Grado headphones

When listening to records at home, nothing beats a great set of headphones for total immersion. Personally, I'm a big fan of the offerings from Brooklyn-based and family owned Grado Labs.

Grado has been making amazing products for over 50 years and has a rich history and dedication to designing high-end audio products. For my birthday, my girlfriend got me a pair of their SR 325i model headphone, the highest end in their Prestige Series. Having used the SR80 model, I was absolutely ecstatic when I unwrapped the box.

The design of the 325i is classic and solid. An gold-toned aluminum body (in honor of their 50 year anniversary) keeps the vibrations down. I modified the earpads to allow more air between my ear and the drivers and the sound is incredible. Priced at $295, they are not cheap but these are the type of headphones you keep at home and will have for years.

Entry level models in the Prestige Series start below $100 and will provide an excellent introduction to high-end headphones. They make a great gift for any music-lover.

Here's an list of their models and prices - all available on Amazon.com.

The Prestige Series

SR60- $69 | SR80 - $95 | SR 125 - $150 | SR 225 - $200 | SR325i- $295

The Reference Series

RS 2- $495 | RS 1- $695