@O g I mean, that's a really dumb explanation. Like it's obvious that they just really don't want to implement 3.5mm ports, for whatever reason, but that excuse is total bs
You can't judge what customers what by Z's bitching and or the couple hundred people who comments here. Grado's knows most of their users could careless about the cable and I'm sure that's why they haven't changed it.
Having owned and loved/hated a few sets of Grados the thing that annoys me the most is that over time the cables will inevitably detach from the headphones requiring internal re-soldering AND/OR the horseshoe shaped plastic thingy that allows the actual headphone to swivel breaks. I wrote Grado who sent me a new pair (thingys not headphones) for free. After owning a few different much more expensive headphones and amps I came to the conclusion that for my needs a set of inexpensive and easy to drive SR60 are all I really need. That being said those Hemps are really tempting.
The first thing that you want to do on any grado is mod it to a removable cable by adding (2) 3.5mm jacks. Everything else, including the pads is totally fine.
I refuse to buy a pair until their wire becomes detachable. It doesn't matter how good a wire is, it's always going to eventually break and I'm really bad with soldering. Ah, and they made the cables worse, lovely.
Thank you for showing me the shipibo audio mods, they've been a true game changer for me and finally allowed me to use all day! Their pads are super soft and in combination with their aluminum gimbals and padded leather headbands make Grado's extremely comfortable. They're called nyczaj audio now by the way, thank god for audio community for doing what Grado should be doing in terms of comfort!
I’m currently listening to this through my SR 60 X and I have to agree.. The thick braided cable is absolutely annoying. Mine weren’t aligned properly so if I try straightening out the cable block it flips both drivers to the right. The cable will painfully catch your facial/long hair if aren’t careful. Other than that, I still recommend them. I’ll definitely plan on pad swapping these in the near future.
I've been waiting almost a decade for an excuse to buy a grado after listening to my roommate's pair. This company cannot get out of it's own way apparently, I'll continue to wait.
I would buy a pair of gardos too, however I want to enjoy my headphones and I think 60% at least of the reason you buy headphones is for how they feel on your head. So until grado makes something that doesn't have workmanship out of 1980 I'll pass, maybe one day.
Here is the deal with Grado, I grew up with Grado. It was my first audiofile headphone. Back then, attached cables were a thing with most cheap headphones and it was super common for a headphone back then in that category. I don't have an issue with the build or cable at all. At this price point. After diving back into the audiophile world more hard core and listening to people OBSESSE over cables is new to me and quite frankly out of touch with reality with a can of this price point. Yes it is nice to have a good cable, but holy fuck people you lost your minds about the dam cable! Yes everyone moved on, yes I would like to see detachable cables. But for the love of music it is not THAT big a deal! I listened to Grados since the orignal SR80's were around. I somehow survived and thought that were great and have so many fond memories of them. All stock. They lasted for 10 years before getting utterly destroyed by the dog. They are only a $100 people and sound fuckin fantastic for the money. They can be your last headphone if you are normal person and don't want to dive into audiophilia. The expensive ones, I'd like to see them do better. But quite frankly it never bothered me enough to complain. It's a fuckin Grado, they are retro. They look cool and sound great. They don't fall apart and you are not taking them to battle with you. If you really want there is a plethora of aftermarket options available and people mod them to taste. And that is also just part of the Grado sub culture. You make them your own. But I've never bother to go past cables or pads.
I had the same thought recently - "what the hell happened to Grado's quality"? I did a little research and it turns out the grandson (or something of the sort) took over the business 5-7 years ago and the weird decisions followed. Maybe someone with a bit better head for this business will step in and right the ship. In the meantime, stick with the Grados you have and hope for the best.
@@MrAhuraMazda Yup. The drivers are good, not as good as those in my SR225 set imo but yes, they're better than a lot of what is on the market. However, that is only a portion of the total equation. Build quality, convenience, toughness, comfort and wearability - all those things add up to the ultimate experience of a portable listening device like headphones. There are a lot of options out there that get all those things right and for me at least, I reach for my Bowers & Wilkins PX7s (for example) way more often than I do the Grados - simply because the total package is vastly better.
@@robbetts Steve Guttenberg nailed it with Grado. Theyre so immediate. Everything is very forward, yet they somehow retain soundstage. Once your ear adjusts its hard to go back to other headphones, and the X Series just lops off that notorious 2K sizzle and adds some much needed warmth. I havent looked at another headphone since I gor these 7 months ago. When I put on "better" headphones they sound either sterile, robotic or veiled. Grados sound like a shitty old speaker your grandfather had in his basement but arent shitty at all but actually made when things were made right. I learned this years ago when I hadnt listened to my $80 SR60E in a year and then I was listening to a symphony on them and thought "Jesus these are so good, even compared to $1500 set they have something no other headphone has." I will give credit where credit is due, the 6XX is a BEAST. That one particular headphone is also ridiculous in this category, but its so warm and caramelly compared to the Grados crunchy rock. Pretty good pair if you have both.
@@AD-ll4iz the 80x doesn't add warmth (which is good for me cuz I don't like warmth). But the previous ear piercing sizzle from the 80e is gone, so it's nicer this time around.
