[eclipes]

i went from the sr80 to sr325i and then now the RS1, i thought the upgrade sequence worked well for me, at least the difference was large enough to justify upgrading each time. As for the sr325i, it shrills indeed but once its burned in (talking about 600+ hours) and paired with a little dot I+ tube amp, sr325i sounds high end and professional. But the end RS1 for me has all the advantages in one package. I will suggest the sr325i for the jump, at least it will keep you still put for at least 1-2 years before the itch to upgrade happens again. 

 

[DaViD Boulet]

 
 
Quote:

I agree. I found the 325is to be shrill, piercing and overly bright. The 225(i), to me, is the best Grado in the Prestige lineup. Grados scale up nicely with refinement, extension, detail and to some degree soundstage. You can see my impressions in my sig if you want to read more.

 
 
Agreed.
 
Just spent several hours at a hi-fi shop in Centerville VA ([size=10.0pt]http://www.giftedlistener.com/ [/size]just west of Washington DC off Rt. 66) and found that perfect sweet-spot with the 225i's.
 
I have an iPod and a Fostex HPP1 outboard d/a/amp (one of the first portable outboard d/a converters for the iPod) and so I wanted some decent sound for on-the-go listening... ideally a pair of cans that I could even jog with (used to own a pair of Grado 60's and jogged with them all the time).
 
A few months back I had bought a pair of those gorgeous P5 B&W $300 headphones we've all heard about and was really bothered by the sound... very nasal and always sounded "strained" and never open or airy. So the Grado experience shocked me when the 1/3 the price Grado 80i's blew the B&W's out of the water no-question.
 
I then tried the 225i's and was amazed... compared to the excellent rs80i's the 225i's just opened up even more with micro-resolution and smooth, silky highs and mids and well defined bass... the music was airy and just "flowed" like the B&Ws never did.
 
Then I tried a (new) pair of 325i's expecting nirvana. Wrong... the sound was even more detailed with an almost unfathomable level of resolution, but the strident highs sounded wearisome and I didn't want to risk the chance that even when "burned in" they wouldn't lose that strident edge. The sound was still beautiful, but I knew my ears would grow tired with the more emphasized highs and I want headphones I can use for extended listening. Why don't manufacturers of high-end audio gear burn-in the stuff in advance for you at the factory to avoid this question altogether?
 
In any case... I actually *preferred* the sound of new 225i's compared to new 325i's. More than that... the new un-broken-in 225i's sound like heaven. So if they get even better, I know I can't be disappointed because even if they just continued to sound like they do now I'd still be thrilled. I like the musicality that the 225i's have that seemed lacking with the more strident highs of the 325is.
 
It could be that after burn-in the tables would have turned, but I'm not interested in taking a $100 bet given the difference in price and given that after the time taken to burn-in, if all wasn't well with 325i's, I'd be well past any return/exchange period.
 
Listening to my new pair of 225i's as I type this and just thrilled with the musical, highly-resolved yes musical detail married with sumptuous yet rock-solid bass. Looking forward to the 225i's as they gradually break in and sound even better.
 
-dave
 
p.s. if anyone struggling with this Grado-comparison issue lives in driving distance to Centerville/Manassas Virginia (just off rt. 66 about 30-45 minutes west of Washington DC) check out [size=10.0pt]http://www.giftedlistener.com and email Tom (the owner) for their hours of opperations. He has most of the Grado line in-stock and is happy to let you audition and take as much time as you need. While you can't be assured of hearing what the 325i's sound like after 600 hours of break-in played on tubes, you will get a good idea of what sound you'll be walking away with after swiping your credit card. This was exactly what I wanted and it's what I got. I really get frustrated with buying high-end audio gear online based solely on reviews by folks who's sonic tastes may vary from my own... first hand impressions are second to none. Go to the "Gifted Listener" if you're in driving distance and hear for yourself. Oh, and his prices are identical to online so you won't pay more for the privilege of the storefront entrance. Thanks Tom![/size]
 
[size=10pt]p.p.s. if the 325i's really do sound preferable to the 225i's after break-in that's fantastic and I'd be glad for that to be the case, though it wouldn't be cause for regret given the fantastic audio I'm enjoying via the 225i's.[/size]

 

[DaViD Boulet]

 
Quote:

I've heard of people either loving or hating the 325is, however the 225is have overall more positive reviews. So when you tried the 225is vs 80is you did not hear much improvement?

