The Grado The Hemp Headphones are limited-edition on-ears with an eye-catching hemp and maple build. However, these premium materials don't really translate into a premium build quality as the foam earpads feel a bit cheap. Some users may even find their on-ear fit uncomfortable. As they're designed for neutral sound, their open-back enclosure means they let in a lot of ambient sound and in turn, leak a lot of audio. Some may find their wired-only design, lack of microphone, and companion app limiting. That said, they're very well-balanced in the mids, and their sound profile is a bit warm overall. If you're just using them to listen to your favorite albums or if you like to collect limited-edition drops, they're a good choice for the discerning audiophile.
Our Verdict
The Grado Hemp Headphones are poor for mixed-use. They're purposely designed for audiophiles and it shows. Since they don't have a microphone, you won't be able to use them to take calls. While their open-back design helps create a spacious passive soundstage, you hear pretty much everything else around you, which makes them less than suitable for the office or your daily commute.
- Consistent audio delivery.
- No microphone.
- Some may find on-ear fit uncomfortable.
- Mediocre build quality.
- Bad noise isolation and leakage performance.
The Grado Hemp Headphones are good for neutral sound. While they struggle to produce a thumpy low bass, their mid-range is outstandingly neutral and balanced, resulting in present as well as clear voices and lead instruments. However, their treble also takes a bit of a dip, so sibilants sound dull. On the upside, they have consistent audio delivery and their passive soundstage is decent.
- Outstandingly balanced mids.
- Decent passive soundstage.
- Consistent audio delivery.
- Some may find on-ear fit uncomfortable.
- Mediocre build quality.
The Grado Hemp are poor for commuting and traveling. They don't isolate almost any noise, so you hear all sounds from bus or plane engines as well as commuter chit-chat. They're also only passably comfortable, as some may find their on-ear fit puts a bit of pressure on the ear, especially if you're wearing them for long plane rides. On the upside, their wired design means you don't have to worry about battery life.
- Consistent audio delivery.
- Some may find on-ear fit uncomfortable.
- Mediocre build quality.
- Bad noise isolation and leakage performance.
The Grado Hemp Headphones are poor for sports and fitness. While they can fold up to make them a little more portable, they're still bulky on-ears that aren't designed for sports. They can easily fall off while moving and their non-detachable audio cable can snag on something and yank them off your head. They also don't have any controls, so you won't be able to quickly manage your audio or calls on-the-fly.
- Consistent audio delivery.
- Some may find on-ear fit uncomfortable.
- Mediocre build quality.
- Not very stable on your head.
The Grado Hemp Headphones are poor for office use. Their on-ear design can put pressure on the tops of your ears, which may be fatiguing when worn throughout your workday. As they're also open-back, they don't isolate almost any ambient noise so you hear most noise around you such as background chatter and they leak a lot of sound. On the upside, since they're wired, you don't have to worry about battery life.
- Consistent audio delivery.
- Some may find on-ear fit uncomfortable.
- Mediocre build quality.
- Bad noise isolation and leakage performance.
The Grado Hemp Headphones are wired headphones and can't be used wirelessly.
The Grado Hemp Headphones are unremarkable for wired gaming. While you can use them with your PC, PS4, or Xbox One, you can only receive audio as they don't have a microphone. Due to their on-ear fit, some users may find them uncomfortable, especially for long gaming sessions. Still, if you're only using them to listen to your game's soundtrack, you may find them a bit lacking in the bass, so sound effects sound a little weak.
- Can be used to receive audio on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
- Decent passive soundstage.
- Consistent audio delivery.
- No microphone.
- Some may find on-ear fit uncomfortable.
- Mediocre build quality.
The Grado Hemp Headphones don't have a microphone and can't be used for making phone calls.
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Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Grado The Hemp Headphone are limited-edition on-ears. They're made of premium build materials such as maple and hemp on their ear cup housings that help them to stand out against other similarly designed Grado headphones such as the Grado SR80e/SR80. While some may find their wired design a little limiting and they don't have a microphone or app, they're a good choice if you're looking for a unique pair of on-ears for neutral sound. However, they struggle a bit more to produce a thumpy low-bass. If you're looking for more, check out our recommendations for the best on-ear headphones, the best audiophile headphones, and the best headphones for music.
The Grado SR80e/SR80 and the Grado The Hemp Headphone are both on-ear headphones that have slightly different advantages. While they have similar designs, the SR80e/SR80 are more comfortable. For the most part, they're able to produce more bass, although it's still somewhat underemphasized. Unlike the Hemp, their treble is also overemphasized, which makes them sound piercing and sharp. However, the Hemp have a better passive soundstage. They also feel better built.
The Grado SR325e/SR325 and the Grado The Hemp Headphone are two similarly designed on-ear headphones. The SR325e/SR325 have a metallic design that are more comfortable, while the Hemp have a maple and hemp build. Both struggle to produce low-bass sound, but the SR325e/SR325 sound much brighter overall.
The Beats Solo Pro are more versatile on-ear headphones than the Grado The Hemp Headphone. The Beats are more comfortable, they have controls so that you can answer calls as well as manage music, and they feel significantly better-built. They're more stable, and their sound profile is more neutral. The Beats also have a great ANC feature as well as a mic, and since they're wireless, they have 24-hour continuous battery life. However, the Grado have a much better passive soundstage, thanks to their open-back design.
The Audio-Technica ATH-M60x and the Grado The Hemp Headphone are similarly performing on-ears for neutral sound. The Audio-Technica are more comfortable and have a better build quality. They have a more neutral sound profile. However, the Grado have a significantly better passive soundstage and they deliver audio more consistently.
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