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Grado RS 2
by strawberryhill
Me: A mid 30s music lover who mainly listens late at night
Music: Mainly modern with a little world music thrown in
Where: Mostly at home
When: Mostly at night
Packaging:
Depending on how you look at it, the thin cardboard and minimal but tight fitting foam packaging of these phones is functional and ... eco-friendly or a bit stingy given the price. Thankfully mine arrived without a dent and in perfect working order.
First impressions:
There is a tangible sense of awe as you pull the wooden chambered phones out of their box. They are good to look at (nice grain on the wood) and are always a talking point when friends are around...although many think they are from the 1960s! Noticed that the cable is a little crimped where it splits to go to each ear - could be visual as no problems with them over the past two years.
Sound quality:
In a word - staggering. Very rich, deep but taught and controlled bass and spine tingling treble (some say it is a little too harsh) make for an immensely immersive and detailed listening experience. The irony of all the detail is that, combined with a good source such as a Naim CD-X2, it is easy to pick up the fine detail, warts and all, of many recordings.
Comfort:
The firm foam ear cups go over the ears to a greater extent rather than resting on them so may not be to everyone's taste but fit nicely over my small ear lobes!! Relatively low weight enables long listening sessions without discomfort.
Summary:
The elephant in the room here is the price...at over £500, these are definitely a luxury item. If you can afford them, they bring a whole new life to your music collection. For me, as a lover of music and film who tends to listen late at night when the family is in bed, these are a hit!
Alternatives I own(ed):
Bose Quietcomfort cans offer one of the better closed back headphones with noise cancellation. Perfect for the train or plane but they are more muffled than the RS-2s.
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Hama LS 215
by victorias_books
I have always had a tendency to get through a lot of earphones. When I used to listen to my CD Walkman extensively, I often relied on the complimentary earbuds that came as part of the package. Often finding they delivered substandard quality or were not as resilient to my clumsiness as I had hoped however, I sometimes found myself ... purchasing an additional set.
The LS 215 earbuds retail at £7, and coming in a little more expensive than their no-frills counterparts, I assumed they would offer more by way of sound delivery and/or comfort. Sadly, this was not the case. The additional couple of quid, as far as I could see, was explained by the presence of the storage case and its retractable facility. The case IS handy, it's true, but what really appeals to me in a set of earphones is the sound they convey and the quality thereof.
The case is fashioned from cheap plastic, and even after minimal wear I discovered that it sustained many scratches and even a small crack. There are two identical depressions in the centre of the case, into which the earbuds sit. There is an opening in the side of the case, and a channel around the inside edge into which the cable can wind away.
The earbuds are essentially identical to the basic, budget variety that retail for a couple of quid, but minus the carry case. Black in appearance, this product is available in just one size. There is no cushioning or any 'give' to the buds, so after a short time they felt uncomfortable in my ears. Sound quality is sufficient, but nothing to shout about. Music is often tinny, and the bass quality is about average. Cable length is 1.2 metres, which is also about average, and more than adequate to suit my own listening needs.
I would recommend that you save your money and put it towards a better quality set of earbuds. If your needs are modest however, and/or you do not plan on wearing the buds for long periods, you may see these ear phones as a suitable option.
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