GRADO offers 6 series of headphones. They are, from the most to the least expensive:

All models use the ‘’bass reflex principle’’ but the IN EAR models see: ………..

The STATEMENT and REFERENCE series both use a very hard wood from Australia called jarrah for the chambers and are fitted with a leather covered headband.

The PRO model PS1000 has a chamber combining jarrah and alloy. The purpose is to control the resonance. The SR325is, has an alloy chamber. The 2 models have a leather covered headband.
The other models of the PRESTIGE series have a plastic chamber and a vinyl covered headband.

The "PRO" SERIES

The headphone PS1000

John GRADO knew that attempting to come up with a better headphone than the GS1000 would be a real challenge (he seems to loves challenges)…however he did not know that the hard part would be …manufacturing the PS1000…
One of his first reviewers, Mr. Jason MORIN, gave the PS1000 a rave review. Instantly orders started accumulating but production was still ironing the winkles… we only received our first supply (so small) in July, numerous months after the rave review.

The PS1000 uses an 8 conductor cable, made from long grain, oxygen free copper for maximum transparency.
The very large chamber, of the same shape as the GS1000, (ear cushions are 10cm in diameter: 4 inches) is made of an alloy then ‘’sleeved’’ with Australian jarrah wood. The challenge here was to perfectly ‘’mate’’ driver and chamber.
When listening to a PS1000 you will feel like being in the best seat of one of the best sounding halls in the world.
When listening to music thru headphones you might have the feeling that something is missing…and you are right…the nasty reflexions of your sound room! This is one of the great advantages (amongst others of headphone listening)

For technical specifications: see "Comparative charts"

The headphone PS500

John CHEN, Director of sales at GRADO in the US, said after listening to the PS500: 
“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree”…
Grado Labs takes “IP” learned from the development of the State of the Art PS1000 and has applied it to a form factor that is compact resulting in the PS500. The PS500 creates an articulate and dynamic musical presentation that will put a smile on the most demanding sound professionals and music enthusiasts.

The PS500 uses an 8 conductor cable, made from long grains oxygen free copper for maximum transparency.
The alloy chamber, less massive than the one of the PS1000, is sleeved in the very same way the PS100 is but with mahogany wood instead of jarrah.
The PS500 uses our large cushions (same as SR225 and up: SR325i, RS2i and RS1i).
The drivers are paired with a 0.5db maximum tolerance.
The PS500 has all that is needed to be a very valuable tool for critical monitoring by professionals and serious listeners alike.
The PS500 like all GRADO headphones (except the i GRADO and the "In ear series") are made by hand in the USA.
For technical specifications: see "Comparative charts"
For replacement ear pads (cushions) see: "About ear pads"

The headphone GS1000i.

The model GS1000 (its predecessor) came with the following assets:
The size of the chamber
The size of the ear pads (cushions)

The GS1000 was revisited in 2009 and several improvements were introduced, leading to changing the name to GS1000i:

• Improved transducers
• New jarrah wood for the chambers
  (much more ‘’dead’’)
• New 8 conductor cable for improved transparency with 6mm plug, ¼ inch.

  The result is most interesting: a very large and precise stereo image, a phenomenal extension of the low register, a superb high end and a typical GRADO sound.
  Listening through headphones can be unsettling due to the lack of reverberations we got use to in a sound room.
  The very large cushions will offer ultimate comfort for lengthy sessions and a better isolation from ambient noise: the PS1000 and the GS1000(i) are called circum-aural ( they encapsulate the ears) whereas all other GRADO models, but of course intra-aural models,  are supra-aural (they rest on the ears).

  For technical specifications: see "Comparative charts"

  For replacement ear pads (cushions): see ‘’About ear pads’’

   

   

The headphones RS1i and RS2i

They have in common:

• Wood chamber
• Leather covered headband
• 6mm plug, ¼ inch

A model number is engraved in the chamber (was previously on the grille)

They are an evolution of the RS1 and RS2

They now have an 8 conductor cable of long grain oxygen free copper (UHPLC). The same high quality copper is used in the voice coil of the drivers.

