Grado RS1e Review | 93 Data compared

The Grado RS1e is an open-back, on-ear headphone made of unique mahogany wood, offering an incredibly detailed, fast, and articulate audio profile with excellent soundstage and instrument separation. Its standout feature is a phenomenal, smooth, and well-textured bass response that provides a clean impact without bleeding into other frequencies. However, the sonic experience is severely hampered by an aggressive 10dB peak around 2–3kHz in the mid-range and a sharp 15dB spike in the 8–10kHz treble range. These frequency anomalies cause the headphones to sound intensely forward, "shouty," and uncomfortably sibilant at higher volumes over long listening sessions. Beyond the polarizing sound profile, the headphone suffers from notable physical drawbacks in comfort and design. It utilizes thin, hard "L-cushion" foam pads that fail to protect the ear lobes from digging into the driver casing, making long-term wear highly uncomfortable. Additionally, the non-detachable, extension-cord-like cable is excessively heavy and cumbersome, routinely overpowering the lightweight frame of the cans while sporting a bulky jack that cannot fit into standard phoned cases. While the reviewer praises its performance with genres like metal and rock,...

The Super Best Audio Friends review of the Grado RS1e highlights a specialized audio profile featuring refined sound, impressive microdetails, and an excellent transient response that makes them feel fast. The headphones are particularly praised for their "glorious" rendering of guitars, offering good, non-harsh high-end air, though the overall sound is described as having a unique, "orange glow" coloration. Super Best Audio FriendsHowever, the review cites significant drawbacks, including a severe bass roll-off that results in a lack of slam, alongside a narrow headstage and an odd, sometimes nasal, midrange tuning. Furthermore, the stock bowl pads are noted as uncomfortable for long-term use, rendering the RS1e a highly polarizing, niche headphone.

The Grado RS1e review highlights significant technical and sonic advancements over the classic RS1, featuring larger 50mm moving coil drivers and a musically superior mahogany species. Reviewers found that the RS1e offers a tighter, truer focus with double the ambiance in the highs and a more controlled, textured bass compared to its predecessor. Its high sensitivity and 3.5mm termination make it exceptionally versatile for use with high-end digital audio players without needing adapters. The "pros" of the RS1e include its lightweight, comfortable design, an intimate and sweet vocal presentation, and a larger soundstage that excels with orchestral music and LPs. On the "cons" side, the open-back design provides no isolation, and the headphones must be positioned precisely on the ears to achieve maximum performance. Additionally, while the RS1e is technically superior, the original RS1 remains a better choice for treble-sensitive listeners due to its warmer, more "old-fashioned" and laid-back sound profile.

The Grado RS1e is a high-fidelity, open-back headphone hand-crafted with mahogany wood enclosures that deliver a highly defined, spacious soundstage with bright highs and warm mids. Priced at $695, these lightweight 32-ohm cans operate efficiently from portable devices without requiring an amplifier, bringing hidden nuances and lifelike realism to older acoustic recordings, classical music, and movie dialogue. However, they demand a high-quality audio source, such as lossless FLAC files, because they readily expose the acoustic imperfections of heavily compressed MP3s. Buyers should also expect a flatter out-of-the-box sound that requires up to 50 hours of burn-in time to achieve full fidelity. A major drawback of the RS1e is its weak bass response, which will deeply disappoint users looking for a heavy, punchy low-end thump. Ergonomically, the on-ear design is lightweight but can cause physical fatigue on the earlobes during prolonged listening sessions. Furthermore, the physical limitations of the thick, heavy 67-inch Y-cable restrict mobility compared to modern wireless options. Finally, because the ear cups are completely open-back, they leak sound heavily and fail to isolate ambient noise, making them entirely...

The Sound & Vision review praises the Grado RS1e headphones for their hand-built, open-back mahogany design and comfortable, lightweight construction. Featuring 50mm drivers, they deliver an expansive soundstage with exceptional clarity and detail, making them ideal for critical listening. While the open design provides an airy, speaker-like experience, the permanently attached, heavy cable and potential for long-term earlobe discomfort are noted drawbacks.