The Grado GR8e occupies a middle slot among Grado’s in-ear headphones. Â 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. Â 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. Â That’s it. Â Short, sweet, and to the point.
When it comes to build, these earphones are tiny. Â But that shouldn’t be taken to mean that they are fragile. Â I’m more worried about losing them in my big ears than I am about breaking them at any point. Â 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. Â After a few minutes, I was lost in the music. Â Because, OMG, the sound…
The sound that comes out of the Grado GR8e is articulate and defined. Â 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. Â These earphones sounded great with rock and pop, and I appreciated them even more when I switched over to some Miles Davis. Â 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. Â 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. Â Compared to other headphones around the $299 price, I might recommend the Westone UM Pro 20 for a slightly more relaxed sound. Â 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:
