I learned of this product from Comsumer Reports. My previous headphones have been Bose, specifically over-the-ear noise canceling, and from a comfort standpoint, had no reason to change. What drove me to change was my current pair is starting to show wear and not being a fan of the noise cancelling feature. The product that was at the top of CR's list in non-noise-canceling, on/over ear, and in my price range was this one - the SR80x. I was nervous about them being on-the-ear, but the overall satisfaction rating was enough for me to give it a go. Unfortunately, after a few wears, I find I don't fall into the crowd that would vote this. Sound quality is great, but I find after a couple hours I have to take them off due to ear discomfort. I tried moving them forward and rearward to change the pressure points to enable me to wear longer but didn't find success.

Excellent sound quality but press too tightly on the ears despite adjustments.

No response to inquirie. Sorry to say but you asked

The SR80x delivers that crisp, bright sound that hits you like standing next to bar speakers during a live show. For metal and rock, these headphones are fantastic - the bass punches hard without being muddy, transients snap with precision, and everything feels immediate and exciting. The sound signature is definitely tilted toward energy over smoothness, which works perfectly for aggressive music but might be too intense for quieter genres.
Build quality is typical Grado - nothing fancy to look at, but built to last. The foam pads are comfortable enough for decent listening sessions. If you're into metal and rock and want headphones that capture that live, in-your-face energy, the SR80x nails it.

These headphones are well made and inexpensive. Sparkly sounding that's great for jazz or music with lots going on. The staging in these is top notch and they're also great for movies and such. Love being able to hear around me as well, will recommend them to anyone in the market for American made quality headphones!