[yashu]

I purchased a pair 2nd hand. These have been well kept, obviously loved by their original owner.

These are my first Grados. A shop in town closed up before I was able to buy a a pair of sr80is, and as far as I know that shop was the only dealer in town for Grado. I do still have my Grado phono cart purchased from there. heh.

I am using a non oversampling DAC from MHDT, something he doesn't make anymore, and an early model of what has become the Grant Fidelity tubed output buffer connected then to a very transparent headphone amp. I do roll tubes, and currently I am using a set of cryo'd Chinese 6J1s, which after burning them in, I prefer to Mullard, Raytheon, and GE NOS, also RCA, which sound most like a set of Chinese or Russian 6J1 military tubes.

The idea was to have a nice listening area in my bedroom using a netbook and an optical s/pdif usb interface, ASIO output with wireless access to my FLAC abd LAME 320k collection I normally listen to in the den on my nearfield system. Some of the equipment here is stuff I have replaced with better stuff out there. Though, I have to say I am not sure which MHDT DAC sounds better, the Dialogue II with the B-283, or the Renaissance II with a tubed output buffer built in and a fully restored NAD 2255 (last NAD amp to use the non-power envelope topology like the 3020 integrated.)

I got a little carried away, and have had various headphones I never really paid much attnetion to, such as Senn HD555s, Denon D1001s, AKG 240s and latest some Shure 440s, but I bought those after I set this up. I have Sony XB700s that I find very fun and also 25th anniv. PortaPros.

Anyway, I listen to a collection of post rock, prog rock, shoegazer, dreampop, ethereal, gothic, industrial, EBM, powernoise, sludge, post metal, electronic IDM Techno Electro Deep House/Trance Minimal Tech House, electro - from 80s newwave to darkwave, modern gothic darkwave, modern electropop, left field, blissbeat, dub, dubstep, atmospheric drum and bass, psych rock, psy, minimal psy, psybient, jazz - "jam jazz" like MMW, to standards, psych jazz, doom jazz, fusion, space rock, neoclassical, neofolk, celtic, neopagan celtic fusion with rock and electronic, and much more. Vocal music is something I avoid, but that does not mean there are no vocals, but I prefer vocal music like shoegze/newgaze/ethereal where the vocal track is not forward, it is used more as an instrument. Even my folk and celtic and fusion of those treat the voice as another instrument.

I have been giving these headphones a chance with most of the music I listen to, and while I am aware they are not for a lot of the more beat heavy tracks, the rock, fusion, and ethereal, neoclassical/darkwave, shoegazer stuff is truly amazing. I did not like these phones at the start, and maybe it is the tubes (though they sounded good with the mullards)

Back to the Grados, they are 325s, not the Improved versions and I want thoughts on this because I find that these non I 325s sound amazingly smooth on tracks and genres that involve human instrumentation, amplified or not, the music that is, I have kept the headphones on the amp, as I doubt they would work well with a portable.

They are bowles, though I do not know what flats look like, I know that about them. I just wanted some thoughts on what the I in the 325Is would bring to the table, as in what am I missing, if anything? Is there anyone out there that prefers the original 325s? In either case, what is the general agreement on where these stand in the Grado lineup. To put it shortly, if I had bought those sr80s, would my experience be truly that much different?

As far as I am concerned, these phones are extremely musical, non fatiguing on live percussion, especially hats and cymbols, but that could be the DAC/Tube combo, however they are so natural I do not want to take them off. The Denons are somewhat like this, and the AKGs are really laid back, the Shure 440s are tonally accurate up and down, and can throw a headstage very large but sound a bit artificial. I have never heard anything sound as natural as these Grados, which is odd because I can think of a bunch of places they are not up to snuff. That is the most important thing for me, although the bass does not shake my bed, and there is a slight sense of a sizzle in the upper mids, they sound sweet. So that is where they lie, flawed in a number of ways, but somehow the most musical of anything I have heard. Anyone else experience this? Would the I versions of the 325s take the good and improve upon it without losing this natural color? Are the original 325s just that... their own headphone apart from the 325Is?

I know I wrote a lot, but I had been meaning to write such a post for days now so the words are flowing out like liquid, much like the sound of an ethereal blissrock track's percussion and voices floating out of these headphones.

Please let me know what you think.

