Grado SR80E vs. GS2000E | $100 vs. $1400 Headphone Comparison 

NFB-1AMP Review finally coming Wednesday. Excited?

You're the first reviewer in the audio space who actually does justice to the pricing element. I often find this community of sorts to be quick at justifying or forgiving high prices.

Dude I literally don’t know if you’re being sarcastic or not you’re so genuine in your delivery lol

I love my SR80e. It might very well represent the best value in the entire Grado line. I auditioned the Grado SR325e and I liked what I heard. It sounded a touch wider and cleaner but then again, the SR80e, as you said, has character and that's what I loved about it as well. If you get the chance, please review the remainder of the Prestige series (SR60e, SR125e, SR225e, SR325e) and let us know your thoughts. Or maybe even make a brief comparison of the entire line. :)

Please do Orpheus vs AirPods next!

Thanks! I just got the sr80e today, I absolutely LOVE them.

While SR80e build quality is somehow justifiable in their price range, modding the higher end models seems to be a must if you wish to use them often. To get the best out of my PS500 I had to buy a full package of mods from nyczaj audio including their earpads, aluminum gimbals and padded wide headband to get the most out of them and to be able to enjoy listening pain-free for longer than an hour. Grado should be doing what nyczaj audio is doing for their higher end models like GS2000e and I honestly don't understand why they aren't...

When a reviewer says nothing about the sound sources, analog, digital, SACD, mp3 whatever warning bells sound, at least to me. I have had the Grado SR325e for several years now, and have listened to many other decent headphones before my purchase. They are by far the best sounding headphones I have heard, given my budget. Before purchasing them in an amazing headphone store in a mall in Singapore, where they have loads of headphones of all sorts, you can demo them with your own music in the store. I spent two afternoons listening before I purchased. There are far too many talking heads and loudmouths on RU-vid and elsewhere, many young, who wish to make a name for themselves. Your approach, while seeming methodical and systematic differs so much from my experience, that I question you now. My system, until recently was a Linn LP12/RegaRB300/AudioNote Soara turntable/Meridian head amp, Theta 2-box CD Player/separate DAC, Sony SACD Player, Krell KAV300i amp, and Magneplanar 1.4 speakers. All good vintage stuff. But damn good sound.

I think the Grados are tuned for low volume listening. A note is literally included in the box with explanation and i havent seen much reviews appreciating that aspect of the headphone. I cant think of any other manufacturer who is brave enought to tune their headphones this way and hence Grados occupy a special niche. Now i am not a fan of the GS2000E as i havent heard them but own a GH2 and appreciate their unique traits. I have the Sundara and K712 but prefer the GH2 if I want to listen over extended duration at low volumes. The other headphones just gets boring after couple of songs and need the volume to be cranked up. Also I havent heard any headphone reproduce guitars better to my ears than the Grados.

Go back to the 2000's standard pads and get a parametric equalizer to balance the frequencies. That's the only way you can determine the ultimate resolution and overall sound quality. Soundstage, imaging, clarity - all of that are strongly affected by frequency response.

I was playing about with my Sr80e last night after a couple of years of it being locked away, i forgot how much of a beautiful headphone it is, i like to use deluxe flat pads on them. I also have SR325e & RS2e , these two are my baby's , i use each one for different genres of music ,they pretty much cover all music genres between them . But the woodies are truly beautiful sounding. I've never ventured in GS or PS Models as I simply do not have that kind of money .

I know you said you don't care, but the GS line should use the big bowl pads, especially with the current larger driver "e" line. Putting flats on those is like reviewing a pair of horn speakers with your head in the horn. Some of your concerns would be mitigated by the intended pads. Flats will kill the intended soundstage and airy/lively presentation while compressing the stage into the congestion you experienced. Also, just because the low impedance is easy to drive doesn't mean the cans won't benefit from high end amplification. The reference and statement lines really take off with good tube amplification and even certain solid state headphone amps. The difference in well matched amplification can be stunning.

Grado has a niche of a certain sound signature. What surprises me is that they haven't created a series of headphones that have a different sound signature. They all have a house signature, and that's great...but they would gain a lot more business by offering a product that is more friendly in the upper mids and treble. I am curious if they are just unwilling to do so, or they just don't know how to do so?

