[joeq70]

Hey friends. Since these are currently out of stock/backordered due to demand, I wanted to let you know that I'm selling a like new pair of the Shipibo Audio Grado earpads.

 

[earmonger]

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…

With the SR series you really do get what you pay for. I haven't heard the SR60x or SR80x but back in the day, I tried the whole SR series side by side. The difference between SR60 or SR80 and SR125 was huge, and SR325 was another major upgrade. It doesn't seem fair to characterize the whole range by its second-from-the-bottom offering.

 

[Okrelayer]

With the SR series you really do get what you pay for. I haven't heard the SR60x or SR80x but back in the day, I tried the whole SR series side by side. The difference between SR60 or SR80 and SR125 was huge, and SR325 was another major upgrade. It doesn't seem fair to characterize the whole range by its second-from-the-bottom offering.

I just think they all have a different tuning, for different tastes. Not that one is better than another. they coexist just fine

 

[joeq70]

Just want to drop in with my take on the new SR325X. IMO there is a reason that a price difference exists between it and the Hemp.

Here are some basic differences:

SR325X:

• 325X is bassier than the Hemp but less articulate in the bass
• 325X is less detailed than the Hemp. 325X is a little veiled sounding in comparison
• 325X soundstage is more congested than the Hemp

Overall, the 325X has much more in common with the Hemp than the SR325 non-X versions.

IMO, the Hemp is easily worth the extra money and is a clear upgrade over the 325X. That said, the 325X is a fine headphone in its own right, especially if you are looking for the bassiest, smoothest sounding Grado.

 

[donlin]

Just want to drop in with my take on the new SR325X. IMO there is a reason that a price difference exists between it and the Hemp.

Here are some basic differences:

SR325X:

• 325X is bassier than the Hemp but less articulate in the bass
• 325X is less detailed than the Hemp. 325X is a little veiled sounding in comparison
• 325X soundstage is more congested than the Hemp

Overall, the 325X has much more in common with the Hemp than the SR325 non-X versions.

IMO, the Hemp is easily worth the extra money and is a clear upgrade over the 325X. That said, the 325X is a fine headphone in its own right, especially if you are looking for the bassiest, smoothest sounding Grado.

Thanks, this is a very useful comparison!

 

[carboncopy]

I posted a photo in the systems picture thread today. With the Trafomatic's ability to impedance match the headphones I am trying out a few. ZMF Aelous, Dan Clark Ether C Flow 1.1, Audeze LCD2-C ...the Trafomatic can drive all of them with ease. Then I noticed Moby put out a new album with Deutsche Grammophon. I started with the ZMF. Nice, but somehow not big enough, it just plays. Dan Clark (really love it with electronica). Better, there is scale but still something is missing. Then I reached for the RS2e. It is like day and night. It just speaks to me music. On a whole different level. I said it before and with growing experience I say it again: Grado is the high-end headphone. Where the "high-end" is the definition of what comes after hi-fi.

 

[carboncopy]

Sorry, double somehow

 

[Mad Max]

LMAO that ain't far off! The main thing is just move it around until things seem to "open up" properly.

Grado are so much more finicky than nearly any headphone I've ever had. With stuff like my Audeze or the HD650 you can just kinda throw 'em on your head and as long as you didn't accidentally wear them over your eyes you're good to go, but there's this "sweet spot" with Grado that takes some fiddling to find.

Grados aren't as finicky as Ultrasones in general, if you ever try those. Or HD5x8 and HD5x9, their soundstaging suffers badly if placed wrong.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

Grados aren't as finicky as Ultrasones in general, if you ever try those. Or HD5x8 and HD5x9, their soundstaging suffers badly if placed wrong.

I haven't had those Senns, but I've had the HD600 and HD650 and the thing about over-ears is they're really difficult to put on badly. They go the whole way around your ears so it's kinda obvious where they should be sitting.

 

[Asahi Templar]

Some interesting impressions about the 325x so far, it sounds like perhaps it is a baby ps500e? As I understand it the ps500e was considerably bassier than other Grados, maybe that is the new plan is to have the metal Grado be the bass kings,while the plastic and wood remain more traditional sounding.

I bet a ps500x is going to be a bass cannon!

I have a 325x on order as I missed having a Grado and couldn't resist giving the new ones a try. As I understand it the 325e was one of the brightest Grados so it sounds like it is quite a change from the last gen.

Will be interesting to try, I had a GH4, the Hemp and the Grado White Headphone before, but I haven't tried the metal ones before.

 

[Stevko]

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.

DOA
Returned them yesterday
Maybe i should try sigva or ollo instead?

 

[544322]

Some interesting impressions about the 325x so far, it sounds like perhaps it is a baby ps500e? As I understand it the ps500e was considerably bassier than other Grados, maybe that is the new plan is to have the metal Grado be the bass kings,while the plastic and wood remain more traditional sounding.

I bet a ps500x is going to be a bass cannon!

I have a 325x on order as I missed having a Grado and couldn't resist giving the new ones a try. As I understand it the 325e was one of the brightest Grados so it sounds like it is quite a change from the last gen.

Will be interesting to try, I had a GH4, the Hemp and the Grado White Headphone before, but I haven't tried the metal ones before.

I have the PS500e and while they have more bass than the RS2e or 325e any Grado with F-pads on has way more bass. It's just physics i guess, L-pads produce less bass than F-pads. So if at all then the PS500e is a baby 325x.

 

[Rebel Chris]

The PS500e is the only Grado which I found it needs to be fed with a good amp. PS500e with a tube amp is heaven, while using it with just my phone it is underwhelming.

 

[Stevko]

The PS500e is the only Grado which I found it needs to be fed with a good amp. PS500e with a tube amp is heaven, while using it with just my phone it is underwhelming.

All Grado sounds best with a good amp.
The difference is huge between a magni 3 and an apple dongle

 

[Okrelayer]

someone posted this on Reddit. It also looks like the standard connection hemp is out of stock on the website