Experimenting with the Grado GW100 headphones – Pleasantly wireless

The GW100 headphones offer the familiar Grado sound in a wireless format. However, the target audience is different from that of wireless headphones.

Text: Joni Nikkola
Photos: Manufacturer

The traditional headphone manufacturer Grado Labs from New York announced the first wireless headphones of 2018 at the end of the year, of which a recently released updated version has the same name. Visually, the headphones are like any other model from Grado; from the open design to the internal components. The changes have also been kept to a minimum, as there are no apps or firmware updates available for the headphones, for example.

The right-side earphone features a traditional headphone jack and a charging connector located under the rubber cover. Additionally, there is a power button and volume controls. The Simpler package includes a charging and audio cable.

The sound adjustment happens seamlessly with moderate force, and the stability of the adjustment feels solid. The headphones are lightweight and comfortable. They compress laterally very moderately, and the flat foam section distributes the pressure evenly across the ear pads. The ears feel slightly warm, but thanks to the material’s breathability they don’t feel too much. The headphones can almost be forgotten in your ears.

The new version of GW100 has addressed several issues from the previous version. Battery life has been significantly extended from 15 hours to 40 hours. The charging connector has also been replaced with the more current USB-C. Noise leakage has also been reduced, as promised.

Cordless home entertainment
Wireless headphones are often used in public transport and, for example, in office work, when you want to isolate yourself from the noise of the environment. However, open headphones leak more noise than closed ones.

Although the noise isolation of the Gradon is said to be improved compared to the first version, the headphones still leak quite a lot of noise outside, and those that are a few meters away don’t need to guess much about the song they’re listening to.

The headphones also do not isolate you very well from the surrounding world, so the noise from traffic comes through almost as it is. On the other hand, if the goal is to listen to music mostly in quiet conditions, such as at home or while walking in the countryside, the occasional noise won’t be a problem. That can also be a good feature if you hear a cyclist approaching on a gravel road, for example.

Airy clarity
The Grado GW100 reproduces sounds very clearly. The main characteristic of the headphones’ sound is the airiness. Paco de Lucia’s flamenco guitar sounds unusually natural, and its tonal range extends far. Listening to acoustic music is especially enjoyable, whether it’s a solo instrument and guitar, a jazz combo, or a classical orchestra. With few wireless headphones, you can experience a similar sense of presence.

A little less at home, the headphones have a heavier metal feel, as the spacious overall sound takes some of the pressure off the music. However, the playback is pleasing in tone, and even the most crisp treble guitars are not too shrill.

Bass tone is promised to reach up to 20 Hertz, and there is plenty of depth especially considering the size of the headphones. Even in the heavy series’ bass treble, the ceiling is not an obstacle, but as with metal, there is a certain richness that escapes from the doors and windows.

The treble sound is very clear in a Gradual style, and for example the noise of a vinyl record sounds almost three-dimensional. The treble sound can, for a reason, be criticized as being too high. However, it can be tamed if necessary with a frequency correction device, as there is no actual defect in the tone itself.  

Structurally, the Grado GW100 is open, typical of the manufacturer. The main difference from more traditional models from the manufacturer is the control buttons.

The article is available for reading From the AVPlus magazine 4/2020 (No. 197)