Over-Ear Headphones · owner-verdict comparison

Beyerdynamic DT 700 PRO X vs Grado SR80x: what real owners say

Real owners lean toward the Beyerdynamic DT 700 PRO X: 68% of 63 owners recommend it, vs 60% of 55 for the Grado SR80x.

Verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube owner comments — affiliate reviews excluded. Sample sizes differ; judge accordingly. How we score

Beyerdynamic DT 700 PRO X

68%of 63 owners recommend
68% recommend · 5% neutral · 27% don't
Owners praise
  • Clear, balanced, detailed sound
  • Several owners report pairs still in good shape after two or more years of daily use
  • Most owners who switched from the DT 770 PRO prefer it
Owners complain about
  • Build durability is the most common complaint: headband padding coming unglued within months, and plastic sliders and earcup arms cracking, often within two years
  • For some owners the clamp is tight or the headband presses on the top of the head and starts to hurt
  • The sound does not suit everyone, with some hearing heavy bass and muddy detail and others hearing thin or fizzy highs
Full owner report →

Grado SR80x

60%of 55 owners recommend
60% recommend · 18% neutral · 22% don't
Owners praise
  • Punchy, dynamic, "fun" sound signature that owners describe as energetic and addictive rather than flat or clinical
  • Excellent entry point into higher-end audio for the price, with many owners keeping their pair for a decade or more
  • Clean, airy sound with surprising clarity and detail retrieval for a budget open-back can
Owners complain about
  • Glued-together build (drivers, gimbals, rodblocks, headband) that owners view as flimsy, breaks over time, and often requires DIY hot-glue or aftermarket-part repairs
  • Bright, treble-forward tuning that a meaningful minority finds fatiguing or outright harsh on longer listening sessions
  • Stiff, thick, unwieldy stock cable that's awkward to manage and a recurring standalone complaint
Full owner report →

Which should you buy?

Get the Beyerdynamic DT 700 PRO X if
  • ✓People producing or monitoring music who need a closed back
  • ✓Gamers and everyday listeners who want one pair for music and games
  • ✓Owners of an older DT 770 PRO looking for a cleaner closed back
Skip it if
  • Buyers who want headphones that will not need a headband or slider repair in the first couple of years
  • Listeners sensitive to a tight clamp or pressure on the top of the head
Get the Grado SR80x if
  • ✓First-time audiophiles wanting an affordable, exciting-sounding upgrade from stock earbuds
  • ✓Listeners who love an energetic, forward, treble-tilted sound signature
  • ✓Home/desk listeners who don't need isolation or a lightweight on-the-go cable
  • ✓Tinkerers open to swapping pads or modding to fine-tune comfort and bass
Skip it if
  • Anyone sensitive to bright, fatiguing treble on long listening sessions
  • Buyers wanting a durable build, since the glued drivers and stiff cable feel fragile and cheap

What Beyerdynamic DT 700 PRO X owners say

“Update: I got the headphone and I have been using it for almost 2 months. Best headphones I ever owned in terms of clarity. Perfect for music producers.”
— @HifyTech on YouTube
“To anyone here thinking of buyint the 700 Pro X: Do it. I've owned a pair since the very first day they were available in the market, use they daily, and they still look fresh out of the box. The sound is amazing, still on the same pads and the comfort is unmatched.”
— @bananawarlock3981 on YouTube
“I'm not kidding, this thing feels like a vice on your head. Add to that the extra weight and the excessive bass, and you have a headphone that quickly fatigues both your head and your ears.”
— @Nayah9 on YouTube

What Grado SR80x owners say

“SR80x (120€ new) was my first audiophile headphone over two years ago. They were so good that within a week I returned them to upgrade to SR225x”
— Hunter-97-G on Reddit
“Grado SR80s were my first decent pair of headphones too, and I still love them - still have them and listen to them something like 15 years later.”
— srmd22 on Reddit
“Using chinese components. And a lot of glue... You'd think with all that American Engineering, we could not use Glue, and instead use... maybe screws?”
— KaosC57 on Reddit

Beyerdynamic DT 700 PRO X vs Grado SR80x: frequently asked questions

Is the Beyerdynamic DT 700 PRO X or the Grado SR80x better?

Real owners lean toward the Beyerdynamic DT 700 PRO X: 68% of 63 owners recommend it, vs 60% of 55 for the Grado SR80x.

Who should get the Beyerdynamic DT 700 PRO X?

Owners point the Beyerdynamic DT 700 PRO X at people producing or monitoring music who need a closed back, and gamers and everyday listeners who want one pair for music and games.

Who should get the Grado SR80x?

Owners point the Grado SR80x at first-time audiophiles wanting an affordable, exciting-sounding upgrade from stock earbuds, and listeners who love an energetic, forward, treble-tilted sound signature.

What do owners complain about?

The most-cited downside of the Beyerdynamic DT 700 PRO X is build durability is the most common complaint: headband padding coming unglued within months, and plastic sliders and earcup arms cracking, often within two years. For the Grado SR80x, it's glued-together build (drivers, gimbals, rodblocks, headband) that owners view as flimsy, breaks over time, and often requires DIY hot-glue or aftermarket-part repairs.