Citroen Posted October 30, 2010 Posted October 30, 2010 Thanks Ernie. Its about 4mm diameter. Is the "i" version about 6mm? If so, then I've been had!
Ernie1553552694 Posted October 30, 2010 Posted October 30, 2010 Ah, so sorry, Mycenius' RS1 predates "i" which is what I meant. Although the latest cables from Grado are rather chunky.
Citroen Posted October 30, 2010 Posted October 30, 2010 IC said the blind man. The headphone cables are chunkier on the 'i" headphones but the extension cable that came with my RS1 and RS1i is the same. So, does a thicker "i' version extension actually exist? If so, I'd be interested in trying one. I see that the "i"'s are advertised as coming with the same grade cable as the headphones, so from that would assume that its a thicker extension cable. But its not what i got. They also advertise that you can link up to THREE and get no sound loss.
Ernie1553552694 Posted October 30, 2010 Posted October 30, 2010 Newbie;137193 wrote: IC said the blind man. The headphone cables are chunkier on the 'i" headphones but the extension cable that came with my RS1 and RS1i is the same. So, does a thicker "i' version extension actually exist? If so, I'd be interested in trying one. I see that the "i"'s are advertised as coming with the same grade cable as the headphones, so from that would assume that its a thicker extension cable. But its not what i got. They also advertise that you can link up to THREE and get no sound loss. 3 cables end to end! I guess it depends on the gear you are using...
Citroen Posted October 30, 2010 Posted October 30, 2010 Sounds like false advertising to me, especially as ONE is 'slightly" dodgey!
Ernie1553552694 Posted October 30, 2010 Posted October 30, 2010 I think in comparison to speakers or using the cables to listen to television is more than adequate... but false advertising is extreme. I think standards of fidelity have risen beyond the capabilities of the extension cables. At least around these parts.
Citroen Posted October 30, 2010 Posted October 30, 2010 Yes, listening to television or cf speakers definitely MORE than adequate...But that's not what they say. They GUARANTEE NO degradation of sonic quality. A bold claim indeed! And one that many would disagree with, no matter how slight the loss is. Moot point really, as I'm more than happy with the trade off, but there IS one!
Cooksferry Posted October 30, 2010 Posted October 30, 2010 Only ever using my extension cable for TV music vids as our TV speakers are crap. Never used the extension with the Grados though, usually W5000s, fine for that application.
Mycenius Posted October 30, 2010 Author Posted October 30, 2010 Newbie;137181 wrote: Mines a Grado one, but maybe the older version. Would've thought that the RS1i would come with the latest version though. Hey Newb, I thought yours was that other third party type from what you said earlier...? :confused:
40Hz Posted October 30, 2010 Posted October 30, 2010 mycenius;137208 wrote: Hey Newb, I thought yours was that other third party type from what you said earlier...? Not sure if you're confusing Newbie's with mine, but in any event I am back home for the weekend and see that I didn't reply to your queries earlier. I got mine from an Ebay seller in Oz (puresonics, as far as I can recall), but they don't currently have any on offer. In terms of the Apuresound re-cable, I think that cost me roughly NZ$340 all up, but the dollar was even higher then than it is currently. I didn't need to 'get around' customs charges into USA and out of NZ as such, as I marked the package "headphones for repair" - which they were, and when they were sent back they were marked "return of owner's property, repaired", or words to that effect. I'd do a critical comparison for you on the with / without extension deal, but I'm off away for another week again and won't get a change to fire up the amp for another 7 days or so. Maybe you could borrow the cable while I'm away, and form your own view - drop me a PM if you like...
mr.pharmacist Posted October 30, 2010 Posted October 30, 2010 mycenius;136832 wrote: Hey Max - but the Senn's allow you to fit the cable yourself right? Rather than need to send them away? I listened to Senn HD650's with the Cardas cable upgrade and it sounded very good, but about 1/2 of the purchase price again. They can just be fitted in yourself. But for the price...? In the UK they're about 180 pounds. That would be low on the list of tinkerings.
