Grado 325e Headphone Hand Made In...

Brooklyn, New York USA....

The Story and the Sound.

Grado Labs, famously based in Brooklyn, New York City, was started by Joe Grado, who originally manufactured record player cartridges on his kitchen table, before moving into the current premises back in 1953. To this day Grado specialises in hand-made production of cartridges, and majors on design and the manufacture of high specification headphones.

The revival in analogue sound can really tie (pun intended) in to the success of bespoke, personal manufacturing, like that at Grado. Products that are designed, built, and tested by the same pair of hands. The same pair of hands that crafted the product and ears that tested it, assure you the same consistent sound in the product you take home to play..

Headphones have increasingly become a status symbol on the 'streets'; used with smartphones, Chord Mojo’s and proudly displayed and a firm favourite well for traditional Hi-Fi user. The Grado's unique hand made near bespoke feel, is completely complimentary to bespoke clothing, like our tie manufacturer featured here, which are hand made in Krefeld Germany, from silk woven on the shores of Lake Como in Italy. Quality silk ties like these are most oftern sold in independent boutiques, much like Grado headphones, which also sold in specialist Hi-Fi retailers like Audio T.

The video below takes you on a guided tour at #Grado.

Grado chose a powder-coated aluminum housing for these headphones because the added mass means smoother transitions from the lowest frequency range to the highest. Which means better sound quality.

Knitted ties from Doherty Evans & Stott

The seamstresses know their business very well. Most of them have been part of the team at Krefeld for a long time - the manufacturing of hand-made ties is not for beginners. Only with experience can the result be as perfect as they require it.

All the labels and self loops are sewn in by hand and to finish the tie the bar-tack is also put in by hand, an art in itself.

The Grado 325e have had a re-design recently, here are a few lines from Grado's website.

The Top of the Range Prestige Series Headphone. The new Grado SR325e has a new driver and cable design. The added mass from the metal housing minimizes transient distortions. With the new 8 conductor cable design you will notice superb control and stability of the upper and lower range of the frequency spectrum, with both supporting Grado's world renowned midrange. The SR325e will produce a sound that is pure Grado, with warm harmonic colors, rich full bodied vocals, excellent dynamics, and an ultra-smooth top end.

The genuine top-grain leather padded head-strap is Brylcreem and gel resistant.

Grado's hand crafted headphones using natural materials should appeal to any customer concerned with the aesthetics of fashion and design, but even more so when you hear them! You can audition them now, at Audio T Manchester or try on some beautiful woven silk ties at Doherty Evans & Stott Manchester.

Our thanks go to Andy, Matt and Tom at Doherty Evans & Stott, of Bridge Street, Manchester, for use of their facilities to take our picures.

The Grado 325e, are available for you to try now at Audio T Manchester.

If you would like to listen to the Grado's with a dedicated headphone amplifier, we have a choice of headphone amplfiers from, Chord Electronics, Lehmman, Sennheiser, Naim, Rega and Project.

Call us on 0161 8398 869.

See you at the store.

Munir & Haden

Grado Headphones are also available from the following branches of Audio T: Brentwood, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Cheltenham, Enfield, Manchester, Online, Oxford, Portsmouth, Preston, Reading, Southampton, Swansea, Swindon