The Grado SR325e is a fantastic headphone.  From design to construction to sound quality, there is nothing wanting in this headphone.  And while it does command a fairly high price point compared to some similarly-sounding Grado models, it could certainly be worth the money.

Grado SR325e by the Numbers

With a fairly common nominal impedance of 32 ohms,  these headphones lend themselves to even mobile listening, though the open-back design of these babies may discourage you from bringing them along for the commute.  That being said, they’re all about the sound.  With a fairly wide frequency range of 18 – 24,000 hz they sound fantastic.  Mids and highs are where they should be, and with just a smidgen of bass, there isn’t much to say about the sound other than that it totally kicks ass.

Construction is great, with metal used liberally in the cans for lower distortion than what you’d find in less expensive Grado models.  The frequency range is also just a tad bit wider than on cheaper models, so the benefits are clear on paper, but even clearer on your ears.

Who would benefit from these headphones?  Anyone looking for premium sound around a $300 price point, with an even-keel and barely any bass.  Classical music sounds fantastic, so throw on some Wagner.  Classic Rock, too, is fantastic.  So throw on some Clapton or Stones.  Hip Hop is great especially improved – with vocals appearing crisp over layered backgrounds – like those one might find in Kendrick Lamar’s Maad City.  Electronic may not perform as well, suffering from the lack of bass in the SR325e headphones.

So should you consider a pair?  If good sound is your thing, sure.

The only reason not to buy these headphones might be the open-back design, or possibly the price tag, but you do get what you pay for.  And thankfully, with Grado, that’s pretty much par for the course.