Here’s the thing: open-back headphones tend to be the only treasures of audiophiles, who crave the superior sound quality of this design above all else – above convenience, above both keeping your playlist private and on portability. But a wireless connection means a loss in sound quality, so… is it ever a good idea to combine the two?
Well, if it comes from any audio expert other than Grado, we can say “no”. But these are Grado cans and honestly, if anyone can marry these two somewhat contradictory features and ideas, it’s Grado.
Grado (or the full name of the Brooklyn family-run company Grado Labs) has created a number of best headphones I used to have fun listening, including Great and inexpensive Grado SR80xso when Grado connects wirelessly (as it did with Grado GT220 headphones in October 2020), I will always sit up and pay attention.
The product is the GW100x open-back wireless earbuds, and they’re actually the third iteration of the company’s award-winning wireless series. We really like 2018 Grado GW100 on which these on-ear headphones were built – an open back wireless offering that Grado claimed was the first and only open back Bluetooth headset on the market at the time.
Apparently, there have been some important upgrades for this 2022 release, including “improved new fourth-generation X-series driver design”, Bluetooth 5.2 wireless technology with aptX Adaptive support. , 46 hours of battery life is significantly improved (up from about 15 hours when listening at “moderate” volume in the GW100), and USB-C connectivity for charging.
Grado tells us that redesigned voice coils and a stronger magnetic circuit improve the efficiency of the company’s own 44mm drivers while reducing distortion.
And the speaker’s housing and interior, designed from the ground up, are now working in tandem to dramatically reduce sound output by up to 60% when listening at 50% volume. This particular claim is huge as the main disadvantage of the open back design is sound leakage.
Opinion: if Grado has reduced sound leakage in the latest wireless option, I would agree
Before we get to the sound quality, I like the look and feel of the GW100x. Wired or not, the design language is unmistakable Grado and this has changed very little since 1991 – yes, a year I remember very well, thank you very much. (Just to clarify, I wasn’t around 1953, and at the time Grado.)
There are also controls on the earcups to provide full functionality, though you can also control the GW100x from a connected device – that’s 2022 anyway.
And the GW100x is supplied with a USB-C to USB-A cable for charging and a 3.5mm headphone cable for a wired connection if you just want to feel the breeze underneath your cords.
Grado GW100x wireless headphones now available, price $275 / £249 (opens in a new tab).
You may or may not know this, but I find open-back headphones both a joy and a problem. Why? I love (like!) The wide, open soundstage, but I don’t like the fact that other people in my carriage will hear my chosen songs (I’d probably love to have an 80s day – what’s up? so?)
To elaborate: in the back-end headphones, the audio of any playlists I choose to stream are mostly stuck inside the ear cups, which keeps my music selections private but possible. resulting in a narrow soundstage, where the sound felt as if it were coming directly from inside my head – hardly a natural experience.
However, the free movement of sound in and out of the cup in the open-back headphones means that the soundstage feels wider and less “closed”, almost as if I were at a concert. perform live. The problem is that others are also being affected by virtual gigs.
Conclusion: I want to try them. I really do. Of course there is no ANC and I don’t expect any Black Friday headphone deals from Grado, but none of that bothered me. I doubt I could once again put my derision aside if the sound set was a good Grado.