 
I heard a very noticeable improvement in back/forth A/B with the 225i's versus the 80i's (see my above post for my experience with the 325i's). I even used the same foam ear pads for much of the A/B to ensure I just wasn't hearing differences between the two different types of earpads that ship with the 80i's versus the 225i's.
 
The 80i's are wonderfully balanced and tonally very correct IMO (especially for the price) and I could have walked away a happy man with the 80i's had I not heard the 225i's (especially after living/suffering with the B&W P5's for the last few months). The difference between the 80s and the 225s is like the difference between 720p and 1080p... resolution just came into focus with the 225i's that I hadn't imagined was there, and it did so without losing musicality and without becoming analytical... the music conveyed even more emotion and the added resolution just conveyed layering, nuance, soundstaging, and breath to the music. This was especially helpful with choral or complex passages where the 80i's sounded just a tad congested compared to the 225i's. Very much like a great-looking picture (80i's) that suddenly makes you go "ahhh" when someone slightly turns the focus-dial and detail you didn't even realize was missing is suddenly effortlessly there.  Think 80i = fantastic 720p and 225i = fantastic 1080p. That was literally the analogy that came to my mind during the audition.

 

[branqazwsx]

Thanks for the comparison that really helps. I am currently in the process of purchasing a set of Grado's. I am looking at both the 225 and the 325.
 
I took your recommendation and drove up to Gifted Listener yesterday. I was met by Tom and I told him I was interested in trying the 225 and the 325. I asked him what he thought of both pairs and he told me I didn't really like headphones, the way they felt on his head and the only reason he sold them was because people wanted to buy them. He did not have either pair out of the box but hesitantly he opened a set of 225's for me to try. I listened for about 10 minutes with my iPod and a portable amp. I really liked the sound especially the detail retrieval! When I was finished I told him the reason my intentions for purchasing which are to sell a set of Beyerdynamics then come back to buy the Grado's. This seemed to change his attitude. He didn't want to let me try the 325's. He then told me he didn't like to open headphones for people to try because they were harder to sell. It seemed he didn't like the fact I wasn't going to buy right then. My visit ended quickly after and I left the store feeling perturbed.
 
As much as I would like to buy my next set of cans from a local dealer I am hesitant to buy them from this guy. He is not well versed in headphones and doesn't seem to understand my needs as a customer. My experience left me unsettled and unsatisfied.
 
I have read many great things about Gifted Listener Audio and Tom but my experience was not.

 

[colgatetotal]

Entitled much? Today a lot of brick-and-mortar stores don't appreciate people trying out goods, only for them to run to the internet and buy them at possibly a cheaper price. The store you visited may not be moving enough product to justify having a demo out.
 
I remember someone complaining about this similar issue on a computer store forum. He complained that they only had a few models in-store to demo. An employee then came in and countered by saying they had hundreds of laptop SKUs and it'd be infeasible to have a demo of each of them.
 

 

[ProjectDenz]

Quote:

Entitled much? Today a lot of brick-and-mortar stores don't appreciate people trying out goods, only for them to run to the internet and buy them at possibly a cheaper price. The store you visited may not be moving enough product to justify having a demo out.
 
I remember someone complaining about this similar issue on a computer store forum. He complained that they only had a few models in-store to demo. An employee then came in and countered by saying they had hundreds of laptop SKUs and it'd be infeasible to have a demo of each of them.
 

 
I hear that.

 

[soundstige]

Not at a retail shop you can't.
 
Quote:

 
I hear that.

 

[ProjectDenz]

Quote:

Not at a retail shop you can't.
 

 
Sorry, when I said that I meant I agreed with him. Although, I do know of a few places that let you demo their stuff. It's how I managed to demo the JH13 and JH16 for some time. But that was a specialist headphone store. Your normal brick and mortar electronics store are always not letting me try stuff.

 

[branqazwsx]

Quote:

Entitled much? Today a lot of brick-and-mortar stores don't appreciate people trying out goods, only for them to run to the internet and buy them at possibly a cheaper price. The store you visited may not be moving enough product to justify having a demo out.
 
I remember someone complaining about this similar issue on a computer store forum. He complained that they only had a few models in-store to demo. An employee then came in and countered by saying they had hundreds of laptop SKUs and it'd be infeasible to have a demo of each of them.
 

 
You are correct. Tom at Gifted Listener should of told me that up front insead of being rude about it.
 
He has lost another sale to the internet!