I think the sr80s sound AWESOME when paired with a proper portable mini dac. (From a Audaze LCD-2 owner).

I was genuinely surprised at the difference between the ‘e’ and ‘x’ driver variants. I acquired some RS1X to try out with full intent to return. However, I have become smitten with them. Sure, the ear pads aren’t comfortable, but the sound has me looking at Dekoni and other third parties for alternative options. I just wish Grado would listen to their customers and build detachable cable functionality into their products. I shall look into modding the RS1X at some stage in the future. Edit: 26 January 2023 Had to return my RS1X when both ear cups started falling off. Honestly the build quality for an £800 product is ridiculous. How Grado expect customers to put up with this regardless of the sound quality is beyond me. Any product costing that much shouldn’t be purchased from new with the full expectation that immediate modding will be required to just be able to use the bloody things.

Do you listen to the music at a high volume? Because I'm so baffled by your statements, and the only thing I can think of is that Grado's sound better at lower volumes, and maybe you're listening to them very loudly.

I own the bose qc15 and Grado 325. The bose I wear outside. They are light, comfortable and the noise cancelling is great. The chord sucks (getting a BT chord soon) and the sound is OK. The Grados are opposite. They are heavy, uncomfortable, no NC, chord really sucks, but the sound. They sound really nice. I've owned the sr80 and yes the 325 sound much better. And it does somewhat depend on the type of music. The new TOOL album streamed at high res is amazzzzzing with the 325's and just ok with Bose. Oh, they are designed and are better with the open hole pads. So that's my 2 cents, cheers.

I went to my local electronic music shop which I've been going 2 years to and inquired about the new grandos he said don't waste your money just stick with the sr80e

I have the SR225's! They sound good and they are much better than the 80's because of the pads and I lost the end cap on the adjustable metal piece and they immediately got back to me after I sent an email for a free replacement. I appreciate that level of quality service. The open sound is unique and they look cool vs. any other headphone in the price range. (With the metal grate on the side of the 225's.) The pads on the 225's are T pads not G like the 2000's and they pads cannot be interchanged. If I were to get a pair I would go for these again for the 335's are metal but that wasn't an option. I think there was a 1 series that was wood and sounded nice but it was around the $500 range and I thought this was the best bang for the buck. They sounded amazing listening to hip hop like lil uzi vert XO Tour life which is what I was into at the time when I bought them. You get quality bass but still a unique sound signature vs something mass produced like a Sennheiser or Beyerdynamic which is either too bright or too bass heavy. There is a reason why Artists like Ariana Grande and John Mayer use these headphones for recording. If you're an actual musician you will appreciate the tonal characteristic that isn't overly colored in any direction. The clarity is strong and vocals are particularly clear.

You cant judge the headphones with alow grade source, use ahigh end dac/head phone amp and then you will notice the diffrence. The SR80 are great for the price and offer superb value for the money, they have an insane sound stage which no other headphone in its price range can produce but the GS is acomplete diffrent league, its like the SR80 gets you to the entrance of the high end world, the GS gets you there provided that you feed them with the right tools. I own the GS1000, its not just headphones, its like being in aroom with ahigh end stereo set up, the sound is just coming from all directions and the detail and seperation is amazing

a few seconds in and i already know where this is going

You say very strange things about the GS2000e. I know these headphones well, they have their flaws, but they are anything but what you describe. Really. Your pair may have been damaged, or you are using them with unsuitable equipment.

I happen to stumble on your channel & I’m now subscribed to it. I’ve since enjoyed some of your past vlogs & find them informative although I’m not an audiophile.👍. Keep them coming.

Sr 80e is beast!! And they are better with bowl pad too, imho..

