[Agahnim]

You may try wearing the cups a bit forward/downward, instead of directly over your ears.

I actually have tried that. It does help a bit, but it is still quite uncomfortable. I have begun to get more used to it, so perhaps it will pass with time, but I don't know.

 

[borrego]

 
I actually have tried that. It does help a bit, but it is still quite uncomfortable. I have begun to get more used to it, so perhaps it will pass with time, but I don't know.

 
You can also try hand washing the sponge cup with dish soap, give the sponge cups some good squeezing. This will make the cup slightly softer.

 

[Agahnim]

   
You can also try hand washing the sponge cup with dish soap, give the sponge cups some good squeezing. This will make the cup slightly softer.

After messing with the position of the cans on my ears a bit more (moving them down and forward more to where only the sponge cup is actually making contact with my ear) they are much more tolerable. I will also try that. I wlll say that I prefer hearing them when the driver is directly over my ear, but with how unbearable that is, I can't think that they are supposed to be positioned that way in the first place. Thanks for all the great advice.

 

[sludgeogre]

 
After messing with the position of the cans on my ears a bit more (moving them down and forward more to where only the sponge cup is actually making contact with my ear) they are much more tolerable. I will also try that. I wlll say that I prefer hearing them when the driver is directly over my ear, but with how unbearable that is, I can't think that they are supposed to be positioned that way in the first place. Thanks for all the great advice.

I just bought the flat pads meant for the SR60 etc and put them on my SR325is since they are now my late night movie and walking the dog headphones. Really improved the comfort. The sound is a bit tamer as well so they don't cause fatigue at all.

 

[ngs428]

Hey guys, I have a question. I am a new owner of these wonderful cans, but unfortunately they are horribly uncomfortable for me. They hurt my ears so bad for so long after I take them off and after extended wear that I cannot enjoy them properly. Any suggestions of other grado cups that I could try? I don't want to ruin the sound for comfort though, which is why I would probably not use any replacement cups that are not from grado unless they came recommended from someone in this community that I would be inclined to trust to secure the wonderful listening experience.

Did you try to bend the headband out a little to reduce the clamping force? This is recommended by grado. Otherwise you could try the g-cush pads, I have not tried them on my 325s so hard to say what the sound will be like. The earzonk l-cush pads are in my opinion a little more firm than the stock l-cush. So that will not help. Some people say to wash the pads using fabric softener so that may be an option to soften them.

 

[ngs428]

By the way, I am using my sr325e with my fiio x3 2nd gen and they are a great combo!

 

[Agahnim]

Thanks to everyone who provided advice. The right combination of these tips with the stock cups has brought them from being unbearable to being almost transparent.

 

[Agahnim]

An update on my comfort issues. To anyone interested and to those who helped me, adjusting the headband, washing the cups, and finding the right placement has made them very pleasant to wear. The soreness has vanished, and may I add that these are hands down the most wonderful thing I have ever listened to. Everything from Finnish folk and power metal, to Tchaikovsky sound brilliant without the excessive space and lazyness (for lack of a better word, not really meant to be a negative thing) of the HD 598s. Since I will not be taking classes, and will be working a nice little systems administration job this summer making decent money, I will be attempting to spring for either the GS1000e or the PS1000e because I am in love with the Grado sound, and I even find them to be very pleasing to the eye.

 

[fengwei007]

The GS1000s are much more comfortable than most if not all other Grado headphones. They sound very special too. PS1000s are heavy and sound a bit darker than the 325s, probably more balanced, but you might not like it if you like 325e so much

 

[GreenBow]

  An update on my comfort issues. To anyone interested and to those who helped me, adjusting the headband, washing the cups, and finding the right placement has made them very pleasant to wear. The soreness has vanished, and may I add that these are hands down the most wonderful thing I have ever listened to. Everything from Finnish folk and power metal, to Tchaikovsky sound brilliant without the excessive space and lazyness (for lack of a better word, not really meant to be a negative thing) of the HD 598s. Since I will not be taking classes, and will be working a nice little systems administration job this summer making decent money, I will be attempting to spring for either the GS1000e or the PS1000e because I am in love with the Grado sound, and I even find them to be very pleasing to the eye.

I am glad you found L-cusion comfort. I posted a thread on it. I forget to mention the gentle stretch on the headband. Anyway this was my thread. http://www.head-fi.org/t/754373/grado-l-cushion-comfort-for-sr225-ps500#post_11345196

 

[GreenBow]

Please can someone put me out of my misery? People keep saying the SR325e is more sibilant than the SR225e. I am really struggling with this. I own the 225e and want to buy the 325e, but it's almost like people are saying it's a downgrade.
 
I don't see how the 325e could be classed this way and yet garner such adoration. Especially since any of the 225 series never gained a five star review ever.
 
Any thoughts please. I thought maybe it has something to do with the source people were using. Or as sometimes happen there are variations within the same model. 

 

[potterpastor]

I think all the Grado headphones sound similar, but the 325e sounded a bit better to my ears in the 225E, so I bought it.

I tried the RS1, but they were a little warmer than what I was looking for. Already have an HD 600 and 650 and momentum one and two, so I didn't need another warm headphone

 

[marts30]

  Please can someone put me out of my misery? People keep saying the SR325e is more sibilant than the SR225e. I am really struggling with this. I own the 225e and want to buy the 325e, but it's almost like people are saying it's a downgrade.
 
I don't see how the 325e could be classed this way and yet garner such adoration. Especially since the 225 series never gained a five star review ever.
 
Any thoughts please. I thought maybe it has something to do with the source people were using. Or as sometimes happen there are variations within the same model. 

 
Hmm, I heard a lot about the 325is being sibilant and too bright, but I find it less bright than my MS2e, so I guess the 325e is a smoother/more laid back sound than the 325is, I'm not sure where this sibilance is.

 

[GreenBow]

I often wondered if people find the 325 slightly more treble hot because it has a fraction more energy higher up. Whereas the 225 has it slightly lower down. That's according to graphs on Headroom.com http://graphs.headphone.com/index.php
 
I know these graphs are for older versions, but the new versions are very similar, from the example we have seen.
 
Anyway I made up the graph, but am struggling to insert an image for easy reference. It shows the 225 has more energy between 2-3KHz. The 325 more energy between 5.5-10KHz. That doesn't explain sibilance though. As even the highest female vocal range has run out before 2KHz comes into play.
 
Maybe the 325 just articulates more. In the greater scheme of things, if the 225 were really a better headphone, everyone would know about it. The 60 is legendary, the 80 is best in class. The 125 is close to legendary, and the 325 has always been a cracker. Whereas I only ever saw the 225 series with four star reviews.
 
Maybe it's that some people do not get on with the acoustics of aluminium. How that translates to sibilance I don't know, if it does. I doubt the 325 would be worth its bucks if it really had issues, beyond system matching.

 

[potterpastor]

Love the Grado 325e! But truthfully, many of the Grados sound very similar, hard to tell differences.
I use the big bowl g cushions on my 325e. Can't say for sure that it makes the sound any different, but they are much more comfortable