Grado e Series

[swspiers]

  I have these 125e's sitting on my desk unopened and am so tempted to try them out. Are you guys sure it's worth it to go with the SR 80e's instead; do you think the "e" model would have been an improvement on the 125i, which most people here seem to think was a "dud"?

I think that the only thing consistent about Grado is everyone has an opinion, and it's usually different than other people's opinion.  I also think it is virtually impossible to figure out which one a person prefers without listening to them.
 
In other words, trying the 125e is just as much a crap-shoot as downgrading or upgrading to another model.

 

[MacedonianHero]

  You've hit the right spots, Pete!
We've got very similar tastes. 
The same 5 models would be my choice even without the e

 
Thanks. I just added the "e" to make the list up to date. 

  I agree with MH, that the Grado ''journey'' often consists of the SR80, SR225, PS500/RS1, but I would include the GS1000 and of course the PS1000.

I didn't add the GS1000e, just jump to the PS1000e and be done with it I say. 

 

[WilliamLeonhart]

Can any1 please tell the difference between 325e and 325is (Chrome and Silver)?
 
Also heard this opinion the other day: the Grado sound is present on all models, yet SR80/SR325/RS1 belongs to 1 line (more Rock, Metal-ish) while MS1/SR225/MS2 belongs to a more balanced group. Do u guys agree with this? I have not had the chance to try anything above 325 (except Mspro) and the 325is, IMHO, are clearly the best headphone for Extreme Metal. So I'd like to know if the 'e' upgrade makes the Grado lines more fun.

 

[joseph69]

  I have these 125e's sitting on my desk unopened and am so tempted to try them out. Are you guys sure it's worth it to go with the SR 80e's instead; do you think the "e" model would have been an improvement on the 125i, which most people here seem to think was a "dud"?

Which ever one you decide on keeping…purchase Grado (L) cushions for them…big improvement! So if you return the 125e and purchase the 80e (Critchfield $99.99 & (L) cushions ($20.00-Crutchfield) + free shipping, your cost will still be under the price of the 125e alone.
I don't know what you paid for the 125e…I thought they were $150.00, but Crutchfield sells them for $140.99. Here is the link to Crutchfield for the Grado (L) cushions, if your interested:
 
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_786LCUSH/Grado-L-cushion.html?showAll=N&search=grado_l_cushions&skipvs=T
 

  Can any1 please tell the difference between 325e and 325is (Chrome and Silver)?
 
Also heard this opinion the other day: the Grado sound is present on all models, yet SR80/SR325/RS1 belongs to 1 line (more Rock, Metal-ish) while MS1/SR225/MS2 belongs to a more balanced group. Do u guys agree with this? I have not had the chance to try anything above 325 (except Mspro) and the 325is, IMHO, are clearly the best headphone for Extreme Metal. So I'd like to know if the 'e' upgrade makes the Grado lines more fun.

IMO (i) Grados do all genres nicely!

 

[neverdien]

  Can any1 please tell the difference between 325e and 325is (Chrome and Silver)?
 
Also heard this opinion the other day: the Grado sound is present on all models, yet SR80/SR325/RS1 belongs to 1 line (more Rock, Metal-ish) while MS1/SR225/MS2 belongs to a more balanced group. Do u guys agree with this? I have not had the chance to try anything above 325 (except Mspro) and the 325is, IMHO, are clearly the best headphone for Extreme Metal. So I'd like to know if the 'e' upgrade makes the Grado lines more fun.

I've owned the SR80i/225i/325is/RS1e and couldn't agree with you. The SR325is is a different kind from the other 3; it has much more bass/treble comparing with the others and isn't suitable for death/black metal in my taste, yet plays nicely for Linkin Park, Avril Lavinge ect.. The other 3 are just upgraded versions from the ones "below" it RS1>225>80

 

[marts30]

I've owned all Alessandro's and all Grado's (RS1i and below). For me I enjoy the MS2 with metal the most, 325 was just too much in the treble for any length of time. MS2 is aggressive but I don't find it harsh.

 

[stacker45]

I consider myself  VERY fortunate to be able to buy whatever headphones I desire. The reason that I don't own a Stax 009 rig, is because I am not willing to spend this much money on a pair of headphones, and an almost equally expensive amp.
 
In my opinion, the sweet spot for Grado headphones is at around $600, before that some compromises have to be maid in order to meet a competitive price point, and after that, well!, the law of diminishing returns rears it's ugly head.  
 
 Now!, Mr,MH, I'm assuming that the wink at the end of your response to me means that you understand that the jump from the GS1000 to the PS1000 is about $500-$600, (wich will buy you a pair of PS500), not within the reach of everyone, and certainly exactly the $25 needed to go from the SR60 to the SR80.
 
In fact, given what I've said above, I think that the step up from the GS to the PS1000 is not only THE most expensive one, but I think that it also has THE worst price vs performance of the entire Grado Line. 

 

[kolfer1]

I'm most curious regarding the difference between the PS1000e, GS1000e and PS500e.
And yes I know, I need to and will audition them, however the input here definitely helps.
 
As many here I started with the 60, 80, 125 and 325i. Then, oh lordi, I ventured into Senheiser 650 and Audez LCD 2- bamboo- rev 2.  Excellent earphones but alas, like most Grado heads, something is missing. Some excitement some pizzazz, something that makes women vocalist voices sound so..........awesome.
 
I did find the 325i flaw to be somewhat on the harsh and bright side and after about an hour of listening my ears desperately want a break. Not comfortable!
 
I am not a bass head or listen to heavy rock. I listen to a lot of acoustic and vocal, I tend to care a lot about how well the human voice sounds, jazz and classical (more piano and chamber less orchestral). I guess I'm all over the map.
 