Mycenius Posted October 30, 2010 Author Posted October 30, 2010 40Hz;137216 wrote: Not sure if you're confusing Newbie's with mine... Yes I was - Sorry... 40Hz;137216 wrote: ...I got mine from an Ebay seller in Oz (puresonics, as far as I can recall), but they don't currently have any on offer. The Mogami Quad 2534 extension cable (with Neutrik Gold Connectors) doesn't look too bad $ wise from Pro Audio LA regardless of whether you get it through EBay AU, EBay US, or direct from their website... If an extension lead is a viable way to go without sacrificing too much in (noticeable) sonic performance... 40Hz;137216 wrote: In terms of the Apuresound re-cable, I think that cost me roughly NZ$340 all up, but the dollar was even higher then than it is currently. I didn't need to 'get around' customs charges into USA and out of NZ as such, as I marked the package "headphones for repair" - which they were, and when they were sent back they were marked "return of owner's property, repaired", or words to that effect. Ahh, right - so they were obviously happy enough to do the necessary stuff to keep Customs happy - those letters normally need to be on company letterhead, and accompany an appropriate customs form, etc. I've had issues business & personal-wise in the past with the outfit at the other end not being prepared to do the extra bit of effort to include it and complete the customs forms appropriately - so you end up paying GST (and any additional Duty depending on the goods) twice... So that's good to hear. 40Hz;137216 wrote: I'd do a critical comparison for you on the with / without extension deal, but I'm off away for another week again and won't get a change to fire up the amp for another 7 days or so. Maybe you could borrow the cable while I'm away, and form your own view - drop me a PM if you like... No worries - I sent you a PM last night Eitherway even if you get a chance to do a comparison yourself and put some feedback up here in a week or two? mr.pharmacist;137234 wrote: I listened to Senn HD650's with the Cardas cable upgrade and it sounded very good, but about 1/2 of the purchase price again. They can just be fitted in yourself. But for the price...? In the UK they're about 180 pounds. That would be low on the list of tinkerings. Obviously one of the benefits of having Sennheiser's, having Grado RS1's however, I'll need to send mine away somewhere if I were to recable with a better quality and longer lead, etc (e.g. Headpile)...
kaka Posted October 30, 2010 Posted October 30, 2010 mycenius;137089 wrote: ...or give us a loan so I can try it out and see (and compare it to Newb's non-Grado one)... Sure, fire me a PM My Grado extension came with the RS1s, I don't think I got one with the PS1000s
Ernie1553552694 Posted October 30, 2010 Posted October 30, 2010 If you don't like Sennheiser flavours then easy recabling is not really an advantage. But IME, recabling is one of the few ways to get the higher-end Senns to be really listenable...
Mycenius Posted October 30, 2010 Author Posted October 30, 2010 kaka;137251 wrote: Sure, fire me a PM. My Grado extension came with the RS1s, I don't think I got one with the PS1000s Cheers Kaka - I didn't realise Newb's was the same at the time! Ddoh - I'm a plonker! He's offered me a loan of his too and is in Auckland so might be easier... Will appreciate the help from either of you... On a side note - everyone keeps saying "came with my RS1's" in regard to the extension cable, and everywhere I go on the web says the same when I'm searching for extension lead & recabling feedback/reviews... Did the RS1's originally come with that as standard (i.e. not an optional extra)? Mine didn't, but I think I discussed that with Ernie at the time though I can't remember now, but doesn't appear to be the case with new ones now if they did previously (either that or an awful lot of people asked for the extension lead as an extra when they bought them)...?
