indysmith
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2008
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I arrived at head-fi at the beginning of the year with a new pair of Grado SR80s that quickly submerged me in the world of hi-fi audio. Since then I've acquired a few bits of kit hoping to expand upon the great sound I've been getting with my trusty SR80's.
One thing I have done recently is got an Apogee Duet (which I am very happy with and will be doing the comparison with) and some SR325i's. These 325i's currently have about 100hours burn-in on them. I'd image the SR80's have at least 250 hours.
Before buying the SR325i's I'd read quite a lot about them here on head-fi. I was expecting insane levels of detail within an extremely extended top end, which some people find metallic and brash, stronger bass than I'd been experiencing with my SR80s, and overall a more exaggerated Grado sound.
After extensive A/B tests between the SR80 and SR325i over the last couple of days, I've got to say that the golden cans sound nothing like how they were described to me on here.
The SR80s are very clear phones - very forwards sounding and bright (as most of you know) and extremely 'bouncy' - injecting fun into every track you listen. They're kind of like they have an in-built e.q. that makes the parts of the music you love shine through.
...but you probably already know this about the lower-end Grados if you're on here.
The real suprise is how the SR325i's sound in comparison.
The highs don't seem nearly as prominent in the 325, they are less airy and very solid sounding accurate highs as opposed to the more smoothly flowing and natural sounding (although arguably less precise) highs of the '80s. This was extremely suprising to me as you never stop hearing about the high frequency focus that these phones supposedly have according to the majority of head-fi!
The mids are probably the most major difference between the two 'phones. Basically the 325 has much MORE. I've got to say I reckon the people who say they are fatigued by the SR325i's highs are being muppets; it's the mids that do it. They are very strong, rich, articulate mid frequencies, that make these headphones sound incredibly THICK and FAST. This is what you'd spend the extra money on! Where the SR80s sound kind of mid scooped, the 325s fill it in VERY nicely, bringing another dimension to your music if you will. I've never heard a juicer midrange response on a headphone or anything else for that matter.
The bass on the 325s is also much stronger and fuller, and sounds less clinical than the SR80s, which seem to be very accurate in the bass department, where the 325s are smoother and fuller. I have not decided if i prefer the accurate but maybe slightly sterile sound of the SR80's bass, or the 325's more musical sounding bass. One thing is for sure - it's very nice to have more bass, and I think that it really contributes to the thickness and richness of the overall sound.
Both headphones are very much in-your-face headphones, although the SR325i really stands out as the headphone to listen to if you want to be in the middle of the action, due to that FANTASTIC midrange that the SR80's seem to be missing. The SR325i's seem a lot more balanced overall than the SR80's. They remind me more of studio monitors than the SR80's which are far more easy going in comparison, but somewhat distant and thin (in comparison of course!!!).
Really all I'm trying to achieve with this little comparison is to inform people about the SR325i's which seem to have been misinterpreted hugely on this forum. They are thick, fast, aggressive, accurate, low mid focussed phones when compared to the SR80s which sound clearer and brighter and more relaxed.
This is my first analysis of any headphones that I've written so be gentle with me. I just needed to get this out there as my pair of 325i's sound nothing like i'd expected them to. However, I do love them, they are very good for mixing and listening, and they provide a great contrast to my trusty SR80s.
Thanks.
One thing I have done recently is got an Apogee Duet (which I am very happy with and will be doing the comparison with) and some SR325i's. These 325i's currently have about 100hours burn-in on them. I'd image the SR80's have at least 250 hours.
Before buying the SR325i's I'd read quite a lot about them here on head-fi. I was expecting insane levels of detail within an extremely extended top end, which some people find metallic and brash, stronger bass than I'd been experiencing with my SR80s, and overall a more exaggerated Grado sound.
After extensive A/B tests between the SR80 and SR325i over the last couple of days, I've got to say that the golden cans sound nothing like how they were described to me on here.
The SR80s are very clear phones - very forwards sounding and bright (as most of you know) and extremely 'bouncy' - injecting fun into every track you listen. They're kind of like they have an in-built e.q. that makes the parts of the music you love shine through.
...but you probably already know this about the lower-end Grados if you're on here.
The real suprise is how the SR325i's sound in comparison.
The highs don't seem nearly as prominent in the 325, they are less airy and very solid sounding accurate highs as opposed to the more smoothly flowing and natural sounding (although arguably less precise) highs of the '80s. This was extremely suprising to me as you never stop hearing about the high frequency focus that these phones supposedly have according to the majority of head-fi!
The mids are probably the most major difference between the two 'phones. Basically the 325 has much MORE. I've got to say I reckon the people who say they are fatigued by the SR325i's highs are being muppets; it's the mids that do it. They are very strong, rich, articulate mid frequencies, that make these headphones sound incredibly THICK and FAST. This is what you'd spend the extra money on! Where the SR80s sound kind of mid scooped, the 325s fill it in VERY nicely, bringing another dimension to your music if you will. I've never heard a juicer midrange response on a headphone or anything else for that matter.
The bass on the 325s is also much stronger and fuller, and sounds less clinical than the SR80s, which seem to be very accurate in the bass department, where the 325s are smoother and fuller. I have not decided if i prefer the accurate but maybe slightly sterile sound of the SR80's bass, or the 325's more musical sounding bass. One thing is for sure - it's very nice to have more bass, and I think that it really contributes to the thickness and richness of the overall sound.
Both headphones are very much in-your-face headphones, although the SR325i really stands out as the headphone to listen to if you want to be in the middle of the action, due to that FANTASTIC midrange that the SR80's seem to be missing. The SR325i's seem a lot more balanced overall than the SR80's. They remind me more of studio monitors than the SR80's which are far more easy going in comparison, but somewhat distant and thin (in comparison of course!!!).
Really all I'm trying to achieve with this little comparison is to inform people about the SR325i's which seem to have been misinterpreted hugely on this forum. They are thick, fast, aggressive, accurate, low mid focussed phones when compared to the SR80s which sound clearer and brighter and more relaxed.
This is my first analysis of any headphones that I've written so be gentle with me. I just needed to get this out there as my pair of 325i's sound nothing like i'd expected them to. However, I do love them, they are very good for mixing and listening, and they provide a great contrast to my trusty SR80s.
Thanks.
