Comparison Review: Grado HEMP and Audeze LCD1, Sennheiser HD6XX, and Hifiman Sundara headphones 

I love it. “The music just LIT UP on the hempphones”. So many weed references, I got high just listening to this review. Got to go I have the munchies. Thank you

I've used Grado 60s forever, but recently upgraded to the GH4s and LOVE THEM! Plus, got a call from Mr Grado to confirm the purchase, and had a very nice fifteen minute chat! Awesome!!

Hemp headphones are $420? I'm sure that's no coincidence.

You're my favorite audio reviewer Steve! Love how authentic you come across in these videos, you seem like a genuinely awesome guy passionate about audio. I echo your thoughts about Grado's as well, love how real they sound, you've made me super interested in these Hemp headphones.

I love the intercut photos of products you refer to!! Thanks

Steverino...brilliant + very useful to me since I've been looking for my first pair of headphones and had 3 of the 4 you reviewed herein on my short-list. Based upon your advice, I now know what to do.

Thank you very much for comparing these headphones to the RS-1 headphones. I've been holding back to buying my second Grado for years. RS-1 (buttoned) were my target but couldn't let go of my SR-125i headphones. Then the Hemp came and based on the review, I think this is the one. It's not my dream RS-1 (buttoned, i or e version) but I think it'll be fit for my listening habits.

To be blunt this was a joint effort between Grado and a hemp farmer rolled into one headphone for 420

Steve you are still the best audioreviewer. Thnx. Greetings From Belgium.

The wood on those Grado's is gorgeous!

Very nice and informative review Steve! Great job, just bought a pair of the Grado Hemp headphones!😊

You are so correct about those flat pads, they are the best!

Just bought a pair and I have to agree- they are awesome !

Liking the Akalé Wubé record, good stuff!

Top-notch review of the Grado Hemp headphones! I've not had the pleasure of listening to horn speakers, but I love Grado headphones. I own the original RS1 model, and I'll never sell them! Although I am intrigued by the Hemp headphones!

Great music. AW is awesome. Great review, will have to listen to the Grados

Listening now to Akale Wube on Tidal. LOVE this sound!!!

A bunch of dope headphones. Well, one even more than the others... 😉 Great video Steve!

I just bought Grado RS-1X and love the sound. It's all about enjoying the music.

Loved my sr80 and 125s. Based on this vid I pulled the trigger on the Hemps. I've got high expectations.

Didn't realise I wasn't subscribed RU-vid just suggests your videos all the time.

Lovin that t-shirt!

I had a SR125 around 2008 and loved the sound, the Hemp look saxy :D

Those headphones are really beautiful👍🔊

I have everything you compared to the Hemp Grado's and there are times I want Sennheiser 6 Series of which I own every one but most of the time I grab my Grado's usually the sr325e because I find the RS1 a bit boring but now I want the Hemp Grado's...... Thanks Steve you're making spend money .... But Grado's are so underated

I've owned Grados up and down the price point spectrum, and the Hemp is by far the best of breed. Great review. Thanks.

I ordered my lcd-1 today. I hope they live up to their name.

I don't even want a set of headphones but I want these.

I’d love to hear you speak with some of the other audiophiles on RU-vid, regarding the Grados… I love them, especially for certain genres, same with my Klipschs. I’m a fan of all different sounding headphones/speakers

I have two pairs of Grado SR 225s (original and "i"s) and think they are the sweet spot at $200. I have never had the desire to search for something better.

I bought the Hemps base on your recommendation. I am NOT disappointed. I have had all the models from RS 60 through RSIe, ( I did skip the RS 2). These Hemps are the best of the bunch! Dare I say better than the RS1ie? I think so. Thanks Steve.

Grado wants to take you higher. These head-phones are smokin', dude! Gotta love the photo on Grado's website of the wavy hemphones with smoke billowing over them. 😂

After dipping a toe into the world of downloaded music, Walkmans and rediscovering my 15+ year old 225 Grados, I have been thinking I might like the Sundara. Sound stage and imaging. Now I don't know what to do except maybe go listen to the Sundara, if I can find a dealer, and the Hemp. I like your outlook on the "audiophile" equipment.

Nice review. With hi-fi I crave dynamics and clarity above everything else. I hate components that smooth over transients. That's why I've just placed an order for the Grado SR80x. If I see a good deal on the Hemps or RS2e's I'll take a punt on them.

