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What do you all consider the sweet spot in Grado’s line?
I like the cheap ones for casual use and for people who have never been introduced to better headphones.
Some have opined that the 225 model has the best price performance. I’ve been very tempted by the Reference models. But I don’t know that they are in the sweet spot
I haven’t personally heard any Grado’s. But from what I hear certain models have a lot of treble. I like treble. So it would be interesting to hear some models in their lineup. They do seem quite a polarising brand. A love - hate sound as it were.
You should try and audition a pair. Grados, even the cheap ones, make me smile. They have bass, but in the less expensive models don’t have that bass punch that some people crave. Maybe it’s because most of them are more of an on-ear design. The transducers get larger in the more expensive models, one of the reasons people like the higher end (in $$ terms). All of them have exceedingly clear, fast midrange and treble. Especially for people who have been listening to non-audiophile headphones, it’s like lifting a veil off the music.
I will definitely try and audition a pair when I’m able. Though I wouldn’t go with anything on-ear as I really don’t like them.
Grado’s GS 1000 certainly lifted the veil from my Sennheiser HD 600s. For more than twice the price, it should have - and did.
I stay in the middle with the Grado line. I started off with the SR325e’s. I found them fun, but flawed. Exciting, but bright.
But I liked the fun part so much that I decided to climb the Grado tree. I decided I wanted woodies. I bought a pair of GH2’s having never heard or seen them before. It was the most I ever spent on a pair of headphones and still is (just under 1K in Canada).
They have all of the fun of the SR series, but none of the drawbacks.
I personally would never go for the cheaper models and I have zero urge to try out the GS series or the PS series. I find the GH2’s the sweet spot in the line-up and I can’t imagine ever selling them.
On a side note, Grado’s don’t really require an amp as they are so easy to drive. However when I hooked up my GH2’s to a Burson Fun amp, the match was AMAZING.
Shane D