The Grado SR125e are sub-par headphones for everyday casual use but have an above-average and open sound reproduction. They're comfortable and lightweight but will easily fall off your head. Their open-back design also doesn't block much noise and leaks a lot, which is distracting to the people around you even at moderate volumes.
Our Verdict
The Grado SR125e are designed for critical listening. They're not versatile enough for everyday headphones.
- Lightweight and comfortable.
- Above-average and open sound quality.
- Easily fall off your head.
- Flimsy, plasticky build.
- Poor noise isolation, by design.
The Grado SR125e deliver decent sound quality and a wide, open soundstage that's great for neutral listening. They lack a little bass and sound slightly sharp at times, but they reproduce the detail in high-res audio with above-average accuracy.
The Grado SR125 aren't good for commuting. They're very open and don't block any noise, which isn't ideal for frequent commuters.
The Grado 125e aren't intended for sports. They're unstable and the thick cable is bothersome. They're also a little uncomfortable.
Not designed for the office. They don't block any office chatter and also leak enough to be distracting.
The Grado SR125 aren't intended for wireless gaming.
The Grado 125e aren't intended for phone calls.
Changelog
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
- Updated Feb 16, 2018: Converted to Test Bench 1.2.
- Updated Aug 10, 2017: Converted to Test Bench 1.1.
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Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Grado SR80e/SR80 are pretty much identical to the Grado SR125e/SR125. The SR125e have slightly thicker and more durable cables, but have the same design and build quality as the rest of the budget Grado line up. The SR80 are, therefore, a better value for your money since they have the same performance at a cheaper price point. They also do a bit better in the treble range, although both headphones are a bit too sharp and may sound piercing on already bright tracks. Also, the difference in the treble is within the margin of error for our sound test, since its consistency varies from person to person.
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