Grado SR80e - Wow!

Lorenzo47

Super Member
Just got a pair of these today and am stunned as to how good they are. I haven't owned a pair of headphones for 25-30 years. Simply amazing sound for $100. Can't wait for them to break in properly.
 
Welcome back! I had a pair of 60's and 80's a few years ago. Nice HP's. What are you using to drive them?
 
Using my HK receiver. Plugged them into my Macbook Pro as well. I have no plans for a headphone amp at this time. I will still mainly listen to loudspeakers but I can see myself using the Grado cans quite a bit.
 
I have a pair of SR-60's. The OEM cushions were very uncomfortable to me. I replaced them with these from Ear Zonk. I cut out the inner mesh. The new cushions IMO make a large difference in comfort.

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The cost is IMO very reasonable.
https://www.amazon.com/EarZonk-Long...440&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=earzonk+grado&psc=1
 
Good to know Joe. I haven't been bothered as yet with the cushions. I saved the link you provided though.
 
Just got a pair of these today and am stunned as to how good they are. I haven't owned a pair of headphones for 25-30 years. Simply amazing sound for $100. Can't wait for them to break in properly.

Great headphones. I've used SR60's and SR80's for years. For work and pleasure. I even got to meet Joe Grado, when he 1st introduced his headphones. Joe came to our CD plant, where he was pressing a new opera recording. He brought the original pre-release RS1 phones for us to listen to. Awesome phones, and awesome to meet Joe. And my coworker bought the phones that Joe brought with him. Too good to pass up.
 
In full agreement with your findings, I picked up a pair of SR-80e as my xmas present (to myself). I am using them plugged into my ipad for nighttime listening of Tidal, they sound superb. Great for undisturbed music discovery and selection.
 
The entire Grado line is nice; I’ve worked my way up to SR225e’s.
 
I love my Grado headphones. I own a pair of 125s and 225s. The 125s are at work and the 225s for home listening. I have several others but I always go back to the Grados.
 
This is a timely subject. I just put away my butane torch and soldering iron after repairing my old SR-80's. These are the pre - E version from 17 years ago. After all that time I ASSUMED the wires fatigued on one side, which was cutting out. Using a bright penlight, looking through the back mesh, I couldn't believe what I saw, or how that side ever worked. Unlike the other side with normally insulated wires soldered to the driver, there was no insulation on either of the wires. Just by luck it took all this time for them to short. There's no way to disassemble the case so I heated the blade in a utility knife and cut from hole to hole in the rear vent and created an opening above the driver's soldering pad. Although the cable cannot be pulled out of the phones, it can be pushed in as much as necessary. Once unsoldered, the cable can be pulled through the new opening to repair and pushed back in for soldering.

Question #1: Has anyone purchased a replacement cable for old phones, and from where? I'll look on the Ear Zonk site that JoeESP9 mentioned, as I need new ear pads again. I never liked the scratchy foam ear pads and have already replaced them twice -- they fall apart like old foam speaker suspensions.

Q #2: Two years ago I got the SR - 125e phones and appreciated the very noticeable improvement. It was definitely worth the extra $50. I'm guessing some of the better sound is from technology's march forward and that new SR - 80's might be noticeably better than mine. What's the general consensus, for those who have both? Would steping up to the 225 or 325 make a small, medium, or huge difference? I don't like treble bite or etch and prefer deep, solid, bass. A little "darker" sound is OK for me, as long as it's clear.
 
Back in the “olden” days, I tried nearly the entire Grado line, thanks to the headroom.com road show they used to do.

I found that the best way to progress with Grados is to skip every other phone. Of course I disobeyed my own rule and went from SR125 to 225e’s; but I found a dealer that made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.

Under normal circumstances, I would go from 125 to 325, if feasible (IMHO.)

Hope this helps!
 
I can understand the logic in skipping models, especially these days with, sometimes, too many choices. I wonder why manufactures do that? I'd think consumers would benefit from fewer models, but sold at less cost, from greater manufacturing efficiency and parts quantity purchased. Even Consumer Reports of an experience I've shared with others ... so many confusing choices that we just walked away without purchasing that brand.
 
That's why the road show was so nice... you could listen to a LOT of different makes and models (at least when there wasn't a line for it.)

I did get a chance to listen to a set of $15,000 (Stax , I think?) headphones and yes, they were very nice and yes they were comfy (but not to the tune* of a nice used car!)

Just like speakers, you gotta listen to see if they work for you; it was a nice opportunity.

I also liked the Sennheisers they had at that time, but there was something about the Grados that did it for me (barely, depending on the model.)

My overall favorite Grados at the time was the RS-2s; given the source material and listening conditions (there were a few better further up in the line) I thought the "bang per buck" was lost beyond that point.

I have no idea what the newer additional models (and the upgraded regular ones) bring to the table.

*Pun not intended
 
I have a set of the behind-the-head iGrado phones, which use the SR60 drivers. They do clamp rather tightly so are not the most comfortable. (They are reassuring if used outdoors, however, knowing they won't easily slip off.) There is not much in the way of bass (which I expected), but the mids and highs are very, very clean. I feel it plays above its cost. :thumbsup:
 
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