Grado SR60 vs SR80 and the SR125

(2008 Update: This is an old article but it's still relevant!)

OK, maybe you’ve seen Stereophile Magazine’s bi-annual recommendations list which includes the $69 SR60’s from Grado Labs, and are searching for more information? And, maybe you’re thinking that “Surely there must be another headphone or two less than $350 deserving of Stereophile’s praise?” Well, as far as I can determine, Stereophile has never reviewed Grado’s SR80’s and continually say that they will soon review their SR125’s, but never have! (2003 Update: The SR125 was finally checked out by Stereophile and received a glowing review!)

I have had access to all of the above mentioned headphones for over two years, (including the $350 Sennheisers), and perhaps I can give you a few insights into some great sounding headphones from that small audiophile company known as Grado Labs!

Most of Grado’s headphones look virtually identical. They look like a throwback to the 1950’s, no spaceage looking designs here. Grado concentrates all of their efforts into sound quality and have built quite a good reputation as a result. The SR60’s are a bit more comfortable than the SR80’s and SR125’s due to softer earpads which completely cover the transducers. Although not mentioned yet in any reviews, the earpad for the SR80’s and higher models was recently redesigned and the thicker pad is now more comfortable than in the past. But it is still not quite as comfortable as some other brands of headphones due to the fact that all of Grado’s headphones are supra-aural, (i.e. they rest directly on your ears). But unlike most headphones these days which are made entirely of plastic, the Grado’s have a metal headband covered with a vinyl strip. Hence, after wearing the Grado’s for a few months, the metal band eventually gives way to the size of your head and becomes more comfortable than when they are brand new. Plus the Grado’s are lighter than many of the full size circum-aural headphones which is also a plus when it comes to headphone comfort.

Connections: Though all Grado’s seem to be easily driven by a portable CD player, only the SR60’s and SR80’s come with the smaller 1/8 inch connection found on most portables these days (they also come with a 1/4 inch adapter for home use). Grado’s SR125’s and above have the larger 1/4 inch connection which indicates they are primarily intended for home use, (though they can be used with a portable with the appropriate adapter).

It’s the sound that matters: OK, we’ve established that the Grado’s don’t win any awards for styling and comfort. But, in the world of high end audio, you’ll discover that it is the sound that matters! I would like to offer a little insight to you about audio reviewers and audiophiles. Many audiophiles prefer the sound of smaller British made speakers because when listening to certain styles of small ensemble acoustic music on well recorded CD's, the detail in the reproduced sound is more accurate than that of speakers which try to reproduce the full sound spectrum. Unlike the musical tastes of the average American listener, bass is not very important to this type of audiophile. The SR60's very much imitate those small, accurate speakers. Even though their specifications indicate they reproduce the same frequency range as the SR80’s and SR125’s, the bass is definitely more laid back than the latter two headphones. Knowing that most listeners these days like to hear their bass, I usually strongly recommend the Grado SR80’s to such a listener. They offer the detail the SR60's offer, but with a much improved bass. But you don’t have to take my word for it. The customers who have purchased headphones in our store after comparing headphones side by side, have overwhelmingly preferred the SR80’s. In fact, the SR80’s outsold the SR60’s about five to one!

Now don’t get me wrong, as far as detail goes, in it’s price range, ($69), the SR60’s are the best sounding headphones I have heard! If you are looking for the least expensive headphones which can introduce you to high end sound quality, the SR60’s are second to none. But if you like your bass, and have never heard a pair of SR60’s, a few of you may be a bit disappointed. I often recommend many of you consider spending the $95 for the Grado SR80’s!

Now some of you are saying you can justify spending $26 more dollars for improved bass. After all, that’s less than the cost of two CD’s! But what makes the SR125’s worth $55 more than the SR80’s? Again, to me, it is the sound that matters. The SR125’s have a very similar sound to the SR80’s. In fact, the first time I ever heard them side by side, I couldn’t tell a difference. But after the headphones had a bit of time to break in, and I began familiarizing myself with some very well recorded CD’s, I could hear even more detail from the SR125’s than either the SR80’s or the SR60’s. As an additional note, even though Stereophile has yet to formally review the SR125’s, several reviewers from other publications have praised these headphones. (Again, an update: The SR125 has now received a very positive review).

So let’s re-cap: If you're budget minded, but want to hear the detail audiophiles prefer from their sound systems, the SR60’s are a great headphone buy. If your musical tastes include quite a bit of music with lots of bass, a step up to the SR80’s is recommended. And lastly, if you plan on listening carefully to your music and want to hear as much detail as possible from your headphones, the SR125’s fill the bill!

Grado SR60's vs SR80's