Grado Fan Club!
May 28, 2021 at 8:57 PM Post #47,596 of 65,063
Did the original flats have the radial cuts or was that a recent innovation?
Yes, the originals had the radial cuts. The current Grado F pads, the TTVJ flat pads and the original 1980’s Grado pads are all exactly the same.
 
May 29, 2021 at 7:38 AM Post #47,597 of 65,063
F Cush…much has been made of these. I don’t really get it.

Me neither. I'm on the other extreme. G pads, plus an amp that further widens the soundstage so much that it puts the HD800 to shame. It's an ethereal experience that I don't get out of my portable rigs. But it doesn't work on the low-end models without heavy EQ; putting the G pads on my old SR225i is treble murder.
 
May 29, 2021 at 10:23 AM Post #47,598 of 65,063
After contacting Grado's 4ourears store about my Hemp having unwanted resonance in the left cup, they didn't contact me back with any offer of support for fixing or replacement of my Hemp. They simply replied with a return label. No customer support at all.

I've tried sucking out any hair from the cup, with no help at all. If the resonance is caused by stray dust or hair on the driver, it isn't coming out without manually opening up the headphones and taking out whatever is there.

I'm pretty disappointed in Grado for handling the care of limited edition gear by just telling me to return it. I mean come on! What if they were out of the limited edition headphones and I had this issue? NO effort or offer to examine my set and return to me when fixed?

And you know what sucks the most? I LOVE the sound of these things! So what now...never get Grado again and risk this lack of support when something happens?
 
May 29, 2021 at 10:34 AM Post #47,599 of 65,063
After contacting Grado's 4ourears store about my Hemp having unwanted resonance in the left cup, they didn't contact me back with any offer of support for fixing or replacement of my Hemp. They simply replied with a return label. No customer support at all.

I've tried sucking out any hair from the cup, with no help at all. If the resonance is caused by stray dust or hair on the driver, it isn't coming out without manually opening up the headphones and taking out whatever is there.

I'm pretty disappointed in Grado for handling the care of limited edition gear by just telling me to return it. I mean come on! What if they were out of the limited edition headphones and I had this issue? NO effort or offer to examine my set and return to me when fixed?

And you know what sucks the most? I LOVE the sound of these things! So what now...never get Grado again and risk this lack of support when something happens?
Seems to me that they want you to return it so they can fix it or send a new one. Not sure what else they could do.
 
May 29, 2021 at 10:38 AM Post #47,600 of 65,063
Seems to me that they want you to return it so they can fix it or send a new one. Not sure what else they could do.
Except their email didn't say anything of the sort. Here is what I said in my original email asking for support:
"My order (Order #37027) has an audible issue in the left ear driver/cup. There is a distinct rattle or unwanted vibration noise coming from the left ear on any track or video tested. This issue does not occur on the right, only the left.

Is it possible to be given a shipping label to ship these back for repairs and/or be sent a replacement set of these headphones? If a repair or replacement is not possible, I would want to return these for a refund."


And here is their response:
"Here is your return label for your recent order (#37027). You can find the return label attached to this email. If you have any questions or problems with your return, please email .\n\n(generated by ShipStation)"


They barely said anything to specify what would happen in terms of replacement or repairs. Their response is so brief in fact, that the best I can infer is that they will refund with no effort made otherwise to replace or repair.
 
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May 29, 2021 at 10:48 AM Post #47,601 of 65,063
Definitely could be clearer but you asked for a shipping label for a repair or replacement and they sent you a shipping label. Maybe send another email to confirm what they plan to do but I’d think their intention is to do what you requested.
 
May 29, 2021 at 10:55 AM Post #47,602 of 65,063
Definitely could be clearer but you asked for a shipping label for a repair or replacement and they sent you a shipping label. Maybe send another email to confirm what they plan to do but I’d think their intention is to do what you requested.
Yea, I just sent an email now asking specifically about repairs.

It still isn’t good that customer support doesn’t communicate clearly here. Yes I asked for a label, but I was clear about requesting repairs - with a refund/return ONLY if such repairs weren’t possible.

Their response even says “If you have any questions or problems with your return, please email […]”

At best interpretation, they are being vague and need me to ask for clarification. That isn’t great customer communication. At worst, they skimmed or ignored my question - and with curt brevity expect me to just send back in their headphones for a return.

EDIT::
Richard Grado followed up with me and told me I can send them in for repair. He made it clear that they will repair it so long as I send it in with a note alongside the item that states what I would like to be done (e.g. "please repair and send back, or replace if needed," or something like that).

So it seems that I'm all good for now. If I still have an issue after the repair/replacement, I'll let the forum know!
 
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May 29, 2021 at 12:17 PM Post #47,603 of 65,063
Yea, I just sent an email now asking specifically about repairs.

It still isn’t good that customer support doesn’t communicate clearly here. Yes I asked for a label, but I was clear about requesting repairs - with a refund/return ONLY if such repairs weren’t possible.

Their response even says “If you have any questions or problems with your return, please email […]”

At best interpretation, they are being vague and need me to ask for clarification. That isn’t great customer communication. At worst, they skimmed or ignored my question - and with curt brevity expect me to just send back in their headphones for a return.

