Does anyone think Grado Labs headphones are any good ? my brother keeps telling me get Sennheisers so I got a set for about $80, low end of course since I'm broke but they just didn't sound that good ? so I sent them back. I keep remembering my AKG K280 Parabolic cans that sounded so good! but they got ripped off! so anyway I'm off point I got a set of Grado Labs SR 60's for $60 and they sound really good for a low end or low cost headphone, I hadn't heard of them but read good reports on them and I agree! no complaints from me. Just wondered if I'm wrong about the Grado's? BigB.
Grado Labs Cans ?
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LazySounds
Active Member
Hi BigB,
Personally I think Grado headphones sound great.
I own the PS500's and the SR80i's.
The PS500's are weighty and detailed with bucket loads of attack.
Excellent cans for electronic dance music, hard rock, heavy metal, and surprisingly jazz and big band music.
The SR80i's get you 90% of the way there, just a little less weight to the sound, a Little less detail, and a slightly smaller soundstage.
But all of the attack and musical engagement are 100% there.
I love em both.
As far as looks go, they are awkward and ugly.
Some say they are uncomfortable, I do not find this at all.
I find the SR80i's very comfortable, and the PS500's just a fraction less comfortable.
I would prefer a single entry cable, but that's just me.
Enjoy your SR60i's, many people find them equal to the 80's, some even prefer them.
Personally I think Grado headphones sound great.
I own the PS500's and the SR80i's.
The PS500's are weighty and detailed with bucket loads of attack.
Excellent cans for electronic dance music, hard rock, heavy metal, and surprisingly jazz and big band music.
The SR80i's get you 90% of the way there, just a little less weight to the sound, a Little less detail, and a slightly smaller soundstage.
But all of the attack and musical engagement are 100% there.
I love em both.
As far as looks go, they are awkward and ugly.
Some say they are uncomfortable, I do not find this at all.
I find the SR80i's very comfortable, and the PS500's just a fraction less comfortable.
I would prefer a single entry cable, but that's just me.
Enjoy your SR60i's, many people find them equal to the 80's, some even prefer them.
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trhee
ㅇtㅈyㅅr
I've owned the Grado SR80's and think they're a great value and sound great.
I don't have any gripes about the way they look, and actually kinda like the retro styling. However, for me, they were extremely uncomfortable for anything longer than an hour at a time and ended up selling them on the basis of comfort alone.
I don't have any gripes about the way they look, and actually kinda like the retro styling. However, for me, they were extremely uncomfortable for anything longer than an hour at a time and ended up selling them on the basis of comfort alone.
cubdog
banging through drywall
Grado is one of the best known and well respected of all headphone manufacturers. I've never heard any however. This is due to their reputation for being bright sounding and somewhat uncomfortable. Both are deal breakers for me. Given their popularity though I probably owe it to myself to give them a listen someday.
cubdog
Grado Labs headphones
You are right about the look! they do look retro and kind of funny but they are really comfortable and they made the Sennheisers that cost a good $25 more sound cheap and very high sounding, I almost thought they were knockoffs they sounde so bad, and the grados were much lighter weight, I just wish they were around the ear and not the sit on your ears type but still very easy to wear and great mix of highs, mids and bass! Damn I wish I could remember the model of the Sennheisers that I had but I only had them a week before I had to send them back, just not worth the price, now my brothers Senns cost him $500 and they sound wonderful but I don't have that kind of bucks? BigB.
You are right about the look! they do look retro and kind of funny but they are really comfortable and they made the Sennheisers that cost a good $25 more sound cheap and very high sounding, I almost thought they were knockoffs they sounde so bad, and the grados were much lighter weight, I just wish they were around the ear and not the sit on your ears type but still very easy to wear and great mix of highs, mids and bass! Damn I wish I could remember the model of the Sennheisers that I had but I only had them a week before I had to send them back, just not worth the price, now my brothers Senns cost him $500 and they sound wonderful but I don't have that kind of bucks? BigB.
The whiskey barrel cans, right? They are supposed to be closed back but I read that they leak sound anyway. Is this true?
