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Electronics : Grado IGRADO-BLACK Grado iGrado Headphones in Black - What Hifi? Sound & Vision 5 Star Review **Web
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Rating: 
- igrado's - Worth Every Penny
During a recent holiday I went overkill with my super little q-jays (''in ear'' phones - see my other reviews). Whilst on the beach and walking arounds shops etc...taking them out putting them in all day and so on made my ears sore. I didn't have any ''on the ear'' phones of my own so it gave me an excuse to research and buy some (like I need an excuse.....) when I got back home.
I've owned many, many phones but never any from the Grado brand, I think it's because the retro look of the Prestige range never appealed to me (although I could forgive the looks in return for the musical bliss of the SR325i's). The igrado's are obviously more modern looking but do use the same drivers as the award winning SR60's, these drivers are exported to China where the igrado's are assembled, obviously more cost effective than making them in Brooklyn!.
So here are my findings:
Looks: I'm not a big lover of neck type phones, but made an exception in this case because I always strive to have the best phones for all occasions. These are modern looking but I have to say you can see where the money has been saved on the non-adjustable plastic neck band.
Comfort: I wear glasses so the plastic band can create issues with fit, but that said they sit real nice over my ears with the arms of my specs either under or over the plastic band. The foam earpads are very soft and comfortable so no real problems apart from my ears getting rather warm over extended listening sessions (and there have been plenty of those).
Sound: Well this is where it gets really interesting! As I mentioned I've owned loads of Head/Earphones and think I've found the best for each and every senario over a period of time.... On the go I use Q-jays with either a Cmoy or a portable amp. At home with a dedicated PPA headphone amp I use Denon ADH2000's (closed type - when the misus is next to me) and AKG K701's (open type - when she's out). So I like to think I know what's good and what isn't in a set of phones and the igrado's are just superb.
I see a lot written about the Grado ''Sound'', well I'm not 100% sure what this is but I do know that the igrado's do everything right. They are detailed across the range, nice tight but defined bass, beautiful impactful mids and sweet smooth highs. The soundstage is a bit close and in your face I would say for some but personally I like that these are different (in a good way) to the likes of the 701's which have a real wide and seemingly distant soundstage. What I also liked is that the igrado's are musical, fun and involving, not fatiging in any shape or form. I never want to take them off once I've started listening with these.
They are low impedance (32 ohms) so portable players will have no problems driving them, however to get the most of the sonics these wonderful drivers have to offer I recommend a portable amp of some sort. It will add to the cost but it's well worth it, get on another well known site beginning with ''E'' and stick Cmoy or Headphone Amp in the search and you'll see what I'm talking about. Amps don't just make music louder they can enhance it. Portable amps will normally come with a choice of OpAmp (chip) each type will offer a different signature i.e. a warmer or more bass heavy sound from the likes of an OPA2227, a more detailed Audiophile chip like the LN4562 or the midrange rich LF353. The beauty of this choice is you can really find a signature that suits you personally, most chips are relatively inexpensive and most amps have the chips in sockets so you can change or experiment with them if you want.
Music is subjective but what ever your taste in genre or sonic signatures these igrado's will reveal all. I love the igrado's so much I have just ordered the SR325's to go with my collection. Enjoy!
Rating: - iGrado - amazing sound quality espcially for sports headphones
I have researched around for a long time looking for a set of high sound quality sports headphones that sit on the back of the neck as I do not like in earbuds for sports activities.
The iGrado's deliver everything I needed for sure! The sound is amazing - clear high frequencies and excellent bass. There seems to be so many reviewers who are easily pleased when it comes to the quality of the bass! I need a lot of it but I also do not like to drown out the higher frequencies. These headphones hit the spot.
When it comes to build they are rugged although the wires seem a bit thin so a bit of care may need to be taken there. Apart from that though they are an excellent build and fit for sports activities sitting tight enough on my ears to keep out a lot of the street sounds whilst keeping the music coming in at the right level.
Although I haven't listened to the PMX200s or the Koss Porta-Pros which were the other two options I was deliberating over, I went for the iGrados and although they were the most expensive pair so far they seem to be the right choice and well worth the extra cash!
Rating: - More than you pay for
After reading some of the reviews below I felt I needed to add something. You always get what you pay for. And I think with these headphones you actually get more. The sound is astonishing for a portable headphone. It even outranks most bigger and more expensive headphones with the warm, well balanced sound detailing all the nuances of the music. I haven't listened to a better portable headphone yet, and even my B&O headphone (£100), with its crystal clear sound can't match the iGrado. To my ear it sometimes seems have too much bass, but you need to be careful with this judgement, because this is often caused by the poor recording quality of today's music or portable devices and is also in the ear of the beholder. I've listened to it on my high-end stereo and was simply impressed. Yes it is not the most comfortable, or best build headphone, but it is only around £30. You can't have it all. I'm using the iGrado for 6 month now and have none of the problems described below. I would be surprised if you could find any other model with a similar sound quality at this low price. If it's comfort you seek don't go for a portable headphone.
Rating:
- well well wire too thin
Didnt even last a month ,wire is too thin ,bad design,avoid these like a rash, and go for something with proper wiring,sound was nothing special also
Rating: - not impressed at all
1. Stiff and inflexible yoke.
2. Initially they give you the feel that they fit well but as the drums don't move or give around the ears they get uncomfortable after a lot of use.
3. Poor quality foam on the drums that started tearing after just 1 month of use.
4. The igrado mark is a sticker on the yoke that fell off after the second week.
5. The Y cable has a sticky feel and gets in the way. The cable never relaxed and kept the 'tied' shape it had when I unpacked it from the box. Cable management is tricky.
6. Although sound quality is very good, you need to crank em up to deliver the same volume as my Sennheiser PX250s.
7. I lost sound in one drum and I sent mine back after only 2 months.
Back to the drawing board Grado!
- igrado's - Worth Every PennyDuring a recent holiday I went overkill with my super little q-jays (''in ear'' phones - see my other reviews). Whilst on the beach and walking arounds shops etc...taking them out putting them in all day and so on made my ears sore. I didn't have any ''on the ear'' phones of my own so it gave me an excuse to research and buy some (like I need an excuse.....) when I got back home.
I've owned many, many phones but never any from the Grado brand, I think it's because the retro look of the Prestige range never appealed to me (although I could forgive the looks in return for the musical bliss of the SR325i's). The igrado's are obviously more modern looking but do use the same drivers as the award winning SR60's, these drivers are exported to China where the igrado's are assembled, obviously more cost effective than making them in Brooklyn!.
So here are my findings:
Looks: I'm not a big lover of neck type phones, but made an exception in this case because I always strive to have the best phones for all occasions. These are modern looking but I have to say you can see where the money has been saved on the non-adjustable plastic neck band.
Comfort: I wear glasses so the plastic band can create issues with fit, but that said they sit real nice over my ears with the arms of my specs either under or over the plastic band. The foam earpads are very soft and comfortable so no real problems apart from my ears getting rather warm over extended listening sessions (and there have been plenty of those).
Sound: Well this is where it gets really interesting! As I mentioned I've owned loads of Head/Earphones and think I've found the best for each and every senario over a period of time.... On the go I use Q-jays with either a Cmoy or a portable amp. At home with a dedicated PPA headphone amp I use Denon ADH2000's (closed type - when the misus is next to me) and AKG K701's (open type - when she's out). So I like to think I know what's good and what isn't in a set of phones and the igrado's are just superb.
I see a lot written about the Grado ''Sound'', well I'm not 100% sure what this is but I do know that the igrado's do everything right. They are detailed across the range, nice tight but defined bass, beautiful impactful mids and sweet smooth highs. The soundstage is a bit close and in your face I would say for some but personally I like that these are different (in a good way) to the likes of the 701's which have a real wide and seemingly distant soundstage. What I also liked is that the igrado's are musical, fun and involving, not fatiging in any shape or form. I never want to take them off once I've started listening with these.
They are low impedance (32 ohms) so portable players will have no problems driving them, however to get the most of the sonics these wonderful drivers have to offer I recommend a portable amp of some sort. It will add to the cost but it's well worth it, get on another well known site beginning with ''E'' and stick Cmoy or Headphone Amp in the search and you'll see what I'm talking about. Amps don't just make music louder they can enhance it. Portable amps will normally come with a choice of OpAmp (chip) each type will offer a different signature i.e. a warmer or more bass heavy sound from the likes of an OPA2227, a more detailed Audiophile chip like the LN4562 or the midrange rich LF353. The beauty of this choice is you can really find a signature that suits you personally, most chips are relatively inexpensive and most amps have the chips in sockets so you can change or experiment with them if you want.
Music is subjective but what ever your taste in genre or sonic signatures these igrado's will reveal all. I love the igrado's so much I have just ordered the SR325's to go with my collection. Enjoy!
Rating:
- iGrado - amazing sound quality espcially for sports headphonesI have researched around for a long time looking for a set of high sound quality sports headphones that sit on the back of the neck as I do not like in earbuds for sports activities.
The iGrado's deliver everything I needed for sure! The sound is amazing - clear high frequencies and excellent bass. There seems to be so many reviewers who are easily pleased when it comes to the quality of the bass! I need a lot of it but I also do not like to drown out the higher frequencies. These headphones hit the spot.
When it comes to build they are rugged although the wires seem a bit thin so a bit of care may need to be taken there. Apart from that though they are an excellent build and fit for sports activities sitting tight enough on my ears to keep out a lot of the street sounds whilst keeping the music coming in at the right level.
Although I haven't listened to the PMX200s or the Koss Porta-Pros which were the other two options I was deliberating over, I went for the iGrados and although they were the most expensive pair so far they seem to be the right choice and well worth the extra cash!
Rating:
- More than you pay forAfter reading some of the reviews below I felt I needed to add something. You always get what you pay for. And I think with these headphones you actually get more. The sound is astonishing for a portable headphone. It even outranks most bigger and more expensive headphones with the warm, well balanced sound detailing all the nuances of the music. I haven't listened to a better portable headphone yet, and even my B&O headphone (£100), with its crystal clear sound can't match the iGrado. To my ear it sometimes seems have too much bass, but you need to be careful with this judgement, because this is often caused by the poor recording quality of today's music or portable devices and is also in the ear of the beholder. I've listened to it on my high-end stereo and was simply impressed. Yes it is not the most comfortable, or best build headphone, but it is only around £30. You can't have it all. I'm using the iGrado for 6 month now and have none of the problems described below. I would be surprised if you could find any other model with a similar sound quality at this low price. If it's comfort you seek don't go for a portable headphone.
Rating:
- well well wire too thinDidnt even last a month ,wire is too thin ,bad design,avoid these like a rash, and go for something with proper wiring,sound was nothing special also
Rating:
- not impressed at all1. Stiff and inflexible yoke.
2. Initially they give you the feel that they fit well but as the drums don't move or give around the ears they get uncomfortable after a lot of use.
3. Poor quality foam on the drums that started tearing after just 1 month of use.
4. The igrado mark is a sticker on the yoke that fell off after the second week.
5. The Y cable has a sticky feel and gets in the way. The cable never relaxed and kept the 'tied' shape it had when I unpacked it from the box. Cable management is tricky.
6. Although sound quality is very good, you need to crank em up to deliver the same volume as my Sennheiser PX250s.
7. I lost sound in one drum and I sent mine back after only 2 months.
Back to the drawing board Grado!