The Grado SR125e headphones are a nearly perfect headphone for me. The have all of the tight bass punch I need in that jazz drum beat and bass strumming while maintaining the utterly crisp and detailed mids and upper register for which Grado is so famous. This is all within the context of a slightly warmer sound over the SR80s (which have a slightly warmer sound than the 60s). Mind you, I’ve yet to find a pair of Grados that I don’t like, but they do improve at each price point so that, at least for these three, they seem the best value of their respective price points for quiet listening.
They are, after all, open air, hence the wonderfully large sound stage. So, sound seeps out and into the headsets. When I need to close off the world, I go to my Sennheiser Momentum’s (see Cans: A Personal Journey Through Soundscapes for more on the Sennheisers) and for more mobility I use LG Platinum Tones with Comply Sport Earphone tips (see LG Tone Platinum Tone Brings the Clarity and Detail, Comply Sport Earphone Tips make Your Workout Bassalicous for more on these).
I have loved the Grado line ever since my first pair of SR60s which I bought a little over eight years ago. The hallmark of Grado headphones is clarity and detail combined with an open sound stage. The SR 60s bring exactly that. There is nothing that touches them in that price range. If they are so good, why move up? Two reasons: the supporting base is reasonable but it lacks oomph and the overall tenor of the sound is a little analytic. I prefer something slightly warmer. The SR125es bring all the richness with tight bass while keeping that sparkling clarity and penchant for detail. The also are relatively easily driven, so, while an amp will help these, they don’t require one. I mostly listen to them with my LG V20 phone which sports an ESS Quad DAC that can push 32 bit / 384 kHz sound with a solid amp. Much of my music is FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) files ripped from CDs in the standard 44.1 kHz, 16-bit mode. I also have some lossless WMA files, 320 mp3, 256 mp3 and a smattering of others. However, I also have a mix of HD music (from HDTracks) ranging from 24 bit / 44.1 kHz to 24 bit / 192. I also traverse from classical orchestra and string quartet to jazz to electronica and mashups (think Lindsey Stirling’s dubstep pieces). The SR125es handle this eclectic mix of genres with aplomb. I would also say that the bass is slightly tighter than my Sennheiser Momentum as well a more detailed mids. That’s saying something since the bass and mids on the Momentums are smooth and clear with an astonishingly good soundstage for completely closed in over-the-ear (circumaural) headphones.
What do you need to know about owning these? Well, when you first get them, the headband might be a bit tight; it loosens up over time. The cable to the headphones is thick and a bit stiff at first. It will also lose its tendency to not want to uncurl. It’s also permanently attached to the headphones, so if it breaks (unlikely with this set), you’ll need to send them in. I did this once with my SR60s; they were quick and the repair was reasonable. On par with a new set of cables. While breaking them in may improve them, they sound great right out of the box. As I indicated above, they need a relatively quiet environment but in such, your $150 will be well rewarded.
I cannot recommend these enough.
See joesgeekfest on Wordpress for more detail.
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This Item  GRADO SR125e Prestige Series Wired Open-Back Stereo Headphones |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Price | Currently unavailable. | $175.00 | $225.00 | $99.00 | $125.00 | $750.00 |
| Delivery | — | Get it as soon as Friday, May 17 | Get it as soon as Friday, May 17 | Get it as soon as Friday, May 17 | Get it as soon as Friday, May 17 | Get it as soon as Monday, May 20 |
| Customer Ratings | ||||||
| Sound quality | ||||||
| Comfort | ||||||
| Noise cancellation | ||||||
| Value for money | ||||||
| Sold By | — | 4OurEars - The Official Grado Store | 4OurEars - The Official Grado Store | 4OurEars - The Official Grado Store | 4OurEars - The Official Grado Store | 4OurEars - The Official Grado Store |
| connectivity tech | Wired | Wired | Wired | Wired | Wired | Wired |
| headphones form factor | Over Ear | On Ear | On Ear | On Ear | On Ear | Over Ear |
| connector type | 3.5mm Jack | Wired | Wired | 3.5mm Jack w/1/4" adapter | Wired | 3.5mm Jack |
| headphones jack | — | — | 3.5mm with 1/4" adapter | 3.5mm Jack and 6.3mm adapter | 3.5mm with 1/4" adapter | 3.5 mm Jack |
| cable feature | Retractable | Retractable | Retractable | Retractable | Retractable | Retractable |
| material | — | Copper | Copper | Copper | Copper | Copper |
| model name | SR125e | SR125x | Grado SR225x | SR60x | Grado SR80x | Reference RS1x |
Reviews with images
Amazing sound quality, exactly what I wanted
I have both Bose and plantronics cans with noise cancelling capability. These Grado are not that thing. These are excellent listening phones. I’m the comfort of my own home listening to music, or playing along on guitar these Grado’s are IMO superior sound quality.I personally really like the retro looks and feel.I also love they are a family firm based in Brooklyn.One has to reconcile that as such they are operating in a very challenging global market place where labour and parts can be much cheaper abroad, and as such have to make economies in the build to be affordable/competitive. The fact that they manage to make a range with 3 versions of the prestige series between $80 and $150 is testament to that effort. After doing a lot of research and reading reviews, these sr125s seemed to offer best bang for buck in my price range.They sound so good that my wife is now insisting on a pair - the open backs on these really bring out parts in music and songs that you rarely hear these days of wireless and NC. Both of those technologies have their place, I’m not a Luddite, but for crystal clear listening pleasure these take some beating for me.I did find the vinyl wrap around the head strap a little sharp on the edges, and was worried it might cut into the wires when stored (I assume it’s a metal band under there). You can see the crimped edge in the second photo. My solution to that problem is an $18 headphone wrap from US tactical sewing (available on Amazon), in a small range of colours/designs - most with a subtle camo design but some just plain. Bonus there is that’s also helping a small business. That wrap is extremely well sewn, adds a nice degree of extra comfort - the Velcro is insanely strong. Also adds a d-ring to the cans for easy hanging.I will be buying another set for my wife, as possible one of the fancier sets grado makes next time I’m feeling extra flush.
