First of all, let me start by saying that if you're basing it off of these so called tier lists and opinions (more like rambling for content) by certain folks in the community and you're new to the hobby, you're probably biased towards not liking not only this particular headphone very much, but any Grado itself. There's a demand for this kind of content and they're supplying it, it's simple. We're full of newcomers and enthusiastic kids who love this kind of content for fanboying/confirmation bias, they will keep parroting everything that these guys say. A lot of newbies and even a considerable amount of other folks take these lists seriously, especially because we're living in an era of "meta this, meta that" mentality and they eventually take this to any hobby, game, etc. Problem is, these folks are immature and treat these lists as if they were a bible, sometimes it's the only reference they have and they're easily manipulated by those opinions. More than anyone, they'll have a tendency to search for, interpret, favor and remember information that confirms their choices and beliefs. Imagine someone who basically listens to Rock, Jazz and older stuff along these lines, then, they see almost everyone trashing Grado as if it was total crap. Most newbies will be totally discouraged to try/buy them, even though Grados could possible be the exact experience that they were looking for. So, if you really wanna know what's up with Grado (more especifically, the newer ones), forget them and let's focus on what matters, actually listening to music.


Now, the SOUND:

The best analogy I can make about the 325x (and almost every other Grado) is that they're the headphone version of being right in front of the stage, they do this pretty well and in their unique Grado way. The older ones were somewhat treble cannons, that's not the case here. Unlike older Grados, the 325x and most of the current lineup are more resolving and balanced, but without losing those magical mids and that Grado feel to it. I think this (and the typical "in your face" presentation) describes the "Grado sound" pretty well, the 325x is no exception to that. Moreover, their soundstage is kinda peculiar, not in the sense that it has a huge soundstage (even though it's OK) but simply because how Grado presents that in their own unique way. It's not a matter of quantity, but rather a matter of perspective. Again, they're the headphone version of being right in front of the stage and that's portrayed very well here. Not because they're glued to your ears, but because they're also tuned for that.

This pretty much sums up Grado and it's what they're famous for. That's why they work so well with Rock of every kind, anyone who's been to a respectable Rock concert will understand that feeling. They're especially good for Rock, Metal, Grunge, Post-Grunge (or anything along these lines) and Jazz. Also work pretty well with a lot of 80's stuff. If you're not an avid listener of these genres and will be finicky about comfort, don't even bother. Grados won't be for you. As a musician/music buff who listens to pretty much anything along these lines, I like them and what they represent. Problem is, people buy Grados (especially the most expensive ones) expecting that they'll sound like other expensive headphones. They won't. The mids are the star here and they're very prominent, engaging and musical. Bass is nothing out of this world, but has a good definition/texture and is just spot on, punchy when necessary (especially kick drums) and they don't overshadow the star of the show here, the mids. Same for the treble. Worth noting that the level of detail is also pretty damn good, definitely no slouch in that department. Also, they're super fast. Transient response is TOTL (which is a common Grado trait). And the separation? Nothing short of amazing. It's so good that when I first tried them I thought there was something wrong with one driver.


The BAD:

To me, the biggest let-down is comfort. My ears don't hurt that much, but after some time my head always start to hurt a bit. Cables are a bit of an overkill. The only problem with cables is that they always keep entangling after the splitter. Comical build quality with those plastic gimbals and the height adjustment, but they don't tend to be as fragile as people think.


The PADS:

G-pads: biggest soundstage of them all with a little more emphasys on the bass. That should be perfect, right? No. It sounds like an annoying Ananda (or Sundara?), there's a peak somewhere in the 7-8kHz that will eventually show up in the vast majority of songs. Unbearable to my ears. Never bothered to EQ with these, but i'm assuming it would turn out VERY good.

L-pads: bass almost non-existent, mids are still good and overall present a more balanced sound, close to the classic Grado house sound without being treble fatiguing. Can be very interesting. They do see some use from my part.

F-pads (stock): the best one IMO, exactly how they should sound (yeah, no s***) and how it was described earlier in the review. Best bass, great mids and the least amount of treble.