Love my SR80 just wish they had better base. Anxious for the review of the blue Texton behind you.

I agree with you. I own the Sundaras and Grado sr125 - the Sundaras are balanced, detailed and "audiophilic". The Grado's are "closer"- vocals and instruments are closer to your ears and there is alot of air. The word to describe the gradoes sound (classical+jazz+prog+pop+indie) is :an airy sound -a dynamic airy sound.

I can see why you liked the Grado's since it's consistent with how you've spoken about speakers in the past (up front Klipsch sound). I don't happen to like the same sound, but to each his own! I got the Audeze LCD-1's just yesterday and am still testing them, but I only have a pair of Beyerdynamics to compare them with. So far I've noticed an almost astonishing clarity -- where favorite tracks were a bit muddled before or over-emphasizing bass, these headphones brought out details that made it sound almost completely different and more "put together." I did notice a difference listening to higher quality (mp3 vs CD+), but it may just be my bias. In any case, having fun with them!

Hi Steve I'd like to hear more of the comparison with the Audeze LCD1 which I bought after listening to your review!! I'm just saying some more details would be great. I'm beginning to think the Sundaras would have been better, but I have nothing to compare!! Best AL

I have the RS2e .excellent. I put replacement pads on. Much wider and around the ear. They do have a wonderful open sound.

My Hemps just arrived. Wow! Note on pads. It's well worth buying a set of the big cup type ones. The small flat ones are great for actively listening for a few hours, but if you wanted to have them on for background noise, the big cups are less fatiguing, more comfortable and more laid back. Horses for courses I guess.

i have grado sr325e, earwigs were discovered inside the type of cushions shown, while i was wearing them. i tend to leave them on the floor. luckily for me they also have cushions that completely cover the speaker (no earwigs since). I'm here for the funny hemp comments, and to read how other headphones compare, since 90% headphones, 10% $2500 worth of speakers usage.

Thanks for the review. Ordered this one, looking for great way to celebrate the magic healing of cannabis and music... with stand and case, came to about 2oz equivalent recreational here in WA.

Sounds like it has a similar signature to my gold SR325i - I'm considering a set of the Hemps strongly

Just for your information, that sort of wood/plastic composite is used sometimes for stocks on firearms. Gun collectors refer to it as beaver barf. I guess tastes vary.

Hi Steve, I just got a pair of SR225’s. I’ve never understood why people like the mono mix of albums by The Rolling Stones, The Beatles exc. Mono always sounded bland, and flat. I just listened to mono Rolling Stones with my new headphones and it blew my mind. I’ve never heard mono have this depth. Love what you do.

You're spot on, Grados have a "live" sound. They are great for listening to jazz on vinyl. I usually prefer my HD6XX's to my SR80e's though. And for a fun type of sound DT990's are great too. But on some tracks, the Grado's just can't be beaten!

Recently, I bought a pair of Hifiman Sundara headphones. I watched and read several reviews featuring the Audeze, Sennheiser, Grado, etc. against the Sudara. Almost all leaned toward the Sudara. That's when I decided to audition them all myself. I really liked the Sudara, so my decision was made. I've never looked back! The Grado is just a bit too bright for my liking. Although they were a great headphone. Everyone has their own taste. If it sounds good to you, buy it! They're all excellent headphones.

I just picked these up ($420 USD) recently and I love them. They don’t have the most bass (my aiaiai TMA-2’s rule that kingdom!) it’s the most “warm” and “shapely”. They’re my new reference headphone.

As soon as you started saying words like "growl" and "jump" I knew you were going to compare them to Klipsch. Sounds like they still sound like Grado headphones.

Hey Steve when comes the video with the fan gear. Im thrilled to see all the gear

Glad I found this review as I've been considering them for use with a Schiit Asgard with True Multibit. From your experience would this be a good match?

I'm sold.

Yay the intro sound is back ;)

Steve, I'm a faithful follower of your reviews, and I appreciate each and every one. Having said that, I would have loved to hear Corey Greenberg do a review of a "Hemp" headphone.

they do look sweet

Steve, would love for you to hear the RS1e. I mean, it's time right? Bigger driver. It'll be interesting to compare it to your favourite.

I like to follow up on your playlists: Akalé Wubé sounds a lot like early albums from The Budos Band, if you’re into that type of music 😉

Grado! Time for some Hemp! And time to find those Aphex Twins. There’s more than one of those CDs around here. The time is ripe!, both Before and After Science.

