Grado SR325 and RS2 Headphone Review

(2008 Note: The SR325 was discontinued a couple of years ago and replaced with the SR325i. The 325i improved slightly and this article, though old, is still relevant!)

Having researched and discovered Grado headphones close to four years ago, I thought it was time to actually listen to the $295 SR325’s and $495 RS-2’s. What has attracted me to Grado thus far has been the high audiophile quality sound of their less expensive headphones. Even though the Grado’s are not as comfortable as some of their competitors headphones, for the price, they are the best sounding headphones out there! The SR60’s are a great introduction to high quality sound from headphones at $69. At $95, the SR80’s to me are one of the best buys in audio!! The SR125’s and SR225’s are even better headphones at $150 and $195, but we are getting into diminishing returns here. At twice the price of the SR80’s, the SR225’s are only slightly better. But to those seeking truly great sound, the SR125’s and SR225’s are still great buys because they take a great sounding headphone and tweak it for slightly better sound!

Being thoroughly familiar with the normal construction of the lower priced Grado’s, (except for minor differences inside, they are virtually identical), I was pleased to see that the SR325’s and RS-2’s are constructed a bit differently. The headband, while still very similar in that it is a leather covered metal band, has a minuscule amount of padding on the portion which rests on the head, (this must be Grado’s minimalist idea of adding comfort?). While the portion which holds the transducer housing is the same as the other models, the cylindrical housing itself is larger, (deeper). Plus, rather than the plastic of the lower models, the 325’s housing is constructed of brushed aluminum and the RS-2’s housing is constructed of wood, (Mahogany). These headphones are both open style headphones and the wire mesh on the outside portion of the transducer housing on both models is quite handsome.

In December of 1998, Grado began shipping the most of their headphones with a much improved ear pad which moved the transducers a bit further away from the ears. The new pads also incorporate a bowl shape between the ear and the transducer. These changes resulted in a larger sound which compared with their previous thinner pad, gives me a better impression of a bit larger room.

It’s the sound dummy! Enough with the small details. What’s important is the sound! This review process has taken place over several months. Grado SR-325 Headphones I started out this review comparing just the SR325’s with the SR125’s. (So if you stick with me, I’ll get to other comparisons later.)... For the first time in evaluating Grado headphones, I am hearing a bit different sound. With their SR80 - SR225 models, it takes a good recording and careful comparison to hear the differences. I definitely hear even a bit more detail from these “Cans”. It’s hard to believe, but it’s true. And the bass, wow, I’m impressed. The bass really comes alive. I like well recorded, acoustic music, (jazz or pop or folk or bluegrass...), with relatively few instruments playing at one time. That way, I can concentrate on a particular instrument. Ray Brown’s bass on Oscar Peterson’s “We Get Requests” CD is wonderfully reproduced by the 325’s. Holly Cole’s great version of “I Can See Clearly Now” also shines with it’s plucked bass line!

I set this review aside for about a month and am just now coming back to it. I put in Christy Baron’s wonderful vocal CD (Chesky), “I Thought About You” and am again comparing the 325 to an SR125. Interesting how different discs and different ears can adjust your thoughts on the same product. I have in the past stated that listening to a pair of Sennheiser HD580’s and HD600’s sounds as if you are sitting in the audience hearing both the musicians and the room effects while the Grado’s gave the detail of the instruments as if you were sitting right on stage with them. The feeling I get from the 325’s is one of more reverberation! In other words, it sounds as if I am sitting on the stage with the musicians in a small empty hall. The music is resonating in those cavernous aluminum cylinders of the 325’s. It sounds as if the 325’s are giving the listener a different perspective on the music than can normally be had with the transducers sitting directly on the ear with no place for the sound to resonate. After trying out some classical music ala “Appalachian Spring Suite” by Copland, (Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, Directed by Heiichiro Ohyama, Stereophile Magazine Label), the 325’s just seem more musical to me. The more I listen to the 325’s, the more I like them!

It is yet a month later and I have been comparing the SR325’s and RS-2’s with the SR225’s. This time around I have listened to about 10 different CD’s ranging from classical to jazz, but a bit more concentrated on pop and rock since these cans seem to have more to offer in the bass ranges. I also used several different CD players, a portable CD player, a standard receiver, an integrated amp, and a couple of headphone amps. All sources, including the weak powered portable, drove all of the Grado headphones with ease.

Grado RS-2 Headphones The SR325’s and the RS-2’s have a very similar sound to each other. The shape of the cylinders is exactly the same on the two models with the obvious difference between the two being the aluminum and wood materials. The RS-2's are lighter than the 325's due to the wood being lighter than the alloy. The sound is fuller with both of these models compared to the SR225’s. They are both a bit more musical given the extra dimension of hearing more reverberation. I can’t immediately say that the RS-2’s are better than the SR325’s though. It would probably depend on your likes and dislikes in music. In fact, if anything, the RS-2’s offer a bit less detail than the SR325’s. While I like the enhanced detail of the 325's, many people will feel the RS-2’s have a warmer sound than the 325’s.

As far as bass goes, Grado headphones in general offer a cleaner sound than do most of their competitors. Though some of you may feel you hear more bass with some other brands, they do tend to be fairly muddy in their sound. Both of these models add more to the bass end than do the SR225’s while still retaining their good, clean sound. I’m impressed!

To sum up, Grado’s SR325’s are wonderful sounding cans. At $50 less than Sennheiser’s highly acclaimed HD600’s, Sennheiser could learn a thing or two about sound detail! The RS-2’s at $500 are a work of art just as much for the building material as for the Grado sound. Comfort is another matter. While I prefer listening to Grado’s over Sennheiser’s due to the great sound, at these price levels I wish Grado would try to design a bit more comfort into their cans. Don't get me wrong though! I can wear the Grado's just about as long as I can listen to any brand of headphone. In fact, the RS-2's are super light weight and probably the most comfortable of all of Grado's headphones. But I do wish Grado would design two or three different pads of various shapes and materials, and make them interchangeable so the consumer could decide which pads they would prefer? Maybe even a circumaural pad, (around the ear rather than on the ear)?

For those of you looking for great sounding headphones, the SR325’s and the RS-2’s easily qualify! Price wise though, these cans make the great sounding SR125’s and 225’s seem like bargains. But if you like bass, and are looking for a pair of cans that can ad an extra dimension to headphone listening, the extra bucks for them may be worth your wallet’s attention! (Note: I am currently comparing these models with an RS-1, check back soon - 12/99)!

Grado SR325 & RS2 Review