You already killed the GS2000E, let them Rest in peace xD

I'm a little disappointed by this review. Just as you are more critical of the GS2000e because of its price, I'm a little more critical because I've come to expect more of you than to trash a headphone after you swapped out the pads it came with for pads it was never intended to wear. Why would you undermine this review from the outset? To put these two headphones on equal footing? It's not equal footing if you put smaller pads on the GS2000e and then complain that it sounds "muffled." You know, as well as I do, that a difference in pads can make all the difference in the world. Large pads can make a headphone feel airier. Small pads can make another can feel more intimate. It's often a tradeoff of soundstage for bass response. Comparing the Focal Clear with the Focal Elegia, I noticed that the Elegia was more intimate (just as the Sundara is more intimate than the Arya). I swapped out various Dekoni pads to see how close I could get the Elegia to the Focus without modding or EQing. In the end, it became clear that the pads on the Elegia are as good as it gets. It's a closed can and a pad swap just isn't going to change that. If anything, pad swapping ruined the presentation. I've never owned the GS2000e. I've owned practically every Grado they've made (SR60, 80, 225, 325, RS1, GS1000, PS1000, PS500 and a few others, like the Alessandros and the iGrado). I remember missing that intimate sound, when I went from the RS1 to the GS1000 and pad-swapped it downward to increase the bass. I ended up selling off my PS1000 when it sounded, with large pads, like a Grado with smaller pads, which made it punchy and fun for rock, but I could tell it had overcompensated when violins sounded more like violas. That, I suspect, is what you're saying about the GS2000e, that it - like the PS1000 - doesn't have that airy feel of a GS1000. If so, that's why pad-swapping on these cans would be a nightmare. What you laugh off as crappy pads is, perhaps, a Grado misapplication of something they did with the legendary PS1. They had an aluminum Grado (the mothership) which had a very intimate sound but also paper drivers. People have complained about the 325, with its aluminum shell, being too bright, brighter than the plastic Grados (60, 125, 225). The problem with the 325 was that the L-Pads, designed to increase the soundstage, also shed bass. Without an amp with bass boost, the presentation was too lopsided. Cranking up those cans, in order to get that missing slam, was like driving nails through your head. What the 325 missed was that the PS1 - in addition to having paper drivers - had thinner, more densely compacted, pads - pads which Grado stopped making. (People had to get them from Todd the Vinyl Junkie.). If you pad swapped, the 325 was closer to the PS1. Grado does not do front damping - at least not the way of Hifiman or Dan Clark Audio. It doesn't do inserts. It also doesn't do leather pads, which harvest more bass but often at the cost of clarity. What Grado does, and what I started doing when I modded my Grados, was to air out the drivers - not with their famous wooden shells but on the driver-backs, themselves. Typically, these top-shelf Grados would get two holes punched, which allowed for substantially more bass. If you punch out too many holes, you blow out the driver (when you run it too hard) but two holes can turn an SR60 into something substantially closer to a GS1000, etc. I was making my own GS3000s before Grado did, by making my own shells out of Mexican cocobolo, which gave them a very dark sound. Indian rosewood was also very cool. It doesn't really make sense to use maple, which is used in guitar fret boards. Maple has a very high rate of sound transmission but it tends to brighten, which is not what you really want if you're using headphone shells to amplify the bass. Grado's prices - for its top-end cans - are a little ridiculous, given the actual difference in production costs in using tone woods. But the prices of flagship cans, and flagship wannabes, has almost universally hit a point of absurdity. Is the LCD5 worth $4,500? Is the Susvara worth $6,000? If we're honest with ourselves, we can admit that a young man's passion has been taken over by middle-aged professionals who are willing to spend large sums of money to own the headfi equivalent of a concept car as something to show off to their friends.

Gotta try grados with a hybrid tube amp. Almost like pairing horn speakers with a tube amp. Tames the highs, adds warmth

@joshuaValour have you ever heard about the iMod? A modified ipod classic with the wolfson dac? I was interested in the GS2000E for this setup. Which headphones would you recommend

Probably watched about 25-30 of your vids this weekend.. Thanks for the recommendation and as a photographer love the lighting and presentation of your videos!

