Grado HP100 SE Review: The Most Capable Grado Ever?

Discussion in 'Headphones' started by purr1n, Mar 17, 2025.

  1. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Let me get this out of the way first: the Grado HP100 is the most technically capable Grado to date.
    PXL_20250317_154502707.PORTRAIT.jpg

    INITIAL IMPRESSIONS:

    I've directly compared the HP100 to the latest and greatest from RS1X, GS3000X, etc., and this takes the cake with respect to technicalities, that is clarity, resolution, smoothness, and bass extension. I am curious if and how the distortion measurements will indicate.

    The HP100 SE comes with two different kinds of pads. The big salad bowl G pads and the flat F pads. For those not familiar, refer to this post on what the F pads do for various headphones in the Grado lineup.

    My preference is with the F pads. Using the F pads with the HP100, the tonal response comes somewhere in between a classic Grado (SR80 to RS2) with the standard L cushion bowl and the flat F pad. The timbre has the classic Grado midrange crunch and definition in the highs. The means peaks at 2kHz, 5Kkz and 10kHz, but again the overall tilt isn't upward like Grados with the L cush, or downward like Grados with F cush, but even across.

    Basically, if you like the tone and timbre of the SR80 to RS2 (Note the RS1X and RS1E depart from this a bit) but want it toned down just a bit (plus a big jump in technicalities), the HP100 SE with the included F pads is for you! However if you are expecting the darkish neutral response of Joe Grado HP1/HP2/HP1000, you will have to look elsewhere (suggest Grado Hemp with F pad).

    TONAL SIGNATURE:

    With the big salad bowl G pads, the tonal signature is like the GS3000X. I don't have measurements yet, but I will provide them later. With the F pads, the tonal signature is like somewhere between the Joe Grado and John Grado sound. Now I've heard rumors of another pad being developed that puts the tonal signature between the F pads and the salad bowl pads. To be continued. I think the point is that we can have a lot of fun here rolling pads. With this new driver and housing, I think it's definitely worth it. Frequency response comparisons to other Grados can be found here: https://www.superbestaudiofriends.o...he-most-capable-grado-ever.14988/#post-442277

    One thing to add to the above: the bass extension is the best ever for a Grado. One complaint from has been that Grados lack bass extension. While the HP100SE isn't like Audeze LCD bass extension to 20Hz, it's no slouch and does just as well as the best open headphones from Sennheiser. In addition, bass distortion is low, which is another positive change from the better (see distortion section later).

    The resonant frequency of the driver is also much lower at 51Hz. The nominal impedance is about 43-ohms. This is a sweet spot for headphone amplifiers, not being insanely low like the latest planars (under 18-ohms). See here for impedance measurement: https://www.superbestaudiofriends.o...he-most-capable-grado-ever.14988/#post-442315

    The effects of amplifier output impedance with the HP100SE's impedance curve upon frequency response is here courtesy of @Biodegraded: https://www.superbestaudiofriends.o...he-most-capable-grado-ever.14988/#post-442325

    PHYSICAL BUILD:

    The beauty of these headphones speak from themselves. Here is a cup size comparison to the SR325. The new drivers are big at 52mm! The gimbals and rods are metal like the old Joe Grado HP1000! The headband has more padding. Oh, and don't forget, a Grado first: removeable cables! Normally I have issues with heavier headphones with non-suspension headbands because of the ridges I have on the top of my skull, but I did not have any issue. With the weight of the cups, I can see people having conform issues with the F pads on on the ears, so just flagging it. I however did not.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]


    FREQUENCY RESPONSE MEASUREMENT
    Grado HP100 SE
    F pads
    Frequency Response (DF 1db downward slope compensated)
    upload_2025-3-17_11-15-6.png

    INITIAL NOTES:
    1. Amazeballs channel matching
    2. I am somewhat surprised by the measured FR, because the HP100 (F pads) sounded darker in the highs than what the measurements say. There's definitely a smoothness to the driver. And this was from my initial impressions using a Schiit Midgard (balanced output) which has a pretty honest "studio reference" sound.
    3. I think the bass extension is throwing me off - making me think it is sounding darker. Expectations ya know! There are measurements, then where are people's consciousness, brains, and ears. The latter I would take over any measurement (because we are not measurement fascists here).
    DISTORTION:

    The distortion results for this driver are nothing short of amazing and confirms my subjective listening impressions of the HP100E sounding clearer than the GS3000 and RS1X. If you want to see the distortion surface measurements, go here: https://www.superbestaudiofriends.o...t-capable-grado-ever.14988/page-2#post-443264