kaka Posted October 30, 2010 Posted October 30, 2010 Yes, the RS1s came bundled with the extension, plus a 1/4"-1/8" adaptor I got mine from the US before Grado slapped no export ban on it's retailers
Mycenius Posted October 31, 2010 Author Posted October 31, 2010 kaka;137267 wrote: Yes, the RS1s came bundled with the extension, plus a 1/4"-1/8" adaptor. I got mine from the US before Grado slapped no export ban on it's retailers Right - yeah I think I saw that listed in some reviews, but you don't see it offered now on US Retailer websites or even when I first looked into buying cans 15 months ago it wasn't... ...Anyway - if the extension cable doesn't live up to the claims/expectations it's a bit moot anyway - whether they are, or were, or will be, 'included' in the bundle... I have to confess the one thing that doesn't really impress me about the RS1's is the cable - it's got a horribly cheap feel to it (albeit it's nice & flexible) - even if it does have good quality cable inside... And I do wonder if the negative press on the extension lead is partly due to that (as opposed to simply being a trait all extension leads display/suffer)?
Cooksferry Posted October 31, 2010 Posted October 31, 2010 mycenius;137259 wrote: On a side note - everyone keeps saying " came with my RS1's " in regard to the extension cable, and everywhere I go on the web says the same when I'm searching for extension lead & recabling feedback/reviews... Did the RS1's originally come with that as standard (i.e. not an optional extra)? Mine didn't, but I think I discussed that with Ernie at the time though I can't remember now, but doesn't appear to be the case with new ones now if they did previously (either that or an awful lot of people asked for the extension lead as an extra when they bought them)...? My RS1s were purchased about 6 years ago through Colin Walkington Audio in Ingill via the NZ importer and came with the extension cable. The only issues I have with the standard Grado cable is its length,could do with being a foot or so longer, and sometimes poor finish at the Y joint which means they always seem to twist and crossover there. If my memory is correct,opinion from the saner and more experienced posters on Headfi was that the benefits of recabling Grados were minimal at best. I did have extensive use of a set of GS1000 heavily modified and recabled by Headphile and to be honest I couldn't pick much difference/improvement between them and the standard pair. A waste of the better part of $900 IMO.
Mycenius Posted October 31, 2010 Author Posted October 31, 2010 Cooksferry;137279 wrote: The only issues I have with the standard Grado cable is its length,could do with being a foot or so longer, and sometimes poor finish at the Y joint which means they always seem to twist and crossover there. Mine have that same issue to be honest - the Y join is finished poorly and the 2 single cables to the ear pieces are creased and one has a partial twist in it, while the other looks like it has a full rotation twist, that as they both go the same way always causes them to want to tangle with the (i.e. twist around each) other - it's one reason why I think the cabling gives the appearance of being cheap. I've been trying to figure a safe way to hang them for a while (in a warm room) with some subtle tension on the cables to try and straighten it out (by the cable being repeatedly warmed by the sun and softening and then stiffening up once colder in the evening - with the kink straightened out by the tension). But can't think of a way without putting a lot of stress on the cable(s), or potentially damaging them by using clips or clamps... Cooksferry;137279 wrote: If my memory is correct,opinion from the saner and more experienced posters on Headfi was that the benefits of recabling Grados were minimal at best. I did have extensive use of a set of GS1000 heavily modified and recabled by Headphile and to be honest I couldn't pick much difference/improvement between them and the standard pair. A waste of the better part of $900 IMO. That's good to know Cooks - thanks - I haven't had time to revisit Head-Fi and similar to research recabling yet - in fact have hardly been there at all since before Christmas - As I think we discussed the HP forums can be a bit Fan-boyish at times and once I bought my RS1's I kinda wandered off fairly quickly... :eek: :rolleyes: (especially when I was asking about HP Amps and just got bombarded with people saying you have to DIY it with such and such a kit, etc...) Anyway back on topic I'd prefer the extension route if it can work - you don't always need a long lead so having it removable would be advantageous... And yeah you are right - the Grado's are bleedin' frustrating sometimes, the cable is just a foot short (literally) half the bleedin' time! If it'd been 7' instead of 6'6" (so you actually had a full 2m+ from the Y join itself) that alone would probably make a big difference a lot of the time... I actually don't know why all manufacturers don't make 2.5m-3.0m as the standard anyway...?
