Grado Headphones Comparison Guide: Everything You Need To Know
Read Time: Approx. 25 min.
A Timeless Headphone with a Classic Sound
What do you think of when someone describes something as timeless? Does it have to be around for a certain amount of time? Does it have to be made a certain way from the very beginning? There is intrinsic value to something being considered "timeless," and there is a certain pedigree that one expects from such a company. Grado is one such company that truly creates timeless headphones. Sure they make more than headphones, but it's the way they've been making them for so long that stands the test of time and makes them desired by audiophiles all over the world.
Based out of Brooklyn, New York, Grado has been handmaking their headphones the same way since day one. Like their bio says - it's a legacy - that they continue to produce something that people want. Grado headphones aren't just known for their sound, but everything that comes with a Grado headphone: superb build quality, great parts and components, amazing design, and comfort.
There's a lot to know about Grado if you aren't familiar with their headphones. The fact that there are a plethora of headphones to choose from and that the company makes more than just headphones (don't worry - we're just going to focus on their headphone lineup in this guide), can be a lot to wrap your head around at first. We'll take it step by step. So, what better place to start than the very beginning...
The Grado Product Line
"You'll hear us say this over and over: 'Everyone hears differently'"
The Grado Sound
There are many variables that determine how a headphone sounds: the driver, shape, materials used, circuit design, the fit, dampening, open or closed-back design, loudness, power draw, etc. When it comes to sound signatures, a headphone can be either warm and musical, balanced and neutral, or forward and analytical. At the end of the day, a headphone either sounds bad or good to your ears. There's no need to over-complicate it.
However, knowing your listening preferences is important, because then you can start to figure out which characteristics of a headphone influence the sound that you like. Knowing these characteristics will help you find a headphone to your liking and hopefully end up with countless hours of happy music listening with your new cans. It's no secret that Grado likes to keep their driver designs and details under wraps. In fact, there's just not a lot of information about their drivers online, other than the fact that they've essentially used the same driver structure since day one. We say that carefully because Grado has made changes to their drivers, but they haven't been as extreme as say, Meze Audio using dynamic drivers on their low-end headphones and their state-of-the-art isodynamic planar magnetic drivers on their high-end cans.
What is known about the Grado driver is that the company uses varying driver sizes and mylar. Mylar is their material of choice when it comes to the tried-and-true Grado sound. Over the years Grado has researched countless materials for the domes of their drivers and time and time again they go back to mylar.
For instance, the Prestige Series uses a 44mm mylar driver and everything above that (price) a 50mm mylar driver is deployed. They also use a variety of wood and metal cup designs to influence the sound, along with different ear pad shapes and depths which affect how the sound is perceived via the proximity to the ear canal. These varieties certainly affect the way the headphone sounds, but as far as internal specs on driver design, good luck finding any. The X driver is the latest generation of speakers by Grado since they started assembling drivers in 1991.
"While not only preserving but improving, the faithfulness to the originally recorded event, the new X Series of headphones present an even superior soundstage while being able to be powered by nearly any device. The goal with these new drivers was to increase efficiency and have their components work in unison. Specifically tuned for each headphone they’re designed for, this new speaker design features a more powerful magnetic circuit, a voice coil with decreased effective mass, and a reconfigured diaphragm. Reengineering these components for our 44mm drivers improve efficiency, reduces distortion, and preserves the harmonic integrity of your music." -Grado
When it comes to the sound, one thing is unmistakable: Grado just sounds good. Period.
The Grado Price Point
The Prestige Series
The Prestige Series from Grado holds a number of improvements on their headphone lineup. They use the latest 4th generation drivers, and the new design features a more powerful magnetic circuit, a voice coil with deceased effective mass, and a reconfigured diaphragm. Grado has re-engineered these components for their 44mm drivers to improve efficiency, reduce distortion, and preserve the harmonic integrity of the music. The cables and headband have also been redesigned for the Prestige Series with a more durable frame and a leather headband that features white stitching that is exclusive to the series. Lastly, the headphone series includes a new super annealed copper eight-conductor cable. Some of the marvels of a Grado driver are the clarity and range, revealing new notes and details in songs heard hundreds of times. With superlative tonal balance, dynamics, imaging, and realism, the Prestige Series lays out an extremely detailed presentation.