    DYNAMIC COMPRESSION:
    This is new measurement for curiosities sake. Too early to say anything. Bottom like is that from 84db to 99db, the bass region gets compressed 0.5db. Anecdotally, this performance is normal at worst and quite good at best. But again, too early to say anything without more comparative data.
    https://www.superbestaudiofriends.o...t-capable-grado-ever.14988/page-2#post-443175

    MORE IMPRESSIONS AND IN A NUTSHELL:

    I finally had a opportunity to run it through my Eddie Current custom 45 tube amp using the Gungnir 2 DAC / Mercury 3 Streamer as the source and the technicalities were on par with the best dynamics around. I did this to see if the HP100SE could scale up with better equipment, and it sure did, while still requiring minimal requires to get good sound (Grados have never really needed a fancy amp other than a regular headphone phone dongle output, and the HP100SE is no different). Anyway, the HP100SE resolves on a scale better than any prior Grado and on par with the best dynamics.

    The tonal signature with the F pads lies somewhere between the old Joe Grado HP1000 (neutral-dark) and the John Grado (upper mid-crunch) sound. However, a welcome surprise is that this now comes with bass extension into the lows that matches the open TOTL dynamics. The distortion is low and arguably bests the revered HD800 (which sounds a bit grey in comparison), and this comes with the trademark Grado "fast" transients. The large salad bowl G pads gives us a tonal signature like the GS3000X. I can still see the tonal signature not to some people's liking, but keep in mind that we haven't even explored the use of different pads to tune the response. I am curious what we can arrive for personal tuning though different pads.

    Despite the use of the flat F pads, the headstage was expansive with better than expected depth. I wonder if the deeper cups contribute to this feel. At no point did I feel claustrophobic or having a three-blob effects as with many $2k planars.

    The Grado HP100 SE is, in my opinion, the brand's finest headphone to date, outshining models like the RS1X and GS3000X in terms of clarity, resolution, and bass extension. It comes with two ear pad options — large G pads and flat F pads — with the F pads favored for achieving a balanced tonal signature that blends elements of the classic John Grado sound with the Joe Grado characteristics, while also enhancing overall technical performance. These headphones provide improved bass response and reduced distortion levels, featuring a resonant frequency of 51Hz and a nominal impedance of 43 ohms, making them compatible with a wide range of amplifiers. The build quality stands out, featuring large drivers and robust metal components. Overall, the HP100 SE performs exceptionally well in both basic and high-end setups, offering an expansive soundstage along with the ability for customized tuning through different pad options. The HP100SE, which invokes the HP1000 moniker, truly embodies the spirit of the Joe Grado HP1000, living up to that legacy.
     
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    Last edited: Apr 12, 2025
  2. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Here are some comparisons with other Grado / Pad combinations

    BLU/RED: Grado HP100 SE (F pad)
    GRN: RS2X (F flat pad)
    upload_2025-3-17_11-29-3.png

    Compared to the RS2X (F pad), the HP100 (F pad) is a bit lifted from the upper mids up. HP100 also has better bass extension!

    --

    BLU/RED: Grado HP100 SE (F pad)
    GRN: RS2X (L classic bowl pad)
    upload_2025-3-17_11-34-44.png

    Compared to the RS2X (L classic bowl pad), the HP100 (F pad) is very similar from the upper mids up. HP100 also has much better bass extension!

    --

    BLU/RED: Grado HP100 SE (F pad)
    GRN: RS1X (L pad)
    upload_2025-3-17_11-30-55.png

    Compared to the RS1X (F pad), the HP100 (F pad), the HP100 has different peak locations in the upper mids and highs. The HP100 has that classic Grado sound with the peaks near 2k, 5k, and 10k. The HP100 also has much better bass extension.
     
  3. Lyander

    Lyander Official SBAF Equitable Empathizer

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    Where on the scale of HD600 to Focal Utopia does this fall for textures, and while I get the feeling that this isn't going to do anything to buck the trend of having an intimate presentation for headstage I'm wondering how this does with contrasts of depth.

    That bass extension is ludicrous for what looks to be a typical driver-basically-in-free-air Grado design, what the hell. DEFINITELY gonna be waiting on distortion (plus distortion surface if you have the time please), and is this like lots of the other Grados where things actually fall apart a bit when you plug them into discrete headphone amps? How's it out of the Midgard's SE output?

    Actually nah distortion aside curious how this does for burst decays. Sorry for the rapid fire questions been curious about this one, haven't been able to demo it yet. Is this also really sensitive to front damping/seal?
     
