tbish
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- Nov 2, 2014
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A couple of days ago, two headphones arrived at my doorstep: the venerable Sennheiser HD 650 and the lesser-known Grado SR325is. Both were $300 through Amazon.com. I have NOT listened to either headphone prior to this purchase and chose them solely based on reviews I’ve read across the internet. Specifically, I wanted two completely different headphones in their fit, finish, and sound. Can the vibrance of the Grado go toe-to-toe with the audiophile favorite, or is the Sennheiser in a class of its own?
Opening the box for the first time, the Sennheiser HD 650 screams quality. It is packaged in a hard, cardboard box with thick foam padding. Wearing the headphone was a little bit of a challenge until I got everything adjusted. The clamp was WAY too tight for my small head and I find the mechanism of adjusting the size of the headband a bit cumbersome. It’s hard for me to adjust it by just one notch; I usually end up bumping it 3-4 with the amount of force that it requires to adjust. The clamp was easy to fix by flexing the interior metal bands to straighten them out. These headphones are really comfortable to wear for long periods of time, and it’s easy to forget that I’m wearing them.
The Grado SR325is, on the other hand, came in a quite boring cardboard box. I was actually quite disappointed in the way these were presented, given that I paid the same price as the Sennheisers. Once I opened the box, my fears were immediately put to rest. All of the money obviously went into the construction of the all-metal ear cups. These are a very open headphone. I notice no sound isolation at all when wearing them. Wearing them, the on-ear fit takes a while to get used to. I can definitely feel the hard driver against my ear, which can be quite uncomfortable during long listening sessions. There is also no padding in the headband, but I notice no discomfort there. I do have to complain about the cable though. It’s WAY too short and heavy. There is also a permanent kink in the wire above the split, causing it to constantly press into my neck. Though, that might just be a flaw with my specific pair.
Round 1: Classical
The Sennheiser comes out swinging early, showing off it’s muscle in the mid-bass/lower-mids region. This gives the symphony orchestra lots of body from the foundation of contrabasses and cellos of the string section. Violins sound a touch warmer than natural, giving them a slightly viola-like sound. The midrange of the Sennheiser is it’s strongest attribute, giving the Mormon Tabernacle Choir the front stage, as compared to the rest of the orchestra in the track. To my ears, the mid-bass hump intrudes slightly on the bass section of the choir, thickening their voices unnaturally (is this the dreaded Sennheiser veil?). In fast, complicated moments of these tracks, the mid-bass region can get a little blurry, making it difficult to separate the instruments in that area. When listening to a full orchestra, the strings take front stage, with the brass supporting behind. Percussive instruments take their place respectively and fill the gaps. The cannons (yes, real cannons!) in the 1812 Overture have lots of meat, but the impact seems soft. The bells sound distant to my ears. The soundstage is expansive and allows me to picture the space in which the instruments are playing.
The Grado counters with its treble, giving the brass section and violins of the symphony orchestra front stage. Every instrument is well-separated from the others. Having the mid-bass pushed back into the mix gives room for the rest of the orchestra to shine. Every nuance of the bells at the end of the 1812 Overture can be heard in its full glory. However, the violins sound unnaturally thin. The lack of body in the mid-range shows here and leaves me wanting for more. Timpani can sound slightly metallic as well. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is pushed slightly back as well, giving a slightly muffled sound to the choir. When listening to a full orchestra, the brass takes front stage, with the strings supporting behind. Percussive instruments are distant in the back. The Grado has a better ability to keep up with the more complicated parts of these tracks. Like the Sennheiser, the Grado has a large soundstage.
Round 2: Folk/Country
Here’s where things start to get more interesting. Gone are the 100+ piece symphony orchestras and complicated music. Instead, there’s only 4-5 parts max. The Grado has more of an ability to shine here, as warmth is less needed in these tracks. Every instrument has room to shine. The Grado’s bass extension gives a good thump to the hand drums. Tori Amos’ and Alison Krauss’ voices both come through crystal clear without any hint of sibilance. Ethan Johns’ deep voice in Dark Fire comes out a little thin for my taste, but that is my only complaint with this headphone on these tracks.