Grado SR60x
Grado SR80x
Grado SR125x
Grado SR225x
Grado SR325x
Grado SR60x Headphones
Open-back, Dynamic Driver
Sound Signature: Up-close and personal, wide soundstage
Genres: Rock, Metal, Blues
The entry-level headphone in the Brooklyn lineup, the SR60x produces the best audio quality at its price point and proves the Grado sound is never out of reach.
The Reference Series
The Reference Series also includes the X Series Drivers that are featured in the Prestige Series from Grado. Specifically tuned for the RS2x wood housing, this new speaker design features a more powerful magnetic circuit, a voice coil with decreased effective mass, and a reconfigured diaphragm. Reengineering these components for our 44mm drivers improve efficiency, reduces distortion, and preserves the harmonic integrity of your music. Along with the speakers, the cables and headband have been redesigned for the RS2x. Housed in a more durable exterior, the now super annealed copper 8-conductor cable reveals even more of your music with improved purity. The new black leather headband features a white-stitched accent. The driver and housing working in tandem react to sound vibrations and virtually eliminate transient distortions. With harmonic colors and a world renowned mid-range, the RS2x immediately draws you in. The sound the woods produce, when combined with Grado's special processes, are full-bodied with a rich vocality.
Grado RS2x
Grado RS1x
Grado Hemp
Grado RS2x Headphones
Open-back, Dynamic Driver
Sound Signature: Up-close and personal, detailed, accurate
Genres: Rock, Metal, Blues, Jazz, Folk
A family favorite, the RS2x has been completely redesigned to bring out the full potential of its maple and hemp wood. The housing’s sleeve and ring are made from maple, while a hemp core keeps everything together. The RS2x boasts a wide soundstage, precise bass depth, and articulate highs for a realistic, refined listening experience.
The Statement Series
The Statement series from Grado uses 50mm dynamic transducers and the new 12 conductor cable design. The wood, driver, and cable designs, result in tight control and stability of the upper and lower range of the frequency spectrum to support the Statement Series world renowned midrange.The cushion design actually creates a 'room' for the ears to sit, with a larger soundstage and greater spatial experience for the listener. It was most important to design the correct balance between the driver and the wooden driver housing to give you the pure sound we crave. The Statement Series headphones retain a sound that is pure Grado, with warm harmonic colors, rich full bodied vocals, excellent dynamics, and an ultra-smooth top end. The presentation is very detailed, the bass is deep, and the music is very tight while non-fatiguing. All with stunning separation and layering of the music.
Grado GS1000x
Grado GS3000x
Grado GS1000x Statement Series Headphones
Open-back, Dynamic Driver
Sound Signature: Detailed, vivid
Genres: Classical, Jazz, Folk
The sound of wood comes to life with Grado's statement series headphone the GS1000x. When you first lay eyes on the Grado GS1000x Statement, they may seem like another pair of classic over-ear headphones from Grado. However, these are more than meets the eye. Grado’s commitment to continuous improvement is evident in every detail. Notably, the GS1000x introduces ipê, a durable tropical wood, alongside Grado’s beloved mahogany, enhancing sonic solidity and robustness in the driver housing.
The GS1000x delivers a vivid, detailed sound for a compelling performance. The X series drivers have been specially tuned to bring forth the warmth of the mahogany housing, for a harmonious sound quality.
The Signature Series
Grado's newest line of headphones, the Signature line is the company's most daring venture yet. Staying true to their lineage of wood housings and intentional design, Grado has curated a line of headphones fit for the most discerning audiophiles. The Signature line sports an exciting first for Grado headphones: A detachable headphone cable. This design choice unlocks an upgrade path where listeners can swap cables and curate the sound quality they want. The Signature line's current headphones feature a completely new speaker driver design. The new 52mm driver produces excellent high-frequency resolution, midrange smoothness, and bass energy with low distortion, resulting in a voicing that is musically and harmonically correct. A new paper composite cone was chosen, alongside a powerful high flux magnetic circuit using rare earth alloys, and a new voice coil made from lightweight copper-plated aluminum.
