A terrifically insightful performance is the highlight of Grado’s premium Prestige X-series headphones. The changes to the design and drivers maintain the Brooklyn brand’s position as purveyors of neutral headphone sound.

I believe that the Grado SR 325x is not a universal headphone, although it can be seen that this is not the classic city that was before. To my ears and taste, they are fully revealed in the first place with live music from bluegrass to rock and, what is important, a good source, in most cases they will not play well with a phone. The upper range, namely its lower range, is the only thing that can sometimes spoil the impression, and sometimes, on the contrary, make the recording more interesting.

I went into this review moderately familiar with Grado Labs, having curiously picked around several of the Prestige X series headphones not too long ago. After sitting down with the SR325x, the best the series has to offer, the excitement that Grado generates for some people finally clicked with me. It’s not about EQ accuracy and analytical listening: it’s about an absolutely off-the-wall energy that made me feel helpless against the temptation to pump the volume and get the biggest dose of vibrating harmonic energy possible.

Yes, you have to make allowances and accommodations. No, you won’t be very popular if you decide to use these headphones on a commute. But where fidelity and simple musicality are concerned, it’s difficult to know how you could better spend your money.

This latest version of the Grado SR325 is no step change but the subtle tweaks keep it a class leader