The old SR60 wires were definitely prone to falling apart after some fair usage. I went through multiple cables, and I've never used headphones very regularly in my life either. They would get connectivity issues in them randomly and need to be taped in loops at certain angles to hold a connection too often. This probably happens from occasionally getting run over with a chair and/or stepped on, and maybe there is no escaping this type of damage besides being more careful. My biggest pet peeve with braided cables is that over time, they rub along my desk's veneer covering right angle edges and wear them down.
I have a pair of 60x and I enjoy them a lot despite the poor build/lack of detachable cables. They’re like the only headphone that are light on my head. Anyway I like how he uses Tank opening from cowboy bebop
At first, I thought it was an improvement over vinyl jacket wire. It looks much sturdier and feels beefy. But they rub you the wrong way a lot so you try to remain very still when listening to them.
This is a monumental upgrade from my 80e. God for this kind of sound I can totally be chilling. The stereo system is now in storage and USB C DAC attached. Memorex commercial anyone?
Is there an actual reason for not having a removable connection for the headphone cord? I'm sure it adds a small cost, but I'm sure most people would pay for a replaceable cable.
I play with pads all the time.... I really like the default grado pads. They get really soft with time and give them am "intimate" feel to the sound. I like the big 1000' pads, the in-betweens, the weird sheepskin ones I got from china that went on my custom planar magnetic modded 80x's... The OG pads just do something very pleasant that I quite like. Cable can die in a fire though.
so would everybody else even those who don't own Grado. entery level to TOTL isn't that much more to build because they have to build it anyway. Now material cost only real issue increase
You've noted not too many watch your whole videos. I do. Even if I'm not all that interested in the product. Maybe I need help. 🤔😇 Re. Grado will they every offer balanced cables?
I have the Hemps and PS500e. If you take the pads off the hemps and put them on the PS500e you have the best Grado made. All the good tone of the hemps with the detail and clarity of the PS500e.
They gave a bs excuse about the cables being best for the grade sound which is just stupid considering how little if at all of a difference cables make to the sound
Plugged the sr80x in to my laptop and it sounded shit, plugged it in to my phone and sounded great. Plenty of bass for hip hop too. Seriously had some super bassy daft punk and drake and it just rumbles with 0 distortion to the drums using the g1000 earpads I also quite like the cable apart from the fact you can’t change them. I get no sound transmission to my ears from the cable scraping against things, it’s also very supple and feels like it’s bombproof
I love my old ass SR 125 from the 90s. The cable is super annoying, but I came up with an easy fix, just flip your drivers over and route both cables over to one side and now I have a one-sided cable and I’m just holding all the loops up with zip ties. It looks Jenkee, but who cares
I have to say this, sheesh! They are SUPPOSED TO be bent to your head, so they adapt to everyone's unique head shape. Other headphones use complex mechanisms that would probably increase the price or decrease the durability. Grado probably do this to cut costs.
Love grados, I have the 325x's and their sound makes my ears very happy. It is genuinely hilarious to me how bad they are tho. I love their sound, i prefer them for just about my entire music library, but everything else about them sucks so bad. Their awful build, especially the wire, makes me laugh at how bad it is. I'm convinced they just go with their reputation for terrible build quality and make it a gimmick, and that makes me love them all the more.
I was too late and they weren't making the sr80e anymore. I had to spend MORE money for a cable that was worse. for some reason, they bumped up the price. For the X series. They still sound amazing though and I still recommend them
I got the Shipibo pads and I honestly don't understand why anyone would want more bass than that.. I'm not saying it's too much, but it's enough.. It's enough with punk/metal and it's enough with rap... People are obsessed with bass as if the quality of a soundsystem or headphone is only determined by this. Bass should sound good, not loud.. And I'm saying this as a (kind of) bass player..
I can spend $400 CAD ($300 USD). I've had 80/80i (i was terrible). Which wired Grado should I buy? I've read all the reviews and still can't make up my mind. I can buy a used 80x right now for $125 CAD or save another $200 for used hemp, new 325x or used RS2e. No amp or DAC, just an android. Also found an MS1 for only $40.
Grado should just get rid of those smaller foam pads in use the bigger wider ones for all their headphone at least....the wire however as many of us know is a different story and one they chose to ignore
Greate review on the new SR60/80 may get a pair and experiment with the different earcup cushions 😊. I have watched many of your videos, and no offence but think you probably have a wide and tall head, as you have had to extend the Grado earcup rods to their maximum length and widen the band. I would say 75% of your viewers and even 75% of headphone enthusiasts do not need to bend the hell out of their expensive headphones. I feel sorry for all the people who loan their pride and joy headphones to you 😅. But it makes for great entertainment on your channel, and guess it is your signature move 😊
Fun video, it's never the wire! I have the SR125 and love those cans.... Paired with the Little dot MKIII and the little dot DAC 1. Any thoughts on those combos? I also have the HD650 paired the same way.... Using the G series pads makes it feel like you have speakers on your shoulders rather than headphones on your head..
