Grado SR125 headphones

For close listening, I always put on a pair of headphones. There are some advantages to headphones over traditional speakers. For one, there’s a distinctness between the stereo left and right channels. That is, the sound is more obviously stereo. One hears pans of sounds from the left to the right that might otherwise be lost. Also, it is easier to pick out distinct instruments or sounds. Even if I’ve listened to an album many times on my stereo, I always hear new things when I put on headphones.

My headphones of choice are the Grado SR125. This is a good set of headphones. Frequency response is an expected 20Hz to 20KHz. The SR125 models sound far and away better than anything else I’ve tried. The main reason for this I think is the open air architecture.

When it comes to over-the-ear headphones, there are mostly two types — closed back and open air. The closed back ones are the most common and have the advantage of blocking outside noise. The downside of the closed back though is reduced sound response. You don’t get the low lows and the high highs. The sound can be a bit muffled.

Open air headphones have an open back — in the case of Grado, there’s either a plastic or wire mesh. The driver though is allowed to breathe, and thereby has a greater range of motion. It’s the equivalent of putting a port on floorstanding speakers. So open air headphones are great for close listening. You get the greater dynamics of the music. But they’re best for using at home or in a quiet environment as they will allow in more outside sound.

The Grado SR125 sounds great, and they’re comfortable. The fit of Grado headphones is a little bit different, so it may take some getting used to, but once you find the right position for them, they great for comfort.

If you love music and love hearing music, I highly recommend these headphones. The sound is significantly better than anything else in the price range and wildly better than cheaper headphones. The difference is noticeable right away when you put a pair of these on. It’s the “wow!” factor.