[Guyferd]

Hi
I have auditioned both. To me , there is a slight improvement from 325 to 225. But is it worth the US$100 difference?
And, would it be better if I go, say 225 , then save the money to get a second can(have dt880 in mind)?
compared to getting sr-325 for all purpose can?

My listening taste: 60 percent pop(and vocal included), 15 percent rock, 10 percent trance/techno , 10 percent is the acid jazz/jazz/and stuffs, and 5 percent piano pieces.

My source is Marantz cd6000OSE
amp is Corda HA-1

Opinions will be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[4fatcatz]

As you progress up the audio food chain the improvements do get smaller and smaller....and the cost gets higher and higher.
Only you can decide if that slight improvement is worth it. One thing I have learned over the years (audiophile since the age of 16) is this: Get what you really want the first time around....it will haunt you if you dont. If you like the 325 better, than go for it. I have a pair myself. I have extensively auditioned every Grado model execpt the 225. I wound up buying the 325's and the RS-1. The 325 and rs-2 are too close to call. Thats probably the case with the 225 and 325. But the alum. cans do look cool.

Several months from now you wont think about the extra $100.

 

[JaZZ]

I had the 225 and the 325 and sold the latter; the SR-225 is the better universal headphone because of its lesser coloration, although the 325 has a bit more bass slam and detail. BTW, great idea to get the DT 880 additionally! But I suspect the SR-225 wouldn't get much use if you have the DT 880...

 

[Solude]

The 325 is great for your types of music. Even piano? Hell yeah! The 325 is so detailed and bright but never anything but smooth that I swear I can almost hear the keys going down. The hit I hear, the resulting note I hear, the decay I hear... the smile across my face it cometh

That said my headphone experiment is moving on and my 325 is for sale in the for sale forum. They are 2 weeks old with about 200 hours of burn in and 20 hours on my head. I love them but owe it to the rest of the can companies to see what they have to offer before settling on a final 'house sound' I like best. It has a pretty commanding lead so far for most natural and detailed can I've tried. Worked wonders with my JMT Meta42 too.

 

[Guyferd]

Thanks all for the advice.
Jazz, how do you compare the 225 and dt880? I've heard both..and IMo, beyer wins technically. It has more realistic sound reproduction, guitar sounds more realistic, etc. But the grado is like more upfront/intimate sounding.. to me.
So I am kinda torn bet. the 2.
What are your findings betw these 2 cans?

 

[Solude]

I should have my DT880 on Wednesday and be able to do a quick comparison for you then. For now... err sleep?

 

[Guyferd]

Alright! Will be expecting your review solude.
Just pm me

Probably I will only get my cans next week..
for now.... can-less

ya.. gotta sleep now.. it's 3:15 am here

 

[JaZZ]

Guyferd... Quote:

Jazz, how do you compare the 225 and dt880? ... What are your findings betw these 2 cans?

...my first Grado was the SR-80. I loved it, preferably for portable use, and I tried different types of foam pads till I found the sound I liked best. That was years ago. Meanwhile I bought some SR-225 and -325 for relatively little money (compared to the regular Swiss prices) from eBay. They were a clear improvement... but I just couldn't find the same fascination again with the Grado sound. The SR-325 was fascinating in the beginning, with its strong bass and the lots of details. But it was a short-time friendship: there was a strange coloration in it, even some metallic signature. The SR-225 was more neutral, but lacked a bit the detail compared to the 325, and the midrange seemed lacking color and resolution. The typical Grado bass is too soft for my liking and lacking focus, like the whole frequency range. The straightforwardness they provide can't compensate for this, whereas the small soundstage wasn't a real problem to me.

But I must admit that the DT 880's large soundstage is very appealing, and so is its very different presentation of detail, although its treble energy is absolutely comparable to the Grados: much better focus and much more natural sounding. The DT 880 manages to combine a balance slightly on the warm side of neutral with an exceptionally high resolution and transparency. The mids are a lot more appealing and natural, and with voices there's no contest.

Even for on the go I have alternatives which suit my needs better than the Grados. So you may take my findings with a grain of salt... I'm just no Grado fan anymore...

 

[Guyferd]

Thanks alot for the write-ups Jazz!!
I think I will go for the beyer.
+1 member to team beyer! (had been the owner of dt250-80 and dt770pro

)
Go Team Beyer!

 

[cello]

I own both, and am selling the SR-325. The 325 is simply too bright for me -- it hurts my ears. The SR-225 has a tendency to hurt as well, just not as much. The 325s are one of the brightest headphones on the market. They do in fact sound better than the 225, with a tighter bass, greater detail, and a better soundstage. They are definitely worth 100 dollars more, but they are simply too bright for me.

 

[blessingx]

When it was time to upgrado from my SR-80's, I tested the 225's, 325's and RS1's. Thought the 325's suffered from the same occasional Grato highs of the 80's. The 225's sounded though like a poor man's RS1's. Smoother across the board. Have recently tested a pair of 580's for a week, and like the 225's even more. They are a nice balance of a slightly more neutral approach without loss of the Grado dynamic sound. I'd ask if the 325's are worth that much more than the 80's (or possibly 125's), or if the RS1's (or possibly RS2's) are worth that much more than the 225's (probably depending on equipment). That's how I see the lineup, though your mileage may vary.

 

[pbirkett]

Guyferd, I could have sworn you already owned the DT880, or am I just imagining it?

 

[MD1032]

Quote:

Originally posted by cello I own both, and am selling the SR-325. The 325 is simply too bright for me -- it hurts my ears. The SR-225 has a tendency to hurt as well, just not as much. The 325s are one of the brightest headphones on the market. They do in fact sound better than the 225, with a tighter bass, greater detail, and a better soundstage. They are definitely worth 100 dollars more, but they are simply too bright for me.

How bright is the SR-325? In what way is it bright? The only way can relate to it is turning up the highs on my equalizer. Is this what it sounds like?

 

[blessingx]

Just noticed this is a old thread given a new life.

 

[wallijonn]

is the SR325 heavier?