If you’ve decided you are ready to invest in a high quality pair of headphones, it’s probably because you want to enjoy the benefits of better sound quality, more comfort, and overall better quality for your money.
But as many people learn the hard way, just because something costs more money doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to be higher quality. So after you’ve made the decision to spend more money on better headphones, the next step is to do a lot of research to figure which headphones are actually worth your hard earned cash.
In this article, we’ll compare two popular brands to help you start sifting through the many different options that are out there. Grado and Beats are both well-known brands when it comes to high end headphones so this article will help you determine which ones are a better value for your money.
Grado
Grado is one of the leading brands in affordable headphones. They put out some decent models that can be the right choice depending on what your priorities are. Here are some pros and cons to keep in mind:
Pros
- Affordable - Grado specializes in low to mid range headphones. If price is a major factor for you, you can probably find something affordable in Grado’s selection of headphones.
- Modifiable - One of the perks of Grado is that the parts are easily replacable. If you’re interested in more or less designing your own set of headphones, you can buy an affordable pair of Grado headphones to use as your base and then buy high quality parts individually to assemble a custom pair of high quality headphones.
Cons
- Weaker bass - Grado headphones generally don’t handle bass very well. This is understandable since bass is extremely hard to replicate in headphones since it requires large speakers. However, you will definitely find better options for enjoying bass heavy music if you shop around Beats’ selection.
- Less comfortable - as soon as you put on your new Grado headphones, you’ll probably immediately decide you want to replace the cushions with something more comfortable. Many of their headphones don’t fit very comfortably with their original parts.
Final Verdict
Grado is the right option for you if price is a major factor AND you don’t need headphones with great bass. So if you’re mostly planning to listen to rock and pop, they will do a decent job.
Beats
Beats have become very popular for putting out professional quality headphones modified to suit everyday needs. Their high end models are packed with high quality material and impressive features. Let’s take a closer look at their pros and cons.
Pros
- Sound Quality - one of the first things that comes to people’s minds when they hear the brand name “Beats” is bass. That’s because Beats offers many headphones that deliver great bass. These lower sound frequencies are difficult to produce with headphones so if you’re shopping for bass headphones, you need to be extra careful about where you spend your money. Beats is a good place to start your search.
- Durability - Beats uses great, high quality materials that will last a long time, especially if you know how to take proper care of them. Since they are designed to have the durable quality of professional headphones, they are definitely up to the task of enduring rough usage (although you can extend their life if you go easy on them).
- Style - Beats is one of the few brands that combines great functionality with great style. Usually, you’ll see super stylish headphones with cheap hardware inside or super high quality hardware cased in an unattractive headphone. It’s rare to find a pair of headphones that both looks AND sounds great. But with Beats, you can finally have your cake and eat it, too. Many of their models come in a variety of colors schemes that allow you to add your personal touch to your headphones.
Cons
- Price - When you buy Beats, you are buying quality so don’t expect to see bargain prices here. If you are on a tight budget, you are most likely going to have to settle for lower quality headphones because high quality headphones are not cheap to make. However, if your budget allows, Beats headphones provide amazing value for their money.
- Highs and mids - as mentioned above, Beats headphones are known for delivering quality bass. So if you listen to a lot of bass heavy genres, they will be perfect. If you’re looking for headphones that can handle highs and mids, however, Beats may not be the first brand on your list. They do have some headphones that are built to handle these frequencies but it’s not their specialty.
Final Verdict
If you are looking for a great pair of high quality headphones that will sound great, look great, and last for a long time, Beats should definitely be on your list. If you take care of these headphones, they will be with you for years and they will deliver crystal clear sound the entire time.
Final Word
Overall, Beats puts out higher quality headphones. And if you need headphones that can handle bass, there’s no question. Beats outpaces Grado in bass in nearly every model.
Grado is really only going to be the best option for those who aren’t willing or able to spend the money on high quality or who are planning to use Grado as a base to build their own headphones.