Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Headphones (full-size) › opinion on the Grado lineup
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

opinion on the Grado lineup

post #1 of 19
7/4/03 at 10:48am
Thread Starter 
HI ALL: This is my opinion on the grado line up. I have not heard or owned the SR-125 or the RS-2. The Sr-60 didn't impress me at all and got rid of it real fast. The SR-80 was great and impressed me a lot especially for the very low price that they cost. They had good bass and were fun to listen to. The SR-225 is just awesome with great detail and great bass slam, small and comfortable and very musical sounding. A best buy in all the Grado line. The SR-325 killed me. They were very bright and a lot heaver than the other Grados. I could not listen to the 325 for any length of time and found them to be not very musical. A very pore buy in all the Grado line. The RS-1 is just awesome with great detail and awesome bass slam and go very low at that. They are also very musical and very fun sounding. They are without a doubt the very best looking grado and the very best sounding Grado in the entire line up. But the RS-1 cost lots of money but is worth it for what they do. They are very high end cans and a awesome great headphone. So in my opinion the SR-225 are the very best buy in the Grado line up and the RS-1 are the very best Grado in the line up. Now this is just my opinion and mean not to offend any Grado members who have a different opinion. This is just my experience with the Grados.
Reply
post #2 of 19
7/4/03 at 11:01am
great..
I agree 325 is heavier and thus less comfortable in long run
Reply
post #3 of 19
7/4/03 at 11:28am
LTUCCI1924
I have listened to the SR80, 225, 325 and RS1s and I definitely agree with your findings
Reply
post #4 of 19
7/4/03 at 11:34am
SR40 - Nice little portable can. Way underated.
SR60 - Nice, but not enough to chuck my Koss'. Not nearly as comfortable for long use either.
SR80 - Can't remember. Nuff said.
SR125 - Ditto.
SR225 - Not too shabby. I agree that this is the sweet spot in the Grado line. The only one I'd spend my cash on, if ever.
SR325 - Way to bright.
RS-2 - Never heard.
RS-1 - Not impressed at all, regardless of source or amp so far, and not nearly enough to spend over six crackers. Sorry.
Alessandro MS Pro - Much better than the RS1's. More neutral. None of the problems that plague the RS-1's. Almost worth the money, maybe in the right setup.

Not to sound like the perverbial broken record player, or to threadcrap, but Joe had it right. John doesn't. Alessandro comes close.
Reply
post #5 of 19
7/4/03 at 3:44pm
I agree with the findings except the SR60 is pretty good too

:ra1smile:
Reply
post #6 of 19
7/4/03 at 4:37pm
Yeah I too agree with Lou for the most part.. The 225 impressed me the most on the brief audition I had of the the lower end models (everything below RS2 that is).. The 60s didn't really do anything for me but when I got my hands on the SR80s I thought they were really good cans just for portable and throw around use. Definately the next best value in the Grado line for me. the 225s had all the punch and slam that I hoped for but I couldn't tell it apart much from the 325s. I currently own the RS1 and still feel its an awesome can. It jazzes up things in a way i really find to my liking. Making things really sweet sounding that is. perhaps too sweet for some people. But anyway, after discovering the SR100s I'm convinced that I'd rather be stuck on an island with them than the RS1s because of their more laid back presentation. I hope they decide to rerelease some of those classic Joe Grado cans on some anniversary.. 50 woiuld have been ideal but oh well.
Reply
post #7 of 19
7/4/03 at 5:43pm
i've only heard two cans in the grado lineup: the 60's and 80's. i greatly prefered the 60's in the brief demo i had. the 60's sounded more collected to me, whereas the 80's were beginning to get into the characteristic grado brightness a bit too much.

lou- you're really making me want a SR225!
Reply
post #8 of 19
7/4/03 at 8:06pm
Lou,
Hello there. I disagree with you about the sr325's. If I listen to them right out of my CD player they sound bright and uncontrolled. However, through the JMT Meta42 they're perfect. The high end isn't fatiguing at all and they really aren't bright. Also, I find that they're very musical. I suppose it's just our difference in hearing. That being said, the sr325's can be uncomfortable due to the added weight of the aluminum earpieces.
Reply
post #9 of 19
7/5/03 at 12:24am
I've often heard the SR-80's are the best bang for the buck. Since a couple people here feel the SR-225's are, could you tell me why? Yes, I'm considering upgrading.
Reply
post #10 of 19
7/5/03 at 12:25am
I love my sr325's, their not as bright as people claim them to be, they demand a decent source and some amplification, just cause there only 32 ohms doesnt mean they can be run out of a discman. Also after receiving vwaps pads my grados sounded a lot more neutral so i reccomend you get vwaps pads for the sr325s, it calms the highs real nicely.
I just wanted to add that the sr325's sound very bright out of th box, the require at least 20 hours up to 200 to bring them allow them to shine. So auditioning these cans is a bad idea unless there burned in.
Reply
post #11 of 19
7/5/03 at 12:43am
Lou, Hi How are you: i have to agree on the part about the SR225 and they are really pretty good pair of cans .

also try to audition the alessandro line - they might sound better as a lot of people prefer them over the regular grado line counterpart.

lastly - dont try to listen to a grado HP-1000. you might just change your mind about your impressions.
Reply
post #12 of 19
7/5/03 at 4:01am
I have heard the SR-80, SR-125, and SR-225. IMO, the SR-225 is the best out of the trio. I wasn't impressed w/ the SR-125, b/c the improvements over the SR-80 are very minimal. The SR-225s have excellent impact. Bass notes are so puchy, and midrange is so liquid. The SR-80s are great for beginner, I highly recommend them to anyone.

Purk
Reply
post #13 of 19
7/5/03 at 4:15am
Awesome! This is a great thread for me, because I have the SR-60's, and have a bad case of Upgrado, big time. I know I want the RS-1's after listening to it at the bay area meet, (and even more the HP-1's, but that's another story). I listened to the SR-325, and had the same impression of them being overly bright when compared to the RS-1's. Given your rec's, I'm thinking of getting the SR-225 since it seems like the best in the line at a reasonable price for performance. The RS-1's will have to wait until someone puts a decent pair up for sale. Anyone? Anyone?

Alternatively if anyone has a pair of SR-225's that they'd be willing to let me demo I'd be grateful... If not, oh well. I've already gotten prior consent from my wallet to splurge.
Reply
post #14 of 19
7/5/03 at 4:15am
To me the SR325 treble isn't as natural as that of the RS1s, and the midrange is also a little thin on the SR325... but they are still way more than acceptable in their own right, unlike the SR125 which I never was able to get on with, there is some major (unnatural) coloration on those cans... not to my liking at all
Reply
post #15 of 19
7/5/03 at 11:05am
you guys are making me feel bad with just ms1's. i was wondering considering one of the differences between the 125 and 225 is an upgraded cable, and assuming the ms1's are modified 125's, then im wondering whether i should try replacing the cable on my ms1's. i guess im worried that i would actually downgrade the cable
i was thinking of using some CANARE microphone cable because i can get it at jaycar.com.au where im buying some stuff from anyway. Am i being stupid (highly possible ), or is this an avenue worth persuing?
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Headphones (full-size)
Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Headphones (full-size) › opinion on the Grado lineup