Let me see if I can't play devil's advocate & make Z's head explode....... Any thought to maybe Grado thought, "We've made these headphone, done all of the listening tests & set them up to sound as reasonably best as they can. We've also decided to not give you the option to f' up their sound."? When you make comments like, "These are the only aftermarket pads that don't f' up the sound.........", you kind of valid Grado's decision to not give you pad or cable options. Imagine if you did have the option to replace the cable. This would've been a 3 hour review! Personally, I kind of like having the option of spending more money on a futile pad or cable search taken away from me. :) I remember my first search for a high performance home headphone over 30 years ago. It came down to a choice between the Beyerdynamic DT 880, a Grado SR225 / SR325 or a Sennheiser HD 565 Ovation. Whether the cables were swappable wasn't even a thought in my head. Sonics were the primary focus & with that in mind, the Grado's were eliminated & the Beyer's & Senn's were neck & neck. It all came down to a very slight sonic & a big visual preference for the Sennheiser's. Still have them to this day & they still perform very well as you already know!
@@saamo1423 No, that's not my viewpoint. My viewpoint is, I want a manufacturer to design a complete product that represents what they were trying to put forth & what I prefer straight out of the box. If their product is not in my range of sonic preference, I will make my choice by either purchasing it or not. What I don't want to do is have to use software or purchase new pads or cables or jump through hoops to achieve that result. I've already been down that route & in my experience it's always been a mixed bag where an improvement in one area usually leads to a negative elsewhere. At that point it becomes what's more important to you & what can you live with? I prefer to make that choice up front!
@@dragons_advocate We're talking about an extra dollar a unit, max. Whatever money they're saving by doing this, they're losing in customers who don't want to deal with their stoneage nonsense
Someone brought up over on DMS's channel that the only difference between the 60x and the 80x is that the 80x has better matched drivers. That's it. They are otherwise exactly the same.
I think am the only person who watches these videos from beginning to end and I can never get enough of your content That sniff tho 👁️👀1:55 I love the new cable material I think all attached it from wires even estats should use this wire with improvements inside grado you set the diamond standard for attach headphone Cables way to go now all we need is just 4PIN XLR only termination with 4PIN XLR adapter to 3.5MM to push on 6.35mm adapter you can flip the loop on sp split like flip it around and then it would be more manageable
The one thing you didn't help with is the 25 dollars for the 80's worth it? They are the same but aren't the same...... Grado says they are pre stressed or de stressed or w/e that means.... Pre burned in maybe? Does the signature support that theory? so ur paying for the 80 on the tag and for them to run them for 200 hrs on a mp3 player? I hate, but want to love Grado's i think? I just hate though currently cuz i'm crazy and can't pick one. I blame Grado mostly for their lack of technical clarity on models.
Will never buy Grado again because they refuse to address the build. The fact that people defend spending more than $50 on them is laughable, even if they sound good.
For anyone wondering, I gave it a try, as I ordered pads for myself (I'm polish, so shipping was $4 for me, thanks to that it was the price of Dekoni pads) - these pads need a spot where they can rest on, because those pads keep the drivers properly away from your ears, these make grados a proper over-ear, not "in-betweens" like G cushions. KPH30i has no place to rest the foam on - when you put them on the KPH30i, the drivers go straight through them - it won't work without any 3d printed mods.
How about gw100? Marketed as their "wireless" headphone. How is the sound? As I remembered from a long long time ago, they didn't sound as good as the 80s or 60s. But I am not sure perhaps I was just not good at listening back then.
I owned three pairs until I figured I can get better value. The sound on the grados is good but the comfort. My ears were burning all the time after 30m of listening with the grados. Why? Why don't they rethink the comfort? The foam? The cheap grados are the only one that can be bought. And they sell the same crappy chassis for $3k grado headphones.
I have the Hemps and that cable is really obnoxious to deal with. The missus who keep telling me she don't care about sound for some reason kept stealing my Hemps though so decided to get a second Grado Headphone since my ears actually prefer the foam pad's and for some reason they particularly like the F-pads. I decided to try the 225x's since they where mainly for the missus and she did not like the metal cups on the 325's. They sound amazing, really close to the Hemps but they do lack a bit of low end compared to the Hemps. Now I wonder if I overpaid since the way you describe the 60's and 80's are very similar to how I experience the 225's. Did find the 225's to put the vocals a bit more forward than on the Hemps on some Vocal Jazz tracks. BUT the cable is just so FUCKING BAD on the new ones. We are seriously considering to find someone to mod them, no matter what you do that cable is just always in the way.
Hell, they sound good, they are not overpriced. Pads are inexpensive and easy to change. They are Brooklyn made. (Who else can say that?) The headband can be easily shaped. There are upgrades of all kinds. And they look cool. And the company is even cooler. Did I say that they sound great? C'm on Z, cool down. We like our Grados!. :-) LOL!
I just had these yesterday... Initial impressions: they gave me a headache 😬 too bright... coming from using Hifiman Sundara, Akg k371, Meze 99... Listening to them for about 2-3 hours may have helped (maybe due to brain burn in?).. But yeah, I guess I need to get used to its sound... Pads are on the way! So far what I liked about them are the weight and its unique look from my other headphones (though yes cable sucks)... I still remember getting a more positive experience when I first tried the shp9500
I'm looking for good on ear headphones that would fit similar to Gradeos as I don't like big bulky headphones. Any suggestions for that? They have to be open. Currently using Koss Porta Pro untill I find something that will be better sounding and at least as comfortable as Koss.
