[WilliamLeonhart]

My small tip is that you've pulled the trigger and enjoyed the SR225e/i already, so don't bother too much in details Reviews vary a lot, so what's 3 stars to one will be 5 stars to the other. I've heard bad reviews on the SR325is, but that is also the cans that I enjoy the most. Don't ponder too much over whether the i or the e is better. The 325e is quite different (not necessarily better) from the SR225e. The SR225i used to be called the "sweet spot" of the entire SR lines, no wonder you're enjoying your SR225e/i so much. When I got my first Grado (SR60i), I used to spend hours and hours trying to figure out if I could do better if I bought the SR80i instead. In retro, I think that was wasted time - the SR60i was a fantastic choice that lead me into the world of Grados.

 

[sinnottj]

  I found a webpage that explains the SR225e updates over the SR225i. I wondered about that in the above post. It's a very interesting read. It says,
"Elsewhere however, work has been carried out on the e components that does warrant a little more interest. The most significant change has been to fine tune the magnetic field of the whole headphone. This entails changes to the motor and voice coils of the drivers and paying attention to the overall symmetry of the headphone. This at first sounds slightly absurd - headphones are by their very nature symmetrical - but it extends to the placement of mounts and fittings to ensure that this genuinely is the case."
 
https://www.avforums.com/review/grado-sr225e-headphone-review.10758
 
It also mentions the short thick cabling. Mine have a thick short cable. These do look like an 'e' pair now. (Smiling thinking about it.)

 
The 225i also have the short thick cable. You have a 225e with a 225i cable, I think

 
Having owned both the 225i and 225e, I'd say the biggest change is an increase in bass and a slight softening of the high-end. I'm fairly sure this is down to the fact that Grado has vented two of the holes at the back of the driver.
 
If you look through the metal grill with your torch again, look at the ring of felt that surrounds the red metal plate. This covers a series of holes around the circumference of the driver. (you can see the holes if you hold the driver up to the light.) On my 225e the felt stops short of the two holes either side of where the cable is soldered onto the driver, leaving those holes exposed. On my 225i all holes were covered.
 
There is a famous Grado modification called the 'vent mod' which involves using a pen to poke holes in the felt to vent some of these driver holes. This is done to increase the bass quantity. It looks like Grado has noticed this and decided to use the approach to tweak the sound for the 225e drivers.
 
I

 

[GreenBow]

  My small tip is that you've pulled the trigger and enjoyed the SR225e/i already, so don't bother too much in details Reviews vary a lot, so what's 3 stars to one will be 5 stars to the other. I've heard bad reviews on the SR325is, but that is also the cans that I enjoy the most. Don't ponder too much over whether the i or the e is better. The 325e is quite different (not necessarily better) from the SR225e. The SR225i used to be called the "sweet spot" of the entire SR lines, no wonder you're enjoying your SR225e/i so much. When I got my first Grado (SR60i), I used to spend hours and hours trying to figure out if I could do better if I bought the SR80i instead. In retro, I think that was wasted time - the SR60i was a fantastic choice that lead me into the world of Grados.

My first foray with Grado was SR60, back in about 2004. Later I auditioned the SR80 and was stunned, and decided I liked the thermal coolness of the L-cushion. Then I bought new SR125i that went faulty for a while then appeared to be OK again. Anyway returned to Amazon, but with no more stock I took these SR225i/e.
 
I am tempted to think the changes between 'i' and 'e' are for the better, but please don't quote me. The refinement mentioned in the article I found seem more about just correcting what can be done. Less about deliberately setting out to change the Grado sound. Apart maybe from the change sinnjotti mentioned about holes in felt. Anyway I do not want to put my opinion down on this as I am only speculating. However I do like what What Hi-Fi say about the SR325e, being made more weightier and clearer.
 

