Divisive Hifi

[RoA]

Grado Headphones. Sound balance is decisively unbalanced. The latest X range is (very slightly) less jagged at high frequencies and has a warmer sound with punchier bass than the preceding E series (I have an 80X) but it is still unmistakingly Grado. Loud, proud, fun.

Love it.

 

[jandl100]

The Grado Treble is too much for me.

I've owned various models from mid (325) to high (PS1000) end and invariably enjoyed the musical excitement, insight and resolution that they convey, but the too-bright treble always wears me down after a while.

EQ doesn't seem to sort the problem - it sounds more like resonance peaks rather than a smooth upward trend. So the peaks still poke through a few db of high frequency cut.

I suspect that they suit some musical genres more than others. I'm into classical, and they just don't work for me.

 

[MarkW]

I haven't heard the latest (iirc it's now the "i" series...) iteration, but I have owned a few Grado sets over the years and still have the SR80's I bought in 2001, though they are a bit of a "trigger's broom" as I've replaced the foam pads a couple of times and the drivers now dangle from aftermarket metal gimbally jobs and the headband is a little less sparsely padded, but same drivers, same ridiculous captive cable. And the same addictive, energetic sound.

They aren't perfect, but some judicious EQ sorts out a lot of the less appealing traits.

I've had PS500s - never got on with them at all - and SR325s - sounded like more exciteable '80's but heavy and with the most unpleasant foam pads and I couldn't find enough gains to keep them over the trusty old 80's.

I've also dipped brefly into the Grado replacement driver/wooden cups diy scene but never got anything like good results.

The old SR80's are not my go to headphones but they do get used with my pc music and Yamaha synth and occasionally they come with me on trips.

Great headphones in their own way and they do so many things well compared to some very expensive headphones.

 

[Caledon1297]

I haven't heard the latest (iirc it's now the "i" series...) iteration,
SNIP

As @RoA mentions, they're onto the 'x' series now.

 

[MarkW]

As @RoA mentions, they're onto the 'x' series now.

Ah, yeah - you're right and I didn't see RoA's post (in any detail, skip-reading)! Doesn't leave them many letters for future iterations. The x's are supposed to be more civilised but I only find the oldies a little wearing when I'm tired.

 

[RoA]

I had the 'E's before the 'X's. The differences weren't massive when I changed but noticeable.

What makes me laugh sometimes are comments on how 'flimsy' they're built. The design is largely the original one which has stood test of time and one that is as clever as it is simple. There are many, many older Grados out there with no issues. I've never had problems with mine though I admit I look after them as I do with all my Hifi ... well.

For a hundred pounds or less one can buy a piece of handmade in the US magic. Not bad.

Looking at Headphone forums there seems to be a slight amount of snobbery about this brand. Possibly because the design/s have hardly changed. Personally think this is one of the best ways to spend a hundred pounds for Hifi.

 

[MarkW]

Never had any issues with the SR80s except having to replace disintegrating earpads but after more than a decade that can't be considered a flaw.

I like the no frills approach of companies like Grado - engineer something functional and robust, minimise the superfluousness of packaging and marketing and let people decide if they want it.

 

[sq225917]

I like Grado for their no bullshit packaging and sticking with the same aesthetic but that aside they're selling a very low spec and wildly uneven sounding rangebof headphone at a price that has nothingvto do with their quality.

Former 325i owner

 

[MarkW]

I'd agree - the range and pricing are not entirely logical or convincing and value falls away fast with the more expensive offerings.

But the same can be said of many other offerings in the current headphone market- Hifiman and Audeze (who may have improved but wildly mismatched drivers that failed frequently were once a feature) spring to mind.

 

[krenzler]

Both Hifiman and Audeze seem to have improved immeasurably since their humble beginnings.

Hifiman do actually present leading VFM bottom to top (as long as you dig their presentation obviously). Sundara $300, Edition XS $500, Arya SE $1300, Susvara $6000 (!).

 

[MarkW]

I had the Hifiman HE6's back in the day and sonically they were pretty good if a little congested in the midrange. But the build quality was tosh. Looking at the £6k Susvara things have improved a little, but the price is laughable and purely a function of the manufacturer's home market.

The Raal SR1a's that I have now are the only "highend" (whatever that means) headphone that has met my expectation for sonic performance and build quality.