Why the hate for Grado?

[Marc v E]

I found them all sounding bright and not comfortable enough, until I listened to the GS1000. Mellow detailed sound that I could listen to for hours and great comfort. At the time they were 1000 euros...which was too much for me at the time. In the end I chose Sennheiser's hd650

 

[odarg64]

As an old guy with documented severe hearing damage, I've found a few Grado models to be suitable with adequate bass and mid-range / treble that is just right. Make of that what you will.

Build-quality is close to junk, especially the cables which shouldn't be a difficult problem for Grado to solve. The 'Fan Club' on Head-Fi fawns all over the models with a few cents' worth of wood.

I wouldn't recommend any model to anyone. Try them for yourself.

 

[Feelas]

As an old guy with documented severe hearing damage, I've found a few Grado models to be suitable with adequate bass and mid-range / treble that is just right. Make of that what you will.

That is one of the running gags, no, well, theories on how they arrived at the curve, have seen that being proposed a few times.

 

[odarg64]

That is one of the running gags, no, well, theories on how they arrived at the curve, have seen that being proposed a few times.

Which is funny because it happens to work for me. I've owned 6 or so different models over 15 years and only one has been a flop - the current SR325x, which I find dull and lifeless. My built-in EQ can't compensate. It must be designed for the younger crowd.

 

[Feelas]

Which is funny because it happens to work for me. I've owned 6 or so different models over 15 years and only one has been a flop - the current SR325x, which I find dull and lifeless. It must be designed for the younger crowd.

Makes sense at large if hearing damage can be encapsulated in FR changes. I guess it'd be harder to match headphones with hearing aid or even impossible to use together, is it?

 

[odarg64]

Makes sense at large if hearing damage can be encapsulated in FR changes. I guess it'd be harder to match headphones with hearing aid or even impossible to use together, is it?

I'm not yet at the hearing aid stage. I have hyperacusis, so I hear too much overall. High-frequency roll-off is significant, but not enough to impact daily activities. I was never a big fan of heavy bass.

 

[Dialectic]

As an old guy with documented severe hearing damage, I've found a few Grado models to be suitable with adequate bass and mid-range / treble that is just right. Make of that what you will.

Build-quality is close to junk, especially the cables which shouldn't be a difficult problem for Grado to solve. The 'Fan Club' on Head-Fi fawns all over the models with a few cents' worth of wood.

I wouldn't recommend any model to anyone. Try them for yourself.

All high-end audio magazine reviews should read like this.

 

[Paperdragons]

I've owned a couple pairs and don't understand the hate. I've also owned Sennheiser, AKG, and Stax. The Grado are comfortable and even the less expensive models sound okay to me.

I've only owned one set of Grados, the SR80s. It was my first decent headphone I think. That said after an hour I'd have to take them off. At least for me they are incredibly uncomfortable. I dislike on ears and prefer over ears. The sound quality was better than anything I'd tried but the FR is certainly not my preference. I prefer fairly forward subbass and I'm pretty sure they can't even do subbass, at least the model I had.

The cable is pretty ridiculous.

 

[antikryst]

Which is funny because it happens to work for me. I've owned 6 or so different models over 15 years and only one has been a flop - the current SR325x, which I find dull and lifeless. My built-in EQ can't compensate. It must be designed for the younger crowd.

i have the 325X and i love it. got the 80X then upgraded to the 325X right away then i sold the 80X to a friend. now i regret selling the 80X... the 325X is good... but it doesnt have the grado magic.

 

[odarg64]

A nonsensical place to discuss headphone 'magic':

Grado Fan Club!

Haha.. yeah it's all tofu and lentils over here. I had a look at the grado uk website and they have them listed with the old style cable.. looks like just another thing the uk is lagging behind on.

www.head-fi.org

Best to leave one's BS filter at the door.

Headphones can be measured.

 

[dan3952]

Daniel here from Plano, TX.

The great Brent Butterworth had reviewed the new RS2x earlier this year. Few people are more experienced or knowledgeable, than him.

https://www.soundstagesolo.com/index.php/equipment/headphones/324-grado-rs2x-headphones

Looks like these do some things well, but may not be the best choice for hard rock or metal.

General consensus is, Grados have weak bass, and a silly non detachable cable that's frequently labelled, "garden hose". I'm not a fan of the exotic woods marketing thing, that ZMF and Grado have embarked on.

 

[odarg64]

Daniel here from Plano, TX.

The great Brent Butterworth had reviewed the new RS2x earlier this year. Few people are more experienced or knowledgeable, than him.

https://www.soundstagesolo.com/index.php/equipment/headphones/324-grado-rs2x-headphones

Looks like these do some things well, but may not be the best choice for hard rock or metal.

General consensus is, Grados have weak bass, and a silly non detachable cable that's frequently labelled, "garden hose". I'm not a fan of the exotic woods marketing thing, that ZMF and Grado have embarked on.

