GRADO GW100x Bluetooth Open-Back Wireless On-Ear Headphones

After initially having the Gradio SR-80s about ten years ago I have some background to the Grado sound, build and general outlook on prioritising audio quality over anything else. I always hated the long (albeit well-built and rugged) cable… it was far too long to not be removable (2m) and it would just get tangled and annoy me. Getting the GW-1000x was an interesting choice for me and it took a decent amount of reviews to convince me.When it comes to Bluetooth headphones I’ve only ever previously gone for over-ear closed-back or true wireless headphones and to be honest there’s usually something missing or lost. I also hate that encapsulating tunnel-like sound from a seal. The same cannot be said for these headphones which in my opinion are 5-star cans and the best-sounding Bluetooth headphones I’ve ever heard by quite some distance…. but only for the right person and under the right circumstances.Grado initially released the first version of these a few years ago and I was interested in them, but the micro-USB, wireless codec and the battery life put me off. The second version answered some things such as upgrading the input to USB-C and updating the battery life significantly. These are the third generation and they go one step further. They add a host of different features (such as better DSP processing; making the Bluetooth output sound better than the wired output, paradoxically) that are typically hidden away in the Grado direct and to-the-point unboxing experience. You would struggle to tell the three versions of these apart simply from looking at them.These headphones are loud and leak a lot of noise; they are suited to people who don’t need to maintain a quiet space with other people around them. They’re also suited to people such as myself who want a passive audio sound for games or to listen to background music. They also work when you need a good awareness around you such as looking after children or something similar.What I can say from the start is the sound will impress you straight out of the box. It’s not a myth to say that Grado products also benefit heavily from a decent burn-in session of 40 hours or so. I’m looking forward to how these cans sound in 6 months as my SR-80s just got better and better. The highs are detailed and slightly more subdued than the typical wired Grado, the mids are still prominent and most surprisingly of all the bass is full and present; a very well-rounded, great-sounding set of cans. These headphones sound like you’re sitting directly in front of a circa-£4000 analogue music system built in the 70s and it really can’t be compared to any other wireless offering out there; they truly are brilliant.On-ear will put a lot of people off, but I think that you can benefit from this type of design if it is executed as well as it is on these Grados. It’s a non-invasive introduction of sound and it’s genius. The Bluetooth stays connected. The battery life is quoted as over 40 hours and that is absolutely spot on.Highly recommended if you can look past the cheap-feeling build quality; the sound, comfort and lightness will thank you for it.

Firstly, this is an open back wireless headphone; so, it will not suit you if you want a headphone for listening in a noisy environment or if you simply want to keep your music to yourself and not be intruding upon others who share the same space as you. Secondly, these aren’t active noise canceling headphones so they wont shut you off from the world around you. Those two points made so that you can readily determine whether these Grado GW100X headphones are for you or not, these headphones sound absolutely fantastic. If you find the sound of Sony wireless headphones to be a little muddy and occluded in the midrange then you are going to love these…as long as you dont need the isolation from your environment provided by passive closed back wireless headphones like the Edifier Stax Spirit 3 or the active noose cancelling of Sony’s Wh-100XM4/5. Battery life is very good, I charged them when they arrived and have been listening for 9 days and I have not had to recharge them. Grado claim 45 hours at half volume and that seems more than reasonable to me as I work from home and have been listening during the Christmas holidays. Most wireless headphones that I use get set at half volume for pop, rock and jazz, and 3/4 or higher for large scale classical works such as symphonies and opera but with the GW100X I find that 1/4 volume is more than exciting with pop, rock, metal and half volume for most classical recordings, so that battery life of 45 hours use on one charge should be easily achievable for most people. Being open back headphones you will hear sounds in your proximity clearly; this can be a positive, such as wanting to hear someone telling you they are going to collect the children or reminding you to pick up the shopping. The sound benefit of the headphones being open back is that you get a better soundstage than with most closed back headphones, although the DSP correction used by Bluetooth headphones does skew this slightly. The GW100X are a very light headphone and very comfortable. Grado are a well established audiophile brand based in Brooklyn and their headphones share a very distinctive design language which will either speak to you soothingly in terms of nostalgic endearment, or make you think that they look odd and old fashioned. I am of the former opinion, but prepare yourself for the fact that the GW100X sit on your ear with a foam ear pad in the way that anyone not old enough to have grown up in the 80’s with a Sony Walkman and a pair of Koss’ Porta-Pro may be unfamiliar with. My ears project outward at a 90 degree angle and I only need to adjust these headphones after many hours use; those of you who have neat little ears that follow the contours of your skull will find these even more comfortable as the clamping force is as light as the headphones themselves while remaining entirely secure on your head. There is no travel case with these (its a Grado thing, spend £2K on their top of the range wired headphones and you still only get the cardboard pizzabox packaging with a foam cutout) but they aren’t a portable headphone but rather one that lets you enjoy your music in a highly entertaining way in the privacy of your own home. Compared to another brilliant sounding wireless headphone of a comparable price, the Edifier Stax Spirit 3 has a more detailed and resolving midrange compared to this Grado. However, the Grado while being a generally balanced and neutral sounding headphone (certainly in comparison to many bass heavy ANC wireless headphones) has more bass energy and a greater vim and vigour to it than the Edifier Stax Spirit 3 and I think that the Grado will satisfy more listeners. If you mainly listen to acoustic music such as Jazz and Classical then the Edifier headphone might be the better one for you (which isn’t to say that it is anything less than wonderful with other genres, rather it is splitting hairs in a comparison between to enormously satisfying and enjoyable wireless headphones) and to everyone else who doe not need to be isolated from their listening environment these Grado GW100X will supply you with endless hours of musical enjoyment. For those of us who grew up in the 80’s and have spent small fortunes on high end hifi equipment and headphones, it is amazing to discover how much musical satisfaction is to be had from a £250 pair of wireless headphones and a Tidal or Applemusic subscription.

Having had Grado's before I wasn't impressed.Sound was ok and the pressure on my ears eventually hurt.I ordered some oversized ear pads and used those instead. Suddenly the experience with the new ear pads was exactly what I expected. Incredible and the comfort was brilliant.Grado really need to fit better ear pads as standard, these are not cheap!I love the Grado's with my new ear pads!

Technology can get complicated. These Grado units seemed to be a perfect antidote, offering superb performance with no unnecessary bells and whistles. I tried them with Tidal on my iPad and they worked just as anticipated. Big smile at my new purchase. Fabulous sound. Then this morning I tried connecting them to my iPhone. I discovered that I had to first find where I'd left my iPad, find the Bluetooth connection to the Grado, disconnect it, and then try connecting to my iPhone. What a faff! So this evening, if I'm after a bit of relaxation and want to connect to my Mac, I'm going to have to find my iPhone and remove the connection there before I can connect to my Mac. No, I'm sorry, in this day and age that is unacceptable. My Apple air pods connect with out a hitch to multiple devices. So, despite sounding fantastic, these are being returned.