[Plautus001]

My belief is that Grado will love tube amps and this reviewer share the same thoughts.
https://www.headfonia.com/grado-sr80x-sr325x-review/

This review is still the best SR325x review I have read and I fully agree.

It was what sent me to the shop where I bought my SR325x.. and I eventually got my RS2x there as well.

 

[UntilThen]

I did a quick pad swap to see if I like it with the G pads. Unfortunately it is not as good as with the stock F pads. With the F cushions or donut as they are called, sound is more forceful, and upfront. It is this that draws me to the 325x. The G pads makes it more distant.

Picture showing the 325x with G pads and the F pads by the side.

 

[UntilThen]

Perhaps unboxing first. For $400 Aussie dollars, I am ok with the packaging. The cable is stiff.

 

[UntilThen]

An hour into listening now. 325x has to be the most aggressive headphone I've listen to. It's not sharp. It's just electrified. Like listening to a live rock concert. The energy is intoxicating. Grado may not be for everyone but I love it. Listening with my amp Odyssey, the impact is similar to Auris Nirvana. Now the question of burn in. I will just use it as normal and see if I notice any changes along the way. Out of the box though, it sounds great. See how low my volume is.

 

[jsk ksj]

Resolve@headphones.com disagrees with you.

Please return immediately for full refund.

 

[Joaquin Dinero]

Like listening to a live rock concert. The energy is intoxicating. Grado may not be for everyone but I love it.

This.

 

[funkymartyn]

My new balanced cable arrived today for my modified 325x

Now enjoying Deep Purple made in Japan

Great looking cable,. Where did you go for them. Sky audio, ?

 

[Mimouille]

The sr125i's plus PA2v2 is orgasmic

 

[Riverflow]

Great looking cable,. Where did you go for them. Sky audio, ?

Yes it is from sky audio.
I was quiet impressed at a decent price and quality

 

[pk4425]

Why all these talk about 325x suddenly? I just bought one after hearing it at the shop.

It's so weird. The 325x was the first Grado I heard, at a shop last summer while visiting my daughter in Seattle. I expected my ear canals to be tortured with treble ice picks, put on the 325x and thought: "F*ck, these sound good! There is bass! The treble isn't that bad!"

That initial experience stuck with me all fall and winter. I bought a pair of 325x in early March and after a break-in period haven't regretted the purchase one bit.

I think the 325x are the Grados for people who are put off by Grado's reputation for being sizzling treble monsters. The tuning is very good -- far more balanced than I expected -- while still maintaining the immediacy and energy of the "Grado sound."

I'm listening to Feist's new album through my 325x's while working now, and it's a wonderful experience. Are the Grados better than my $1,200 LCD-X 2021? Nope, especially when the LCD-X is equalized through Roon. But damn, the 325x is a fantastic can for $295, with very pleasing tuning, immediacy and energy right out of the box, with minimal power requirements. The only change I made was to switch to $12 Geekria G "bowl" pads, which add significant soundstage and are a bit more comfortable for me.

 

[TheMiddleSky]

I went to the shop to pick up the Harmony earpads for my Susvara. Whilst there, I thought why not audition some headphones. So I ask to audition Caldera with Auris Nirvana and Chord Hugo TT2 and Mscalar. Damm Caldera sounded great. More meat and body than my Susvara.

Then I ask to audition Grado 325x and I plug it into the same amp and dac combination. It was a moment of - You can't be serious ! The energy, clarity and impact charged through my body and Dire Straits is revitalized again. So Caldera was forgotten as I became immersed in Grado sound. I tried 325e, RS1x but it's the 325x that I come back to always. There's presence ! Mid range will send shivers down your spine and that treble. It's like honey.

So I went home with the 325x and paid AUD$399 for it and the Harmony pads cost me AUD$199.... that's outrageous.

The equipment when I was having an afternoon of fun.