The Sennheiser also does a great job with these tracks. The warm signature gives them a bit of a softness, providing an easy sound to listen to. Male and female vocals both shine through beautifully and the instruments are not buried in any way within the mix. The instruments have enough room to be heard clearly. This headphone was very enjoyable to listen to here.
Round 3: Electronic Dance Music (EDM)
The first thing I notice while listening to these tracks with the Sennheiser is that the edge is taken off of the treble. The bass has good impact and decent extension, but doesn’t seem very tight (I’m probably spoiled by the HE-1000 in this regard). Some of the details are a little blurry as well. I hate to say it, but emotionally speaking, this was kind of a boring experience for me.
Listening to the Grado, my first thought is “Oh God the treble!” I had to turn the volume down here and some of the parts in the midrange get lost as a result. The bass has great extension, and the impact is decent. Compared to the Sennheiser, I’d say the Grado has a better ability to dig deep into the bass and keeps things tighter. The treble exposes every detail, flawed or otherwise. The Grado is probably not the best experience for this type of music.
Round 4: Blues/Jazz
I’m going to say this straight away: the Sennheiser absolutely wins at jazz. It’s sound signature lends itself perfectly to the music. It’s hard to keep focusing on writing this review when I just want to close my eyes and enjoy the music, even though I’ve head these songs a hundred times before. One point of concern that I always listen for is Wynton Marsalis’s trumpet. It can be quite painful with certain headphones, but the Sennheiser keeps it to enjoyable levels.
However, the Grado does a respectable job at giving an enjoyable listening experience here. The first thing I can hear is the drums. It’s easy to tell whether the drummer is using sticks or brushes. The Grado’s fast, deep bass gives good weight to the stand-up bass. Pianos come through beautifully, though with less body than I’d personally like. Wynton Marsalis’s trumpet is truly painful here and I noticed a touch of sibilance.
Round 5: Rock/Metal
Rock is another thing the Sennheiser does quite well. The Dire Straits is especially good with these. AC/DC on the other hand, comes across as too thick for my taste; for some reason the vocals seemed really pushed back in the mix. Sons of Winter and Stars is probably the most complicated song in this list. With over 1000+ tracks, I’ve yet to hear a headphone that can dig though all of the layers. The Sennheiser doesn’t wow here, unfortunately. The warmer sound signature and thicker mid-bass keeps many parts within the song from shining to it’s full potential.
Here is where the Grado can perform to its highest potential. This headphone can ROCK! I found myself foot tapping to every song. Not a track in this genre was bad with this headphone. Good punch in the bass gives a solid foundation on which the rest of the songs can stand. Vocals and guitars are crystal clear and the drums can even their chance to be in the spotlight. Like the Sennheiser, the Grado struggles with Sons of Winter and Stars, though it’s more analytical nature exposes many more of the layers hidden within the song. This round goes to the Grado.
Bonus round: Binaural thunderstorm recording
This is a true test of any headphone. Everything must sound perfect, otherwise the immersion is broken. Here, the Sennheiser does an admirable job of putting to sound all of the different aspects in this recording. The thunder rolls overhead and feels realistic. The birds chirp as if you’re sitting amongst them. The only thing that feels slightly off is the sound of the rain itself. To my ears, it sounds like the rain is falling on carpet instead of concrete.
The Grado brings the rain to the foreground of this recording. It’s almost as if I can hear each drop splatter on the ground. Again, the chirping birds are quite realistic here. The thunder is the Grado’s weak point in this track. It is deeper than the Sennheiser, but without the mid-bass to support it, it comes off slightly metallic and it loses its weight.