I have grado 80e's and they sound like an absolute dumpster trash in 90% of situations. There is a grunge to them that I can enjoy in short spurts, like they are bad and colored but I can dig them sometimes, but they are a mess. The 80x would of had to of been a very significant upgrade. Like my 80e's sound like 20 dollar bad with 100 good mixed together. I don't know how to explain it. I've always wanted to try a good sounding grado, they've intrigued me for the last 20 years.
I've been waiting for this video for awhile. I fucking love the way that my SR60xs sound but I absolutely loathe having to put them on because I hate the fucking cable.
@@EGxSenSei very bright top end but not sharp, the bass is still there and well defined it's just not overwhelming. Just a really pleasant sound overall.
@@EGxSenSei I'm not an audio expert but I definitely give it 2 thumbs up. An appropriate amount of bass, good top end. I mostly listen to Vapourwave, with some Rock and metal and it works out well for those. Also solid for movies and games I find.
@@EGxSenSei Well as a quick update, they actually sounded pretty great, but only 4 months later and the right driver is giving me faint to no sound. If they made the cable feel like utter crap for durability it failed miserably. It isn't like I ran them hard either, they mostly sat on my computer, or occasionally plugged them into a mini hi-fi system for the odd album on CD or cassette.
How much is the balanced cable mod typically for the grados, just working it out say 130 hp’s + 50 mod + 30 decent pads ignor new cable, so say 210 ish and crap headband, zero isolation and suddenly I’m thinking these had better be way better than Sundaras
At first i hated the cables too. Then i had a detachable cable mod done. Absolutely ruined the sound. Not in a way that they sounded bad, per se, but they definitely lost that Grado sound signature. This was on a pair of GH2. I recently got a pair of RS1X and will never change the cables.
A small company being so deaf towards customers for a rather easy feature (detachable wires) is mesmerizing.
@O g I mean, that's a really dumb explanation. Like it's obvious that they just really don't want to implement 3.5mm ports, for whatever reason, but that excuse is total bs
You can't judge what customers what by Z's bitching and or the couple hundred people who comments here. Grado's knows most of their users could careless about the cable and I'm sure that's why they haven't changed it.
@@error4159 Literally everyone I know owns grado's talks shit about the cables. It's an objectively bad feature
@@MadLustEnvy Yep, I own a pair of 80's and the lack of a detachable cable has never bothered me.
@@error4159 SR 60e user here, I love them, hate the cable.
Having owned and loved/hated a few sets of Grados the thing that annoys me the most is that over time the cables will inevitably detach from the headphones requiring internal re-soldering AND/OR the horseshoe shaped plastic thingy that allows the actual headphone to swivel breaks. I wrote Grado who sent me a new pair (thingys not headphones) for free.
After owning a few different much more expensive headphones and amps I came to the conclusion that for my needs a set of inexpensive and easy to drive SR60 are all I really need. That being said those Hemps are really tempting.
The first thing that you want to do on any grado is mod it to a removable cable by adding (2) 3.5mm jacks. Everything else, including the pads is totally fine.
Exactly what I thought when I bought my 80x.. Love the sound, hate the built.. Still these are my fourth Grado, so I am hooked..
I refuse to buy a pair until their wire becomes detachable. It doesn't matter how good a wire is, it's always going to eventually break and I'm really bad with soldering.
Ah, and they made the cables worse, lovely.
Thank you for showing me the shipibo audio mods, they've been a true game changer for me and finally allowed me to use all day! Their pads are super soft and in combination with their aluminum gimbals and padded leather headbands make Grado's extremely comfortable. They're called nyczaj audio now by the way, thank god for audio community for doing what Grado should be doing in terms of comfort!
I’m currently listening to this through my SR 60 X and I have to agree.. The thick braided cable is absolutely annoying. Mine weren’t aligned properly so if I try straightening out the cable block it flips both drivers to the right. The cable will painfully catch your facial/long hair if aren’t careful. Other than that, I still recommend them. I’ll definitely plan on pad swapping these in the near future.
Can you review it lil bit how it sound like?
@@EGxSenSeiso are you brain damaged or what
I've been waiting almost a decade for an excuse to buy a grado after listening to my roommate's pair. This company cannot get out of it's own way apparently, I'll continue to wait.
dude just buy it, youll love it!
Yeah dude they’re good. I love em. You’ll be a fan even with the faults this guy claims.
Pick up a used custom pair, don't give Grado your money.
I would buy a pair of gardos too, however I want to enjoy my headphones and I think 60% at least of the reason you buy headphones is for how they feel on your head. So until grado makes something that doesn't have workmanship out of 1980 I'll pass, maybe one day.
Buy a pair of Sennheiser HD 58X. Great headphones that are reasonably priced.
The sr80z’s will use conduit instead if wires
haha-you funny bruh
Don't give em ideas :X
Here is the deal with Grado, I grew up with Grado. It was my first audiofile headphone. Back then, attached cables were a thing with most cheap headphones and it was super common for a headphone back then in that category. I don't have an issue with the build or cable at all. At this price point. After diving back into the audiophile world more hard core and listening to people OBSESSE over cables is new to me and quite frankly out of touch with reality with a can of this price point. Yes it is nice to have a good cable, but holy fuck people you lost your minds about the dam cable! Yes everyone moved on, yes I would like to see detachable cables. But for the love of music it is not THAT big a deal! I listened to Grados since the orignal SR80's were around. I somehow survived and thought that were great and have so many fond memories of them. All stock. They lasted for 10 years before getting utterly destroyed by the dog. They are only a $100 people and sound fuckin fantastic for the money. They can be your last headphone if you are normal person and don't want to dive into audiophilia.