   
The 225i also have the short thick cable. You have a 225e with a 225i cable, I think

 
Having owned both the 225i and 225e, I'd say the biggest change is an increase in bass and a slight softening of the high-end. I'm fairly sure this is down to the fact that Grado has vented two of the holes at the back of the driver.
 

My bad. I re-read that review article and all it said about the cable was, "The cord is also a little on the short side". I must have mingled my memories of other reviews and this one to come up thinking this review mentioned cable thickness. Anyway thankyou for taking the time to put me right. 
 
I will see if I can see the holes you speak of. As an aside to what you said, modding would never be my thing. I am too terrified of damaging them. Plus they are under warranty.

 

[GreenBow]

   
I've never heard of this before.  I have seen some older Grados with black paint on the back of the driver, or with a red dot, but as far as I'm aware Grado only started using this red paint to distinguish the 'e' series drivers from the 'i' drivers.
 
 

I have found some footage of the red dot you say Grado put on the back of the SRi drivers. This link shows it clear as daylight at twenty-five seconds into the video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kq1ukdlWiuo
 
I have captured a couple of stills of it on the SR60i using Microsoft's snipping tool.

 
Close up inside.

This does suggest that this was always the appearance of the SRi. The red drivers must be as everyone says 'e' drivers. I must have simply recalled only the word 'red' and 'driver' and not remembered 'dot'. Also when I read about the 'e' drivers, I just couldn't/didn't want to believe my luck.
 
 
 
I also found another link about the new changes in the SRe range. This one, http://blog.moon-audio.com/grado-e-series-headphones-in-more-detail/ says:
The biggest change includes driver upgrades on all new e series models to improve the sound.
Grado’s proprietary SpaceBlack Poly-carbonate was reengineered.  This results in less resonance on the SR60e, SR80e, SR125e, SR225e, & SR325e which means you hear a clearer tone and reduction of secondary impulses.
(This link also includes descriptions of the enhancements made in all the 'e' series.)
 
 
I think this link warrants re-mentioning so the overview of the enhancements are all in one post. https://www.avforums.com/review/grado-sr225e-headphone-review.10758
The most significant change has been to fine tune the magnetic field of the whole headphone. This entails changes to the motor and voice coils of the drivers and paying attention to the overall symmetry of the headphone. This at first sounds slightly absurd - headphones are by their very nature symmetrical - but it extends to the placement of mounts and fittings to ensure that this genuinely is the case.

 

[WilliamLeonhart]

If I were you I'd go straight for the 225 and skip the 125. Anw that's where you are right now. 
 
If you have the chance, go for the 325e in the future. I don't keep it (I prefer the 325is), but I would recommend the new 325 to anyone within a heartbeat. Of the whole new e series line, the 325e is easily everyone's most favourite.

 

[GreenBow]

Mmm my position now, whether to even upgrade. I suspect Grado put most if not all the 'e' upgrades, into their 'i' like mine. Opinion generally is that the SR325e is a precious phone. However many say it's not far from the 225e. The PS500/e seem to divide opinion. Opinion being the PS500/e is astonishing and has better bass than the 325e. Or that the 325e is a better headphone.
 
The 4-star What Hi-Fi review of the PS500 negative points say: http://www.whathifi.com/grado/ps500/review#TXvFGwm6xIhl0CoD.99
Not the most luxurious build - not an issue for me.
could do with a touch refinement - tested at £700; now priced £600. 
leak a lot of sound - not an issue for me.
 
Really though, sitting here with Fleetwood Mac Rumours on CD the urgency for upgrade is not there. The upgrade feeling is knowing other headphones would be loved as much. Buying Grado is never a regrettable decision.
 
-------
 
I have noticed that I might have been wrong about the plug size on the 'e' series. This photo of the SR225e plug looks the same size as the plug on my mini-adaptor cable. https://www.avforums.com/review/grado-sr225e-headphone-review.10758
 

I am sure that would go in my Pure PocketDab 1500.
 
