Grado Fan Club!
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I know I'll never be satisfied until I hear the RS1X myself so I caved in and ordered from 4ourears.
As far as "on ear" Grado's are concerned: I have the RS1i, SR80e, and owned RS1 (vintage and classic versions), RS1e, RS2e, 325e, GH1, and had the Hemp for a short while so I'm crossing my fingers.
As far as "on ear" Grado's are concerned: I have the RS1i, SR80e, and owned RS1 (vintage and classic versions), RS1e, RS2e, 325e, GH1, and had the Hemp for a short while so I'm crossing my fingers.
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Gippy
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I went for the GS3000e to remove upgrade-itis and not be seduced by all the various mid-tier models. Pretty easy to pass on the RS1x when you already own a "better" model. However, I broke my own rule, gave in to the hype, and bought the Hemp, which I should sell soon, as I haven't used it after the first month.
jonathan c
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The PS2000e is wonderfully driven by the Woo WA ‘Sixilla’…
Heyyoudvd
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rasmushorn
Headphoneus Supremus
I the midst of the RS-1X and RS-2X, X-driver and wood-sandwich-mania, I spent some time with SR225x during the week. Here is what I think of the new X-driver update...
Grado SR225e vs. 225x
I bought myself a 6 weeks old pair of SR225x to see if they were an improvement over the SR225e. I was not sure if they had been used a lot, so I started by giving them some proper break-in time with 48 hours of my speaker break-in CD.
After the first listen, I was wondering; where are all the micro details that I have loved in 225e? The SR225x is definitely a darker sounding headphone but they have lost the edge. Even bass heavy music sounded lifeless and too mellow. 225e sounds more delicate and faster overall at the first direct comparison.
When switching directly from the 225e to the 225x there is a veil over the music. The sparkle and treble edginess is gone. I think they have lost some of their Grado-signature openness. I know this is caused by my ears not adjusting to the darker signature. But this is my first impression.
I have kept the original pads on both 225e and 225x and I think the majority of the difference is in the two different pads. But even when switching them so the 225e get the flat pads the midrange sounds strangely off and vocals are lifeless. The soundstage is smaller and the sound is more in-your-face with the flat-pads. With the 225e stock pads(L-cushions) the stage is bigger and more space between the instruments. I did prefer the L-cushions on both 225x and 225e soundwise even though 225x lacks something in the midrange with the L-cushions. So, back to stock pads on both headphones again for the sake of listening to them as Grado intended.
No doubt they are trying to follow the same signature as the Hemps and the SR225x is not far behind the resolution and transparency of the Hemps. It is almost like the Hemps are tuned for the flat pads where 225x sounds brighter and more to my taste when I used the 225e stock pads (the L-cushions).
The flat pads are the most comfortable on my ears. They add more bass to the 225e but some of the sparkle is lost as well. I like the slam and punch in 225e with their stock pads the best.
Those who find 225e too bright will like the 225x better. I was hoping the new 225x would be significantly technically better than the former model but to me they sound technically on par and to my ears they are not a revolutionary new driver that makes it worth it to upgrade from the older models. They do probably have the same speed and resolution but tuned with less upper mids and treble presence. Because of that they come out as if they have less resolution and less air around instruments. I also feel like the 225e have a tiny bit more power to handle all genres with ease. Every time I shift back to 225e the music feels more free and less constricted.
I think 225e does snare-drums and kick-drums with better authority and definition and can be more agressive when needed. There is a more defined punch and kick in them that just hits harder than both Hemp and 225x. I hear more room-decay in 225e and 225x sounds more dry with less decay. Which should indicate that 225x drivers are more controlled but I like the 225e a bit better.
As I said I just love the slam and punch in 225e. The two headphones have about the same bass impact and 225x goes deeper. The difference is not a matter of bass impact but more a rhythm and pace thing. Electric guitars and acoustic guitars are oh so satisfying and defined with 225e. If I only had the Hemp or 225x I would not notice that anything was missing but in direct comparison I do prefer what the 225e can do so well.
The “new” flat pads on 225x are more comfortable and I can wear them longer than the stock pads on 225e. The new cable…hmmm.. I am not sure it is any better than the old cable. It looks better though and it is probably even less flexible. Maybe the new fabric makes it more durable in the long run? I never had any problems with Grado cables except the normal twisting when the cups are turned around over time. The new soft headband feels like cheap plastic and is a very disappointing for a headphone in this price range.
