Grado Prestige Series 325is headphones

Grado is a company we have come to admire for a couple of reasons. First, they make pretty darn good products, and secondly, rather than plaster their name over all kinds of products they don’t make, they stay true to their core mission. And that’s pretty much it.

A few months ago, we reviewed Grado’s entry into the earphone market, the GR8 Grado GR8 earphones | iPhone World. And we thought that if these earphones are that good, we could only wonder what their headphones must sound like. After all, that’s what they are famous for (along with phono cartridges).

We didn’t have to wonder very long. We recently received a the 325is model headphones and over the last couple of months have given these a serious listen. When we say serious, we mean serious… as in, sit down and pay attention. Because you can’t just plug the 325is into your iPod/iPhone and hit the road. They are not portable … at all.

The Grado 325is headphones are for sitting in a comfortable chair and listening to your favorite music. In fact, when we first used them, our memories were brought back to a time when listening to a new album meant something. You would carefully place the record on the turntable and then you would sit and listen intently either alone or with friends. You would take in everything the artist had to offer from the first track to the end. There was no “shuffle mode” or fast forward to the next track. You were listening to an artist’s work the way that artist intended it to be listened to. If nothing else, that’s the main joy of these Grados: they forced us to sit and pay attention.

When we said they were not portable, one look shows why. The Grado 325 phones are big, (somewhat) heavy and the cord is THICK. They are an open air design. That means that you will still hear sounds around you and people near you can hear what you are listening to. There are good and bad points with this kind of design. The bad is that there is little privacy since the sound leaks out, and if you are in a noisy environment, outside noises can be distracting. But if all is quiet and you are alone, then the brilliance of the open design becomes apparent. Wearing these headphones is like listening to very expensive speakers in front of you.

Let’s explain: If headphones cover your ears completely, then the music is aimed directly into your head. Its known as closed-back. Music is extremely personal and intimate with this design, much like in a recording studio. Earphones will give you that same feeling. With the open air Grados, the music sounds more spacious and “live”, hence, the speakers-in-a-large-room sound. To say whether either design is better is unfair to both approaches. We sometimes prefer the more intimate closed sound to the airy Grados, and sometimes we prefer the Grados. Its a preference that changes with the music and mood we are in.

So how exactly do the Grado 325is phones sound? If you are a fan of live music, older recordings, jazz or classical, you’re gonna love these. If you are a hip-hop fan, well, look elsewhere. The bass on these phones is accurate,, not overpowering. That’s a plus in our book. The sound can best be described as “warm”. The is no clinical coldness to the music. That must be the “Grado sound” others like to talk about.

The retro styling of the Grados caused us to want to feed them some music from another time. The “O Holy Night” medley from “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” by the Ray Conniff Singers (I kid you not) sparkles with distinct harmonies Most of the female voices are in the right speaker with male vocals coming from the left. Gotta love that 60s stereo separation. Listening to Frank Sinatra from the “September of My Years” album with the 325is phones is like hearing him for the first time. We get chills hearing his phrasing and musicality as we have seldom heard before. You can just place yourself in a smoky nightclub with Frank singing 20 feet away.

Speaking of retro, “The Way You Look Tonight” reworked by Bryan Ferry on his “As Time Goes By” album, is showcased by Ferry’s smoking-damaged voice sung on old analog microphones. The Grados bring out all the nuances of his performance in startling detail.

The Association’s “Windy” features harmonies that we hadn’t noticed before with other speakers. They sound much more distinct and complex with the 325is phones. However some of the shimmering of the tamborine comes off a bit harsh.

A glittering guitar highlights Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game” while in the background, some very subtle acoustic guitar playing lays the groundwork. There is detail in this acoustic sound missing from lesser headphones. Chris’s whiny, pleading vocal completes the mood.

The comfort of the Grado 325is phones is open to debate. We let others try them out and the comfort factor was of mixed opinion. Some loved the retro feel as well as look, while others (usually younger) didn’t care for the heavy foam ear pad feel. They made one listener’s ears sweat. While we agree that the pads can get a bit warm, we had no problem with comfort or sweat. While not the lightest phones we’ve tried, they hold to the head nicely without being too heavy or squeezing.

One important note: If you are considering the 325is phones for your iPod or iPhone, they come with a ¼ inch plug. You will need to purchase a ¼ inch to 3.5mm ( mini plug) adaptor cable (Grado makes one). We think that the price of the 325is phones should include a mini plug or adapter out of the box. And speaking of box, Grado does not spend a lot in their packaging. The thin box seemed cheap compared to what was inside. But don’t be fooled, The Grado 325is earphones are some serious phones. While they certainly are not cheap, they are far from the most expensive phones available and sound much better that their price would suggest. We dare say you can’t find better sounding phones at up to double the price.

So if you are moved to try the 325is phones, sit back, relax and let these retro wonders return you to a time when music really meant something.