 
Whereas this picture I captured from the SR325e review looks like it has a fatter plug. This is what initially made me think that the 'e' series would not fit my Pure Dab. I am now thinking I am wrong because of theSR225e picture above.

At 1.02 in this video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9q58hSppds
It's bound to be the same as the 225e plug. Only I thought it looked broader between the gold and the edge of the rubber.
 
 
 

 

[GreenBow]

A look round Grado Labs, if anyone's interested.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2ZpJHGYMC8

 

[GreenBow]

   
The 225i also have the short thick cable. You have a 225e with a 225i cable, I think

 
 

Won't they both have the same cable. If the thick cable was introduced with the 225i, there is no mention of change with the 225e. Can't say how pleased I am about all this. Thanks though.
 
 
 
About the holes in the driver you mentioned in below quote, yes I do see them. I shined a torch in and saw the cut in the felt. Plus I shined a torch from the other side and saw all the holes all the way round. Thanks again. (For some reason I couldn't type underneath the second quote, so had to write here.)

 
 
Having owned both the 225i and 225e, I'd say the biggest change is an increase in bass and a slight softening of the high-end. I'm fairly sure this is down to the fact that Grado has vented two of the holes at the back of the driver.
 
If you look through the metal grill with your torch again, look at the ring of felt that surrounds the red metal plate. This covers a series of holes around the circumference of the driver. (you can see the holes if you hold the driver up to the light.) On my 225e the felt stops short of the two holes either side of where the cable is soldered onto the driver, leaving those holes exposed. On my 225i all holes were covered.

 

[sinnottj]

  Won't they both have the same cable. If the thick cable was introduced with the 225i, there is no mention of change with the 225e. Can't say how pleased I am about all this. Thanks though.

 
What I meant was they both have the same type of cable, but the 225e has the smaller 1/8" plug. So what I should have said was your 225e has a 225i cable+plug

 

[GreenBow]

Well it's conclusive isn't it that red drivers mean e' drivers.
 
The cable I think was unchanged so I have the same cable used on the 225e. Yes the plug is the old style 1/4". Some prefer that though so it's six of one and half a dozen of the other.
 
The only 'e' enhancement I am not sure I have is what I found on the webpage I linked above. It said:
Grado’s proprietary SpaceBlack Poly-carbonate was reengineered.  This results in less resonance on the SR60e, SR80e, SR125e, SR225e, & SR325e which means you hear a clearer tone and reduction of secondary impulses.
 
There is a good chance however that I have it, meaning 225e cups. I think Grado would have been eager to use up their SR225i ear-cups before the SR225i line ended. Otherwise they would have has excess stock of 225i cups. They would not have used left over 225i cups on 225e headphones. Good chance they used up their last 225i cups comfortably before the 225e came along.
 
It's interesting though to me that we have the same headphone, because you have before said they are great. I agree. Some of the acoustic experiences I have had with this headphone are truly astounding.
 
I know sometimes you see people say that some of the Grado line are more or less forgiving of poor recordings. Personally I prefer if they show up recordings or radio stations for what they are. I want to know what's happening and what to think of radio stations equipment. As long as I feel the frequency spectrum of the headphone is covered fairly, and honest, that's all I want.

 

[GreenBow]

All resolved already. However I found a page today that talks of the last two to three months of shipping i's, were actually e's.
 
http://headfonics.com/2014/06/grado-goes-e-an-interview-with-jonathan-grado/2/
 
It says, "So to avoid transition woes, Grado slowly shipped the e Series as the ‘i’ for the last 2-3 months. If you recently bought a Grado headphone and you can see a red colored driver then that means you have an e Series headphone already."

 

[funkymartyn]

Received my new boxed ( light green ) today of the  SR225i...... but mine also have red drivers. and thicker shorter cable, ending with the larger jack. which I don't mind.so do think mine could also be the  newer  E series ?...sounded great right out of the box., using my magni 2  amp.....cheers,,martyn