Grados

[Tom C]

I like the sound of my SR325e. Had them maybe 7 years now. but they’re just too heavy and uncomfortable to use them for long. Just got a pair of Sennheiser HD650. Much lighter and more comfortable, but I haven’t gotten used to the FR just yet. And they feel kind of cheap and plasticy. I like it when the ear ups and headband are lined with leather, and the overall feel is quality. I guess the synthetic stuff is more lightweight and comfortable for long listening sessions, but I’m old fashioned. So few headphones use quality materials. The pleather ear cups and headband used on Bose don’t even last a year before they crumble and shed. Drives me nuts.

 

[weasels]

I have a pair of 325s. I like them for classical for exactly the reason many here have mentioned - I'm in my late 40s and have some HF hearing loss. The Grados make up for that with their treble profile.

 

[don'ttrustauthority]

Plenty of professional musicians use Grado. Accuracy isn't the only thing people look for in audio gear.

 

[BinkieHuckerback]

Does one's age and hearing make a difference? - I'm 57, a bit of tinnitus in the left ear - I love my SR80s.

 

[don'ttrustauthority]

superior in what regard? what do you mean by “natural”?

The instruments seem to sound closer to what they would sound like if you were playing one in the room. That is what I mean by natural.

 

[2M2B]

Grado Hemp shows they can make a HD600 style headphone. The Joe Grado headphones were famous in the 90s for rivalling what Sennheiser made. The current X gen they just launched pretty much fixes people finding their house sound too much.

 

[solderdude]

Grado Hemp not quite the same league as HD600

 

[2M2B]

Grado Hemp not quite the same league as HD600

Fair enough but still much flatter but warmer than 80% of what they do before X line up.

 

[solderdude]

Yes... there is improvement

 

[JABrown]

Has anyone compared the Grado Hemp vs. the SR2 and/or SR1? I started with the SR80e and thought they were fine for the music I like (primarily jazz but also blues, folk and some classical.) I now listen primarily to the Drop-Sennheiser HD 6xx. While the HD 6xx sounds "better" to me than the SR80e, I still think the SR80e is fine and wouldn't be adverse to spending $400-$600 on higher end Grado.

 

[JWAmerica]

I very much enjoyed the Grado soundstage. Only good for certain musical genres, but there is something to the appeal of Grado headphones. My Beyerdynamic DT880s were a completely different listening experience. Better for classical and cinema. The Grados excelled at rock and techno if the bass wasn't too deep.

 

[_thelaughingman]

These are my SR80e that i modded slightly with new headband and G cushion's and the hideous gold paint.

 

[Peterinvan]

Grado 325is Mods

I converted my SR325is to take a removable cable. See

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/grado-fan-club.530965/page-3709.

• Using a much lighter Meze balanced cable solved the weight problem.
• Punching two holes in the felt driver damper added more bass and warmth.
• Installing Grado G pads brightened things up a bit and solved the comfort problem

Happy