I did some research on this site and could not find enough info. Any kindred soul would care shedding some more light on the difference between the PS1000e, GS1000e and PS500e?
Thanks.

 

[WilliamLeonhart]

I do agree that Grados do most genres nicely, but then in their respective price range, I prefer Grados to all the other brands for Metal and Rock music specifically. Very often 325is got complained for being too harsh in the trebles, however mine (a silver one) do perfectly well with O2 and ODAC. I consider that quite a surprise since 3 years ago I got headache listening to a harsh treb models (may have been MDR V6 or one of its successors) for only 2 minutes. Sure it's got plenty of bass but I didn't find the bass dominating the distorted guitar in Black/Death Metal. 
 
The 325is has what I would also call "excitement", maybe thanks to its rather narrow soundstage and its treb+bass presentation. On the other hands, while the details on these cans are well enough for Pop, Vocal, Classical... I think maybe everything (i don't listen to Hiphop and Rap), IMHO the bass make slow music like The Carpenters  sound very awkward.  

 

[joseph69]

  I do agree that Grados do most genres nicely, but then in their respective price range, I prefer Grados to all the other brands for Metal and Rock music specifically. Very often 325is got complained for being too harsh in the trebles, however mine (a silver one) do perfectly well with O2 and ODAC. I consider that quite a surprise since 3 years ago I got headache listening to a harsh treb models (may have been MDR V6 or one of its successors) for only 2 minutes. Sure it's got plenty of bass but I didn't find the bass dominating the distorted guitar in Black/Death Metal. 
 
The 325is has what I would also call "excitement", maybe thanks to its rather narrow soundstage and its treb+bass presentation. On the other hands, while the details on these cans are well enough for Pop, Vocal, Classical... I think maybe everything (i don't listen to Hiphop and Rap), IMHO the bass make slow music like The Carpenters  sound very awkward.  

Funny you should mention the bass in the Carpenters…I listen to the Carpenters quite often, and there is an awkwardness with the bass on all of my Grados, so I know what your saying, I would have to say it definitely the recording! The bass has pretty much no definition/impact/clarity, it definitely sounds sloppy/uncontrolled/dull, right?
I also never found my 325is's to be harsh in the treble as most say. I think more people read this from a few others experiences with the 325's and have labeled them as the harsher sounding Grado…I don't believe most people who say this actually hear them for themselves, for an appropriate amount of time.

 

[kolfer1]

  I also never found my 325is's to be harsh in the treble as most say. I think more people read this from a few others experiences with the 325's and have labeled them as the harsher sounding Grado…I don't believe most people who say this actually hear them for themselves, for an appropriate amount of time.

I've been listening to my 325i for about ten years. Long enough to form an opinion. And I also have the LCD-2; Senheiser HD 650 and AKG 701 to compare with.
I like them, they do certain things very nicely and what can I say- I just like Grados.
 
However, the sound is still somewhat harsh and fatiguing and they're certainly uncomfortable to wear. Never tried anything else than the stock cushions though, that may help in comfort.  Though I suspect not so much with some of the harshness of sound I don't like. That's why I was wondering about the difference between the PS1000, GS1000 and the PS500 and where they do well.

 

[WilliamLeonhart]

I'm not sure that it's the recording, since most slower songs I have would have 'sloppy' bass on the 325is. But yes I never found the treb of the 325is to be harsh at all. My first experience with the 325is was with the O2+ODAC, and I was so impressed by this setup that I sold all my old lineup (HD448, HD558, Alessandro MS1 and iBasso D2) to get the 325is and the dac/amp by JDS. Even when I plugged my 325is into the iphone 5 and the ipad air, the treb is still not harsh at all. However my 325is were well burnt-in the time I bought them. I'm not sure whether being burnt-in or not would make such a difference though, because Im sure I can never never stand headphones with 'harsh' treb.

 

[zazex]

I bought a set of 325is about a month before the e series was announced.
 
It was my second try with these headphones - I'd bought a pair about two years ago.
 
On the more recent set, the treble was not harsh.
On the earlier set, it was very harsh and I ended up returning those.
 
I assume FWIW that Grado made some unannounced tweaks to the 325is,
and it's these tweaks that are causing most of the disagreement here.

 

[LCfiner]

^ Does you 325is have those red magnets behind the drivers? If so, then you already got an e series. "Red Eye" Grado.
 
I'm curious. was the old 325 running on the same equipment you have now?
 
I experienced a similar thing with the PS1000. Unit bought a couple years ago was harsh to me. couldn't enjoy it. was running on Burson Soloist.
 
Unit I have now sounds sweet (a little tipped up but not aggravating in any way) and sounds good running on the basic Emotiva DC-1 headphone out and great on the Ear+ amp.
 
Some of the more energetic Grados might pair particularly poorly with some amps so I'm wondering if you happened to have a similar situation to mine - different upstream gear accentuating the worst tendencies of the headphone

 

[KG Jag]

...
  I also never found my 325is's to be harsh in the treble as most say. I think more people read this from a few others experiences with the 325's and have labeled them as the harsher sounding Grado…I don't believe most people who say this actually hear them for themselves, for an appropriate amount of time.

 
I own all of the now old series ("i"/"is") Grados (and a couple of the very old series), as well as their 3 Alessandro cousins.  The 325is, which I hear as a true transition can between the SR and RS lines, has strident treble.  I can certainly understand why some call it harsh and/or sibilant.  It is different in this respect from the rest of the SR line.  Largely becasue of this, I prefer the MS-2is over the 325is--although I enjoy both, especially for rock and electric blues.
 
The RS's have also been criticized by not a small number for the same type of thing--harsh treble.  I can understand this as well.