Songs listened to:
Valery Gergiev, Mariinsky Orchestra - 1812 Festival Overture
Mormon Tabernacle Choir - Battle Hymn of the Republic
Masayoshi Soken - A New Hope
Tori Amos - Trouble's Lament
Amber Rubarth - Down Home
Ethan Johns - Dark Fire
Alison Krauss & Union Station - Miles to Go
Fill Spectre - Fungus Land
C418 - Haunt Muskie
Jef Neve Trio - Inner Peace
Ahmad Jamal - Quest For Light
Wynton Marsalis - Soon All Will Know
Dave Brubeck - Camptown Races
Taj Mahal - The Hustle Is On
Dire Straits - Sultans Of Swing
AC/DC - Jailbreak
Wintersun - Sons Of Winter And Stars
Katharina Treutler - Encore: Final Fantasy X (Suteki da ne)
Inchadney - Binaural Thunderstorm Recording
Opening the box for the first time, the Sennheiser HD 650 screams quality. It is packaged in a hard, cardboard box with thick foam padding. Wearing the headphone was a little bit of a challenge until I got everything adjusted. The clamp was WAY too tight for my small head and I find the mechanism of adjusting the size of the headband a bit cumbersome. It’s hard for me to adjust it by just one notch; I usually end up bumping it 3-4 with the amount of force that it requires to adjust. The clamp was easy to fix by flexing the interior metal bands to straighten them out. These headphones are really comfortable to wear for long periods of time, and it’s easy to forget that I’m wearing them.
The Grado SR325is, on the other hand, came in a quite boring cardboard box. I was actually quite disappointed in the way these were presented, given that I paid the same price as the Sennheisers. Once I opened the box, my fears were immediately put to rest. All of the money obviously went into the construction of the all-metal ear cups. These are a very open headphone. I notice no sound isolation at all when wearing them. Wearing them, the on-ear fit takes a while to get used to. I can definitely feel the hard driver against my ear, which can be quite uncomfortable during long listening sessions. There is also no padding in the headband, but I notice no discomfort there. I do have to complain about the cable though. It’s WAY too short and heavy. There is also a permanent kink in the wire above the split, causing it to constantly press into my neck. Though, that might just be a flaw with my specific pair.
Round 1: Classical
The Sennheiser comes out swinging early, showing off it’s muscle in the mid-bass/lower-mids region. This gives the symphony orchestra lots of body from the foundation of contrabasses and cellos of the string section. Violins sound a touch warmer than natural, giving them a slightly viola-like sound. The midrange of the Sennheiser is it’s strongest attribute, giving the Mormon Tabernacle Choir the front stage, as compared to the rest of the orchestra in the track. To my ears, the mid-bass hump intrudes slightly on the bass section of the choir, thickening their voices unnaturally (is this the dreaded Sennheiser veil?). In fast, complicated moments of these tracks, the mid-bass region can get a little blurry, making it difficult to separate the instruments in that area. When listening to a full orchestra, the strings take front stage, with the brass supporting behind. Percussive instruments take their place respectively and fill the gaps. The cannons (yes, real cannons!) in the 1812 Overture have lots of meat, but the impact seems soft. The bells sound distant to my ears. The soundstage is expansive and allows me to picture the space in which the instruments are playing.
The Grado counters with its treble, giving the brass section and violins of the symphony orchestra front stage. Every instrument is well-separated from the others. Having the mid-bass pushed back into the mix gives room for the rest of the orchestra to shine. Every nuance of the bells at the end of the 1812 Overture can be heard in its full glory. However, the violins sound unnaturally thin. The lack of body in the mid-range shows here and leaves me wanting for more. Timpani can sound slightly metallic as well. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is pushed slightly back as well, giving a slightly muffled sound to the choir. When listening to a full orchestra, the brass takes front stage, with the strings supporting behind. Percussive instruments are distant in the back. The Grado has a better ability to keep up with the more complicated parts of these tracks. Like the Sennheiser, the Grado has a large soundstage.
Round 2: Folk/Country
Here’s where things start to get more interesting. Gone are the 100+ piece symphony orchestras and complicated music. Instead, there’s only 4-5 parts max. The Grado has more of an ability to shine here, as warmth is less needed in these tracks. Every instrument has room to shine. The Grado’s bass extension gives a good thump to the hand drums. Tori Amos’ and Alison Krauss’ voices both come through crystal clear without any hint of sibilance. Ethan Johns’ deep voice in Dark Fire comes out a little thin for my taste, but that is my only complaint with this headphone on these tracks.
The Sennheiser also does a great job with these tracks. The warm signature gives them a bit of a softness, providing an easy sound to listen to. Male and female vocals both shine through beautifully and the instruments are not buried in any way within the mix. The instruments have enough room to be heard clearly. This headphone was very enjoyable to listen to here.
