Grado Labs is an audio manufacturer known for hand-making high-end dynamic open-air headphones and cartridges in Brooklyn, New York. In June 2014, Grado released their new line of headphones, The e Series, and was named in the Top Eight Most Social Small Companies in America by Mashable and American Express. Source: Freebase.
INTRO VIDEO
Most headphones use a closed-back design to minimize sound leakage which keeps you from inflicting your musical taste on those around you.
Grado has taken a different approach, by making open-backed headphones that leak sound like there’s no tomorrow but which, as a result, sound sublime to the person wearing them. For home listening where it won’t bother any significant other, the SR80 is are simply a stupendous buy for £135. If you can live with the looks, these Award-winners will give you hour after hour of sonic satisfaction.
The fact is, headphones are used for private listening. Which means most models utilize a closed-back design, which keeps you from inflicting your music on those around you. But this design also creates a plethora of internal reflections, enclosure vibrations and standing waves – all of which are seriously detrimental to sound quality. (What-Hi-Fi)
And it’s not as if these colander levels of leakiness are their only idiosyncrasy. With their retro-looking ear-cups attached to a leather headband via a short metal rod, they look for all the world like a headset for a 1950s shortwave radio. But the SR80 is have a serious point. And that point is how they sound – sharply timed, awesomely detailed, musical, natural and – with the right recordings – simply beautiful. (WhatHiFi)
REVIEW
At just about 100 USD, the Grado SR80i are one of the best headphones made in USA. Don’t just take the price tag as an indication to their worth, see for yourself how others have categorized the the SR80i, winner of the 2013 What Hi-Fi best headphones award.
Grado SR80i Review!
Grado SR80i Audiophile Headphones Review
Grado SR80i Headphones Review
At the this price tag, the SR80i are by far one the best on-ear home use headphones in the world, they are where sound quality and great value for money meet. If you are on a tight budget and planing to upgrade your music experience I don’t think you should give it another thought, just go a ahead and enjoy your time.
Grado SR80i Headphones Unboxing/Review
Grado Labs SR80i Headphones Review! & Demo!
Grado Labs SR80i Headphones from their prestige series. Featuring a Vented diaphragm, copper connecting cord & voice coil, mini plug with 1/4″ adapter & Capable of lossless audio files. A beautiful vintage style look, hands down the best audio quality in headphones this price can buy.
Customer Reviews
These are some of the custom reviews for the SR80 series and the SR80i. These are verified purchases so we think they will be useful in your evaluation.
Best Headphones for Under A Hundred Fifty Dollars
I’ve had my Grado SR 80’s for over 3 years now and cannot imagine life without them. For years I had used a pair of Sony MDR-somethings until the earphone pads were disintigrating. I had some extra cash and decided to do some research before rushing out and buying a new pair. I was unfamiliar with the Grado brand, but all of the reviews were fantastic for their entire line. But I wasn’t really thrilled about an open-ear design, I had been used to closed-ear headphones.
Grado SR80I
Research on a bunch of audiophile sites said that open-ear headphones gave the most natural sound, and the Grado SR 80’s were rated the best buy for any headphones under one hundred fifty dollars, better than the more famous Sennheiser brand. Then I kept reading how uncomfortable they were. I hesitated buying them and for over a week I kept reading more Grado reviews. I almost bought some other brand because the reviewers claimed they were more comfortable than the Grado’s. I finally found a few reviews that said the newer pads on the Grado’s were more comfortable and became even more comfortable after a short break in period, just like the sound quality improves after a few dozen hours of play. So I broke down and ordered them.
The very first time I put the Grado’s on I could not believe the sound difference over my old Sony’s. It was like listening to the artists in the studio or on a small stage, instead of them in the room next door. There is no muffled or tinny sound. Everything becomes crystal clear. You can pick out individual instruments, hear individual voices in crowds, even the artist breathing. Lyrics become much easier to understand, and my appreciation and enjoyment of music has increased because of the Grado’s.
Grado SR80I
I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend these to anyone. And from the websites I’ve read that while there is a quality boost going to the SR 125’s, the sweet spot price wise in the Grado line is with the SR 80’s. I encourage you to read up on these, the more you read the more you’ll be convinced to buy them. It would cost ten times more to put together a stereo system and speakers that sound as fantastic as these headphones do.
Pros
- GREAT Sound, fantastic bass, great for rock, jazz, country, classical, world music, everything I’ve tried sounds incredible.
- Uncomfortable reputation isn’t true. Was a tight fit the first couple of times I used them, but they have a metal strip under the top that you can stretch out and then they feel great (if you have a big melon like me).
- Very lightweight, I wear them for hours and do not feel a need to take a rest from them.
- Much cheaper than any equivalent sounding stereo system.
Cons
- Somewhat large if you wanted to use them as portable headphones with an ipod or other mp3 player.
- If you are going to connect it to most stereo systems you will need a mini-to-standard connector. You probably already have on if you’ve had headphones before. The connector on the headphones is the standard mini size most headphones today are.
What are you waiting for? Get yourself some Grado’s! Review By D. Dooley on Amazon.
They’re pretty comfortable
If you are reading this you have probably already read one of the many reviews raving about the perfectly balanced and clear sound of these headphones. […] Most of those (older) reviews comment on how the older earpads were too hard on the ears, or the headphones themselves were overall just uncomfortable to wear.
I just wanted to add that (at least in the newest incarnation–the pads have been tinkered with by the manufacturer) they are *very* confortable, compared to many other headphones. The earpieces have two pivot points: one allows them to pivot on a vertical axis attached at the headband and another on a horizontal axis running through the earpiece. This combined with the bendable headband allows for a lot of adjustment. I have a pretty large head and they’re not overly tight or otherwise uncomfortable. And the apparently-recently-redesigned earpads on this model have some cushion without being mushy-soft on their outer surface (pads like that always made my ears sweat).
Grado SR80I
Before buying these, I read just one (recent) review that claimed these were comfortable, and I didn’t beleive it. Now I do. (I also didn’t beleive they would sound appreciably better after a break-in period, but they did after about 30 hours of being attached to my receiver with the radio on nonstop.) Well, that’s all I wanted to say. Back to listening. Review By Shayana Kadidal on Amazon. Be sure to check out other Grado Labs Headphones.