Grado Labs has the distinction of being one of the oldest family owned companies in the high fidelity audio industry. For over 60 years they have handmade every pair of cans that has come out of their Brooklyn, NY factory. Their headphones are frequently seen on Top 10 Headphone lists in under $500 and over $1000 categories. When we found out The Grado family is on their third generation of headphone making experts boasting an admirable list of accolades we couldn’t wait to try out their consumer friendly, $99 SR80e open-back headphones.

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SPECS

• Transducer Type: Dynamic
  Operating Principle: Open Air
  Frequency Response: 20 – 20,000 hz
  SPL 1mW: 99.8 dB
  Normal Impedance: 32 ohms
  Driver Matched dB: .1 dB

FACTS

1 year warranty that does not include ear pads

Includes 6.5mm adapter for plugging into stereo equipment

PROS

Light weight. I could wear these for hours without fatigue.

Very comfortable to wear. Not a lot of pressure from ear pads.

Hipster friendly throwback design.

Great in the mid to high range. Listening to Alesso’s “Heroes (We Could Be)” really helped me realize where these headphones shine.

Excellent for songs like GriZ’s “You Got To Change”; songs with that throwback feel where your ear craves the artifact of the record spinning softly in the background.

CONS

Plug sleeve will be too bulky for most smartphone cases making these headphones unsuitable for on-the-go listening.

No protective case. More susceptible to the normal wear and tear of life.

They lack in the low end. Listening to Bassnectar’s “Bass Head” track helped me realize these wouldn’t be the best headphones for someone who never turns off artists like Destroid or Zomboy.

ARE THEY WORTH IT?

For the right listener… Absolutely.

What Grado Labs does better than most others is making headphones for the at-home, quiet room listener who doesn’t want to break the bank to have quality sound at their fingertips. This particular set of headphones wouldn’t function well on the loud train to work or on a DJ in a club because of their open-back design–but that’s ok–they’re not meant to. They’re meant for the audiophile who wants to sit in their favorite chair after a long day at work and engulf their minds in their favorite songs. If this is what you want a pair of headphones for, you’re not going to find a better pair in the under $100 price range.

Good sound trumps all to the true audiophile.

The incompatibility of the thick plug casing with any of my iPhone cases made it so I had to remove the case to listen to music. In a world ruled by smart phones I wish they would change this. However, as cumbersome as it is to do this, it doesn’t stop me from reaching for this pair of headphones when I want to unwind from a busy day with quality sound.

Learn more about Grado Labs headphones and pick up your pair at GradoLabs.com

Photo Courtesy of hifi-enthusiast.co.uk