Grado S950
Grado HP100SE
Grado Signature S950 Headphones
Open-back, Dynamic Driver
Sound Signature: Musical, spacious, detailed
Genres: Alternative, Jazz, Folk, Country
Grado's all-new Signature S950 Headphones deliver premium sound in a handcrafted Brazilian walnut shell. Staying true to Grado’s longstanding tradition of using woods in crafting their headphone housings, this model utilizes a Brazilian Walnut, the first time Grado has chosen this family of woods. The S950 expands on the success of the HP100SE, delivering you a slightly warmer sound that's perfect for acoustic, strings, and more.
Limited and Wireless Editions
Grado GW100x Wireless Headphones
Open-back, Bluetooth 5.2
Sound Signature: Rich, detailed
Genres: Everything
The GW100x is the world's first open-back Bluetooth headphones. Their speaker housings and internals have been designed from the ground up, now working in tandem to notably diminish escaping sound by up to 60%. Perfect for at-home listening, the GW100x delivers you a rich and detailed listening experience. Whether used wirelessly or with the 3.5mm jack-equipped cable, the headphones excel in reproducing diverse musical genres with clarity and precision. If you prioritize top-notch audio in a quiet environment, the GW100x is worth considering, despite its unconventional design and features.
Which Grado Headphone Is Right for Me?
When determining what headphone is right for you there is a lot to consider, most importantly ergonomics. There are some important questions you'll need to ask yourself: What kind of music do I like to listen to? Where will I be listening to music? IEMs or full-size headphones? Open-back or closed-back headphones? What is your price point? Answering these questions will go a long way in determining what headphone is best for you.
When it comes to IEMs, Grado doesn't have much to offer. They DO have a few IEM models, including the GR10e and the iGe3 wired in-ears. The iGe3 is their entry-level IEM at $99 and the GR10e as the high-tiered option. Grado also has a wireless ear bud with the GT220 to compete with the likes of the Apple Airpod and Android variants. Only the GT220 has an internal rechargeable battery. All three are great options for portable use or those wanting good sound with the smallest footprint available. We do not carry these at Moon Audio, but they offer some great options for those wanting the premium Grado sound in a small and affordable package.
With headphones, on the other hand, Grado has one of the largest selections of any brand on the market. It's what they do. We typically divide this into a closed-back and open-back section to talk about different ergonomic scenarios, but in the case of Grado, they do not manufacture closed-back designs. The differences are really gonna come down to the specifics of the headphone: i.e. ear pads, driver design, cup design and materials, etc. Grado is a bit of an anomaly in the industry due to their company secrets on their driver design and differences, but there's no doubting that their headphones are a favorite of many and a staple in many audiophiles' headphone arsenals.
We recommend you look at each headphone series that Grado makes - the series are divided into a general price range based on the type of technology you'll find in each series, and progresses with each step up. For instance, The SR325 is going to have much more definition and improved overall sound and build quality than the SR125 model. Of course, the price corresponds with that change, but that is how Grado structures their headphone lineup. The trickier part is when you start comparing series to series.
Grado's headphones have a wide variety of sounds despite all maintaining the Grado "sound signature. For instance, the SR325 has more bottom end than the PS500. All Grado's are up-close and personal sounding like a studio monitor: very detailed, clean, and quick. Although some of their headphones have perceived warmth, this might be more attributed to the materials of the cup, padding, and dampening than the driver itself. This is why we always recommend hacking your Grado's with a Black Dragon Cable to provide more warmth and musicality. Note that metal cups are going to sound smoother than the wooden or plastic variants. Padding on the ear cups also influences the sound, like the flat pads that are used on the Hemp headphone will provide more low end if added to any of the models under the RS-1. The GS1000 and PS1000 (and above) all have the largest soundstage of the Grado lineup as the drivers are much farther from your ears than other series. This is why the GS1000 really excels at big stage style music like classical, etc.
When it comes to the various models and series from Grado, the best thing to do is just try some out and see what you like. If you have any questions or you are not sure where to start, feel free to Contact Us and we'll be more than happy to help you in any way we can.
Why Do You Need Better Headphones?
Why would you settle for ordinary? People invest in what they love.
The question of why you need better headphones is one of the most important things you can ask yourself in the quest for your perfect sound in the world of audiophilia. Everything has room for improvement; it's in our very nature to seek perfection and at the same time our lot in life to never be able to achieve it. But the beautiful thing about headphones is that although improvement never leads to perfection, it always leads to more enjoyment. Your enjoyment is your investment when it comes to getting better headphones. Better headphones mean better sound, and better sound means listening to your music like never before and falling in love with it all over again. So why would you NOT want to get better headphones?