Round 3: Electronic Dance Music (EDM)
The first thing I notice while listening to these tracks with the Sennheiser is that the edge is taken off of the treble. The bass has good impact and decent extension, but doesn’t seem very tight (I’m probably spoiled by the HE-1000 in this regard). Some of the details are a little blurry as well. I hate to say it, but emotionally speaking, this was kind of a boring experience for me.
Listening to the Grado, my first thought is “Oh God the treble!” I had to turn the volume down here and some of the parts in the midrange get lost as a result. The bass has great extension, and the impact is decent. Compared to the Sennheiser, I’d say the Grado has a better ability to dig deep into the bass and keeps things tighter. The treble exposes every detail, flawed or otherwise. The Grado is probably not the best experience for this type of music.
Round 4: Blues/Jazz
I’m going to say this straight away: the Sennheiser absolutely wins at jazz. It’s sound signature lends itself perfectly to the music. It’s hard to keep focusing on writing this review when I just want to close my eyes and enjoy the music, even though I’ve head these songs a hundred times before. One point of concern that I always listen for is Wynton Marsalis’s trumpet. It can be quite painful with certain headphones, but the Sennheiser keeps it to enjoyable levels.
However, the Grado does a respectable job at giving an enjoyable listening experience here. The first thing I can hear is the drums. It’s easy to tell whether the drummer is using sticks or brushes. The Grado’s fast, deep bass gives good weight to the stand-up bass. Pianos come through beautifully, though with less body than I’d personally like. Wynton Marsalis’s trumpet is truly painful here and I noticed a touch of sibilance.
Round 5: Rock/Metal
Rock is another thing the Sennheiser does quite well. The Dire Straits is especially good with these. AC/DC on the other hand, comes across as too thick for my taste; for some reason the vocals seemed really pushed back in the mix. Sons of Winter and Stars is probably the most complicated song in this list. With over 1000+ tracks, I’ve yet to hear a headphone that can dig though all of the layers. The Sennheiser doesn’t wow here, unfortunately. The warmer sound signature and thicker mid-bass keeps many parts within the song from shining to it’s full potential.
Here is where the Grado can perform to its highest potential. This headphone can ROCK! I found myself foot tapping to every song. Not a track in this genre was bad with this headphone. Good punch in the bass gives a solid foundation on which the rest of the songs can stand. Vocals and guitars are crystal clear and the drums can even their chance to be in the spotlight. Like the Sennheiser, the Grado struggles with Sons of Winter and Stars, though it’s more analytical nature exposes many more of the layers hidden within the song. This round goes to the Grado.
Bonus round: Binaural thunderstorm recording
This is a true test of any headphone. Everything must sound perfect, otherwise the immersion is broken. Here, the Sennheiser does an admirable job of putting to sound all of the different aspects in this recording. The thunder rolls overhead and feels realistic. The birds chirp as if you’re sitting amongst them. The only thing that feels slightly off is the sound of the rain itself. To my ears, it sounds like the rain is falling on carpet instead of concrete.
The Grado brings the rain to the foreground of this recording. It’s almost as if I can hear each drop splatter on the ground. Again, the chirping birds are quite realistic here. The thunder is the Grado’s weak point in this track. It is deeper than the Sennheiser, but without the mid-bass to support it, it comes off slightly metallic and it loses its weight.
Songs listened to:
Valery Gergiev, Mariinsky Orchestra - 1812 Festival Overture
Mormon Tabernacle Choir - Battle Hymn of the Republic
Masayoshi Soken - A New Hope
Tori Amos - Trouble's Lament
Amber Rubarth - Down Home
Ethan Johns - Dark Fire
Alison Krauss & Union Station - Miles to Go
Fill Spectre - Fungus Land
C418 - Haunt Muskie
Jef Neve Trio - Inner Peace
Ahmad Jamal - Quest For Light
Wynton Marsalis - Soon All Will Know
Dave Brubeck - Camptown Races
Taj Mahal - The Hustle Is On
Dire Straits - Sultans Of Swing
AC/DC - Jailbreak
Wintersun - Sons Of Winter And Stars
Katharina Treutler - Encore: Final Fantasy X (Suteki da ne)
Inchadney - Binaural Thunderstorm Recording