  4. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    I will need to compare directly to the likes of the HD600, HD800, etc. and report back. I will say that I was pleasantly surprised with the HP100 from the EC 45 using the Schiit Gungnir 2 as the sound quality scaled in a very discernable way. Grados run great without complex chains and a good dongle does wonders. On the other hand, they don't scale well with mid-fi or sometimes better gear. The HP100's definitely scaled well here. I will try tonight from Mjolnir 3 / Yggdrasil MILF combo and report back.

    It's possible the bass extension threw me for a loop (expectations) and thus explains why I felt it sounded darker than what was measured. Most Grados designed with the big G salad bowl pads do not work well with smaller pads (bass cannon), but this was not the case here. With respect to Midgard, it should only be used with the balanced output. The SE output is merely OK.

    Like other Grados, the HP100 isn't seal or placement dependent. Depth I felt was good. Maybe because of its bigger cups? (The ZMF effect? LOL).

    The cups are deep - a solid chunk of metal. Also note metal gimbals, rod, assembly, and removable cables! If there is a downside, I can see some people complain that they are too heavy / uncomfortable. I've always been fine with the F pads and Grado PS1000 weight.
    PXL_20250317_164511223.PORTRAIT.jpg
     
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  5. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Cup size comparison
    PXL_20250317_165144438.PORTRAIT.jpg
     
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  6. Lyander

    Lyander Official SBAF Equitable Empathizer

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    Gotcha, was maybe a bit confused cuz I remember e.g. the RS2 series having notable impedance change when doing free air measurements vs more firmly coupled: https://www.superbestaudiofriends.o...2x-review-and-measurements.11872/#post-371477

    Might be interesting to see how far down Grado pushed the resonant frequency of that driver with whatever damping scheme they put together because even the relatively bassy PS500e that I got to demo/borrow for a bit (which was VERY bassy) seemed to peak just under 100Hz. The HP100 SE is far from being an affordable headphone to many folks but if they can trickle this down to the sub-1k range, maybe circa 500 USD, that could make for a proper upset in headphoneland.

    Afterthought: the fact that it sounded much better from the bal outs of the Midgard with that Halo feedback thing makes me think that this one might be relatively atypical of Grados (which seem to normally sound their best from amplification that allows them to be a bit reckless) and benefit from having amplification that grips it by the shorthairs instead.

    Would be curious to get listening impressions out of the xDuoo TA-66 (OTL) and the Magni Unity just for gits and shizzles if you can be bothered, thank you!
     
    Last edited: Mar 17, 2025
  7. Grattle

    Grattle Friend

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    It seems like this checks a lot of boxes for me. I am in the process of reducing my gear down and they just HAD to do this to me.

    Every time you think you are done, they suck you back in. They did a great job on the aesthetic upgrades. I like the more modern look. Looking forward to more feedback from everyone.
     
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  8. rfernand

    rfernand Almost "Made"

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    Quite different from the GS1000e as well, no? (Peaks shifted left, obvious bass boost).

    Hmm. Would love to try. That bass extension with such big drivers may result in unprecedented orchestral Grado-gasms.
     
  9. Storytime

    Storytime Acquaintance

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    Wow.

    Wow wow wow.

    I very rarely lust after gear I can’t afford, but, man, these sound like they would be my dream headphones. My died-and-gone-to-heaven headphones. My I’ve-been-waiting-for-these-my-entire-audiophile-life headphones.

    I picture the folks at Grado sitting around a table and saying, “Okay, let’s design the perfect headphones for that Storytime guy.”

    A lot of headphone enthusiasts say that Grados were what got them into the hobby, their first love, their high school sweetheart. I’m the guy who married his high school sweetheart. (No, really, we’ve been married for 33 years now.)

    What do you think: would a “Grados for Storytime” GoFundMe campaign be totally inappropriate?
     
  10. YMO

    YMO John Bomber

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    $2500 headphones.
     
  11. Lyander

    Lyander Official SBAF Equitable Empathizer

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    Not a cheap headphone but hey it's something that could eventually trickle down in terms of voicing even at expense of reduced technicalities. FR weirdnesses notwithstanding, Grados still have a particular presentation that I don't think I can run as a daily driver but is just perfect for some material that I really like.

    All that said, seems like it's vaguely in line with the JAR600, just that the HP100 has more of a 10kHz spike relatively speaking-- measurements on the beloved GRAS 5128 reveals the Sennheisers have a really bad dip there so hey this could actually be a good thing! /s

    BLU/RED = HP100 SE
    GRY = JAR600 (from: https://www.superbestaudiofriends.o...0-review-and-measurements-and-wormsign.13183/)
    Grado HP100 SE vs JAR600.png



    Also, just out of curiosity would be cool to see measurements of the salad bowl pads too, even if they're not strictly to preference. Colour commentary on how those pads specifically alter the sound of the HP100s would be grand too.
     
  12. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Grado HP100 SE
    Impedance Curve
    GRN = Free Air
    YEL = On Head
    upload_2025-3-18_9-45-9.png

    Resonant frequency is 51Hz while on head.
     
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  13. Lyander

    Lyander Official SBAF Equitable Empathizer

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    [​IMG]

    Possibly a bit lower even than the Focal Clear based on @Biodegraded 's post here using data from InnerFidelity. Not the same rig ofc so who knows if it's really comparable but that is a stark difference from basically any other Grado model ever I think? Could be wrong, I'm not as well-versed but that's still damned impressive:

    https://www.superbestaudiofriends.o...ments-and-impressions.5568/page-5#post-298195
     
  14. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    Not to be a downer but are the cups actualliy bigger in internal dimension? It looks like they're the same, just with a big chunk of metal at the end of the cup that I can't imagine does anything except give them that modern look. Looks like the actual cup is where i marked the green circle here.


    [​IMG]
     
  15. Biodegraded

    Biodegraded Friend

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    The low resonant frequency - and c. -10 Hz shift of the on-head vs free-air measurement - is likely due to those big DD cups as well as the new driver. (Although as @rhythmdevils has observed, much of the cup size might be advertising rather than reality. :) A damping system that boosts low frequencies, perhaps?)

    Obligatory what-will-my-amp-do-to-them calculations...

    [​IMG]

    @purr1n 's on-head impedance measurement in brown, FR changes vs 90 dB SPL from a notional 0 Ohm output Z amp in other colours: 16 Ohms is ~Valhalla 2 on high gain (not that you'd want that at 117 dB/mW efficiency), 27 Ohms is SW51 lo out, 54 Ohms is SW51 hi out, 125 Ohms is TA-66. Around 3 dB boost at 50 Hz from the latter.
     
    Last edited: Mar 18, 2025
  16. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Slighter wider diameter because the HP100 drivers are 52mm and the regular Prestige series ones 44mm, This tells us a better story.

    HP100 vs SR325X
    PXL_20250318_200129651.PORTRAIT.jpg
     
  17. edd

    edd Almost "Made"

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    I'm sure most people are also aware of the S950 that was also just released. I'd love to hear from folks who may have listened to both (though, I'm sure it's still too early). Grado claims that the S950 uses "a version of the new Grado 52mm S driver originally designed for the award winning Signature HP100 SE", but I do wonder how different they are...

    Someone on Head-Fi posted a picture of the S950's & the housing for the driver appears to be very similar to the HP100SE.
    [​IMG]

    If they sound similar enough, I'd be more inclined to try to get the S950.. $300 cheaper.. and, it's lighter weight (~100g or so lighter?)
     
  18. Johnny the Nose

    Johnny the Nose Facebook Friend

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    Another Grado temptation and wondering if this could be the one for me though haven’t had lasting luck with them and just keep going back to Sennheiser HD 600 / 6xx but hope to give these a shot - just wish they would improve the headband too despite that they are light (does Crescent Snap have nice compatibility with Grado? - I’ve turned into a big fan of that solution for hotspot headphones)

    Always found Grados to have superb driver matching and also really tight center imaging also because of ease of driver placement over the ear and are certainly exciting headphones in general and to have pretty solid compatibility as a specialist headphone with my library if you buy in to that sort of thing though I tend to just want to leave a headphone living with an amp for a long time without cycling too often

    Have been on an elusive search to keep one in my lineup - but I haven’t found one to keep. I’ve had SR80e, Grado Hemp, SR325, RS1x and sold them all after enjoying them for awhile. I’m not sure if Grado is for me but whenever purr1n gets behind one, hard not to take note.
     
  19. edd

    edd Almost "Made"

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    I've only used cheaper Grados (Prestige line & hemp) so I've never had issues with hotspots, but the Crescent Snap fits fine on those. Based on pictures, I would imagine it fits fine on other Grado's as well.

    and, of course, there are aftermarket options like nyczaj and Beautiful Audio (neither of which I've used, but they seem to be the ones I see people mention here and there).
     
  20. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    I have a Klingon ridge on top of my skull so I prefer suspension headbands - however HP100 headband is fine. It's actually padded a bit more. If there is any discomfort, it's the weight of the cups using the F pads. The weight does press on the ears a bit.
     

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