I still can't believe the fact that Auris is no more using wood design. I looked at your photo and my eyes wandering around where the Nirvana in this photo lol.

Grado actually is my first serious headphone that grab me to this deep audiophile world. Have you tried Hemp? or perhaps RS1x? Both of them are my current favourites for under $1000 Grado. While GS3000x indeed is the leader of the pack in term of sound and build.

 

[UntilThen]

"F*ck, these sound good! There is bass! The treble isn't that bad!"

This would be the new punch line for the 325x. Apart from that, the midrange is unashamely forward and engaging. Listen to vocals and it snaps on.

I didn't compare the 325e and 325x for very long yesterday at the shop but the 325x appeal more to my ears because there's more meat to the bones and it's slightly warmer. Warmer is not a word you associate with Grado but this is comparatively between the 2 versions of 325.

Is it better than Susvara? No. My tube amps were built for Susvara. I can hear every nuances and details from Susvara but the Grado 325x has an immediacy that makes visiting my song library on Tidal like a new experience.

Big powerful tube amps just crushes the 325x but they are not the quietest for high efficiency headphones like the Grados. So Eric of McChanson amps to the rescue. I'm being loan 2 tube amps on the weekend to try with my Grados. Yes I still have my GH1 and with more time on the 325x, I'll post some impressions on what I think of the 2 Grados side by side.

This is the 6v6/6y6g Mini amp that puts out 3w.


This is the Super Micro 6ew7 amp that puts out 2w.

 

[UntilThen]

I still can't believe the fact that Auris is no more using wood design. I looked at your photo and my eyes wandering around where the Nirvana in this photo lol.

Grado actually is my first serious headphone that grab me to this deep audiophile world. Have you tried Hemp? or perhaps RS1x? Both of them are my current favourites for under $1000 Grado. While GS3000x indeed is the leader of the pack in term of sound and build.

Yup the black Nirvana doesn't look as good as the previous wooden chassis version. I have a choice of amps to try yesterday but because I was auditioning Caldera first, I choose an amp with more oomph.

I did listen to the RS1x for a short while but the 325x is the loudest of them all. It must be the most efficient of all the Grados. In an audition, usually the loudest headphone gets your attention. With more time spent at home, your preference might change. There was no Hemp there... fortunately or I might have bought the Hemp instead.

However back home and still going through the Dire Straits catalog, I can't get enough of the 325x and it's 4:47am on a Wed here.

 

[TheMiddleSky]

Yup the black Nirvana doesn't look as good as the previous wooden chassis version. I have a choice of amps to try yesterday but because I was auditioning Caldera first, I choose an amp with more oomph.

I did listen to the RS1x for a short while but the 325x is the loudest of them all. It must be the most efficient of all the Grados. In an audition, usually the loudest headphone gets your attention. With more time spent at home, your preference might change. There was no Hemp there... fortunately or I might have bought the Hemp instead.

However back home and still going through the Dire Straits catalog, I can't get enough of the 325x and it's 4:47am on a Wed here.

Damn, just when I thought my sleeping time is "owl" enough, there you are with 3 hours ahead of me.

RS1x, with the standard bowl pad, not as "explosive" as 325x. RS1x is more refine, spacious, with natural wood sound. Hemp (roughly) is like the combination of RS1x and 325x.

Just a little tip, if you like warm sounding of Flat Pad, but demand more comfort, you can opt to ZMF pad for Grado, the lambskin type.

 

[UntilThen]

RS1x, with the standard bowl pad, not as "explosive" as 325x. RS1x is more refine, spacious, with natural wood sound.

You have describe it pretty accurately here. Those are my thoughts too from the short audition of the 2 headphones.

Just a little tip, if you like warm sounding of Flat Pad, but demand more comfort, you can opt to ZMF pad for Grado, the lambskin type.

Do you have a link on where to buy the ZMF pads? Do they snap on easily like the Grado pads. The stock F pads are just great to my ears.