Grado GR8e Review

The Grado GR8e occupies a middle slot among Grado’s in-ear headphones.  While not as budget-minded as the newly-released IGe and not as high-end as the GR10e, this earphone is still a solid performer for the price.  The big question, then, is should you buy it?

Grado GR8e Review

The Grado GR8e sits in a small box that holds only the earphones and three pairs of eartips.  That’s it.  Short, sweet, and to the point.

When it comes to build, these earphones are tiny.  But that shouldn’t be taken to mean that they are fragile.  I’m more worried about losing them in my big ears than I am about breaking them at any point.  Once you get past the smallish form factor, though, you start to appreciate just how lightweight it is.

Comfort-wise, it was easy for me to forget I even had the GR8e in my ears.  After a few minutes, I was lost in the music.  Because, OMG, the sound…

The sound that comes out of the Grado GR8e is articulate and defined.  There is contrast between individual notes, adding to sense of space.

Bass and treble seem a little bit accentuated, but not in an unpleasant way.  These earphones sounded great with rock and pop, and I appreciated them even more when I switched over to some Miles Davis.  While the high and low ends come in strong, the mids still retain a fair amount of detail, giving these a slight v-shaped signature.

Of course, if you’re the kind of person who wants a neutral or flat sound, these wouldn’t be the best option.  But for anyone who wants a dynamic listening experience in an ultra-portable package, look no further than these babies.

There’s a nominal impedance of 32 ohms, and a frequency range of 20-20000 hertz.  Compared to other headphones around the $299 price, I might recommend the Westone UM Pro 20 for a slightly more relaxed sound.  If you’re looking for a more articulate sound, though, still consider these Grados over the Westone W20, though; at least to my ears, the W20 sounds a bit harsher.

You can find these buds for the best price here:

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