To audiophiles, the term 'Grado' is quite a special one. It refers to a firm who've been making headphones in New York City for the last seventy years, and over the course of the last few years, John Grado's business has become a byword for fun-sounding open-back headphones that are almost obligatory for audiophiles to own. Here, I've got a pair of their SR325x headphones within their entry-level Prestige lineup, and boy are they good.
Upon first inspection, the SR325x don't look like a £262/$295 pair of headphones, with a retro-inspired aesthetic that looks closer to 1953 than 2023. However, it's arguably that retro aesthetic that sets these Grado headphones apart from other similarly-priced choices. They look absolutely fantastic to my eyes, and feel excellent in hand too.
What sets the SR325x's apart from the cheaper options in the Prestige range by way of their construction is the fact the earcups are comprised of aluminium. This gives them a little bit of weight and justifies the price tag a little more than the plastic models do. In addition, the headband on the SR325x is made from actual leather, as opposed to vegan alternatives, and feels excellent, too. My only qualm about their construction is that the earpads here are made of a thin foam, as is typical for Grados, and they do feel as if they could end up falling apart... although at least replacements are pretty inexpensive. Other than the earpads though, the SR325x feels rugged and their construction is excellent.