 

[rasmushorn]

To my ears the SR325 are very fine headphones. I heard a grand old pair of SR325 originals on a Sugden Headmaster solid state amplifier at a meet a few months ago. While I am used to SR325i, and they have been my favourite headphones for a long time, I was blown away by how good these originals sounded. They must have had more than 1000 hours on them according to the owner but they did not sound tired at all. On the contrary they were very defined and spacious sounding. The bass was even more punching than my 325i's and the highs were more smooth/soft. Not a whole nother world - but still very pleasing sound.

If I could get my hands on a good bargain for some originals I think I would like to have them also.

Another thing is - do people really say they are bad? Where have you seen that? I havn't noticed... I admit though that SR325 seems to be dividing the waters. And it is a special headphone - I have not found any headphone that comes close to it in its forwardsess and in-your-face-sound. And that is really what I like listening to intimate vocal jazz.

 

[yashu]

Well reading the Grado interview and the 325i owners thread the general feeling, it seems, is that John himself admitted that the original 325 was the weak link in the lineup, thus the 325i. The I being for improved.

I have not heard a set of 325Is but I would love to. To me, these are very lucid, because I am assuming the design is older, of course, so I almost want to consider them vintage, but they work so well, it is hard to carry them as "vintage" cans. From what I hve seen, they really do have the same feel as the 325Is cosmetically save for the metal, there is a bevel on the outside of the can on the I versions, not the originals. Other than that, I would not be able to tell them apart, unless someone was using a different ear foam. Does anyone think a different foam style would improve upon what I hear, or are these truly made for the bowles?

I am glad you posted an impression of the difference. This is what I am most curious about. What magic did the originals lack, and what, if anything, had to be sacrificed to bring out the Improved 325Is?

Thankyou for the reply by the way. Regarding bass, it is one thing I like. It is not bass slam, but a speed that allows a kick drum to hit it's attack and low decay very well, yet my ears do not shread on hats and cymbols, or just metal instruments period. Even some electric guitar fuzz can sound somewhat pleasing on these where it hadn't before. I find myself really getting into music that was harder to listen to previously.

I neer thouht to think in terms of "tired" but you are right, I don't call them vintage for this very reason.

EDIT: I wonder how many original 325s were sold? Maybe a 325 original appreciation thread is due, don't know.

 

[rasmushorn]

Regarding pads: The Sennheiser HD414 pads are great with both the 325i and the 325. The original 325 I listened to had HD414 pads - and I also use them form time to time on my 325I's. But I prefer the pads they came with.

Some people like the Grado SR60 pads on the SR325. I have never tried them. I did try the GS1000 big bowls - and they totaly destroyed the sound. So they are absolutely not meant to be placed on a set of SR325's.

By the way there is now a SR325IS - S for Silver version, which is the latest edition. Some people say the newest silver version is slightly better than the gold. But I have not yet read consistent feedback on the difference between these two.

 

[yashu]

Mine are silver, obviously. The pads that belong with the original 325s are the ones that
I am using. I do feel a bit of what John said as foam setting over time.

I never thought to try some pleather pads, the senn 414s are pleather correct? I have seen pleather and I have the veloure HD555s so I know that material. "standard" pads for the 325s would really be great, these do surround my ears, but there is some mashing taking place. It is not a hard clamping force, but yeah.

The absolute latest 325Is silver, I do think are what Grado plans to sell for the long term. I read that the gold housings were kindof a special edition for the re-release of the 325 in it's improved form.

I supppose I should consider these vintage, but they sound too nice for me to switch to treating them like a newborn baby mode.

I guess the major changes in sounds took place in the midrange. That is what I am reading. Maybe there is a preference for one over the other, as well as other improvements. These certainly "feel" like they are the top of the prestige line, the metal goes towards that. I see from pictures that the very latest 325Is are probably made more sturdy, but without handling them I do not know.

 

[MD1032]

It depends on the 325 itself. Keep in mind that the oldest versions were actually painted black but had the same aluminum housings the later 325's used, and apparently those are actually very good 'phones, because they were made before John went through the first changes to his headphones and started using bowls instead of flats. I have yet to compare either, but I did hear the original 325's once and they were bright just like the current 325i's. I think the flats are likely a worthwhile investment for these... they can knock down the highs significantly. At the very least you owe it to yourself to try it and see the huge difference pads can make.

 

[Ham Sandwich]

You seem to be enjoying the sound of your 325s. What does it matter if the si version is an improvement? Will your enjoyment of your 325s be less?

There will always be better phones out there than what you have, not matter what headphone you have. Enjoy what you've got (cause it's better than the Grados what I have).

