Straight out, I want to say that I am the biggest misuser of the return policy. I bought and return some 40+ headphones (my girlfriend kept track!)just to find something I could live with. She told me that I will never be happy, and perhaps she was right: I needed a headphone that was extremely comfortable; not dorky or bulky looking; preferably closed; easily driven by a portable cd player; can play to loud levels with low distortion; and of course they must sound nothing less than excellent.
Some of the models that I went through were: Sennheiser HP-25 SP and HD 455/475, Grado Prestige SR60/80/125/225/325, Sony MDRV100/200/400 or MDR11/33, Koss Porta Pros, and others I can't even remember the names. Right now, I own (or have access to, since I gave some of them to family members) a Sennheiser HD-25SP, Grados SR60/80/225, a Sony MDRV400, a Sony MDR33, and several Koss Porta Pros. Why do I have so many headphones one might ask--I don't know anymore, but I thought that they serve some purposes. The Sennheiser are closed and very comfortable. They have excellent bass extension (to about 25 Hz) but is very boomy. One can definately feel the bass throbbing your ears. But they sound a little 'cold' on the treble. The Porta Pros were my 'junk' headphones. They are great all around performers. A tad a bass boost but the best extension I have ever measured on a pair of headphones (16Hz). I bit of emptiness on the mid treble though. Not the last word in resolution either. I gave the MDRV400 to my brother because of bass thiness, treble bite and nasally sound. The other Sonys (MDR33)are a lot better--deep bass (25 Hz), slightly bright treble, forward midrange that some like and some don't like. They almost totally closed so they don't disturb others. The Grados are similar: bass is bump up, good extension, tame treble (ex. the SR60) The SR225 are my reference but it sound very close to the 125 and the 80s. In contrast, the 80 are a little 'slow' on the bass and doesn't have quite the midrange detail. However, the 80 fits into a portable and the 125/225 don't. The 60s are more neutral but don't have the detail or the sense of ease (smoothness the audio critics call it) that the other seem to have. Some think that treble on the 60s were harsh. They don't extend deep in the bass either (31.5 Hz). I hate it when people want headphones that extend from 5 Hz-30 hz; you can't hear that range! Besides, headphone specifications rarely cite the tolerances on the frequency range. Many heaphones don't extend past 50 Hz when on the package it says 16 Hz.

Anyways, this is a Grado review so I will sum it up. Great bass, tame treble and detailed midrange. Free from any resonances. They are dark sounding, meaning that they lack 'air'. One can hear through and to any detail you could probably ever want. They do image weird though, unlike the Sony MDR33 which put sounds that you could pinpoint. Grados sound like the sound is coming out of 'somewhere' and one spends a lot of time trying to 'catch' where the sound is coming from. Still other than the fact it isn't closed it is excellent!

I listened to both the 60's and the 80's and just had to have that extra punch that the 80's have. They sound outstanding on my home system, but, be warned, on a weak source they won't do too well. They sound OK on a quality walkman, and they also sound good plugged into my PC soundcard, but when I tried to listen to a portable CD player with any sort of bass enhancement, forget it! I tried a Sony player with Mega bass and it was so bad I couldn't listen to anything. Obviously, the problem is not with the Grados but with the CDP. The unit pretends to have a 3 level selector for the bass enhancement, but that is a joke. In normal mode, the Mega bass is supposedly off, but what really happens is the bass is completely elminated as the Grados painfully reveal. In Mega bass mode the sound is so bloated that it is almost unlistenable. And, then you have Super Mega bass mode, don't ask. Bottom line, these Grados will reveal to you how lousy the source is and be very careful about matching them up with a portable CD player.

buy a pair of grados immediately.i have a pair on sennheiser HD600s that are phenomenal, but i don't like taking out of the house. so i had a pair of 100-dollar sonys that were (i thought) good enough for portable listening. i was with a friend when he got a pair of SR-60s (i recommended them based on reviews) and we used the crappy sonys for comparison. sonic vomit. i had to have a pair of grados, but the store only had one pair of the 60s. so, i tried the 80s. even better. everything you've read is true. they are slightly uncomfortable, but for the sound and the price, you've got to do it.
plus, they're designed right here in brooklyn.

360 deg. design, great sound, nice cans all around

uncomfortable after 40 min, puts pressure on outer ear.

do yourself a favor. you like music, you came to this posting. pay $89 for these headphones. they sound wonderful. open air design, air really surrounds the music you play. and they are truly open ear design, you can hear everything around you (a bonus if you must stay alert to your surroundings.) but they sound truly special - absolutely no shrill treble, deep deep bass. just great music. you will be stunned at the difference these make in your listening habits. thick cable too, you'll become a genuine headphone snob once you own these.

