Short answer: the Edifier Stax Spirit S3. It ranks #21 of 216 over-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 4.3/5, at $514.55. The Grado Hemp ranks #53, rated 4.1/5, at $495, $19.55 cheaper, a saving that is not big enough to make up the sound-quality gap.
Why pick the Edifier Stax Spirit S3: This is a rare wireless planar magnetic headphone, with Bluetooth 5.2, aptX Adaptive and aptX HD support, a built in microphone and a claimed 80 hours of battery life. The tradeoff: Those measurements show a 6.8 dB dip near 6.9 kHz and the 6 to 10 kHz band sits about 3 dB low, so cymbals and sibilance come across dulled and less detailed.
Why pick the Grado Hemp: A preference score of 83 with mids within about 1 dB of target (upper mids 1.1 dB above, low mids 0.2 dB above) gives vocals and instruments a natural presence. Watch for: Sub-bass is about 10 dB below target under 60 Hz, a large loss that removes most deep rumble.
Buy the Edifier Stax Spirit S3. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $19.55 you would save on the Grado Hemp does not close the gap.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Edifier Stax Spirit S3 | Grado Hemp | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $514.55 | $495.00 |
| Ranked | #21 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones | #53 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 89 (median of 6 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 83 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 1.62 dB standard deviation | 2.41 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.20 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | +0.09 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-1.9 dB at 30 Hz) | Falls 6 dB below target at 47 Hz (-11.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wireless and wired | Wired |
| Back | Closed | Open |
| Driver Type | Planar magnetic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 89x70mm planar magnetic | - |
| Impedance | 24 ohms | 38 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 94 dB SPL(A) | 99.8 dB SPL |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs (329 g) | - |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 13Hz - 28kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Active Noise Cancelling | No | - |
| Battery Life | 80 hours (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive | - |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | - |
Related Headphone Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Edifier Stax Spirit S3:
- Edifier Stax Spirit S3 vs Stax SR-L300
- Edifier Stax Spirit S3 vs HIFIMAN Arya Stealth Magnet Version
- Grado Hemp vs Moondrop Para 2
- Stax SR-L300 vs Grado Hemp
- Grado Hemp vs HIFIMAN Arya Stealth Magnet Version
Prices on this page were last checked October 11, 2026 at 4:59 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Headphones In Full
Edifier Stax Spirit S3: $514.55 Wireless Amazon eBay
Pros: This is a rare wireless planar magnetic headphone, with Bluetooth 5.2, aptX Adaptive and aptX HD support, a built in microphone and a claimed 80 hours of battery life. The median of six hobbyist measurements on squig.link yields a preference score of 89 with a gently warm tilt, and bass holds to within about 2 dB of target at 30 Hz. The closed back keeps sound in, making it usable in offices and on transit.
Cons: Those measurements show a 6.8 dB dip near 6.9 kHz and the 6 to 10 kHz band sits about 3 dB low, so cymbals and sibilance come across dulled and less detailed. There is no active noise cancelling, and at 329 grams it is on the heavy side for a wireless headphone.
Full Edifier Stax Spirit S3 review and specifications →
| Released | Jun 2022 (4 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Active Noise Cancelling | No |
| Back | Closed |
| Battery Life | 80 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Connection | Wireless and wired |
| Deviation From Target | 1.62 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Planar magnetic |
| Drivers | 1 x 89x70mm planar magnetic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 89 (median of 6 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 24 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 94 dB SPL(A) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-1.9 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.20 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs (329 g) |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Grado Hemp: $495.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: A preference score of 83 with mids within about 1 dB of target (upper mids 1.1 dB above, low mids 0.2 dB above) gives vocals and instruments a natural presence. Bass from 60 to 200 Hz is within 1 dB of target, and the neutral tilt of 0.09 fits listeners who want a balanced tonality. At 38 ohms and 99.8 dB sensitivity it is easy to drive from a phone or laptop.
Cons: Sub-bass is about 10 dB below target under 60 Hz, a large loss that removes most deep rumble. A 5 dB peak near 2.2 kHz can add forwardness to voices, and a 6 dB dip near 5.3 kHz takes some bite from cymbals and consonants. The open back leaks sound and gives no isolation.
Full Grado Hemp review and specifications →
| Back | Open |
|---|---|
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.41 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 13Hz - 28kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 83 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 38 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 99.8 dB SPL |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 47 Hz (-11.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.09 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.5 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +6.7 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 5,779 Hz | +5.8 dB | 3.08 |
| Peak | 103 Hz | -3.0 dB | 0.63 |
| Peak | 2,201 Hz | -5.7 dB | 3.90 |
| Peak | 3,309 Hz | +4.0 dB | 4.69 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | +0.5 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 627 Hz | +0.5 dB | 1.53 |
| Peak | 276 Hz | -1.0 dB | 4.28 |
| Peak | 4,235 Hz | -1.5 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 45 Hz | +0.7 dB | 4.16 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons