The Grado SR225e/SR225 are good headphones for neutral sound, but their overall performance isn't really versatile enough for everyday use. Their open-back design leaks a lot of noise, which is distracting to people around you, even at moderate volumes. They also fall off your head quickly if used while running. On the upside, they're lightweight and not too tight.
Our Verdict
The Grado 225e are designed for neutral sound. They're not versatile enough to be good everyday headphones.
- Lightweight design.
- Above-average and open sound quality.
- Easily fall off your head.
- Flimsy, plasticky build.
- Poor noise isolation, by design.
The Grado 225e are good for neutral listening. They have a spacious soundstage and a good reproduction of instruments and vocals. They lack a little bass and may be slightly sharp at times, but they reproduce the detail in high-res audio with above-average accuracy.
The Grado SR225e aren't intended for commuting. Their open-back design doesn't block a lot of noise, so you still hear bus and plane engines while listening to music.
The Grado SR225e aren't designed for sports. They're unstable, and the thick cable is bothersome. They're also a little uncomfortable.
The Grado SR225e aren't intended for office use. They don't block office chatter, and they leak a lot, which will be audible even at lower volumes.
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 SR225e/SR225 are also almost identical to the budget Grado SR80e/SR80 but have slightly different pads. The different pads emulate an over-ear design, but it's not very large, which means they still sit on the ears like on-ear headphones. On the upside, the SR80 are a better value for your money since they sound basically identical to the SR225e, except for the slightly better distortion performance of the more premium model. The SR80e are also a bit less cumbersome to carry around since their cable is not as thick and bulky.
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