I own the 80s. They are wonderful.

what to say about grado headphones I am fortunate to own a sr 60, sr 8o, sr 125, sr 225 and rs 1 my humble opinion is that these headsets have a soul and that they create in me the presence of performers and instruments of space as if I were there and that is what makes me happy to believe people that I listened to a lot of highly praised headphones but when I first heard the build of headphones in 1994 I was shocked and wondered how it is possible for ugly plastic headphones to play immeasurably different from my SENNHEISER headphones for which I would gave everything at that point probably made better, nicer and of course better playing headphones than grado headphones but i didn't have a chance to hear them

I've just got my hands on the sr225 and from what I've read they might be the best of the prestige series (less bright than the 325). All three set of pads are coming so I will be able to test them all. Thanks for the reviews, I wish someone would send you the ps2000e to review, there are no reviews on RU-vid of them (if there are please someone let me know) but written reviews mentioned that the lower bass was good so I'm curious to see how that would affect the "Grado sound". If you were to like them that would mean I'd have to sell one of my kidneys to get one ;)

Thank you very much for your review I'm tempted to buy Grado Headphones I listen almost exclusively to Psychedelic Blues-rock Vintage music focused on overdiven electric Guitar tone (Cream/Jimi Hendrix Expericence/Deep Purple/Rory Gallagher ecc) and I'm searching for an headphone with controlled Bass response, Great MIDS (flat opr +1db) And high frequencies not emphasized. I know Grado are great pair of headphones for the genre of music I'm Into BUT Highs are a problem for me..I like detail and clarity but not too much. What If I purchase a LITTLE DOT valvolar ampli?Maybe I can contain the high frequencies? I would also consider buying Sennhaiser HD600..250 ohm instead of 32 Ohm of the grado but not too Trebly like Grado Thank for your attention

I wonder why the full review of the GS2000 was set to private?

Beautiful rendition! One of my favourite piano pieces... Congratulations!! :D

I used to own both these headphones. The GS2000e was bought used and sold, the SR is still with me. With that said, with this review you lost any credibility to me and it is clear you have a sort of agenda against Grado. Perhaps you knocked at their door and they replied “who are you?”. Or perhaps no free samples for you to keep. Whatever it is, it is obvious you did not listen the 2 models as all you describe does not make any sense at all to an owner. And this is said by someone who thinks the GS and PS models are highly overpriced, so you hardly got a Grado fanboy here; but yes, I really could not resist writing a comment here (which I do extremely rarely). I do not know what your real motivations are but I know how to avoid your comments or videos (well, video mastering/editing is good, I give you credit for this).

I wonder If "muffle sound" comes from your experience of listening to headphones that enhance the treble and mid Hi frequencies, which is common. So when listening to something actually more realistic might be a chock.

You buy up the grado line because you love their house sound - it is a love thing. I have owned and eventually sold from Sr80 to GS/PS1000. There is something unique to their sound that is making me want to own them again. It is your high school love thing.

Z Reviews also hates the expensive grados. It seems to be a pattern. I have the 60e, for $80 I wasn't expecting a lot. It really clicks with some music and not with others. Oddly enough it sounds the best on the Muddy Waters Folk Singer album. I don't even like that album that much but I listen to it sometimes just because it sounds so good on the grados. But if it doesn't click with the music it is a $80 headphone.

Really, there are so many reviews like this... I don't understand why anyone would spend so much time on something they don't like? I think Grado headphones really have something divine in them, if you belong to the dark side you just can't love them :)

Bought a pair of Grado SR325X 13 months ago and a week ago the left sided cable failed and stopped working. I will never buy a pair of Grados again.

I really couldn't tell that was sarcasm. If you didn't point it out I would have believed you.

I think you have something wrong with your headphones, as a long time Grado listener. They shouldn't sound veiled at all and should have a very good sparkle to the sound. If they don't, there is most definitely an issue. Maybe a cable issue with them wearing out, even if they look good. They are getting old.

I have the 325e and blown away at the idea the GS2000 sounds muffled. That sounds like the polar opposite of the Grado sound signature which is strange. Not that I don't trust you, just surprised. I can understand how many people do not like the Grado sound signature, its not my favorite, I prefer strong bass with more warmth. I find my 325e to be harsh, sibilant at the volumes I like with certain passages BUT with all that said, they are astonishingly detailed. I hear sounds I have not heard,or perhaps its more, noticed, before. For example in a typical metal song when a guitar comes forward for a solo, I notice the other instruments detail just as easily. The sound stage is as you say, side to side with little up down or for and aft. The imiging is good considering the limits of the sound stage. Album slike Pink Floyd DSotM are incredible with my Grados.

