Nicest cans for the dough by far

After hearing raves for the Grado phones for years, I finally bought the entry-level SR60s last December. My goal was to find something more fun with which to listen to my ever expanding library of digital music via my iPod or when working at my computer. I am a musician, and a fairly fussy listener, though over the last few years my audio equipment tastes have run more to the practical side (kids came into the equation!)

Sound Quality:
Fabulously neutral. Unlike so many sub-$100 phones, the Grados impart very little overt character on the music. Details are rendered better than most $200 headphones, and far better than most under $1000 speakers (yes, headphones are a great deal overall). Dynamics are fully realized, bass is extended for real with no cheap tricks - if the program material has real bass, the SR60s deliver. If not, then they don't. Highs are clear and exhibit no stridency.

The Grados are very efficient, making them one of the few really great headphones that work well with low-voltage portables like the iPod or a Discman.

The only problem with the efficiency is that some devices - like this laptop - produce too "hot" an output. I have to turn the system volume down very low to use the Grados, and they reveal noise in the headphone outputs as well. I am not surprised, as most laptops have notoriously cheap audio.

Build Quality:
Everyone says it: these things look funky, like A/V geek gear from 1977. But the quality seems very good and I never hear of problems with them. No buzzes or rattles. The cans themselves rotate 360 degrees on their posts, which I like - it makes it easy to pack them and to untangle the cord.

The thick cord deserves some comment, too. Others have noted that the cord is much heavier and thicker than most headphones. True, and a detriment to portable listening. However, the quality of the Grado cables is terrific, utterly non-microphonic, and likely to far outlast my other 'phones.

Comfort:
Comfort comes in two parts: physical fit and listening fatigue. The Grados are utilitarian and fit very well on my oversize head, especially if the metal headband is gently expanded. The foam earpads are very comfy for "on the ear" types.

As to listening fatigue, here the Grados really shine. The sound is so effortless, so transparent, so devoid of exaggeration that I can listen to them for hours. The urge to "crank up" is far less with the Grados than with others I have had, largely because they sound so grand at more modest levels. When they are turned up, they deliver huge punch - even from a portable!

Last word:
The Grado SR60s are great phones, probably the best many people will ever hear. The more expensive Grados are all incrementally better, and certainly rival the high-end Sennheisers in both performance and price (about $600). That being said, the SR60s sound only as good as the source material - which means that your low-bitrate MP3s are going to be revealed for the junk they are! In general, I find that MP3s at less than 160kbps sound grainy and odd with the Grados, while AAC and WMA both work well at 128kbps and up. It isn't Grado's fault - they just tell the truth.