The expensive ones, I'd like to see them do better. But quite frankly it never bothered me enough to complain. It's a fuckin Grado, they are retro. They look cool and sound great. They don't fall apart and you are not taking them to battle with you. If you really want there is a plethora of aftermarket options available and people mod them to taste. And that is also just part of the Grado sub culture. You make them your own. But I've never bother to go past cables or pads.
I had the same thought recently - "what the hell happened to Grado's quality"? I did a little research and it turns out the grandson (or something of the sort) took over the business 5-7 years ago and the weird decisions followed. Maybe someone with a bit better head for this business will step in and right the ship. In the meantime, stick with the Grados you have and hope for the best.
Grados quality has never been better. These X drivers are outstanding and blow anything Hifiman or Sennheiser is doing under $700 out of the water.
@@MrAhuraMazda Yup. The drivers are good, not as good as those in my SR225 set imo but yes, they're better than a lot of what is on the market. However, that is only a portion of the total equation. Build quality, convenience, toughness, comfort and wearability - all those things add up to the ultimate experience of a portable listening device like headphones. There are a lot of options out there that get all those things right and for me at least, I reach for my Bowers & Wilkins PX7s (for example) way more often than I do the Grados - simply because the total package is vastly better.
@@robbetts Steve Guttenberg nailed it with Grado. Theyre so immediate. Everything is very forward, yet they somehow retain soundstage. Once your ear adjusts its hard to go back to other headphones, and the X Series just lops off that notorious 2K sizzle and adds some much needed warmth. I havent looked at another headphone since I gor these 7 months ago. When I put on "better" headphones they sound either sterile, robotic or veiled. Grados sound like a shitty old speaker your grandfather had in his basement but arent shitty at all but actually made when things were made right. I learned this years ago when I hadnt listened to my $80 SR60E in a year and then I was listening to a symphony on them and thought "Jesus these are so good, even compared to $1500 set they have something no other headphone has."
I will give credit where credit is due, the 6XX is a BEAST. That one particular headphone is also ridiculous in this category, but its so warm and caramelly compared to the Grados crunchy rock. Pretty good pair if you have both.
gw 100
@@AD-ll4iz the 80x doesn't add warmth (which is good for me cuz I don't like warmth). But the previous ear piercing sizzle from the 80e is gone, so it's nicer this time around.
The old SR60 wires were definitely prone to falling apart after some fair usage. I went through multiple cables, and I've never used headphones very regularly in my life either. They would get connectivity issues in them randomly and need to be taped in loops at certain angles to hold a connection too often. This probably happens from occasionally getting run over with a chair and/or stepped on, and maybe there is no escaping this type of damage besides being more careful.
My biggest pet peeve with braided cables is that over time, they rub along my desk's veneer covering right angle edges and wear them down.
Ahh yes, rotating the headphones with the wire, my most wanted feature.
"default communist" headphone pads. LOL ♥
I hate the Grado wires too, but love the Grado sound. GW100 is a pretty awesome solution.
What is the best sounding pads for grado gw???
I have a pair of 60x and I enjoy them a lot despite the poor build/lack of detachable cables. They’re like the only headphone that are light on my head. Anyway I like how he uses Tank opening from cowboy bebop
How does it sound bro?
sparkly
m8, your videos are a legendary experience
At first, I thought it was an improvement over vinyl jacket wire. It looks much sturdier and feels beefy. But they rub you the wrong way a lot so you try to remain very still when listening to them.
This is a monumental upgrade from my 80e. God for this kind of sound I can totally be chilling. The stereo system is now in storage and USB C DAC attached. Memorex commercial anyone?
Can you elaborate a bit more on what makes them a monumental upgrade over the 80e's, which I currently have and enjoy.
Hoping to see Z review the SR80 vs SR125 vs SR325 🤞🏽 🤞🏽 he gives some of the best reviews
Great review!! I hope to see the 325x review in the future too!
Only reason I still have my sr60 is because I wanna hear them on tubes before selling.
They definitively aren't worth more than ksc75 lol.
Are you saying the KSC75 are better?
Z! Any eta when you will be reviewing the 325x? Waiting to hear your review before pulling the trigger and purchasing. 🎧 🙏🏽 ✨
Is there an actual reason for not having a removable connection for the headphone cord? I'm sure it adds a small cost, but I'm sure most people would pay for a replaceable cable.
It can't just be the cost. Even their flagship $1000++ headphones have the same non-detachable cables.
I play with pads all the time.... I really like the default grado pads. They get really soft with time and give them am "intimate" feel to the sound. I like the big 1000' pads, the in-betweens, the weird sheepskin ones I got from china that went on my custom planar magnetic modded 80x's... The OG pads just do something very pleasant that I quite like.
Cable can die in a fire though.
You should do a video just on Grado mods
so would everybody else even those who don't own Grado.
entery level to TOTL isn't that much more to build because they have to build it anyway. Now material cost only real issue increase
there is another uoutuber who has mods for many brands.
