PRODUCT REVIEW: Grado GR8

We at Life Crushed have come to acknowledge that effective and high-quality audio equipment is a must to thoroughly enjoy a majority, if not all of our content. 

While this may imply a solid set-up in regards to speakers, a majority of our readers depend on the use of headphones to truly revel-in and appreciate the music we share. However, headphones can be tricky, especially when considering the fact that Life Crushed focuses exclusively on bass music and the culture in which it thrives; a genre of music that can be difficult to fully grasp when the medium through which one experiences it does not adequately support the heavy low-ends and the pitch-shifted high-ends. With that said, we are proud to begin a new segment of the blog in which we focus on specific models of headphones that will allow our readers to fully realize the extent of musicality within in each tune- and how better to begin than by reviewing a pair by Grados? 

Grado, a name known by many, has been profoundly involved in the audio scene for over 5 decades. Their reputation as a quality headphone and cartridge manufacturer is arguably second-to-none. Grado started in the early 1950’s  producing phono cartridges, though it wasn’t until the late 80’s that the company began to produce what would become some of the most well-crafted and distinctive headphones to grace the market. 

One characteristic of Grado headphones that distinguishes them from all others is that they are deceptively humble in appearance – and there is no exception in regards to the GR8’s. While many headphone companies focus most of their resources on an eye-catching and marketable look, Grado settles for simplicity and prioritizes sound quality– something that serious music lovers can appreciate and respect. As far as aesthetics, Grado has shown immense integrity in their design, keeping the enduring look of their over-ear headphones constant for decades. 

The GR8’s appearance is rather jarring in the sense that they appear so modest. For the quality that you’re paying for, one would never expect their in-ear model headphones to appear so unpretentious.  A combination of a darker blue, black, and grey – the GR8’s look quite honestly like a simple pair of earbuds. It isn’t until one takes a closer look to see the name “Grado” finely printed on the  each side of  the earbud, that the feeling of anticipation and optimism begins to build. The set of earbuds includes a convenient set of replacement ‘buds’ and surprisingly enough, a few sets of rings and petite, mesh nets as a precaution against unsightly earwax entering and chaotically tampering with the inner-mechanisms of the headphones. 

From the standpoint of convenience – Grado has done something exceptional with the GR8’s. While there may obviously be some sacrifices in the overall quality of sound and drive in comparison to their ‘over-the-ear’ models, the GR8’s still provide an amazing, substantial experience when juxtaposed against the bass music genre. Rather than hauling a large pair of headphones around, one is able to quickly carry the conveniently sized earbuds, which in comparison to Grado’s ‘over-the-ear’ models are discernibly smaller. In terms of convenience, the fact that you, as a listener, are able to submerse yourself in a track so richly without the burden of carrying a larger pair of headphones is a blessing in itself. 

After first receiving the GR8’s, I compiled a small list of tracks that I thought were both relevant to Life Crushed and the culture it encompasses. Tracks that could adequately push any pair of ear buds to their limit. I found the Disclosure single, ‘Flow,’ was a fitting choice to fully realize the low-end capacity of the product, and good god did they deliver. While they didn’t shake my entire soul, like a pair from their “Reference Series” might have, my head was still filled entirely with a rumble and thud that no other set of earbuds has ever done. I then shifted to a track that I found suiting to analyze the mid to high ends, as well as the organic-percussive capabilities of the GR8’s; cue Jacques Greene’s track off his new ‘Concealer EP’ – “These Days”. Countless listens later, I discovered that as amazing as the low-ends sound, the GR8’s niche rests in their uncanny ability to project mid to high end audio on the frequency gamut.

From a technological point-of-view, these headphones incorporate high-end mechanics that are usually found in headphones 2-3 times more expensive. To begin, the GR8’s comprise ‘moving armature’. Essentially, this is a minuscule speaker that moves and adjusts in accordance with the frequency that is being produced at that moment. And put simply, this is one of the principal factors that allows for the headphones to sound as amazing as they do. Another valuable asset to the GR8’s is it’s ‘Frequency Range,’ which in this case is “20-20,000Hz.” What might this mean? Well, put in layman’s terms, this implies that the soundstage has higher contrast from lows to highs allowing the notes to be cleaner and crisper - more present in your ears. It allows the headphones to provide you as a listener better dynamics in the sound, enabling there to be a background as well as a foreground present during the entirety of a song, as compared to lower-quality headphones that offer a ‘flat’ sound. The ‘Impedance’ is also a crucial facet to these earbuds. Coming in at “120 ohms,” the least complicated way to explain this would go something along these lines: The lower the ‘impedance’ level, the less power one needs to drive the headphones at their full potential.” With that concept in mind, the impedance and frequency range, when paired together, give the GR8’s a prominent sense of space. They allow for less unwanted vibration within the headphones, which means less resonation and more ‘crispness’ in the overall sound. This is especially relevant and important in the realms of bass music, seeing as these spaces in between the sound, e.g. drops and or breakdowns in songs, can arguably be more important than the notes themselves. 

With all that said, it is an honour and a privilege to be able to listen and experience music on headphones as well-crafted as the GR8’s. In terms of in-ear headphones being used for bass music, Grado has genuinely outdone themselves, and has provided the public with an opportunity to experience music in it’s truest, rawest form at a convenience unbeatable by many. Find a dealer for Grado headphones here. And be sure to visit Grado’s facebook.

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