Most makers send the instruments out of their shop with a "generic" setup based on their allowable specs, and the reason is they have no way of knowing the preferences of the ultimate buyer. As a result, sometimes the height of the strings at the nut is a bit high. This feels stiff to most players on the first fret, and possibly the second.
Check this by fretting one string at a time at the second fret. Look at the clearance of the string at the -first- fret. There shouldn't be much at the low E, getting slightly less on each string as you progress towards the high E. If there is, have a good guitar tech take a look to see if it needs adjustment. The guitar will be easier to play with chords in the first and second frets.
This may not be a problem on your instrument, but it is definitely worth a look.