Jason Rhys- Thomas
You've noted not too many watch your whole videos. I do. Even if I'm not all that interested in the product. Maybe I need help. 🤔😇 Re. Grado will they every offer balanced cables?
They do offer balance but it's an amazingly expensive upcharge
I have the Hemps and PS500e. If you take the pads off the hemps and put them on the PS500e you have the best Grado made. All the good tone of the hemps with the detail and clarity of the PS500e.
I think I will try this and thanks. PS500
The shipibo ear pad link doesnt work. Did the company change names to NYCZAJ??
Yes
Yes, they did!
the pause before "...nothing else has improved on the headphone" made me chuckle
You may try and review OpenHearth OH2000. And look at other products of the brand, such as its cables
They gave a bs excuse about the cables being best for the grade sound which is just stupid considering how little if at all of a difference cables make to the sound
Never had a grado i've liked but still watch erry Z vid.
i have the 80x. love everything about them.
"Poland"
it is
first time i hear of them, but they are actually from my city
this guy is so entertaining haha
Plugged the sr80x in to my laptop and it sounded shit, plugged it in to my phone and sounded great. Plenty of bass for hip hop too. Seriously had some super bassy daft punk and drake and it just rumbles with 0 distortion to the drums using the g1000 earpads
I also quite like the cable apart from the fact you can’t change them. I get no sound transmission to my ears from the cable scraping against things, it’s also very supple and feels like it’s bombproof
Yup I felt the same way as you, I was shocked at how decent daft punk sounded on these. Obviously senns and planars sound better but come with a cost
I love my old ass SR 125 from the 90s. The cable is super annoying, but I came up with an easy fix, just flip your drivers over and route both cables over to one side and now I have a one-sided cable and I’m just holding all the loops up with zip ties. It looks Jenkee, but who cares
The Grado pads have a habit of dissolving for me.
I have to say this, sheesh! They are SUPPOSED TO be bent to your head, so they adapt to everyone's unique head shape. Other headphones use complex mechanisms that would probably increase the price or decrease the durability. Grado probably do this to cut costs.
The positive thing is..now you can use the headphone for climbing.
Best review ever! 🤣
Love grados, I have the 325x's and their sound makes my ears very happy. It is genuinely hilarious to me how bad they are tho. I love their sound, i prefer them for just about my entire music library, but everything else about them sucks so bad. Their awful build, especially the wire, makes me laugh at how bad it is. I'm convinced they just go with their reputation for terrible build quality and make it a gimmick, and that makes me love them all the more.
I was too late and they weren't making the sr80e anymore. I had to spend MORE money for a cable that was worse. for some reason, they bumped up the price. For the X series. They still sound amazing though and I still recommend them
@ yes
I like the stock pads on the SR80x. I find the Geekria GS1000 pads to be a bit less comfortable. Neither are what I would call comfortable though.
I got the Shipibo pads and I honestly don't understand why anyone would want more bass than that..
I'm not saying it's too much, but it's enough..
It's enough with punk/metal and it's enough with rap...
People are obsessed with bass as if the quality of a soundsystem or headphone is only determined by this. Bass should sound good, not loud..
And I'm saying this as a (kind of) bass player..
What headphones did you use for them?
@@XGamin1 SR80x
@@DrMillF Alright. Thanks.
I can spend $400 CAD ($300 USD). I've had 80/80i (i was terrible). Which wired Grado should I buy? I've read all the reviews and still can't make up my mind. I can buy a used 80x right now for $125 CAD or save another $200 for used hemp, new 325x or used RS2e. No amp or DAC, just an android. Also found an MS1 for only $40.
Grado should just get rid of those smaller foam pads in use the bigger wider ones for all their headphone at least....the wire however as many of us know is a different story and one they chose to ignore
Greate review on the new SR60/80 may get a pair and experiment with the different earcup cushions 😊. I have watched many of your videos, and no offence but think you probably have a wide and tall head, as you have had to extend the Grado earcup rods to their maximum length and widen the band. I would say 75% of your viewers and even 75% of headphone enthusiasts do not need to bend the hell out of their expensive headphones. I feel sorry for all the people who loan their pride and joy headphones to you 😅. But it makes for great entertainment on your channel, and guess it is your signature move 😊
I just got the 60x’s today as a Christmas gift and omfg the cable is really just f’ing disrespectful
These are so great and light and portable but the cable ruins everything
Nah, I disagree. They’re absolute war weapons now.
I also got them as a Christmas gift.
Fun video, it's never the wire!
I have the SR125 and love those cans.... Paired with the Little dot MKIII and the little dot DAC 1. Any thoughts on those combos? I also have the HD650 paired the same way....
Using the G series pads makes it feel like you have speakers on your shoulders rather than headphones on your head..
Let me see if I can't play devil's advocate & make Z's head explode.......
