They're SO good... but also bad?? - Grado Hemp REVIEW

In this video I review the grado hemp headphones.
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[johnnycoax]

Anybody remember Grado's global partner company Alessandro? The MS1 in particular is essentially a sr80/125 but tuned slightly more neutral/warm. I found my old MS1i sitting in my closet the other day and honestly I'm blown away with how great they sound!

[agrongreva]

Hey buddy, I hope you are doing OK. I'm sad to hear you had and incident that required an ambulance.

If you need anything, I'm sure myself and the community can chip in if we can.

Thanks for being such a calming part of my life. I appreciate everything your content does for us. ❤️

[benchanification]

Totally agree with DMS. I went to the headphone shop and tried these along with the ZMF Caldera, ZMF Aeolus, Hifiman Arya (non-stealth), Meze 109 Pro and Focal Elear. And these are the ones I can't get out of my mind. I need one.

[fuffy]

I love my Grado SR325e. Adore them. I tried those Geekria pads, and they changed the sound enough that I felt that, on balance, they did more harm than good. Grados have a certain character that suffered badly with the pad change. If you speak to the guys at Grado, they'll tell you that the pads are integral to the sound of each headphone, and changing them will have a negative influence. That was my experience.

[willgrogan]

Great to see the Hemps getting some love! I think they really deliver the Grado house sound in a more fun and interesting way. Have to absolutely agree with you on them being the true audiophile headphone! It’s why Steve Gutenberg loves his Grados.

[billkilpatrick]

I respect DMS because he has integrity. He's not a gullible true believer but he's also not a snob. He tells it like it is, which is to say he calls out the good, the bad and the ugly. If Grado lovers sometimes overlook the flaws, anti-Grado snobs also overlook what's actually great about this brand. As with everything, there are tradeoffs. I love that he got the connection to speakers. The late great Joseph Grado cut his teeth on needle cartridges but looked for a side gig when CDs threaten to bury vinyl. He flirted with speakers but must have realized that the shipping and storage would make an HQ in Brooklyn a non-starter. Instead, he turned to headphones as tiny speakers. The whole open-back/open-front/foam-pad design is basically a minimalist attempt to give a second life to vinyl. It's a one-trick pony but what a pony! Well done, DMS.

[lpspinners]

I bought a pair of these Grado Hemp headphones. Sounds great, but I went ahead and added the larger pads and OMG, what a difference! These are the best sounding Grados I have heard (only with the larger pads you recommended). Great video! Thanks for posting!

[columbo]

I have been sharing with you and Josh for a couple of years now that the Grado RS2e was one of the best efficient open back headphones I’ve ever heard. The Hemp and the 325X gets you almost there! Truth be told I have a 325E also, and the RS2e Sounds like a smoother and more refined step up from it.

[skowatch]

If you do get these, it might be worth looking into getting metal gimbals and rod blocks from Shipibo audio. They make the Hemps feel like the best built headphone I own and improve the comfort as well.

[zicat]

I just bought the RS-1X and your description fits them as well. I'm very happy with them despite the drawbacks

[galamian]

Great review - honest, concise, and critical. I think your’e spot on about these being the most “audiophile” headphone. Also, they have a very tactile quality that is very reminiscent of speakers. Good points all around, mate!

[geoffreydebrito]

Hey, I just discovered this channel. Got the Hemps about a year ago but... I didn't buy them. No, I didn't steal them from a friend either. Headphone Guru had a contest and lucky me, I was the winner. The Guru liked them too, so much that I detected some angst on his part when it came time for him to part with them.

I agree with this review. The pads limit how long they're comfortable and the cable sucks. So I very much appreciate your steering us to where we can go to correct them and especially, your confirmation that it's a significant upgrade. I listen to the Hemps through a variety of gear. A Little dot Mklll tube headphone amp and/or my LG ThinQ G7 Cell Phone and/or my FiiO X5 DAP with the FiiO E12A Mont Blanc IEM Special Edition Portable Headphone Amp, Titanium. Yes I have too much gear and yes I am a speaker guy who places music ahead of accuracy. Both of course are ideal but as Satchmo used to say, "if it ain't got that swing, it don't mean a thing."

[roastedturkey]

Got my Hemps back at the end of April and there is only one way I can describe the way they sound, fun. Though I do prefer the sound of the stock pads vs the G cush but man are the G cush comfy in comparison. Currently use these far more often than the rest of my headphones.

[briang]

Way late to this party, but thanks a million for the review! My set of these just arrived 3 days ago and I can't stop listening or smiling! Bang on review with regards to how these sound and what you get too. I hope you're doing better and managed to snag a set.

[clouds]

Can concur with the Vever G Cush pads, I put them on and haven’t taken them off, a headphone I will never sell. Ironically listening to them at 4 in the morning with a BTR5 when I saw this. Oh Dekoni suede headband cover is a must.

[xTGx]

Woah woah woah... An ambulance? Well that was unexpected





Also thank you for the recommendation

[jafizzle]

Damn, hope you're doing alright. Ambulance bills are rough. I keep a card in my wallet that, paraphrased, says something to the effect of "if I need an ambulance, just let me die". I refuse to pay thousands on thousands of dollars for a ride to the hospital, on principle.

[shahidyt]

I blind purchased a pair of SR325i back in 2007. Still love them. I’ve had to replace the gimbal and ear pads a few times, but they still sound fantastic

[housepianist]

I purchased the Hemp several months ago and I enjoy them quite a bit when I'm in an on-ear headphone listening mood but most of the things you said were pretty accurate. The pads that come with it are just OK but getting the larger G-cush ones that you have do make a tremendous difference but for me, it makes the mid-bass a bit bloaty so I got the L-cush pads instead which you find on most Grado headphones. They're a nice in-between pad and a decent compromise for comfort and less bloat.

Also, while all Grados can be driven from low output devices like phones, I find that it's best to feed them decent power from a dedicated amp because it really gives the music some heft and blows up the sound stage and depth of the music. But yeah, the Hemp is a 100% "audiophil-y" set of headphones. When it fits right (for the moment), are comfortable over a period of time, and are being fed power from a dedicated source, it's pure magic. I know that's a sad cliché but man, it's so true.

[BErsly]

Just bought the hemps and they really do sound great. I currently own mass drop he4xx and grado Rs1 and I think the hemps has them both beat- love the sound of these guys