[goober-george]

I was wondering if the black Grado SR-325 driver was the same as the pre "i" silver Grado SR-325. Is there any difference besides material? Also are they still the same when comparing the newest silver Grado SR-325i?

 

[Punnisher]

I was only aware of 3 stages. Black-Gold-Silver. Everything I've read says the Gold 325i used a different driver than the previous 325. As for the new model, I don't know if any driver changes were introduced.

 

[derekbmn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by goober-george /img/forum/go_quote.gif I was wondering if the black Grado SR-325 driver was the same as the pre "i" silver Grado SR-325. Is there any difference besides material? Also are they still the same when comparing the newest silver Grado SR-325i?

No......many of the black SR-325 have the "transition" drivers.(they appear pinkish).

Some (very few) had HP-1000 drivers and lastly some had the newer drivers (at that time) which may or may not be the same driver as the newer ones. It is a bit unclear really.

If you want my honest opinion on the grado drivers, I believe that the Prestige and Reference line all use the same drivers for both with some very minor tweaks done to them. (IE: SR-60 - RS-1)

 

[tintin47]

Quote:

Originally Posted by derekbmn /img/forum/go_quote.gif If you want my honest opinion on the grado drivers, I believe that the Prestige and Reference line all use the same drivers for both with some very minor tweaks done to them. (IE: SR-60 - RS-1)

I would agree with that.

OP, grado has a really strange history to consider when you are buying older phones. The transition from joe to john and their differences in goals combined with the fact that it is a tiny and non-standardized operation means that pretty much any drivers can be in your phones if they are a certain age. I feel like in many cases, like with the "transition" drivers, that John simply put whatever drivers he had laying around into the phones while he figured out exactly what the mass produced drivers would be.

Also, just out of curiosity, OP, are you the one who got the black 325s on saturday? I hesitated and they were gone.

 

[goober-george]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tintin47 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I would agree with that. OP, grado has a really strange history to consider when you are buying older phones. The transition from joe to john and their differences in goals combined with the fact that it is a tiny and non-standardized operation means that pretty much any drivers can be in your phones if they are a certain age. I feel like in many cases, like with the "transition" drivers, that John simply put whatever drivers he had laying around into the phones while he figured out exactly what the mass produced drivers would be. Also, just out of curiosity, OP, are you the one who got the black 325s on saturday? I hesitated and they were gone.

Nope, I didn't I was interested though. So those silver 325s in the for sale forum do they have the same drivers as the golden Grado 325s? I've read they are brighter (the silver one) but wasn't sure if it was due to material or driver.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

Originally Posted by goober-george /img/forum/go_quote.gif I was wondering if the black Grado SR-325 driver was the same as the pre "i" silver Grado SR-325. Is there any difference besides material? Also are they still the same when comparing the newest silver Grado SR-325i?

Nope...all drivers are different: SR325 vs. SR325i vs. SR325is (also has much thicker cabling).

 

[robert]

Which raises a question I've had for some time. My 325 was at Grado for a while. They went in while the 325 was the model, and came back after the 325i was the model.

Is there a way to identify the drivers, without disassembling the phones?

 

[les_garten]

Quote:

Originally Posted by derekbmn /img/forum/go_quote.gif If you want my honest opinion on the grado drivers, I believe that the Prestige and Reference line all use the same drivers for both with some very minor tweaks done to them. (IE: SR-60 - RS-1)

I'm interested in this statement and why you say it. I bought some 225i's to Woody. I want to Woody another set of Canz. I'm thinking that the cost and SQ diff in the 225 and the 325 is in the Headband and cup and the drivers are the same. As a matter of Fact, $100 for upgraded Cups and Headband are reasonable in the Headphone world.

I don't understand the diff in the 125 vs 225.

So this all brings me back to which can to buy for the best drivers to mod?

Do you have any evidence to support the "sameness" assertion.

.