Your probably right. It also acted as kind of a over insertion stop for the driver housing which I thought was nice, only if you intend on disassembling it that is.
Here are some Hemp drivers as well just in case people were interested in trying to see if there were any visual differences they can spot between the x series and the hemp. Dont mind the terrible framing of this pic, I should have laid those wires down flat lol.
Finally dove into the Grado sound with the purchase of 325x today. Early impressions based on my first Grado listen:
– These things have more bass than I thought. Grado’s have the reputation of being thin on the low end, but these things have surprising oomph with the stock pads.
– I also tried the Geekria G pads recommended by DMS. Definitely increase the comfort and expand the soundstage to a surprising width. Impressive. But they also change the tuning to more a more V-shaped signature, which is taking a tuning that borders on too much treble for me and pushes it over the edge. You lose some of the bass punch from the stock F pads, too.
– Everyone wasn’t kidding about the discomfort of these. The stock F pads are very thin, with openings in the center. I have a decent-sized head, but my ears started to hurt after 30 minutes.
– If this is the “warmer” Grado, damn, I’d hate to hear what the “normal” or “sharp” Grado sounds like. While there were no icepicks to the cochlea like a Beyer or the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x, I could see this sound signature being fatiguing very quickly for me. It’s unrelenting in its brightness and detail. Neither the brightness or detail are mind-blowing separately, but it’s grating and tiring as a blend.
– Pad rolling is fun and easy with Grados. Everyone is right: The sound signature and soundstage change more dramatically with pad rolling with these than any other brand I’ve tried.
– I expected imaging that punched above the $295 price. I was disappointed. Didn’t find the imaging any better than my HD 6XX, which is $50 less new. Of course, the imaging couldn’t compare to my LCD-X 2021, but I didn’t expect that.
– The cable is clumsy, but I do must of my listening at the desktop, so no big deal. I would rather have a thick fabric cable like this than the damn Christmas tree tinsel that HiFiMan sends with some of its cans as a stock cable. The Focal Elegia cable was just as stiff and clumsy as the Grado cable, too. I think the Grado cable gets sh*t upon unfairly. It’s not great; it’s not awful.
– The leather headband, with almost no padding, doesn’t bother me at all.
I’ll give these more time, but it’s unlikely I’ll keep them. The signature is just too fatiguing. I tend to like a neutral-to-warmish signature, but I thought that this “warmer” Grado 325x might suit me.
But Grado is gonna Grado, even a warmer version. I know it works for a lot of people and I respect Grado’s adherence to its “house sound,” but it’s just too tangy for my ears and brain. I thought maybe I could find a low-priced gem here, but I need something with a warmer, softer signature yet with detail.
Next target probably is a ZMF Aeolus after some months to save.
Quick update. I’ve always been a skeptic of “burn in” with headphones, but damn if these aren’t smoother after leaving music running all night and morning. I’m sure “burn in” with my brain is happening, too. 
These just sound so different than my HD 6XX and LCD-X 2021, which is what I sought. I wanted something to fill a hole in my sonic palette:
– Warm, rolled-off treble, great mids: HD 6XX
– Neutral, great detail, malleable with EQ: LCD-X 2021
– Something more treble-oriented, with more bite but not grating (ahem, Beyer): Grado 325x?
I’m still rocking the Geekria “bowl” G pads for comfort and a sound signature that suits me better than the stock F pads.
These are growers, baby. I like them the more I listen. More updates to come!
A comment on comfort: if you can, try ou the Nyczaj (old Shipibo) earpads, they are fantastic. I had an SR80e with three other pads: G, S and F. I struggled with it because I likes the sound of the S pads more, plus the feeling on the skin of the G pads where a little weird. I ended selling it, but recently came across a GW100 with a pair of these pads, and let me tell, they’re on different league. Can’t say how it will affect the sound though.
You could also try Dekoni, I really like the foam in their products and the shape seems very similar. Plus Dekoni usually measure to tell you what kind of changes to expect with sound.
Thanks for the tip.
Definitely will consider your option. But I’m also zeroing in on ZMF’s Beyer oval pads with the Grado adapters. A lot of positive feedback on that setup from people with whom I’ve conversed on forums, and I LOVE the ZMF perforated pads for my HD 6XX.
OK, I’m officially a moron. After about 15-20 hours of break-in, I LOVE the sound of the 325x.
I just need to find more comfortable pads or bend the headband. Comfort is still a big problem.
Thanks!
Nyczaj (formerly Shipibo audio) headband, pads and accessories really level up comfort and build quality on Grados:
Besides Nyczaj, a cheaper alternative would be Accessory House in Amazon. I’ve used the XL from then with the SR80e and they are very comfy.
Alternatively, there are some Etsy shops that sell full leather headbands for grado. Never tried any of them but some look really good, and even in different colors.
The parts from Shipibo are great. I have them on my Hemps. The pads are the most comfortable I tried so far.
How much change to the stock tuning with the Shipibo pads?
I would say the shipibo pads dont change it too much, maintain the grado sound, but are much more comfortable and maybe a slight bump on low end, but not a huge difference imho
Another good option for pad upgrades on grados: https://www.beautifulaudio.biz/
I have the hybrid pads on my hemp and on the gw100, they also imho add a bit more mids and bass, take a touch off the highs, but not drastically different imho
I feel pretty much the same about the pads.
They have a little more low end and tame the Grado typical peak around 2-2.5kHz a bit.
Those look nice. But I can’t swallow buying a pad for around $140, including shipping, for a headphone that only costs $295 new.
If someone told me I should buy a $550 pad for my $1,200 LCD-X 2021, I would order a piss test immediately. 
Actually they are $60 I think? Still not cheap but not quite that high
Headbands are $60, pair of small pads is $115, and a pair of large pads is $160 from what I read. 
Hard to swallow indeed for a sub-$300 pair of headphones. Yikes!
Now that I’ve stretched the headband on my new 325x, I’m enjoy the stock pads a LOT more. Dig the F flat stock and the G bowls equally.
The F stock definitely brings out deeper, richer bass – makes this headphone very balanced, which is shocking considering Grado’s reputation! The G bowls create much wider soundstage at the slight expense of lesser bass. Detail remains pretty equal with both.
Thanks for all of your tips, audio friends. These 325x are keepers!
Man, every time I listen to my 325x, I gleefully think, “Did I just pay only $295 for the headphone I’ve sought for about the last five years?”
I’ve paid much more for other cans (I own a kilobuck headphone), but the more I listen to the 325x, the more I think it might be the best match for what I’ve wanted out of a headphone since I got into audiophile cans about five years ago.
The tuning is damn near perfect without EQ to my ears for the genres I enjoy the most – rock, classic rock, hard rock, Americana, alt-country. The G “bowl” pads create far wider soundstage than my LCD-X 2021 and HD 6XX, two cans I own and still dig.
And to think I planned on returning these after my first impression! I’m a dumbass, a happy dumbass.
Gone through AC2 Noire , several HifiMans inc Ayra Stealth, several HD600s Inc HD6xx, amongst others
Just tried the 325x and wow with a Mojo2 just hits the mark for me, I remember loving the 60s years ago.
Just the f cush, got a set of all the others and they all do something I don’t like
Not the most comfortable, cable but great etc etc
But I mainly listen to female vocals , acoustic and 70s rock