 

[Bat King]

I love the hell out of my SR325 (original), they're just so damned smooth. They are something of a mid-point between the SR325i/s and the Alessandro MS2/i - bass is more present than the 325i/s, but the treble cutoff is less present than the MS2/i.

They aren't a huge departure from the phones they evolved into, but they have a certain something about them that keeps holding me back from getting rid of them. I'd advise to hold onto them, they're pretty rare these days and I know that I'd personally miss them a lot if I got rid of them.

 

[roker]

You could always do a quater comfy mod and die smiling (at least that's how I feel about my 125i headphones).

 

[pcf]

If you like them I don't see why you need to worry too much about what other people say (even the master John Grado

).
I bought a pair of the old black 325's a few months ago and they are now being used more regularly than any other phones I have. Through the Melos they just sound right to me. A lot of people have negative opinions about these too but it doesn't bother me . I use flats with them so maybe that's something you can try also.

 

[champ]

Thanks for bringing up the non "i" 325s. I also read about them being the weakest link and wondered what was so bad about them, but since I have not listened to many phones, I figured I just like them because they are better than generic earbuds. At the moment I even like them more than, dare I say it--the new HE-5s that everyone is raving about. I was going to put my HE-5/EF5 combo up for sale until I plugged the 325s into the EF5 this morning and now I love them even more! I have the non "i" silver ones. I think I will hang on to these a little longer....

 

[yashu]

They are keepers for sure, there is no doubt about that. I have no plans on letting them go. The 'lack' of info on them allowed me to "listen first ask questions later". I certanly adore their sound, the upper mids that allow metalic sounds to come through so sweet and the speed to give a kick drum justice without any bloat. Some things they do less well than other phones, however, it is very interesting what they do just right, and it is this that draws me into the music. They are an aquired taste, if I may say. I am glad I went ahead and picked them up.

Questions: I am assuming they are stock when it comes to the ear pads, as a somewhat novice Grado caretaker, I would like to know what everyone is referring to when they say flats and where to get them. Is it just slang for grado's other pads, the "comfort rings"?

At this point, I feel good knowing that there are those out there that appreciate the original 325s. __

I am not anxious to be part of some club , but rather, the company went in that direction, people seemed to really like the resulting improved versions, gold and silver. I was curious if this was because they are just gradomaniacs, or.... they got burned by the company with the original 325s (reference the weak link discussions), and are happy that things are now all right in the world. II know many 325i owners may have never heard the originals, but I figured there would be those that had, and moved to the improved golden/silver cans for better pastures. Or.... maybe some chose to stay with their original 325s, either way, I was curious of everyone's thoughts on the subject. I have not seen much discussed in the way of appreciation for the originals. People reference them only when they want to explain their 325Is, or not.

Back to the flats.... help me out guys, any links? I want to buy these as soon as I can because it is true that some ear mashing takes place, and if I could improve comfort and sound quality at the same time, there isn't a reason not to for it.

I appreciate alll the replies and discussion. I certainly enjoy these cans. I just upgraded my usb s/pdif interface, so I am going to go listen....

 

[cavedave]

I have had 2 pair of the older ones like you have and can tell you for me the flats that Todd the vinyl junkie sells are a postive improvment well worth the small investment.

 

[yashu]

So I must contact this Todd fellow.

I will do that. I am listening to the 325s right now and loving them, less sure about this s/pdif interface over the previous one, but that is another story.... non-os DACs can be a blessing and a curse.

Still, perhaps John was quick to judge, or there was QA issues on the line, dunno. I don't hear what would demote these headhpones, aside from some coloration, but the sweet midrange more than makes up for any lackings. The treble seems to have a dip or a peak somewhere, but I cannot place it. It is not a fatiguing thing if I gently turn the treble knob on mym amp down two notches. I am going to persue these flats. For reference, I have to dial the treble of Denon 1001ks about the same amount. OF course the grados are in a class by themselves, but one must choose what to like about them, then close eyes and listen. They are not perfect, but I am impressed and glad I managed to get them when I did. I had been on the lookout for a pair of Grados for a while.

 

[champ]

I remember being disappointed with them when I first got them. I wasn't into head-fi so I simply plugged them into my source and I found them bright and fatiguing. I put them away for a few years. I now have a couple amps and was surprised to find that the amps have taken away the edge that made me find them too bright and tough to listen to for long. There are many who say Grados sound great unamped--just plug them into your iPod. I think that was the problem for me--I was disappointed until my 325s got amped.