I love my Grado's SR80e, I have a pair of Sennheiser 660s and I listen to my Grados way more.

My 15+ year old SR225s had the original flat pads that kept falling off so I replaced them with the bowl shaped "G" pads. A definite detail/openness improvement. I just received the Sundara. I like it better than the Grado in all areas but the differences aren't as grand as I expected considering how the headphone community raves over the Sundara and ignores Grado in general. If Grados have improved over the last 15 years it just shows to go ya how good Grado is.

I believe it's pronucned soon-the-raa which means beautiful in sanskrit. ☺ Great review Steve

Boy, you really rekindled my interest in Grados. I was a big fan of these cans in the 90’s and 00’s and have owned three sets of them (SR60, SR125, SR325i) but with the proliferation of new IEM’s that started infiltrating the market, I all but abandoned traditional headphones for well over a decade. However, everything you said about Grados is 100% correct and these cans started my passion into audio. It might be about time to revisit them again.

I have the 325X and I want the hemps.

My Grado SR60e is a great compliment to my Sennheiser HD6XX for just the reasons Steve highlighted--an exciting tuning on the Grado, and a laid-back tuning on the 6XX.

Grado yeah right!

Love my Hemps, but I prefer a neutral harman tonal response. Without EQ, they are very different, Sundara a but flat, HD650 a bit dark, and Hemp in your head and also too rolled off. After EQ I prefer the more detailed sundara, and swap for the Hemp when I want a snare drum to batter my ears. HD650 only used occasionally.

P.S. I'm still awaiting your review of Zu Omen DW's with Decware SE84 UFO'S... My main system. I find a "magical" pairing!

ive got the sr125e, i love them so much, i wonder if these are a good upgrade. will i notice the difference? i mean i cant imagine my sr125es sounding better

Just ordered them. I hope customs fees don't screw me over 😅

This may be irrelevant, but they are good looking. It's nice to own pleasant things and if they're well thought out they often look good too. I'v realised I tend to buy gear that looks good as well as sounding good.

So after burning through grado lines - I settled on hemp, however, is there a different pad I can use on this that fits. I am using gw100 pads - but its way too large.

If you want 'open sounding'. Autechre's new live sets are HUUUUUUUGE!!! It might even be peak sound design. Though most of it was very harsh until I paired my Audeze LCD-2F with an Arctic Cables Cuprum Model 6N+ OCC 8 Wire 26 Awg Cryongenically treated Copper cable. After 200 hours of burn in, the difference was so significant, I seriouslly question whether an LCD-XF with it's stock cable, would out perform an LCD2F with this $300 aftermarket cable. You're the reviewer that got me into Audeze. I am having trouble understanding how so many reviewers on youtube are only luke warm or dead cold on aftermarket cables. I get that a $700 7N OCC silver cable might not be worth it, but my $300 cable might be 30 percent better than the Audeze Stock cable. I am blown away. I hear a swoosh sound start from the top back left of the sound stage, gradually make it's way towards the front bottom right of the soundstage, like it's a real physical object moving through a 3D space. The increased resolution increased the 'sound separation', which then decreased any residual fatigue. Anyhow, you should ask Val at Arctic Cables for a review model. He's super nice yet busy. And check out Autechre live on Bleep.com free streaming at 320 mp3, but you can buy in Flac or 24 bit. Yes they even release their music in 24 bit. that should give any audiophile a chubby. #TheAutechrephiliac

Grado really turned me on to better sound. I have Sennheisers , including the 6xx, but I just don't like them nearly as much as the Grado SR125x.

Of course it’s $420. I bet they smoke the competition?

I need to get my Grado GS1000 sent out for a detachable cable mod, grado and tube amp... mmmm

I have the RS2e, the SR325e, and the SR125 (RS2e is my fave!). Is the Hemp headphone an upgrade, or would I be farther ahead to just stick with what I have, or should I upgrade to the GS series?

I just might pre-order these...

Sounds like they would really be good with stoner rock too

Is this similar to the 325e? Can I put the hemp-version cushions on my 325e?

I can by no means claim to be an audiophile, my daily listening is a lot of you tube these days, or my synth wall through my Apogee Quartet interface, and all of this through Grado SR 60s that I've had for years. However, I can't count the number of times I've had to lift the Grados off of my ears to check that I haven't got the room speakers on because the sound is so "in the room." I've been wanting to upgrade to something more comfortable for awhile now and I think this review has tipped the balance.

