This is the official thread for the Grado GW100
This thread is for discussion and reviews.
- Type: On Ear
- Amp needed: No
- Open Back
Hifiguides Amazon Link
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I want theseā¦
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well, Z has put up a review and the TLDR is that they are āthe best $#@$ing headphones Grado has ever madeā.
glad I knew that before he didā¦ 
edit - but only as wireless. when you us the 3.5mm bypass the dsp sound goes to garbage.
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Very confused cause this guy says that they get noticeably worse once theyāre on bluetooth but Zeos said the exact opposite, that they sound trash when theyāre wired. Makes no sense.
That guy likes treble. His reviews are pretty good from what Iāve seen, but his tastes are bit unique. For reference, he likes the Tin T2 pro with silicon tips.
I doubt the GW100 sound BAD without the DSP. Itās probably just a less desirable tuning for most. Also, unless Iām mistaken, DSP would have the potential to make the regionās that have been boosted sound worse since the driver might not be able to handle it.
@A_COC0NUT I own a pair. They are straight trash. I mean BAD, when they are plugged in. Iām going to post a review in here soon. Iāve had enough time with them that I think I can do so competently.
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Since I am done buying IEMs for now, itās time to get myself some headphones next. These Grados caught my attention and I kind of want to have these, though it is going to be a bit of a pain since Grados are really rare to get in my country, also the fact there is still a pandemic happening makes it even more difficult to look up on places that might be selling these.
Ilistened to the GW100 a year ago at the Headphone Bar in Vancouver and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I didnāt try it wired, as thatās not why I was interested in it.
so it will be interesting to hunt up more thoughts on wired vs. wireless performance.
What exactly is a headphone bar?
a store in Vancouver that specializes in just headphones. wellā¦they do sell the LSX and LS50 speakers too I think.
Oh, ok. I was thinking of a literal bar with people wearing headphones inside.
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It is kind of weird when the wireless mode is much better than the wired version, because to my understanding I usually find wired headphones sound better while wireless are worse sounding.
I think this is a special case of headphones when it comes to sounds, it is the opposite like headphones being made from an alternate universe where most wireless headphones are good while the wired ones are bad.
That has a lot to do with using DSP to do the tuning digitally as opposed to physical tuning (i.e. damping materials such as foam).
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A positive but ultimately lukewarm review from Gutenberg.
Edit: he doesnāt mention wired vs wireless performance.
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I bet a lot of reviews on Grado are colored as so many donāt like their house sound. so if it gets an āultimatelyā positive review, take that as a big win, even if ālukewarmā. LoL!
lukewarm from Gutenberg thoughā¦ heās been a Grado enthusiast, so I think lukewarm is kinda bad. Even if ultimately positive. Errrrā¦ Reviews are hard.
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wellā¦Z never gets excited about Gradoās and he says this is the best one everā¦even his g1000ās.
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Henceā¦ reviews are hard. I donāt mean for the reviewers!
Review of Grado Wireless GW100 Bluetooth Headphones
This is my first review on here soā¦be gentle 
The Grado Wireless GW100s. What to say? Well, ātheezeā are probably some of the best overhead on-ear headphones that are currently on the market. I would find it difficult to beat the sound that these headphones give. Iāve had them for a few weeks and have used them with my iPhone 11 Pro Max, Apple TV and BTR5. The sound that they give is some pretty epic DSP magic. Full and rich with bass! Yes, a Grado with actual, honest-to-God bass! These lend themselves to be excellant all rounder from movies and TV to any genre of music you can throw at them. A good balance of tonality, timbre and rich ear filling sound they are sure to please just about anyone that uses them. I whole heartily agree with the Z Review of these that they are probably the best that Grado currently makes. The price point could be a turn off but at 40 hours (I get about 30-35 before the sound starts cutting in and out which is my indication that they need to be charged) is well worth the $250 asking price alone. From what little research I have done itās some of the best battery life for the sound that is currently out there.
Build quality is also best in class for Grado. Known for their lackluster build quality, Grado has wider ear cushions on the GW100s that still, unfortunatly, have the same weird cat pee smell as the others do. Problem is, they are hard to replace at the moment. I donāt know of a Yaxi pad that will fit these. So far all I can find is the replacements on Gradoās site. The headband is spring steel I think, with a nice comfy pleather headband that sits comfortably on the head. Much more comfortable them my SR80e. The clamp was perfect out of the box for me and overall they are very nice and comfortable to wear. Fast movements will move them around on your head, but normal movement and walking they seemed to stay on just fine.
Now for the bad news. DO. NOT. PLUG. THESE. IN Just donāt do it. The included 3.5mm cable is a present from the devil himself. It bypasses the DSP magic and turns these headphones into straight up trash. If I heard headphones like these, at this price, with the sound they have when plugged in? Instant return for full refund. All that full rich sound turns into tinny, lackluster, cheap, trash walkman headphones from the early 90s. Itās literal ear violation of the worst kind. Would not recommend to save my life.
Itās interesting that Grado decided to go with an open back design on bluetooth headphones but I think this aids the DSP that was done to them. They do leak sound but not as much as you think. I use these when my wife is in bed in the other room and watch TV at a pretty decently loud volume and she can barely hear it, if at all.
Solid recommendation for a first time Grado purchase and overhead bluetooth wireless headphone. As long as you donāt plug them in these are excellant headphones that are well worth the price.
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I can pretty much guaranty that the Hemp LTD Edition would easily surpass the GW100 for anyone who likes it.
The Hemps have a good amount of bass that is great quality, the mids are warm and just so natural, and the treble is bright, but oh so smooth. Best of all, the Hemps sound this way without any DSP, so there is no concern about the actual technical capability of the driver. Also acording to Gutenburg, the GW100 sound less dynamic and lively. The Hemps on the other hand are pretty much the most dynamic headphones Iāve personally heard. If you are looking for an upgrade path from the GW100, look no further than the Hemps.
Alsoā¦ W O O D
