u/Jdtx911

Im not fan of the new Classic SR80 with stock F pads but with B pads … yes! More spacious and mellows out the highs and low end. It’s more relaxed with the B pads and comfortable.

Grado 225x and B pads

They work! I don’t like the 225x with stock pads. Too narrow than my 225i’s. But with the B pads, it’s spacious, low end is mellowed out but vocals stay pretty much the same.

They do the same from the 225i but change the signature, wider sound stage but at the cost of low end, too mellowed out highs and less clarity in the vocals. My worn L pads will stay with 225i

Whatever model the Grado Pokemon are, they work great with the B pads, nice bass boost, extra space while keeping vocal crispy.

First impressions with the new Grado B-cushions after an hour of testing across three models: original Hemps, new Hemps, and Classic 325s.

Comfort & Build
Out of the box, they’re on the stiffer side, though a quick hand wash or standard break-in should soften them up. Your ears sit farther from the driver than with standard pads, but closer than with G-cushions. On my ears, they still feel strictly on-ear, but overall comfort is a clear upgrade. Interestingly, the foam where the pad mounts to the housing is soft, but the surface resting against your ear is much firmer. It’ll be interesting to see how third-party brands replicate these.

Sound Impressions
Classic 325 (Pass): Absolutely not a good pairing. The signature sparkling highs vanish, the mids recede into the background, and the low end gets muffled. Skip these for the 325s.

OG & New Hemps (Strong Recommend): A total winner. While measurements would likely show small changes, to my ears they preserve everything that makes the Hemps special. The signature warmth remains, the highs drop just a fraction without losing energy, and vocals stay forward and engaging. Low-end impact gets a subtle, clean boost.

Verdict
I like them enough that I just ordered a second pair—one set for each of my Hemps (home and office setups). Over the weekend, I’ll be running them through the rest of the lineup: SR60, SR80, SR125, SR225, and the new Classic SR80. Full updates to follow!

How it should be stock.

Running Grado Classic SR80 on the Muse M3 Ultra balanced is a nice pairing. You get some extra width, some warmth in mids and highs

Another one down for the books!

Another one in the books!

On deck, grado Pokemon headphones.

Broken 3.5mm jack so now getting the cable adapter conversion.

Interesting that each cup has four wires. These are supposedly based on the SR80x but only the SR225 and above have 4 wires per cup.

Next on deck … I was able to get these for $200. The 3.5mm jack was broken.

Now time to convert these with detachable cable adaptor.

Just these for $200, does anybody know what model these are based on?

I had the 325x in for a mod. On the muse fake “tube” amp, they were amazing. Smoothed everything out. I went searching for a pair of my own but could only find the E versions. So I just pulled the trigger on the new Classic version.

Sound is great but lacks the top end sparkle that impressed me. Mids are not as forward as the X version.

I may still keep them tho …

But …

The cable …

Technically it is softer and flexible from the X version. At the split it’s a tangled mess. Literally tangled out of the box. Not much care went in to install this cable.

Another one for the books.

Moment of truth

This model didn’t get the new “cloth” cable still had the vinyl wrapped cable. New thicker F pads too. They are softer than the former F pads. The SQ is great, punchy low end, forward mids and a bit of sparkle in the highs.
P

One more for the books, way easier than using heat and a Dremel. Very hard to mess up, less risky and I think look better with the cable behind the cups.

One more for the books, way easier than using heat and a Dremel. Very hard to mess up, less risky and I think look better with the cable behind the cups.

Simple, looks good and comes with minimal risk. My now preferred mod for detached cables.