Selection Guide
Grado iGrado Black
Unique Grado Labs iGrado 'neckband' headphone makes a dandy upgrade for portable audio players and improves sound quality versus stock earbuds. Delivering good bass and clear tone, your ears will thank you as the iGrado rounds out any harshness lurking in your iTunes files or MP3 player. The 'behind the head' design is comfortable and ideal for exercisers, hat-wearers or just to avoid mussing up your coiff. Vented open-back earpieces allow you to remain aware of surroundings while listening, a big plus on hectic city streets.
All Grado Labs products can only ship within USA due to manufacturer restrictions!
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Product Features:
- Warm bass & smooth sound that's very competent for category
- Open-back earpiece lets you remain aware of outside sounds
- Behind-the-head ("neckband") design for those that like hats or un-mussed hair
- Ideal for sport uses or mobile / iPod portable listening
What's In The Box:
- Grado Labs warranty insert
Applications:
Renowned for their cool looks and lively rock n'roll sound, buzz is all agog about Brooklyn's audiophile Grado Labs joining with hipster street culture to create the portable iGrado headphone. Featuring a non-adjustable 'neckband' (behind the neck) headband and efficient impedance ratings, the Grado 'iGrado' are awesome for listening on the fly to iPod, iPad, MP3 players or laptop computers. These have a smoother signature sound than most other Grado cans with clean highs and good bass response given the audio limitations of the neckband behind-the-head construction. The iGrado have become darlings of headphone hobbyists who've devised ingenious "improvements" to this unassuming little headphone, such as modifying the internal foam earpads or re-cabling the cord, resulting in improved clarity. Perhaps a tiny quibble is the solid plastic non-adjustable neckband that -- like other products in this 'neckband' category -- could become a bit uncomfortable for some wearers depending on the geometry of their particular noggin.
The Grado iGrado are 'open-back' earcup (NO noise-blocking!) cans with a one-piece plastic headband that loops around the back of the neck. It's a very stable, secure fit and perfect for fast-paced exercisers, movers and shakers...or if you just don't want to muss up your lovely doo. The Grado iGrado earpieces are lightly padded with a thin foam material shielding the speaker elements next to the ear. Although it may appear to the naked eye like the earpieces would be able to rotate for fit adjustments, they are actually permanently fixed earcups attached to the neckband. This limits how widely useful the iGrado are for big-head types (like some of our HeadRoom crew!). The impedance rating of the iGrado is 32 Ohms -- like most other Grado headphones -- and the claimed frequency response range is a very respectable 20-20000Hz. The iGrado portable headphones feature an 120-day manufacturer's warranty supported exclusively by Grado Labs located in Brooklyn NY USA.
Specifications:
- Sensitivity: 100 dB
- Manufacturer Warranty: 6 months
- Headphone Type: Behind the Neck
- Connector Type: 1/8
- Weight: 3.5 oz w/o cord
- Impedance @ 1kHz: 32 Ohms
- Detachable Cable: No
- Cord Length: 4 ft. (1.2 m)
- Cord Type: Straight Y
- Coupler Size: Small
- Ear Coupler Type: Earpad
- Acoustic Seal: Open
- Driver Type: Dynamic
Additional Resources:
- Product Reviews
- playlistmag.com Dan Frakes, December 2006
Average Rating
Posted by Ben from San Diego, CA on 2011-11-29
Recommend Product: No
Pros: Decent Sound and Fidelity
Cons: Comfort, Durability, Suitability to Purpose
Unfortunately, the iGrado proved useless both in the gym or outside or anywhere besides a quiet room because the open air design lets in every leaf rustle, breath, grunt and burp around you. No attenuation of the environment whatsoever. I found it disturbing.
As for comfort? Ever buy a pair of cool looking but tight shoes thinking they'd stretch in? Did they? Nor did these. One size only, made of very stiff plastic, no adjustment other than with a blowtorch. Maybe my head's big, but wearing them feels like sticking my skull in a vise.
Durability: solid construction on all but the cord, which is very thin and flimsy Mine's several years old, but the half dozen bits of electrical tape I've had to bandage it with where the outer insulation has separated, exposing the core wire seems excessive, especially for something made for activity.
These phones really don't have a niche. Though they sound decent, the cord and open design make them compromised for activity, and the almost painful lack of comfort make them a poor choice for general listening. I'm cheap so I've kept wearing them inside, but I intend to replace them eventually with the 80i (same economics and lovely sound as the 60i but with greater definition in the bass) and in the mean time I use in-ear phones (Denon) with Comply tips for exercise.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Did you?
Posted by multi from denver,co on 2010-12-06
Recommend Product: No
Pros: great sound
Cons: flimsy jack connection
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Did you?
Posted by VinnieVidi from NYC on 2010-01-25
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Cost
Cons: Comfort
Beyond the sound, the iGrado is not very comfortable to wear for longer than 30 minutes or so. Also, they would be more practical if they were able to pack flat.
5 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Did you?
