Headphones
Grado SR 80i
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Product Features:
- Immediacy and eye-blinking impact make these a great rock&roll and modern music headphone
- Good build quality and replaceable earpads and headband for long durability
- Made in Brooklyn USA!
What's In The Box:
- screw-on 1/4" (6.3 mm) adapter
Applications:
If you happen to be using a dedicated/portable headphone amp and would like to take a slight step up in Grado sound quality performance from the 'entry-level' SR60i model, try the SR80i. They have good dynamic extension with quite fairly punchy bass response and extremely clean-sounding mids & highs so expect lots of detail across all frequency ranges. Like some small-sized earpad-type headphones, these can be a bit uncomfortable for some listeners due to the earpad texture, but are usually okay for most wearers if you (very!) gently bend the headband slightly to better conform to the top of the head. That move usually will help to take some pressure directly off the earlobes. The SR80i can usually be very handsomely driven by most portable audio players like iPods, MP3 players, or laptop/PCs but, as indicated above, any dedicated high-quality headphone amp remains an excellent add-on partner to the SR80i for maximized musical clarity, improved soundstage image depth, and full dynamic range extension and detail resolution.
The Grado SR80i now utilize the 'soft' style of mesh-covered earpad that completely covers the earlobe--NOT the donut-type bowl "Large" earpad variety (found in earlier SR80 editions), which has the cut-out center in the middle. All Grado Labs earpads can be purchased separately on our HeadRoom 'HeadPhone Accessories' webpage and all Grado earpad types are interchangeable with all Grado Labs SR / RS series headphones. The SR80i maintain the standard Grado Labs flexible vinyl-covered headband design and basic metal height adjusters that connect the earcups to the headband, thus allowing up and down adjustment plus 360 degree rotation. This feature becomes handy for laying the headphones down flat for storage or transit. The straight 8ft (roughly) headphone cord attaches to both earcups in a "Y" connection and comes terminated to a 1/8" (3.5mm) inch 'mini-plug' jack. 1-year warranty is serviced exclusively by Grado Labs located in Brooklyn, NY USA.
Specifications:
- Sensitivity: 98 dB/mV
- Cord Type: Straight Y
- Coupler Size: Medium
- Cord Length: 7 ft. (2 m)
- Weight: 4.6
- Microphone: No
- Manufacturer Warranty: 1 Year
- Detachable Cable: No
- Driver Type: Dynamic
- Isolation: 0
- Connector Type: 1/8" with 1/4" adaptor
- Ear Coupler Type: Earpad
- Impedance @ 1kHz: 32
- Wireless: No
- Noise Cancelling: No
- Headphone Type: Earpad
- Warranty: 1 Year
- Acoustic Seal: Open
Additional Resources:
- Manufacturer's Website
- http://www.gradolabs.com/
- Product Reviews
- Soundstage! Greg Smith April 1997
- Playlist Review
- Cool Tech Zone Gundeep Hora Sept. 2005
Average Rating
Posted by MajorCockUp from London, UK on 2010-05-28
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: comfort, looks, sound, sound, sound, sound, sound and sound
Cons: poor build quality, open backs, Joe Grado
The sound is so warm and detailed it feels my heart with joy. Ok it lacks bass but mids and highs are just sublime. Vocals and acustics never sounded so good. Whoever said these headhpnes are good for rock was wrong. More likely good for classic, pop, acoustic. It adds such a sweetness to the sound, it cannot be described. I realise this isnt how music was supposed to sound and I dont care. It sounds too good for me to go back to flat monitoring or boomy hi-fi's.
I use mine with a Cowon S9, always FLAC, never mp3. Just be careful on what player and file type you choose, these headphones are very unforgiving. I have tried them with iPods, mobile phones, random mp3 players and I can say Grados need a good source otherwise you will be dissapointed. You will also need to burn these headphonse in, they can sound a little harsh and dissapointing when new.
Sometimes I use them for PC gaming. Because of their detailed sound these headphones give me a great edge over competition in online gaming like Counter-Strike. I can hear other players and pin-point their location far more accurately than with my other headphones. Some even think I cheat!
SR80i has open backs so it wont be very good for commuting since everyone will hear what you listen to. It was ment for amped use at home but because of its low impedance can be easily driven by portables without any amplification.
These headphones feel fairly comfy, I never had any issue with them even after a full day of use. Not as comfy as an over-the-year can like DT800 but comfy enough. They have a great retro look of which some may not be as fond as I am. The headphones themselves feel cheap and plasticky and wont please at the first view.
Now the bad. My pair broke after 2 months of use. It start distorting bass and I had to send it back. As I read other reviews I understand it is a common problem. In my opinion Grado needs to re-design its low end models and advertise more.
I looked at the better models and I know I will never own an RS1...Why does it have to be so pricey? Because they make them in the States, by hand. To Grado: just invest in some industrial robots and give costumers a chance!
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Posted by Mr.Phil from Indiana on 2010-04-12
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Sound, Makes me want to dance
Cons: little uncomfortable
Great service as always, Thanks again!
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Posted by MGrewe from Minneapolis, MN on 2010-02-15
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Tight bass, Looks sweet, Awesome value
Cons: A bit uncomfortable, not very portable, small soundstage
These are some of the better cans for the price range. It sounds awesome, but it is not a very neutral sounding headphone, but I don't care. The comfort is the only gripe I have with these phones and is the reason why its not getting a 5 star rating from me. Also, I wish the soundstage was a little bigger, but it is not something that distracts me from the music. All in all, a great headphone.
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