Any thought to maybe Grado thought, "We've made these headphone, done all of the listening tests & set them up to sound as reasonably best as they can. We've also decided to not give you the option to f' up their sound."? When you make comments like, "These are the only aftermarket pads that don't f' up the sound.........", you kind of valid Grado's decision to not give you pad or cable options. Imagine if you did have the option to replace the cable. This would've been a 3 hour review! Personally, I kind of like having the option of spending more money on a futile pad or cable search taken away from me. :)
I remember my first search for a high performance home headphone over 30 years ago. It came down to a choice between the Beyerdynamic DT 880, a Grado SR225 / SR325 or a Sennheiser HD 565 Ovation. Whether the cables were swappable wasn't even a thought in my head. Sonics were the primary focus & with that in mind, the Grado's were eliminated & the Beyer's & Senn's were neck & neck. It all came down to a very slight sonic & a big visual preference for the Sennheiser's. Still have them to this day & they still perform very well as you already know!
So your argument for grado is "I like having less choice"? Christ
@@saamo1423 No, that's not my viewpoint. My viewpoint is, I want a manufacturer to design a complete product that represents what they were trying to put forth & what I prefer straight out of the box. If their product is not in my range of sonic preference, I will make my choice by either purchasing it or not. What I don't want to do is have to use software or purchase new pads or cables or jump through hoops to achieve that result. I've already been down that route & in my experience it's always been a mixed bag where an improvement in one area usually leads to a negative elsewhere. At that point it becomes what's more important to you & what can you live with? I prefer to make that choice up front!
@@arthurhaywood2184 You have a smooth brain
I'm kind of worried the braided cable will take the finish off of my desk over time. I don't recommend bending the headband.
Maybe they ordered too much of the old wire by two zeros some decades ago, and still have to keep using them
They could still make it detachable though. There is nothing inherent to the wire that forces them to permanently attach it to the driver.
@@CJNooberson True. That I suspect is a cost saving thing.
@@dragons_advocate We're talking about an extra dollar a unit, max. Whatever money they're saving by doing this, they're losing in customers who don't want to deal with their stoneage nonsense
When you twisted the wire and flipped the friggin headphones, I nearly fell off my chair. Hilarious! @Z Reviews
Someone brought up over on DMS's channel that the only difference between the 60x and the 80x is that the 80x has better matched drivers. That's it. They are otherwise exactly the same.
Really wanting to know how all those Dekoni Grado pads sound with these. Velours look promising
Z!!! WHEN will you review the 325s? debating between the 225 and the 325 ... but need your stamp. :)
I think am the only person who watches these videos from beginning to end and I can never get enough of your content That sniff tho 👁️👀1:55 I love the new cable material I think all attached it from wires even estats should use this wire with improvements inside grado you set the diamond standard for attach headphone Cables way to go now all we need is just 4PIN XLR only termination with 4PIN XLR adapter to 3.5MM to push on 6.35mm adapter you can flip the loop on sp split like flip it around and then it would be more manageable
Why not use red tape.....Red = Right?....R = R
u/genesyndrome will hook you up with the detachable cable
I don't understand the big problem with the old wires? The new nylon seems really bad to me, but can anyone explain differently what the issue is?
The one thing you didn't help with is the 25 dollars for the 80's worth it? They are the same but aren't the same...... Grado says they are pre stressed or de stressed or w/e that means.... Pre burned in maybe? Does the signature support that theory? so ur paying for the 80 on the tag and for them to run them for 200 hrs on a mp3 player? I hate, but want to love Grado's i think? I just hate though currently cuz i'm crazy and can't pick one. I blame Grado mostly for their lack of technical clarity on models.
Will never buy Grado again because they refuse to address the build. The fact that people defend spending more than $50 on them is laughable, even if they sound good.
I wonder what the KPH30i would sound like with the Shipibo Pads...
For anyone wondering, I gave it a try, as I ordered pads for myself (I'm polish, so shipping was $4 for me, thanks to that it was the price of Dekoni pads) - these pads need a spot where they can rest on, because those pads keep the drivers properly away from your ears, these make grados a proper over-ear, not "in-betweens" like G cushions. KPH30i has no place to rest the foam on - when you put them on the KPH30i, the drivers go straight through them - it won't work without any 3d printed mods.
My recommendation is don't use them if you're this upset. I mean, what are you doing while using them that you even care about the cable?
Buddy
Dekoni makes gr8 pads for these now!
By now I will not just not buy Grados because of the wire, but I will not buy them because they are so ignorant to customer complaints
I must be one of the lucky ones, my Rs2e headphones are cable perfect no twist, pads though 🤔
I'm going to miss the sound signature of the sr80e
Has anyone noticed Zeus hands are getting slimmer?
YOU MET ZEUS!!
@@Shibes770 what? How did you get that out of what I said? Zeus lives in 1970 war torn Vietnam. It would be impossible for any of us to visit him
can "Zeus" just be the grammatically possessive version of "Zeos"? I'm okay with that
Those pads are too much $. Anyone know of any alternatives?
How about gw100? Marketed as their "wireless" headphone. How is the sound? As I remembered from a long long time ago, they didn't sound as good as the 80s or 60s. But I am not sure perhaps I was just not good at listening back then.
Anyone matched with the original PS-500???
I owned three pairs until I figured I can get better value. The sound on the grados is good but the comfort. My ears were burning all the time after 30m of listening with the grados. Why? Why don't they rethink the comfort? The foam? The cheap grados are the only one that can be bought. And they sell the same crappy chassis for $3k grado headphones.
Have to ask... do you prefer the shipibo over dekoni for the grado mod?