Similar Products Used:

cheapos included with walkmen, disc players, etc.

very clear sound, good bass, old school design

the earpads

very nice for the price, the bass is not boomy, they doesnt sound dark and murky, they sound very clear, i personally had a pair of koss HD/60 before i bought these.. DAMN what a change the music is WAY more detailed.. i strongly
recommand em!

Similar Products Used:

beyerdynamic 911, sennheiser 490, grado sr60, koss HD/60

Clarity, design

Earpads

These headphones just sound great. I had a pair of SR-60s for a year then upgraded to the SR-80s. The SR-80s are definitely worth the extra bass they provide. I got the earpads switched with the SR-60s at the store, because the original earpads are somewhat uncomfortable. However, I like the swivel design for the earpieces which ensures that the earpieces rest flat on your ears. I can't imagine conventional speakers approaching the detail you get with these headphones. Try them out to see what you have been missing. Highly recommended.

Similar Products Used:

SR-60, Aiwa HP-X222

No distortion at all. Wonderful, soaring treble...balanced bass.

Not very durable. Could be a little more comfortable. Open air design disturbs others.

This is the best pair of headphones $100 can buy you, hands down. I went to a store with my Siamese Dream album that I've been listening to for 7+ years now and was amazed as soon as I slipped these puppies on. After 7 years of listening to this album, I was hearing things with these headphones that I had never before noticed. The crackle in Billy's voice, the slight scratch as a drumstick moves across the surface of the instrument, the very slight phaser in the song LUNA as I never before heard it...simply amazing.

Are there headphones out there that sound better? Definitely. Pick up a pair of Sonys and you'll probably think so. But sounding better is not the same as ACCURATELY REPRODUCING THE RECORDED SOUND. I personally, want my music to sound the way it was intended to be heard, without any extraneous coloring. The Grado SR80s, for the price, are unparalelled in their ability to do this. The bass is good, but not overpowering. The treble is sonorous and soaring. I even like them better than the SR125s, which fall more into the sounding better category than the accuracy category. My only beef is that they are pretty fragile. A fly could bend them out of shape. I also dislike the open air design, but it's a small sacrifice.

Go pick up a pair of these and listen to your favorite CD from a good player. You will never put them down again.

Similar Products Used:

Grado SR125; Sony MDRV700J

Excellent sound overall. Absolutely no complaints.

Earpads could be a little more comfortable.

I've been listening to music at work for a long time with a dinky Sony walk-man style headset. I wanted something better and used the reviews on this web-site to guide me. I could not be more pleased with the Grado SR-80. I can hear details in my classical music that simply weren't there before. Piano music sounds like it's being played right there in front of you. Every last detail of a symphony orchestra is present. Only one minor, negative point, the earpads could stand to be a bit more plush/comfortable, but they're not bad. Let's call them average, as I've seen worse.
Overall an excellent set of headphones.

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Not really on par, but I have used Sony MDR-CD60.

Everything!!! these phones are amazing. Especially rock and jazz. i could go on and on, but i'll leave it for the review.

No isolation at all.Not as good for classical or vocals as my acoustic energy aegis speakers ($300) or my etymotic E4R-S earphones.

THese headphones were a revelation for me. They were my introduction to high fidelity sound. Hooked up to my discman, i think it's safe to say they're as good (detailed, dynamic, clear) as a $4000 stereo system. They have a clear, open dynamic sound with impactful, full bass and clear, if a bit recessed mids (compared to etys). These headphones are excellent, no-perfect (almost at least), for rock and jazz.
For classical, they still present with midrange "bite" but are easily beaten by my etys or aegis one speakers. Vocals especially sound a bit recessed in comparison.

Overall, however, these headphones are phenomenal. Especially when i compared them to the equally priced Sony V600s. The sonys are unlistenable after these Grados. it's like day vs night with a pillow over your ears. For $100 you cannot go wrong with these phones. enjoy!

Similar Products Used:

Etymotic E4R-S, Sony V600(unlistenable!)

Superb clarity and warmth. Great for most music styles.

Cable goes into both earcups. One sided entry would be nice, but not a big deal.

Can't get enough of my Grado SR80s! I prefer the "donut" style pads to the foam pads that cover the whole driver. I believe they provide superior sound with the earpad with the hole in it. The definition between all sonic ranges is unparalleled. Awesome pair of Cans!

Similar Products Used:

Sony V600, Grado SR60