NEWS
September 2011
Grado Labs is pleased to announce the release of a new headphone:
The PS 500
The PS 500 is now a family member in the Grado Professional Series
“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree”… Grado Labs takes “IP” learned from the development of the State of the Art PS1000 and has applied it to a form factor that is compact resulting in the PS500. The PS500 creates an articulate and dynamic musical presentation that will put a smile on the most demanding sound professionals and music enthusiasts.
Phono Cartridges
GRADO is happy to announce several substantial improvements of their cartridges in the following series:
- Statement series
- Reference series
4 improvements:
- The size of the coils has been reduced in order to improve the sonic quality: less turns, less wire: less degradation of the minute signal.
- A better control of the unwanted resonances: a ‘’putty’’ like compound acts as deadening material
- An important reduction of mass of the stylus/cantilever assembly for faster response.
- The mahogany used so far for the shell, has been replaced by a much denser wood from Australia named jarrah: less ringing.
The Prestige series was not left behind…
The 3 first improvements of the Statement and Reference series have been applied to the prestige series.
These changes are reflected in the designation: a Gold became a Gold 1, a Sonata a Sonata 1 and so on.
Headphones
Soon after the cartridges were “revisited’’, GRADO went back to the headphones drawing board: a series of modifications followed, the suffix “i’’ was added to the model number, e.g. RS2i. One model already had an “i’’: the SR325i (reflecting the antique brass finish of the 50th anniversary) the SR325i became SR325is.
- Drivers: improved by a distressing process of the cone at manufacturing time.
- Ear pads: SR 60i, 80i and 125i are now fitted with our “Small Pads“, no change on the other models.
- Cable: from the SR125i to the GS1000i the 4 conductor cable has been replaced by an 8 conductor, slightly shorter: 1.65cm (66’’), with a 6mm (1/4’’) plug.
- RS1i and RS2i: the model number is now pyro-engraved on the chamber; it was on a wood button, on the metal grille.
- Chambers of the Prestige series, SR60i to (and including) SR225i: a bevel has greatly improved the look; the chamber is now much larger.
- Chambers of the SR325is: (already bevelled since the SR325i was introduced) go back to the silver finish.
- The Australian wood named jarrah, used for the shell of the cartridges of the Statement and Reference series, is now used for the making of the Reference / Statement chambers and the inner sleeve of the Pro series chambers.