After spending time with Grado 125s (since 2005) I went and bought a set of 225s. I love 'em both. They are clear and revealing, and in my judgement, they sound wonderful. I don't have problems with comfort. As for the esthetics - i.e. are they ugly? - I don't consider them ugly. Different, but not ugly. I've seen one esthetically challenged folding model from another manufacturer I wouldn't touch with someone else's ten-foot pole.
What I would criticize with mine are the cords. They are stiff, and sometimes it seems like the cords' insulation was slightly twisted during the final assembly steps which causes the earpieces to rest at puzzling angles at times. The earpieces can easily spin around during handling which adds interesting twists to the puzzle of what your headphone cords should really look like.
What I would criticize with mine are the cords. They are stiff, and sometimes it seems like the cords' insulation was slightly twisted during the final assembly steps which causes the earpieces to rest at puzzling angles at times. The earpieces can easily spin around during handling which adds interesting twists to the puzzle of what your headphone cords should really look like.
I love Grado headphones. I currently own a the 225i's. For many years, I used to have the 125's and loved them, but last year I made the mistake of leaving them where our new puppy at the time could get to them. The next morning, I found my beloved 125's torn apart. It was not a good day. Not long afterwards, I ordered my 225i's and I am very happy with them. I can't say that there's much of a difference in sound quality between them. They both have that Grado sound signature.
I also own Sennheiser, Sony, and Bose. I like them all for different reasons, but in my opinion, Grado is the best overall.
I also own Sennheiser, Sony, and Bose. I like them all for different reasons, but in my opinion, Grado is the best overall.
SR225/225i are the sweet spot in Grado's line. I ditched my S325's and went happy fun mod times on a set of 225's.
paired with a Musical Fidelity X-cans tube headphone amp ( and on some days a Schiit Asgard II or Meridian Explorer DAC/AMP ) .. they do little wrong.
paired with a Musical Fidelity X-cans tube headphone amp ( and on some days a Schiit Asgard II or Meridian Explorer DAC/AMP ) .. they do little wrong.
Stacker45
Active Member
Yes, the whiskey barrel cans. They are not completly closed, so sound does leak out, just not as much as other Grado models.
Being the proud owner of a mint pair of limited edition HP1000, I must confess that I bought the Bushmills X mainly because I figured that since they're a limited edition, they're value might increase with time, like the HP1000 have, or at the very least, hold their value.
I expected the Bushmills X to sound good, but not, that good, I actually prefer them to the PS500 and RS1i, so that's saying a lot, because I think that the PS500 and the RS1i, are both very good sounding headphones.
munkyone
New Member
I have the SR325i and SR80i and love them both. They are amazing value for money and can deliver great detail.
I have been experimenting with the SR80i, with various mods, which have improved them enough for me to prefer them to my SR325i, for most music genres.
There are better headphones out there, but for the money, Grados take some beating, especially at the budget end.
I have been experimenting with the SR80i, with various mods, which have improved them enough for me to prefer them to my SR325i, for most music genres.
There are better headphones out there, but for the money, Grados take some beating, especially at the budget end.
Grado :yes:Love the pic of the Yellow Lab cubdog! lost mine!
Sorry cubdog just missing my old friend Jax our yellow lab, great dogs! Passed before his time from cancer. But yea I love my Grados even though they are low end they are very comfortable and have no problems with the highs on the Grados! the sound reproduction is great! BigB.
Grados leaking sound
Yes Mr. White they do leak sound my wife is always giving me hell if I'm listening to them when she's around! They are comfortable and sound very good for an inexpensive set of cans! I loved my AKG's K280's parabolic's! comfortable around the ear no sound leaks and had a wonderful tone, at least I thought so, someone stole them from me, I hope they blew their eardrums out with them! BigB.
cubdog
banging through drywall
Sorry to hear about Jax. They are great dogs. Jasper weighs in at a robust 130 lbs. Just slightly larger than the average Lab.
I need to make it a point to listen to some Grados I might surprise myself and really like them. I do like their retro look. :yes:
cubdog