I tried both and shipibo / nyczaj sound better for me than dekoni.
Whaaaat! That cable OMG 😂😂😂
wow i thought my old sr60 wire is f*cking thic and annoying, but those new ones... good lord....
I have the Hemps and that cable is really obnoxious to deal with. The missus who keep telling me she don't care about sound for some reason kept stealing my Hemps though so decided to get a second Grado Headphone since my ears actually prefer the foam pad's and for some reason they particularly like the F-pads. I decided to try the 225x's since they where mainly for the missus and she did not like the metal cups on the 325's. They sound amazing, really close to the Hemps but they do lack a bit of low end compared to the Hemps. Now I wonder if I overpaid since the way you describe the 60's and 80's are very similar to how I experience the 225's. Did find the 225's to put the vocals a bit more forward than on the Hemps on some Vocal Jazz tracks. BUT the cable is just so FUCKING BAD on the new ones. We are seriously considering to find someone to mod them, no matter what you do that cable is just always in the way.
Lmao a wife that loves the grado is a keeper
Hell, they sound good, they are not overpriced. Pads are inexpensive and easy to change. They are Brooklyn made. (Who else can say that?) The headband can be easily shaped. There are upgrades of all kinds. And they look cool. And the company is even cooler. Did I say that they sound great? C'm on Z, cool down. We like our Grados!. :-) LOL!
"No criticism, only consume"
I just had these yesterday... Initial impressions: they gave me a headache 😬 too bright... coming from using Hifiman Sundara, Akg k371, Meze 99... Listening to them for about 2-3 hours may have helped (maybe due to brain burn in?).. But yeah, I guess I need to get used to its sound... Pads are on the way!
So far what I liked about them are the weight and its unique look from my other headphones (though yes cable sucks)... I still remember getting a more positive experience when I first tried the shp9500
They require at least 500 hours of burn in time.
Z..I know this vid is a few months old, but have you had a chance to try the 225x? I have a set, and they're really good.
Was that John Adam's Harmonielehre at the beginning there?
I'm looking for good on ear headphones that would fit similar to Gradeos as I don't like big bulky headphones. Any suggestions for that? They have to be open. Currently using Koss Porta Pro untill I find something that will be better sounding and at least as comfortable as Koss.
I have grado 80e's and they sound like an absolute dumpster trash in 90% of situations. There is a grunge to them that I can enjoy in short spurts, like they are bad and colored but I can dig them sometimes, but they are a mess. The 80x would of had to of been a very significant upgrade.
Like my 80e's sound like 20 dollar bad with 100 good mixed together. I don't know how to explain it. I've always wanted to try a good sounding grado, they've intrigued me for the last 20 years.
I've been waiting for this video for awhile. I fucking love the way that my SR60xs sound but I absolutely loathe having to put them on because I hate the fucking cable.
Can you review lil bit how does it sound to you?
@@EGxSenSei very bright top end but not sharp, the bass is still there and well defined it's just not overwhelming. Just a really pleasant sound overall.
@@AaronSkone thanks for the review , im thinking to buy between 60x or 80x instead
@@EGxSenSei Haven't tried the 80x but when comparing to my other headphones, the 60x are hard to beat at $100
Just picked up a pair of SR60xes and I am mostly enjoying it, but also very worried about the cable.
Can you review lil bit how does it sound to you?
@@EGxSenSei I'm not an audio expert but I definitely give it 2 thumbs up. An appropriate amount of bass, good top end. I mostly listen to Vapourwave, with some Rock and metal and it works out well for those. Also solid for movies and games I find.
@@EGxSenSei Well as a quick update, they actually sounded pretty great, but only 4 months later and the right driver is giving me faint to no sound. If they made the cable feel like utter crap for durability it failed miserably. It isn't like I ran them hard either, they mostly sat on my computer, or occasionally plugged them into a mini hi-fi system for the odd album on CD or cassette.
I love my Grado SR335is
but the left gimbal is loose.
Anyone know where
to order replacements?
Shipibo isn't an option.
Cut a quarter sized hole in the pads and see what you get.
I'm looking for headphones for gaming where i could attach the vmoda boom pro.What would you recommend for $150 in 2021?
i just bought my sr60x two days ago and they are coming in tommorow i have high expectations for everything apart from the cable
Can you review lil bit how does it sound to you?
Hey zeos, should I buy the sr60x or he400se? I am coming from shp9500 and takstar pro 82 and I like them both.
What song genre did you listen to?
How much is the balanced cable mod typically for the grados, just working it out say 130 hp’s + 50 mod + 30 decent pads ignor new cable, so say 210 ish and crap headband, zero isolation and suddenly I’m thinking these had better be way better than Sundaras
At first i hated the cables too. Then i had a detachable cable mod done. Absolutely ruined the sound. Not in a way that they sounded bad, per se, but they definitely lost that Grado sound signature. This was on a pair of GH2. I recently got a pair of RS1X and will never change the cables.
I mean, since it's not detachable, so it has to be thicker so that it won't broke? I guess?
My wire was defected and had to get the headphones fixed
And the new cables can rip hairs right out of your face, too.
I still have my RS2e !
Next-gen Grado, huh? Suuure.
Can anyone recommend an entry level DAC for the THX AAA One amp for use with the HD560s?
SMSL stack