Conclusion:

Despite the fact that trashing Grado is trendy among certain circles, most people who do it simply overlook what's actually great about them or have spent literal seconds with their headphones. Anyway, again, apart from the older models which were treble cannons for many (myself included) these are not bad AT ALL. Sure, like any Grado, they feel odd and their sound signature is not exactly something that the average consumer (or even most so-called audiophiles) look after these days, but they're far, really far from being as bad as they're portrayed online. Think of it as a restomod car, it's a raw, pure motoring experience that you won't find anywhere else, but also with the hindrances of it. Absolutely not the most comfortable and the build quality (although they're surprisingly sturdy) is weird for 2024, they feel like old ATC/pilot headphones. There's a reason why they're still around and why people keep buying them despite the flaws and old design.

Buy these if you're looking for a mid/upper-mid focused sound signature where every song feels like a live perfomance/being in front of the stage, with a decent bass punch/texture (although it's not a basshead headphone by any means), intimate vocals, great distorted guitars and fast transients.

Don't buy these if you value comfort, isn't an avid listener of the previous mentioned genres and values a more calm and neutral presentation. Or maybe if you're one of those "audiophile bros".

Let me start by saying that the upper mid focused sound signature might not be to everyone's liking (especially if you value a neutral and less energetic tonality) even though it's not aggressive nor overemphasized. It's tastefully done so. Treble is spicy but not overwhelming, very good extension. Overall, tons of micro details too. If you prefer a more calm and neutral presentation, maybe the Hexa will be your cup of tea. Personally, I found the Olina SE more musical and resolving than the Hexa, especially because I listen mostly to Rock of every kind. If that's the case and you're looking for a nice IEM on a budget, you should seriously consider the Olina SE.

I'm not gonna rant about soundstage since it will vary according to each person's ear anatomy/HRTF, but as far as IEM's go, there's nothing to complain here. Also, it's so comfortable I actually slept with it a couple of times. Worth mentioning that the stock tips are nice and come in all shapes and sizes, they're of good quality and you won't have fitting issues. I was glad it came with a couple of tips that are perfect for my smaller ears. BTW, i've had no condensation issues so far.


Also, super easy to drive. It sounds its best with nearly anything. Didn't hear any significant differences between "simple" and more powerful sources, if anything, it sounded a bit worse and the cable becomes significantly microphonic too. Not really much negative stuff to say apart from that. If I were to be really finicky, voices in certain tracks can be a little sibilant, which at this price range I don't mind at all.

Now, some tracks:

Yawning Man - Catamaran: you can beautifully hear and pinpoint both guitars during that intro (and the rest of the song where that riff is played). Goes to show that imaging/separation are very good. No mystery here, it is what it is. A decent, comfortable and resolving IEM that can keep up with a lot of $150-300 stuff out there. No wonder it uses the same drivers as the Oxygen.

Deftones - Beauty School: the intro kick drums are still enganing and energetic, just like the bass presence afterwards.

Living Colour - Cult of Personality: there's a subtle thud at 1:56-1:57 that can easily go unnoticed or bleed into the rest of the track by less resolving gear. Well, not here. Although not as present/detailed as it would be with higher end stuff, but that's kinda obvious and the law of diminishing returns hits hard on that kind of stuff after a certain threshold anyway. Still impressive.

Lana Del Rey - White Mustang: all the nuances, effects and different sounds are effortlessly there in every layer. Vocals are great.


I think that's it. This is my personal unit and my to-go IEM's for traveling while I leave the big boys at home. The Olina SE is one of those rare cases where a product ACTUALLY sounds as good (if not better) than considerably more expensive stuff.

Over and out

Got this as my first planar since I was curious to see how it sounded like. At first, I wanted the PR2 V1 (which was freaking awesome for the price) but since that black mesh fiasco, I decided to get the PR1 Pro. When I tried it for the first time (using with my phone and a good dongle) it sounded like total garbage, the treble was crap, couldn't bear it. Immediate regret.

With a nice DAC and after a little bit of EQ tweaking, it actually surprised me. Would I recommend it at its price range? Probably not. Cheaper stuff are on the same level (if not better) and they don't need any tweak to sound good. But hey, if i'm being honest, it's still a decent entry level planar. That being said, it's the first and probably the last item that i'll ever buy from KZ. For the price, I think you'll be much better off an ZS10 Pro X, that's one of the only respectable KZ's that I know.