I think you are right that these headphones are not good value. I've had poor results with 2 models in the Grado line, the low end and also the $500 price point. However, if your reviews don't include associated components, i.e. DAC and amp, then I wouldn't know how to make heads or tails of your conclusions. Kind of bizarre not to say what you plugged them into besides a portable. SMH

Extra $100 for the fatter cable, $100 leather headband, $200-300 for the wooden cups? Those GS2000E drivers must be something special.

Not sure What is up with Grado, their $700 RS1e’s sound blurry and horrible and veiled also. But I know other professional audio reviewers who love them. So I’m thinking Grado must’ve hired someone Who didn’t know what the heck he was doing, and before he could be fired, they sent out a bunch of his headphones LOL But I must say that the RS2e are really good, as are the step down SR325e. Nothing you can do about the comfort though, it is what it is. Sennheiser headphones are very comfortable

After hearing 2 different GS2000e headphones I'd never describe them as worst than the SR80e but with that said I agree that they are really over priced, and I can't agree with your choice of ear pads since they were tuned with specific ear pads so it makes your review point less IMO. My choice would be a Ypsilon G1 or R1 which is a Grado GS clone for about $400-500

I love my Grado SR325e. The Grado SR60 is one of the best bang for buck headphones IMO. The fact that they are handmade in the USA is also a big plus.

*insert simpsons stop they're already dead meme here*

I've read nothing but stellar reviews of the Grado PS2000e. Have you auditioned them yet? I'd love to know what you think of them.

Okay Josh what's a better value for $100 Grado sr80e me know I'll try them?????😏

Love this review. Just got a new subscriber.

I always liked the sound of the SR80e - never liked the sound of the more expensive Grados. Right now I have them, THINKSOUND TS03 and THINKSOUND ON2. Using an iPod Touch w/ OPPO HA-2 or a CHORD MOJO. The Grados are so easy to drive, when in a rush I can run them straight from the iPod.

"The cables are thicker for some reason" -- spec sheet lists 4-conductor cables for the SR-80e and 8-conductor cables for the GS-2000e. I get that it's an experiential, subjective, non-technical review (how it sounded to you), but you didn't even bother to read the specs at all? The "some reason" would have taken you less than a minute of reading to find out. Are you too sloppy and/or lazy to check into even the most basic information when doing your "comparison," or are you stretching and distorting information to give you a bigger aperture for the steaming dump you had already decided you were going to take on Grado?

This would be ridiculous for any other brand, but for Grado, they mostly sound the same.

Trying to complete my collection for a $100 headphone. What's your recommendation, SR60, SR80 or SHP9500 or AKG K702/Q701 used or any other headphone you have in mind ( i dont mind shelling more money to get a balanced collection). My headphones are KSC75, PORTA-PRO, M50, DT990 Premium 600ohms, HD6XX and Alessandro MS-PRO first gen (aka the Grado Rs1). Keep up the good work. Going through all of your vids as we speak. You deserve more subscriptions.

**REPOST FROM SR 80 POST: I've owned my SR 125 since 2006. They get nearly daily use and have never failed me. Any minor issues that have ever arose through all those years have been addressed by Grado (Sometimes for free.) I get that the look/feel are not for everyone, but the quality is not subpar by any means. I do not experience the echo effect that you described. I think they provide a very natural and neutral representation of the music I listen to. I look forward to purchasing the RS2e.

the best gs2000e are the ones that has swapped the bowers wilkins p7 driver inside. But its ridiculous that it needs a cheaper driver to sound excellent. altho p7 driver with that grado aesthetics is a bomb. i know people complaint about grado's choice of material design but if people used it for 40 years with no fail then it feels like they're doing something right.

What do you think of the Fidelio x2's?

Can you compare the sr80 to the sr125. Thanks.

Many people buy a luxury item on the basis of how it makes them feel, not because of how it performs -- do you buy an Aston Martin or a Nissan GT-R etc. Does the Aston Martin owner care his car doesn't perform as well as a Nissan GT-R on a race track? Even if it costs five times as much? Unlikely. Bottom line is -- if you're going to do reviews like these, then this is something you absolutely understand. After all, your reviews aren't exactly scientific in nature either. Perhaps it might be worth your while to investigate what Grado does, how and why. There are some fascinating interviews from the eighties and nineties that would give you an insight into this. In the end, I will say that your photography is excellent but I find your lack of literacy disappointing. You 'swallow' words and it prevents you from being concise and intelligible. Don't think I'm saying this with malice, but like anyone else, you can grow only if you get accurate feedback. I'm trying to do just that. Cheers!