I think Hemphone is a great name. Better than Heddphone. I am not a Grado guy but these look great.

The grado's put you in the stage, live with the musician, the sundara's put you in the studio room 🌝

Better Rs2 or hemp? I only listen to electronic music? Please recommendation, thx

What shirt is that? Looks cool

Hi Steve I’m getting more and more interested in audio however you use a lot of terms that I don’t understand. So could you please make a video where you really go back to the basics and explain all the basic terminology used in the audio world. :)

Steve, do you know of any other headphones that have that live sound that Grado's have?

Hi Mr. Guttenberg, I love your channel and hugely respect your passion for the hobby. I do have to say I strongly disagree with you about the quality of the Grado Hemp. I bought a pair recently after watching not only this video but a few other videos as well. DMS loved them, you loved them, I said why not give them a shot? Years ago in 2011 I bought the 225e from Grado and had them for a few months before giving them to my dad. I thought they were alright and surely the hemps must be much better.... well... no. I have several headphones. Nothing high end or esoteric. My best cans are the Hifiman Ananda Stealth and the HD600. Honorable mention to my HE400SE for bang-for-buck performance. The rest of my stuff isn't worth mentioning. Honestly I found the Grado especially in comparison to the HD600 and the Ananda to be sorely lacking in a lot of respects. The Grados are a bit shouty, but more than that they fail to resolve a lot of passages of music that are child's play for my other headphones. Drums in particular, when they get complex and aren't forward in the mix, sometimes get lost on the Grados and disappear into the ether, particularly during drum rolls and similar. Vocals are sorely lacking in transparency, resolution, and tonality, and overall I just haven't found the Grado Hemp to be an enjoyable experience. I can sit with my Anandas on my ears for 3, 4, even 5 hours and enjoy every minute. I haven't had the Grados on my head for more than 30 minutes so far without the voice in my head saying "Ok that's enough of that nonsense". I also feel like the Hemp are less comfortable on the ears than the 225's were. I do not like these new pads at all and will need to shop for different pads. Honestly, for the asking price, I'd say these Grado Hemp are not worth it. If they were perhaps $250 USD they'd be worth it but anything more than that and there are other options that just destroy them as far as I'm concerned. I will be keeping them, because they're hemp, and that plays into my other... err.. passtime (Hey I live in Canada it's legal) but I am not impressed. Cheers and have a wonderful rest of your day :)

Does Grado is good for classical and instrumental music ? If yes which Grado model ?

Haha when I see the blue tower speakers in the background, I think of a high school student making a shop class project😄!

Grado SR-60 was mine entry into hifi headphones. Great entry headphone and first time I heard open back. Wow! But I was never impressed with higher Grado models.

Hi Steve, How about the soundstage? I'm guessing, because you said intimate, maybe closer- but still open?

Steve, Will you ever do a full review on the Raal SR1a?

Hi steve, Im a newbie on headphones, Yesterday i got my hifiman sundara playing with meridian explorer dac( first gen) with macbook pro, the sound is not that good, sold my sennheiser hd600 with arcam rhead, so cant try them with rhead, have looking at marantz hd dac1 dac/amp all in one, planer headphones need much power I read, do you have any tips of dac/amp for hifiman sundara? I live in sweden so cant buy all brands

We need an answer to the burning question... how do they sound compared to the SR60e?

Steve I’ve noticed that you like to talk about horn speakers and some headphones being high energy, livelier & fun, this video seems to hint that being brighter and faster has something to do with it...is that about right? Or more to it?

Steve, when are you ever going to review the quad plane or headphones?

How do these compare to the GW100? The GW100 are exactly everything you're describing (compared to the Grado house sound) and very good. I've compared them to DT1990Pro and HD800s; whilst not as good, they are 75% of the way there which is crazy for the price difference. Some people are claiming they produce more (unwanted) bass when using them via Bluetooth, but are more natural when using them wired. I've also read they used sr225 drivers in these but I can't find actual confirmation.

Is most of what you are saying a result of on-ear vs. over-the-ear comparison?

How is the on ear pressure? My big outer ears are very sensitive to this.

Hello ! Thanks for your wonderful review. I really like the Grado, but I have to work on them and get details for my mixes can you recommend them anyway? In terms of details which of these models wins in your opinion? Thank you