Why Do Over-Ear Headphones Sound the Best?
Many audiophiles prefer a "wider" sense of presentation compared to the "narrower" "in-your-head" sense of presentation that on-ear and in-ear monitors can deliver. On-ear and in-ear types lose the extra-dimensional "width" of over-ears due to their smaller form factor, but focus on better mobility.
... where psychoacoustics are concerned, there are no right or wrong answers. There are only preferences and compromises; advantages vs. disadvantages.
On the other hand, a "narrower" sense of presentation that's more "centered" in the forehead is usually achieved best with the smaller and more portable on-ear and in-ear fit-types. However, where psychoacoustics are concerned, there are no right or wrong answers. There are only preferences and compromises; advantages vs disadvantages.
When it comes to Grado's full-size headphones, one thing they do well is to give you a personal and detailed listening experience. They put you inside of the action, or in this case, the music. Grado headphones have a lot to offer when it comes to their varied price points, and despite the similarities, there are actually some expansive sound options according to their design. With over-ear headphones, Grado can offer you different headband options, dampening designs, different ear pads, even the ear cups themselves can be different sizes from series to series. But it's that over-ear design that Grado does best, and it makes for some excellent sounding headphones.
Brooklyn Beginnings
Joseph Grado, 1942
Grado isn't just a name. It's a legacy - and a family one at that. In 1950 Joseph Grado was a watchmaker at Tiffany in New York. He started making phono cartridges by hand at home in Brooklyn during this time, his workspace being his kitchen table. It was soon after in 1953 that Joseph started up Grado Laboratories and created phono cartridges full time. It was just a matter of time before the popularity of the phono cartridges exploded and they started making a name for themselves. in 1959 Joseph was awarded patents for the first Stereo Moving Coil Cartridge, and new products rolled out after a decade of growth and turntable popularity.
Much of Grado's success in the early days was simply due to word-of-mouth. They're proud to state that to this very day, Grado has never paid for advertisements or endorsements. How many other audiophile-grade companies can say the same? Grado's nephew John started in 1965 at the age of 12, and eventually took over production in 1977 and expanded to 10,000 cartridges a week.
Fast-forward to the 1980s and some new series of phono cartridges later, and John Grado is handed the full responsibilities of Grado Labs. In 1989 the HP 1000 signature headphone was introduced - the first headphone by Grado - and like the name, only 1000 were made. John became the president and owner of Grado in 1990 and the next year Grado releases the SR100, SR200, and SR300 model headphones. Grado is known for its iconic wooden earcups, and interestingly enough these first series of headphones from Grado were constructed from metal housings. It wasn't until 1996 that Grado released the first headphone with a wooden ear cup design with the RS1.
What followed was a proverbial movement of "if it ain't broke," and in that spirit, Grado cemented its tried-and-true approach to making both amazing headphones and phono cartridges. Unsurprisingly, the style of those headphones and cartridges haven't changed much over the years, and in a bold move for their 50th anniversary, Grado released a limited-run snazzy-looking gold version of the SR325i headphones.
Their first departure from headphones was in 2011 when they released their first in-ear monitors, the iGi and the GR8. The more popular GR10's came out the following year, but their IEM lineup didn't really stand the test of time until the emergence of the wireless trend of the past few years. Today, Grado continues to release the latest headphones and cartridges on a zero-dollar budget, and despite such obstacles, was named a Top Eight Most Social Small Companies in America by Mashable and American Express. John's son Jonathan Grado is currently Vice President of Marketing and continuing to learn the business to presumably keep it in the family. In 2015 JetBlue partnered with Grado to bring their headphones to the exclusive Mint Class flights. Joseph Grado passed away on February 6, 2015, at the age of 90. If one thing is certain, it's that Grado will continue their legacy of superior sound quality for the masses for years and years to come.
The Grado Difference
GRADO: UPGRADE YOUR SOUND WITHOUT HAVING TO DOWNGRADE YOUR WALLET.
Grado is timeless. With enough headphones for just about every budget and every sound, it's understandable why they have stood the test of time. Grado places itself in a great price range from some very affordable, excellent sound headphones for consumers to some impressive mid-level audiophile-grade cans. Grado: upgrade your sound without having to downgrade your wallet.
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