Grado Labs is the biggest nickel & dime brand in existence. If something falls on the floor and gets crap on it, they'll just wipe it off and still package it as new. In Canada, Grado's using a guy out of his own measly house where inventory is stored in a humid basement ! If you buy anything Grado in Canada, big chance you're gonna get something previously used or repaired !

What’s better at $100?

Time to buy the gs2000e

Don't they use the same drivers in all of the lineup?

Great review.

I’m tempted to pick up the grados in the sr325 e

I know you've heard this before, but the SR325e is the sweet spot in the entire Grado lineup. If someone doesn't like those, then Grado just isn't for them.

Put them back on and listen to some old stereo stuff. Thats what they are built for

Why isn't there any videos on 125's?

After hearing your review I’m very happy I bought the Chinese option while I’m general someone who supports made in the USA however I like the Chinese build and form factor and sound but I don’t like the USA made version and at over 2000aud I’m not going to buy that version I’m sorry if they took their build cues from the Chinese and tuned the headphone “big boy” style I drop the dollars I love the look

Any chance that you could check out Monoprice's Monolith Liquid Platinum?

and then u compare digital and film. this is not creative choice its not about feeling theres 2 different data

Have you tried the other pads for the gs2000's?

My SR60e's have too much highs for me, and apparently (AND according to the graphs), everything pricier from Grado is worse... A 10khz peak of artificial "airiness" to compensate for the fact that no headphones at this price can recreate 10-to-20khz well. I found it funny when I opened the box and a little note said something like "be careful with headphones, don't play songs at high volume"... Now I find it bittersweet. You CAN'T play Grados at higher than TV/conversation volume: You'll just hurt your ears. I don't believe I'll sell them, though. They're great and don't have too much highs... IF at medium volume.

Sorry, disagree,will side with Steve Guttenberg ,they are a beautiful real live headphone, i own rs2e, better than Audeze lcd2f

Listening to this using my Grado SR125's, which i have had for 10+ years. I would also say that Grado, has a break in period. That over time get better with use. Love these headphones, i'm seriously considering getting another headset, Not sure i would put out the $$$ for the wood ones. But thanks for the review. Albeit a lot of the stuff you covered went over my head, i appreciate your words of wisdom.

I like the Grado Rs2e the most out of their lineup.

SR 80 e is a great headphone .

Have you tried the GS2000 them with an amp. Some 32 ohm headphones are amp sensitive, and my Grado certainly are.

Wrong ear pads for the Gs2000e

Try the Neumann NDH20

Sorry for all Grado fans, but I "completely" agree with your review here. Grado never had the resolution I was hoping for.

Dunno but I remember them not sounding that bad, but I would never buy them. The ps1000e, yeah those are great. Fantastic sound.

is it just me or is there a clicking sound in the background of this video

A step up to the 80e would be the 325e.

Seriously? Worst headphones? WOW

stop looking at me like that 😳

k712 is dynamic vs hd6xx planar magnetic ... are you serious its like compare gold vs brass because its 2 metal!

what are the differences between sr60e and sr80e?

Josh how would you feel about a Chinese made gs 2000 with better build quality and dual 3.5 mm connectors and less than170$ aud delivered sounds much better but dogshit is dogshit

It looks like Steve Guttenberg was right, the SR series grados do sound like conical loud speakers.I mean,as far as sighted listening tests go.

Side note: just buy some electrostatics and you won’t regret it!! There, Enjoy!!

Finally, an honest reviewer found! In my opinion, Grado sounds like what was engineered 1970's. Nothing wrong with it if you dig it. Anyway, I've read GS3000e is a huge improvement over other Grados, but haven't heard one myself.

Stopped watching when you mentioned the pads

Beating the dead horse.

what about the allasandro MS1

Can I see the Adam T5V speakers on the back?

You're just wrong my dude.