The driver’s tolerance is 0.5db

The stereo image is very solid and convincing, the bandwidth is impressive.

Both are very ‘’chic’’ and should be a good complement to your stereo system

For technical specifications: see "Comparative charts"

5 models, they are the siblings of the previous models (which did not have an ‘’I’’ in the model number: SR325 became SR325i). They are in decreasing price order:

• The SR325is: silver alloy chamber, leather covered headband
• The SR225i and SR125i, plastic chamber, vinyl covered headband
  
• The SR80i and SR60i, plastic chamber, vinyl covered headband
  

The headphone SR325is

It is the most sophisticated of the
PRESTIGE series, an improved SR325


• Aluminum colour chamber. An antique brass model was created for GRADO’s
  50th birthday
  
• Leather covered headband
  
• High quality 8 conductor cable
  
• Special treatment of cone drivers
• Tight driver’s tolerance 0.5db
• 6mm plug, ¼ inch

For technical specifications: see "Comparative charts"

The headphones SR225i and SR125i

TheSR225i has a metal mesh grille and is the most expensive of the 2

• The size and shape of the chamber is new
• New 8 conductor cable
• Drivers tolerance: SR225i 0.5db, SR125i 1 db
• Chamber made of black plastic
• 6mm plug, ¼ inch

For technical specifications: see "Comparative charts"

The headphones SR80i and SR60i

They are improved SR80 and SR60, the SR60i is the least expensive of this sub-series.
The savings have been done in the cosmetic domain:

1. plastic headband
2. plastic chambers (new in shape)

The SR80i has a hefty 8 conductor cable, 1.8m long (6 feet).
The SR60i is fitted with a 4 copper conductors, a 3.5mm plug (mini) and a gold plated metal adaptor 3.5mm female to 6mm male (1/4’’). The cable is 2.1m long (7 feet)

The GRADO made drivers have a tolerance of 1db.
The cable has been improved although still four conductors.
The new (larger) chambers make the headphones look much more attractive.
They really belong to the GRADO family and will offer you endless hours of listening pleasure

The SR60 has reached the status of ‘’LEGEND”

1. Twice “Product of the year” by the well known Stereophile.
2. Accessory of the year
3. Budget component of the year
4. Best Hi Fi headphone by What Hi Fi

And the list goes on. It is a Classic, an excellent value

For technical specifications: see "Comparative charts"

THE “IN MOTION” SERIES

The “i GRADO”

The objective was to come up with a quality headphone for active people, with the now famous “GRADO sound”: it uses the same driver as the SR60i.

A very specific design: instead of using a headband, it has a neckband shaped in such a way that the headphone is securely kept in place, it is resting on your ears.

The i GRADO offers high fidelity to the “I world”.
It is available in black only and fitted with a 3,5mm plug.

For technical specifications: see"Comparative charts"

The GR10, is the top of the line. It is designed by Grado but made in Japan.




The Grado GR8





















The ‘’iGi’’, is also designed by GRADO but made in China.

They are to be inserted in the ear canal and are ideal for active people (joggers for instance) and as isolating devices in a noisy environment. They are called passive noise cancelling phones.
The very old technology is used in hearing aids (because of the minuscule size of the transducer (driver). A recent and drastic improvement of the transducer’s quality now allows using them for critical listening.










A proper fitting in the ear canal is paramount to a good reproduction.

These earphones do not have a resonating chamber of their own, they are using your ears and if the combination earphone/ear is not proper, 2 problems will appear:

1. No noise cancelling
2. No bass frequencies

This is why several “EAR MOULDS” are offered in the package: use the one that best fits your ear canal.

Special care has to be taken in order to make sure that the wax produced by the ears does not find its way into the earpiece: see

“Maintenance and cleaning of GRADO IN EAR models”

The iGi is made in China