Interesting:

"Although many manufacturers claim that using certain woods in their headphones lends a desirable sonic character, my experiments with headphone voicing have uncovered no proof that the material from which the earcups are made has any audible effect. Unless they’re of the ultra-flimsy plastic variety found in $20 models, headphone earcups tend to be relatively small and stiff—too inert to resonate significantly when presented with the minuscule amount of kinetic energy produced by a headphone driver. This is especially the case in an open-back design, where the energy of the back wave coming off the driver is immediately dispersed into the surrounding air. If you disagree, I invite you to present your evidence."

Click on the link!

At any rate, the review does include a link to measurements for the headphone as well as the usual Head-Fi-like 'impressions.'

 

[Sean_S]

I agree with one of the early posters. Grado is a hipster product way overrated. I usually assume someone bragging on their Grado’s has never heard objectively good headphones, thinks vinyl is the best playback medium, and was told by a hipster at the record store that “Grados are awesome”, so they bought them.

If a reviewer likes them, I’m skeptical.

 

[Kevbaz]

Having wasted more money than I would want my wife to know about on Grado’s SR80, sr60e, SR325e, SR80e, GS1000e (all before I joined ASR) my experience of using them now compared to other headphones close to Harman Target is Grado are not very good, in fact sound pretty bad. And they are really bad value in my opinion, over priced, badly made, stupid design decisions and focus on old school audiophoolery like wood, thick cables, etc
I wouldn’t recommend them and I’m certain using Grado for 20+ years has contributed to my tinnitus so much I won’t let my kids use them.but that’s just my personal opinion.
Kev

 

[odarg64]

Having wasted more money than I would want my wife to know about on Grado’s SR80, sr60e, SR325e, SR80e, GS1000e (all before I joined ASR) my experience of using them now compared to other headphones close to Harman Target is Grado are not very good, in fact sound pretty bad. And they are really bad value in my opinion, over priced, badly made, stupid design decisions and focus on old school audiophoolery like wood, thick cables, etc
I wouldn’t recommend them and I’m certain using Grado for 20+ years has contributed to my tinnitus so much I won’t let my kids use them.but that’s just my personal opinion.
Kev

Is listening to music with Grado headphones more likely to contribute to tinnitus than listening with other headphones?

 

[Somafunk]

I bought SR80s 12yr years ago after reading all the “best in class” press reviews giving them 5 stars, bloody horrible sounding things and so uncomfortable with the stock pads, shite cable that constantly twisted so obviously I sold them on pretty quick and bought B&W P3’s, I liked them much better.

 

[Chrispy]

Just noticed the title/subforum just was a headphone thing....used several cartridges and never hated Not a headphone fan....but curious now.

 

[Kevbaz]

Is listening to music with Grado headphones more likely to contribute to tinnitus than listening with other headphones?

I think the elevated treble spikes doesn’t help, and with the low base you find yourself turning them up. It’s just my personal opinion, I’m not saying don’t use them but I think the two large high frequency spikes can’t be good,
Cheers
Kev

 

[Blake]

Is listening to music with Grado headphones more likely to contribute to tinnitus than listening with other headphones?

I can only speak anecdotally, but when I've listened to my Grados at moderate volume for a short while, it seems like they aggravate my tinnitus. I almost never get them out anymore except for my old SR60 at work, where I listen at low volume. Meanwhile, I can listen to my DCA Aeon RT Closed or my Drop HD 6XX for extended sessions with no obviously ill effect. Come to think of it, I can even listen to my Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pros for extended sessions with no obvious issues, and those are known for having a treble peak. The tone of my tinnitus seems to hover around 4 KHz or a shade under, though, and, while the Grados have a peak around there, the DT 770 doesn't (it's more like 6 KHz), so maybe that has something to do with it.

YMMV, of course, and I'm not trying to claim anything. I just find that I can't realistically listen to Grados much anymore. It makes me a bit sad because there was a time when I really enjoyed them. I sold my old SR125, and I plan to sell the SR225e I still have. I'll keep the SR60 at work for sentimental reasons and because I listen at low volume anyway. I can also EQ if needed.

 

[aravaioli]

I think for Jazz, Flamenco and Classical they are really good, especially the GS and PS models. I cannot speak for other genres. Definitely not headphones with subbass, so suitable for some types of electronic music.

In my view some models are a good buy in the used market, such as the GS1000, PS500, PS1000, RS2e, and also some brand new models such as the 325x and RS2x. Admittedly I would not pay more than 700£ for a Grado.

I am under the impression that they do not pay for sponsored reviews on YouTube which may contribute to hearing less about these than others. Some Youtubers I generally trust like DMS had a very positive review of the SR325X and so did Brent Butterworth on Soundstagesolo in regard of the RS2X, to mention a few. Steve Guttenberg also reviews them very positively.
Then yes, you get Youtube promoters like J. Valour who spits on them fake reviews, possibly because he approached Grado for a promoted review and was snobbed...