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During the course of this review over many weeks, I have adjusted the components and cabling to keep improving the sound quality. What we have today, is what I would class as a ‘perfect' headphone based audiophile system.
While many people will argue about component selection, we all have a very individual view on what we expect from the reproduction of music. Those people for instance with slight hearing problems may very well aim for a sharper sound, and change cabling or amplifier to suit. What I have built for the review today has been carefully selected to give the finest sound quality from the Grado Professional Series 1000 headphones, but with a sweet, well rounded, fully bodied range of textures.
This would have been impossible without the Graham Slee Solo Super Ultra Linear Amplifier. This amplifier is a work of art, which significantly outclasses what we would assume possible from the very modest asking price. I am absolutely stunned that a large corporation hasn't offered to give Graham an extraordinary amount of money for his amplifier configurations. An engineer from South Yorkshire in England is managing to outperform organisations with infinitely more cash for research and development. While I don't know the man on a personal level it certainly appears to me that he is not in this for the money, but to push the digital audio platform into a warmer, more enlightening and enjoyable era. For those of you who yearn for a warmer sound from your collection, then this amplifier could very well be the miracle cure.
When this amplifier is combined with a high quality CD player and interconnect, the PS 1000 headphones literally have blown me away. The GS1000i is a marvellous headphone, which I thought was impossible to outperform. I was wrong, because once the PS1000 headphones are fully bedded in, they have more bass depth and a slightly more focused midrange, without a little ‘dip' in the frequency range. It would have been impossible for me to pick up on this slight weakness until fully experiencing the PS1000's.
I find it somewhat appealing that such an elusive and emotionally charged listening experience can come from the pairing of several family run businesses, rather than the merging of billion dollar corporations. Many say that true genius comes from an ultimate passion for the product, rather than trying to brainwash the public with an expensive marketing plan.
I have driven a Carl Fogarty Ducati 996 replica around the Nurburgring, I have dated many pretty ladies and I have travelled the world. I can also now add ‘ultimate musical experience' to the list of things I have achieved.
This setup I reviewed today can be bought online from various dealers for around £3,000. As a long term investment it is worth every penny.
Visit the websites of the companies involved – Grado // Graham Slee // Roksan.
KitGuru says: Astonishing sound quality, and it won't cause you to remortgage the house either.
