The Grado SR60e are subpar headphones for everyday, casual use. They have an above-average but sharp sound quality and an open design that gives them a wide soundstage compared to most on-ears. However, they leak a lot of audio and don't block any noise. They're not stable enough to use while doing sports, and they're not ideal for loud environments, commuting, or office use.
Our Verdict
The Grado SR60e are designed for critical listening. They're not versatile enough to be good everyday headphones.
- Above-average, open sound reproduction.
- Lightweight, comfortable on-ear design.
- Poor noise isolation, by design.
- Flimsy, plasticky build.
- Easily falls off your head.
The Grado SR60 are decent low budget headphones for neutral listening. They have a spacious soundstage and a good reproduction of instruments and vocals. They lack a little bit of bass and may be slightly sharp at times, but they reproduce the detail in high-res audio with above-average fidelity.
The Grado SR60e aren't made for commuting. The ambient noise of a train ride or bus ride will ruin your listening experience.
The Grado SR60 aren't intended for sports. They're unstable and the thick cable is bothersome. They're also a little uncomfortable.
The Grado SR60 aren't for office use. They don't any office chatter, and they leak a lot which will be audible even at lower volumes.
The Grado SR60 are below average for gaming. They're decently comfortable, sound great, and have a low latency and wired design. However, they don't have a microphone for voice chat when gaming, and no customization options which are typical for most gaming headsets. Also, they don't have the convenience of wireless design or multiple connection options for an optimized experience on Xbox One or PS4.
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 have no significant differences when compared to the Grado SR60e/SR60. They sound about the same, although the SR80 have slightly better imaging and treble mostly due to better consistency in the treble range. However, like the SR60e, they sound sharp. This won't be for everyone, especially on already bright tracks. On the other hand, SR60e are a slightly better value for your money since they have the same performance and overall build quality as the SR80e.
We've upgraded our Headphones Test Bench to 2.0! This update brings several key changes to our tests and usages, making it easier than ever to interpret our sound results based on your personal preferences. You'll also find a brand-new interactive graph tool featuring multiple targets (including our own!) for you to explore and compare.
For a full breakdown, check out our changelog, which includes detailed commentary from our test designer explaining the rationale behind our update.
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Test Results
The Grado SR60e have a very retro aesthetic. They have an all-black color scheme and a simplistic design that will work well for some. Their open-back ear cups are larger than most on-ear headphones but unfortunately, the plastic used for their design looks a little cheap.
The Grado SR60e are moderately comfortable headphones. They have a lightweight design that doesn't put much pressure on your head. Unfortunately, they're not well-padded. There's no padding on the headband, but because of their lightweight design, it's not as noticeable. However, the ear cup padding is a cushion-like fabric that doesn't feel good on the skin and will easily rip or wear.
These headphones don't have any in-line controls.
These are very breathable headphones. They have small on-ear cups that are open-back, so they don't obstruct a lot of airflow. They also have slightly more breathable pads than typical on-ear designs, with pleather padding which makes them even more breathable. Since they still rest on your ears, they won't be as breathable as in-ears over long listening sessions, but they're a lot more breathable than over-ear headphones and most on-ear designs aside from the Koss Porta Pro Wireless.
These are moderately portable headphones and have a thin headband that's not too bulky. The ear cups lay flat to take up less space, and they will easily fit in a backpack. Sadly, they don't fold up into a more compact format, and the thick cable is a bit bothersome.
The Grado SR60e have poor build quality. They're sufficiently lightweight and have few moving parts. They can handle a few drops without damage. Sadly, the plastic used for the ear cups and joints feels cheap. The joints, especially, look poorly glued together and very susceptible to moderate physical stress. They don't feel as durable as some other on-ear headphones and the cushion-like padding on the ear cups is prone to wear and tear. On the upside, they have a thick audio cable that won't get damaged easily.
These headphones aren't designed for sports. They have a thick, heavy cable that isn't detachable and can't be easily stored in gym gear. It also will pull them off your head if it gets hooked on something. They slip a little when you tilt your head while casually listening and will easily fall during any physical activity.
Poor isolation. Since these are open-back headphones, their noise isolation capability is poor by design. They barely isolate any external sound and are quite transparent, except for the small build-up at 1kHz that could color external sounds.
Poor leakage. Being open-back headphones, it's natural for these headphones to be loud and leak a lot of sound. A significant portion of leakage happens between 200Hz and 20kHz which is a very broad range. The leakage on these headphones sounds loud, full and present, and therefore could bother the people around you, even at low/moderate listening levels.
These headphones don't have any active components and don't require a battery.
These headphones don't come with an app or software for added customization options.
These headphones are wired and don't have a Bluetooth connection. If you want a similar design in a wireless format, consider the Grado GW100.
The Grado SR60e have a simple 1/8TRS audio cable with no in-line remote/microphone, so they'll only provide audio when connected to your PS4, Xbox One, or PC.
The Grado SR60e don't have a dock. If you need a headset with a dock that also has a wired connection for gaming or watching movies, consider the SteelSeries Arctis 7 2019 Edition Wireless.