Grado’s Redesigned Prestige SR60x Open

The Grado Prestige SR60x open-back headphones have been completely redesigned with new drivers.

Here's a quick tip and a mini review for anyone looking to treat themselves or someone else to a classic pair of wired headphones at a reasonable price. Brooklyn-based headphone manufacturer Grado has given its Prestige Series of open-back headphones a significant upgrade.

The Grado Prestige headphones were the first models to be designed by John Grado some three decades ago. Building on the award-winning E Series, the new Prestige X Series offers refinement on the previous range and includes completely redesigned drivers, an improved cable design, plus a more comfortable headband.

I borrowed a pair of entry-level Grado Prestige SR60x headphones to see how they sound. As an affordable entry point to the Grado headphones brand, the new Prestige X range has all the core performance and design DNA of what made the original Grado Prestige range so special. The latest enhancements take the new X Series to the next level of performance.

The Prestige SR60x headphones from Grado Labs have drivers that are easy to drive and which deliver ... [+] a beautiful tone, especially in the bass register.

Grado's headphones are still handcrafted at the company's Brooklyn-based headquarters. All feature the same classic, signature enclosure throughout the range. The flagship SR325x model retains its metal housing, while lower-priced models like the SR60x have plastic driver housings.

The enhanced X Series speaker design includes a new magnetic circuit that's been updated for improved efficiency. There's also a newly designed voice coil and diaphragm that reduces distortion and enhances the harmonic integrity of the headphones. Both drivers are carefully matched to be within 0.1dB of each other. As a result, the new headphones are easier to drive with a variety of portable devices and they deliver what Grado describes as "the best audio performance possible."

This claim of easier driving is accurate from my listening tests because it doesn't take much volume to get plenty of superb sound out of these new headphones. The cable design is thicker and features a deluxe braided finish for extra durability. The cable is also more flexible than previous versions and has a four-strand design made from a super-annealed copper wire.

The headband of the Grado Prestige SR60x headphones has been redesigned for improved comfort and is ... [+] made with vegan leather.

When it comes to wearing, the Grado SR60x are superbly comfortable. For anyone who doesn't like wearing headphones because they make their ears feel hot and sweaty, the open-back design of the SR60x will be a game-changer. These headphones hardly feel as if you are wearing them at all. The headband has been redesigned for greater comfort, especially for longer listening sessions. The headband looks like leather but is made from a synthetic protein material, making it vegan-friendly.

The sound from the Grado SR60x is probably as good as anything I’ve heard from any pair of open-back headphones costing under $300. To test them, I streamed Herbie Hancock's ‘Watermelon Man’ from Tidal's Masters range. The result was a spine-tingling performance with a superb midrange that puts the listener right at the heart of the action. The treble is clear but never harsh. Even on Hancock's 1973 recording, there is plenty of detail in the soundstage thanks to the detailed but restrained treble.

When the bass kicks in on ‘Watermelon Man’, the Grado SR60x headphones show the result of the driver redesign. The bass is big and powerful. There's something profoundly satisfying in how the SR60xs shape the music with gorgeously warm lower notes and a superb soundstage. The upgrade to these entry-level headphones is no cosmetic makeover. The sound is simply superb. When you add the improved sound to the better cable and more comfortable headband, the SR60x become a must-have budget pair of headphones that would be perfect for any audiophile dipping their toes into the world of open-back listening.

The Prestige SR60x hardly feel as if you are wearing them thanks to a new headband and light ... [+] pressure on the ears from the foam ear pads.

Verdict: Grado has done a magnificent job of upgrading the Prestige SR60x. These must be the best-value pair of open-back headphones for under $300, although I haven't had a chance to listen to the other models in the Prestige range. These are a bargain if you want a great pair of open-back dynamic headphones. I loved listening to them and was sad to see them go. If you know someone who would like a non-wireless pair of headphones this Christmas, you could do no better for your money than gifting them a pair of Grado Prestige SR60x. Highly recommended.

Pricing & Availability: The Grado Prestige SR60x headphones are available now and cost $99.99 / £109.95.

More info: www.gradolabs.com and www.grado.co.uk

Tech Specs:

The cable on the Grado Prestige SR60x has been redesigned. It's now thicker and more flexible.