Okay Geek Farm
t3ch Review - Grado SR225i Headphones
Ricardo Trejo
Headphones are a very sensitive subject to some of us here at t3ch h3lp, and I think that’s because finding the right pair of cans for your head is a very deep, and perhaps, spirtual journey we all individually take. Everyone has their own set of statutes and requirements that “the one” has got to have, whether it be noise canceling, comfort, build, or all of the above. Well, the SR225i’s don’t have all the fancy bells and whistles that most modern headphones usually come packaged with, but despite that I think I may have just run into “the pair” that complete my audio life.
Grado SR225i Headphones
Features
- Vintage design
- Straight 5.5ft. Y-Cord with 1/4” audio plug
- Leather headband
- 20k - 22k Hz frequency response
- 98dB sensitivity
- 0.05 driver matched dB
- Adjustable and replaceable earcuffs
Review
Build
In the box are the headphones, nothing more aside from the warranty paperwork. The non-detachable straight Y-cord connects to each earcuff and measures out to approximately 5 and a half feet in length, ending with an unusual 1/4” plug not seen on most headphones in the consumer market today. What this means is that if you’re looking to use the 225i’s with any of your usual, favorite music devices, like an iPhone or even a Mac4book, you’re going to need to buy a separate 1/4” to 1/8” plug adapter (priced anywhere from $0.99 to $10 online).
The 225i’s build is quite remarkable; the overall design vintage and retro. While mostly made of plastic and its earcuffs made out of foam rubber, the headset really gets its timeless style from the thin leather headband, the metal pins on each side that allow the earcuffs to move freely for adjustability, and the large branded L and R, corresponding to each side of the headset. The foam rubber earcuffs are comfortable when worn, however may surprise a few people when they don’t wrap around, but rather rest as on-ear headphones. This may be a bit discomforting for some, seeing as we live in an age where we want to be detached from the world around us, but it all comes due-in-part to the 225i’s design for a natural sound. When worn for long periods of time the headset never bears down on the head or makes its wearer feel tired. And with different sizes to adjust to, there should be enough to fit any head, large or small.
Audio Quality
Unlike most headphones, as soon as you snug the SR225i’s onto your head you feel as if nothing’s changed. The world’s sound around you comes through the open rubber foam like a screen door on a battleship. This isn’t by accident, as the purposeful design was intended to give the audio a more natural flow coming through your ears, rather than the closed, vacuumed approach most headphones that sport noise canceling offer.
Technically this is called an open back design in which external sound can filter in and out, giving your ears the feeling of natural sound. While this is great for private usage in the comfort of your own home, if you happen to taken the SR225i’s out into public and decide you feel like listening to Daft Punk while on a bus ride or in a fast food joint then you should be prepared for your music to leak out for everyone to hear. I thought I’d start off with this design choice first seeing as I feel this will make or break people’s decisions on whether to pick up a pair or not. However, when you’re using these away from people, the open backs make for some of the most enjoyable audio listening sessions you’ll ever have.
During my review process I made sure to have a private room to myself, away from others so I could crank up the volume as loud as I could, because again these headphones leak audio due to their design and so if someone is in the room with you they’re guaranteed to be hearing what you’re hearing.
Now in terms of the audio quality these Grado’s are miles ahead of the competition. While listening to The Script’s “I’m Yours”, the 225i’s were able to pick up every pluck of the acoustic guitar while never sacrificing the vocals provided by Danny O’Donoghue. Not only that, but when enjoying tracks by Nujabes + Fat Jon, which are very bass heavy and ambient, the headphones were just as sublime as they were at handling rock and classical tunes. At low volumes it’s hard to catch the subtle nuisances that this particular headset provides, but when set to a mid-level volume or on high, you could seriously close your eyes and fool yourself into believing you’re in the audience at an orchestral performance or at a full on concert.
Overall
The Grado SR225i’s are some of the best, if not, THE best set of headphones I’ve ever worn. However, they come with one big drawback. I use headphones, for the most part, while I’m working at my desk at home, but I do enjoy taking my pair of cans with me when I enjoy a nice stroll through the park or am just relaxing at a coffee shop. That being said, I wouldn’t be able to have my private time with my tunes with the 225i’s because they leak audio even on the lowest of volumes. So there’s a love and hate relationship here, seeing as I’ve never come across a pair of audio headphones that have sounded this good, and yet I can’t enjoy that sound when I’m on the go. This is the conundrum I’ve found myself with the Grado SR225i’s.
Pro’s
- Superb audio quality
- Comfortable and durable
- Reasonable price
- Build quality is excellent and replaceable
- Vintage design is timeless and sophisticated
Con’s
- Open back design leaks music externally
- Only enjoyable in private use away from people
- Does not come with 1/4” to 1/8” adapter plug for modern media devices
Price: $200
Where to buy: Amazon, Buy.com, Headphone.com
Photos
This review was done by Ricardo Trejo, who was provided Grado SR225i Headphones by Grado
