great packaging that makes my pulse quicken as I tear into it, and love the borg look. I think even many of the the most over-engineered, over hyped, logo-embossed from head-to-toe, headphones are totally wonderful.
But I do not discount Grado. From very early in my life they have provided INCREDIBLE value in the low end, probably responsible for my addiction starting with their (at the time) $36 dollar phono cartridges. Maybe Grado\'s high end is a bit overpriced, but not by more than a benjamin or two (but they are NOT overrated sound-wise). However, Grado\'s low-end is ridiculously underpriced and brings quality sound to people regardless of income. Overall, once you\'ve moved up the line, you\'ve still spent less than most lines, and love it or hate it, they do present a unique and wonderful window on the world of recorded sound.
Think about it. This is the 21st Century.Transducer tech is very mature. If it were possible to TRULY make a 100% transparent, perfect, reference sounding headphone, it would be easily repeatable and all Flagship headphones would sound exactly alike. No manufacturer has a monopoly on truth or technology. Even the HD800\'s have a signature just as much as any other brand. And quite a I lovely one I understand from its fans.
All these companies are providing you their take on what makes music lovely. If your brain and ear physiology happens to be similar to their prime engineer, you\'ll find Nirvana no matter what model you buy. Companies like Grado and Audeze are still run by their founders, and you\'re buying into their sound. What\'s disturbing is when you deal with a multi-national conglomerate, where the phones are designed by committee or whoever\'s in vogue in the corporate power structure at the moment (Sony). There are spots of greatness, and spots of horrifically overpriced crap. You never know what your going to get. That\'s where you can end up wasting a lot of bucks, each model is designed in a vacuum from all the others.