That airy and edgy sound that I have always found so satisfying with Grado and could ONLY be found in Grado’s is no longer there to the same extend in 225x if you ask me - a long time Grado fan because of that. I will keep my 225e as a memory from old days but the 225x will not find much use and I am sorry to my headphones-heros in Brooklyn, that I turn out to be a conservative and somewhat disappointed old fan.
During the comparison of 225e and 225x, I sometimes threw in the Hemps and I have to admit that I prefer the brighter 225e even over the Hemps because of their more airy and edgy signature. I can definitely appreciate the Hemps all the way but there is a deeper satisfaction to some music with 225e.
This is the first time I hear one of the new x-series. I understand most people like the x-series better than the e’s. Some users said they found the soundstage bigger with the x-series drivers. I hear the opposite with 225x. The 225e soundstage is definitely bigger - using stock pads on both.
I hope that my thought, that have almost turned into a review of the SR225x can serve the Grado community and help people decide if SR225x is a candidate for them. It will be loved by many. I just prefer the old Grado-signature and I am one of those people who cannot get it bright enough. My intention is not to say 225x is a bad headphone because it has all that one can wish for from a Grado in this price-range soundwise. Now I wonder if this is the same picture in the rest of the x-series? My favourite Grado of all time was the gold SR325i because of its VERY edgy metallic and crisp Grado-sound (I know that model was a hate or love signature, so take my impressions with that in mind) and the RS1i because of how it made music open and flow like no other headphone I have ever heard.
I am looking forward to listen to the new RS-xX-series with new x-series drivers and hope they turn out to be combining both the original Grado-soul, sparkle and speed, and the depth of the X-series. But my hopes are low. They sure look awesome but I am not sure they are where I will invest my money.
I used the following tracks played from Apple Music for comparing the 225x to my other Grados:
Music was played from USB to the EarMen TR-Amp which, with its two headphone plugs made it easy to quickly switch back and forth between two headphones from the same source.
Grado SR225e vs. 225x
I bought myself a 6 weeks old pair of SR225x to see if they were an improvement over the SR225e. I was not sure if they had been used a lot, so I started by giving them some proper break-in time with 48 hours of my speaker break-in CD.
After the first listen, I was wondering; where are all the micro details that I have loved in 225e? The SR225x is definitely a darker sounding headphone but they have lost the edge. Even bass heavy music sounded lifeless and too mellow. 225e sounds more delicate and faster overall at the first direct comparison.
When switching directly from the 225e to the 225x there is a veil over the music. The sparkle and treble edginess is gone. I think they have lost some of their Grado-signature openness. I know this is caused by my ears not adjusting to the darker signature. But this is my first impression.
I have kept the original pads on both 225e and 225x and I think the majority of the difference is in the two different pads. But even when switching them so the 225e get the flat pads the midrange sounds strangely off and vocals are lifeless. The soundstage is smaller and the sound is more in-your-face with the flat-pads. With the 225e stock pads(L-cushions) the stage is bigger and more space between the instruments. I did prefer the L-cushions on both 225x and 225e soundwise even though 225x lacks something in the midrange with the L-cushions. So, back to stock pads on both headphones again for the sake of listening to them as Grado intended.
No doubt they are trying to follow the same signature as the Hemps and the SR225x is not far behind the resolution and transparency of the Hemps. It is almost like the Hemps are tuned for the flat pads where 225x sounds brighter and more to my taste when I used the 225e stock pads (the L-cushions).
The flat pads are the most comfortable on my ears. They add more bass to the 225e but some of the sparkle is lost as well. I like the slam and punch in 225e with their stock pads the best.
Those who find 225e too bright will like the 225x better. I was hoping the new 225x would be significantly technically better than the former model but to me they sound technically on par and to my ears they are not a revolutionary new driver that makes it worth it to upgrade from the older models. They do probably have the same speed and resolution but tuned with less upper mids and treble presence. Because of that they come out as if they have less resolution and less air around instruments. I also feel like the 225e have a tiny bit more power to handle all genres with ease. Every time I shift back to 225e the music feels more free and less constricted.
I think 225e does snare-drums and kick-drums with better authority and definition and can be more agressive when needed. There is a more defined punch and kick in them that just hits harder than both Hemp and 225x. I hear more room-decay in 225e and 225x sounds more dry with less decay. Which should indicate that 225x drivers are more controlled but I like the 225e a bit better.
As I said I just love the slam and punch in 225e. The two headphones have about the same bass impact and 225x goes deeper. The difference is not a matter of bass impact but more a rhythm and pace thing. Electric guitars and acoustic guitars are oh so satisfying and defined with 225e. If I only had the Hemp or 225x I would not notice that anything was missing but in direct comparison I do prefer what the 225e can do so well.