Citroen Posted October 31, 2010 Posted October 31, 2010 Cooksferry;137279 wrote: The only issues I have with the standard Grado cable is its length,could do with being a foot or so longer, and sometimes poor finish at the Y joint which means they always seem to twist and crossover there. If my memory is correct,opinion from the saner and more experienced posters on Headfi was that the benefits of recabling Grados were minimal at best. I did have extensive use of a set of GS1000 heavily modified and recabled by Headphile and to be honest I couldn't pick much difference/improvement between them and the standard pair. A waste of the better part of $900 IMO. Ditto, good to know. Must mean the stock cables quite good already. mycenius;137284 wrote: Mine have that same issue to be honest - the Y join is finished poorly and the 2 single cables to the ear pieces are creased and one has a partial twist in it, while the other looks like it has a full rotation twist, that as they both go the same way always causes them to want to tangle with the (i.e. twist around each) other - it's one reason why I think the cabling gives the appearance of being cheap. Anyway back on topic I'd prefer the extension route if it can work - you don't always need a long lead so having it removable would be advantageous... And yeah you are right - the Grado's are bleedin' frustrating sometimes, the cable is just a foot short (literally) half the bleedin' time! If it'd been 7' instead of 6'6" (so you actually had a full 2m+ from the Y join itself) that alone would probably make a big difference a lot of the time... I actually don't know why all manufacturers don't make 2.5m-3.0m as the standard anyway...? I'm fine with the cable length (amps usually right next to me) but also hate the way it twists. Really annoying. BTW, HeadRoom and NZAudio have the extension as standard (even with the PS1000i). Apparently John Grado included the extension (and adapter) when he had to use cardboard boxes instead of the usual wooden box after his supplier went under post 9/11.
mr.pharmacist Posted October 31, 2010 Posted October 31, 2010 Ernie;137258 wrote: If you don't like Sennheiser flavours then easy recabling is not really an advantage. But IME, recabling is one of the few ways to get the higher-end Senns to be really listenable... You make a fair point. I don't quite get Sennheisers. I listened to the HD650s in Seoul with the Cardas upgrade through a simple jack on a good, older Sony player to some god-awful Queen live album and I thought-if this can sound ok, I'm onto something. Since then I've played them through my laptop just through the standard jack and from my CDP through a bog standard Audio Technica headphone amp and they're still so shrill. I just think they need more oomph, so I'm trying to get an XCan V3 Otherwise.....they're not that better than entry level Ultrasone HFI-15G which I think are the best value audio playback product I've ever bought
Ernie1553552694 Posted October 31, 2010 Posted October 31, 2010 Get that MF headphone amp. They are a good match. That AT amp was most likely designed for low impedance cans like AT and Grado. Although you're much better of getting Grados to match the AT amp...
Mycenius Posted October 31, 2010 Author Posted October 31, 2010 Newbie;137289 wrote: Apparently John Grado included the extension (and adapter) when he had to use cardboard boxes instead of the usual wooden box after his supplier went under post 9/11. A curious little bit of trivia...
Mycenius Posted November 1, 2010 Author Posted November 1, 2010 So has anyone been able to compare a Grado Extension's performance directly with a 3rd party extension lead (such as the ProAudio LA "Mogami" or "Canare" cables or similar equivalent)?
Shane Hanify Posted November 1, 2010 Posted November 1, 2010 Gidday folks, just did a quick A/B with my new phones and my existing 5m cable. Phones already sport a 3m cable stock (HD555's). A small but not annoying difference - a slight roll off at the top end and a gentle push to the mids with the extension in place. Extension cable was bought from a pro music shop here in ChCh. It's a proel 'noiseless microphone' cable with a 1/4" jack at both ends. I have a gender changer plugged into one end from the same company, until I get around to flicking a female onto it. FYI it's the same cable that I used to recable the AKG's I have. Not high end by any means but suited to mid end gear. If you're after a highish end extension, then how about getting hold of Cloth_Ears or Antipodes? I'm sure they're more than capable of making something that could see the o'seas boys off. Cheers, Shane.
Recommended Posts