EDIT::
Richard Grado followed up with me and told me I can send them in for repair. He made it clear that they will repair it so long as I send it in with a note alongside the item that states what I would like to be done (e.g. "please repair and send back, or replace if needed," or something like that).

So it seems that I'm all good for now. If I still have an issue after the repair/replacement, I'll let the forum know!
Excellent, glad it worked out!
 
May 29, 2021 at 12:25 PM Post #47,604 of 65,063
What if they were out of the limited edition headphones and I had this issue?

That wouldn't be an issue unless they no longer had the drivers. In the Hemp's case, they'd probably just use their best 44mm X drivers. It's not like the HP1000 where if those drivers die, you're outta luck.
 
May 29, 2021 at 12:44 PM Post #47,605 of 65,063
So I ordered the x325x last Thursday evening and it was already delivered today (NL dealer).

This is my first ‘Prestige’ range Grado (I went straight to RS2e when I got into the brand and had a few LE as well in the past).

Looks: I really do like the ‘industrial’ look of these. The black leather headband with the white stitching is a nice touch.

Comfort: they are a bit heavier then I expected as I am used to the wooden Grados but the little extra weight gives them a quality feel imo.

Sound: only a few hours on them but to my 50+ ears they sound a lot like The Hemp. For me that’s a big plus. I really like the low end on the Grados tuned for F-cush (I listen to so many diffrent genres from folk to metal to drum&bass and others…). For more bass centered music I used to prefer my Audeze LCD-1 but since the arrival of Hemp (which I bought after) those days are gone. The 325x easily is on par with Hemp and maybe they will really surprise me after more play time.

Cable: Aaaa THE cable. It still is rather stiff but it won’t tangle like the snake we all know. The braiding does make it a bit slippery when you want to roll it up for storage, like in my attached picture (so maybe still a bit of a snake after all).

That’s it for a first impression but if I note any significant changes after more play time I’ll get back on this.

After thought: If Grado releases an RS2x and RS1x which has all the virtuous of the legacy models but with the added bass I think they would really be onto something special for this generation of headphones.
 

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May 29, 2021 at 3:23 PM Post #47,606 of 65,063
Not sure if I gonna try Grado again! No qualitycontroll in the factory?
 
May 29, 2021 at 3:38 PM Post #47,607 of 65,063
Earlier in the week I posted about how I felt Grado was very particular about the wording on their website. You’ll even notice the wireless headphone doesn’t say a darn thing about the sound on the website, just that it uses a grado driver. They know it’s not a good headphone too! But they use the words “warm harmonic sounds“ and “pure Grado” on a few pages. RS2e being one of them. As well as the 125x and 225x. So i had spit balled the idea that those headphones were more in line with classic grado. I bought the 80x and I really enjoy it, but it’s not what i would consider the “pure Grado” house sound. So I purchased the 225x to see for myself.

For those worried that the classic grado sound was gone with the x-series fear not. I just got the SR225x and Grados house sound is fully intact. I’m getting that same “airiness” that i got from the RS2e and GH3. I got less of that with the 80x, and the Hemp I don’t get much of that same sound either. I love the Hemp, it’s an amazing headphone, but it’s not Grados house sound (For better or worse depending who you ask.)

I need more than the 30 minutes i have had with the SR225x to give it better impressions, but i first wanted to see if it passed the “Pure Grado” house sound test. and In my limited grado experience- it does

*edit* so it seems that the 60x is the gateway into Grado. And you have two paths to take

1. The more balanced/neutral path which is SR80x, SR325x, Hemp…

2. Classic Grado path which is sr125x, SR225x, rs2e…
 
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May 29, 2021 at 3:51 PM Post #47,608 of 65,063
Not sure if I gonna try Grado again! No qualitycontroll in the factory?
I’ve bought many Grados over the last 30 years and didn’t always care for the sound but never had any malfunctioning units. Luck of the draw I guess.
 
May 29, 2021 at 4:06 PM Post #47,609 of 65,063
Not sure if I gonna try Grado again! No qualitycontroll in the factory?
I can’t be sure what the source of my issue is. It could be something getting in through the large holes on the backside’s grill. Hair or some dust. Couldn’t be something to do with quality control in that case.

Hopefully it is something so minor and they can fix it. But we’ll see. I do hope the resonance I hear isn’t a failed quality control check though during manufacture. It doesn’t seem to be a common issue, so I’m only guessing they left production in fine quality.

I still don’t love, of course, that my newly purchased headphones even picked up such an issue from just sitting in my apartment for a day or two exposed in the air.

I’ll check back in as I find out more, if they tell me what happens when the receive it. I shipped my Hemp back a couple hours ago.
 
May 29, 2021 at 4:06 PM Post #47,610 of 65,063
For those worried that the classic grado sound was gone with the x-series fear not. I just got the SR225x and Grados house sound is fully intact.

Wow, now I'm really tempted to pick up the SR225x even though I know it ultimately won't get much head time past the honeymoon phase.
 

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