The “new” flat pads on 225x are more comfortable and I can wear them longer than the stock pads on 225e. The new cable…hmmm.. I am not sure it is any better than the old cable. It looks better though and it is probably even less flexible. Maybe the new fabric makes it more durable in the long run? I never had any problems with Grado cables except the normal twisting when the cups are turned around over time. The new soft headband feels like cheap plastic and is a very disappointing for a headphone in this price range.
That airy and edgy sound that I have always found so satisfying with Grado and could ONLY be found in Grado’s is no longer there to the same extend in 225x if you ask me - a long time Grado fan because of that. I will keep my 225e as a memory from old days but the 225x will not find much use and I am sorry to my headphones-heros in Brooklyn, that I turn out to be a conservative and somewhat disappointed old fan.
During the comparison of 225e and 225x, I sometimes threw in the Hemps and I have to admit that I prefer the brighter 225e even over the Hemps because of their more airy and edgy signature. I can definitely appreciate the Hemps all the way but there is a deeper satisfaction to some music with 225e.
This is the first time I hear one of the new x-series. I understand most people like the x-series better than the e’s. Some users said they found the soundstage bigger with the x-series drivers. I hear the opposite with 225x. The 225e soundstage is definitely bigger - using stock pads on both.
I hope that my thought, that have almost turned into a review of the SR225x can serve the Grado community and help people decide if SR225x is a candidate for them. It will be loved by many. I just prefer the old Grado-signature and I am one of those people who cannot get it bright enough. My intention is not to say 225x is a bad headphone because it has all that one can wish for from a Grado in this price-range soundwise. Now I wonder if this is the same picture in the rest of the x-series? My favourite Grado of all time was the gold SR325i because of its VERY edgy metallic and crisp Grado-sound (I know that model was a hate or love signature, so take my impressions with that in mind) and the RS1i because of how it made music open and flow like no other headphone I have ever heard.
I am looking forward to listen to the new RS-xX-series with new x-series drivers and hope they turn out to be combining both the original Grado-soul, sparkle and speed, and the depth of the X-series. But my hopes are low. They sure look awesome but I am not sure they are where I will invest my money.
I used the following tracks played from Apple Music for comparing the 225x to my other Grados:
Music was played from USB to the EarMen TR-Amp which, with its two headphone plugs made it easy to quickly switch back and forth between two headphones from the same source.
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Nice review 
Helped me a lot. Think i gonna buy 225e again and maybe 60x(only for testing the new x-driver)
sold my 225e in may, WHY?
Helped me a lot. Think i gonna buy 225e again and maybe 60x(only for testing the new x-driver)sold my 225e in may, WHY?
Gippy
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Thanks for the in-depth review of the 225e vs 225x. It's one of the only reviews where the older model was directly compared against the current model. (I still haven't seen a 60e vs 60x review yet.) Your review reminds me of when I directly compared the Hemp vs. the GH4 at the shop. The GH4 had that last bit of sparkle and clarity that the Hemp lacked. It seems as though the x-drivers (which I still haven't heard) are designed around the same less-peaky lineage of the Hemp driver. It's not unheard of for people to prefer the older model; a number of people preferred the PS500/RS1i/GS1000i over the PS500e/RS1e/GS1000e.
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The RS2x is more open with a bit better detail throughout in my opinion. It also easily bests my older RS2.My guess is that the RS2X is going to sound similar to the Hemps. The only real difference is the outer part made of maple (the driver part is algo made of maple on the Hemp). It also has the 38ohm impedence and same driver size.
The major sound difference might be the pad. I'm curious to test both with the same pads
I hope I'm wrong, since the RS2e is my all time favorite from Grado
The RS1x also is a nice improvement over the RS1e which was part of the last production run of those.
Both x versions look quite good in person.
In regards to slightly higher pricing keep in mind how many years (decades excepting the 60 series) Grado has held the line on their retail pricing so I would congratulate them. If anyone can think of any other headphone brand that can match that record please let me know.
I am very much looking forward to early buyers posting their impressions. If you have been a Grado fan you will not be disappointed.
If you have not ever had any Grado phones now would be a great time to check them out.
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Could you elaborate on RS1X being "nice improvement over the RS1e". How is the treble of the RS1x compare to RS1e or RS2e or any other RS1?
carboncopy
500+ Head-Fier
Are they prototype RS1x? The lettering is almost non-readable on the picture...
Also a brown headband. Leftover from RSe versions.
I just got home last night from a trip of a couple of weeks so I will give both some listening and refresh my impressions so I can be more specific and post that in the next day or two.
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