For many years I have used three sets of headphones, all from Grado Laboratories: the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/headphones/796grado">Reference RS-1</A> ($695), the SR-125 ($125), and the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/headphones/532">SR-60</A&gt; ($60). I've always favored Grado headphones because the minimal-resonance design philosophy that I feel is responsible for the uncolored midrange of their moving-iron cartridges extends throughout their headphone range as well. Recently, however, I've achieved a new perspective regarding the SR-125 'phones that I felt would be of interest to <I>Stereophile</I> readers.

For many years I have used three sets of headphones, all from Grado Laboratories: the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/headphones/796grado">Reference RS-1</A> ($695), the SR-125 ($125), and the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/headphones/532">SR-60</A&gt; ($60). I've always favored Grado headphones because the minimal-resonance design philosophy that I feel is responsible for the uncolored midrange of their moving-iron cartridges extends throughout their headphone range as well. Recently, however, I've achieved a new perspective regarding the SR-125 'phones that I felt would be of interest to <I>Stereophile</I> readers.

It's hard to know what to call the SHA-Gold. It <I>is</I> a superb headphone amplifier&mdash;maybe even the target all future headphone amps need to shoot at&mdash;but it's also a full-function preamplifier. At two grand, it's not exactly a unit you'd add to your current system just to get a headphone connection...<I>Wait a minute!</I> What am I saying? I'm sure that there are folks out there who would add this to their existing reference systems as casually as I'd buy the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/headphones/796alchemy">Audio Alchemy headphone amplifier</A>&mdash;but they'd be missing out on a great line stage.

It's hard to know what to call the SHA-Gold. It <I>is</I> a superb headphone amplifier&mdash;maybe even the target all future headphone amps need to shoot at&mdash;but it's also a full-function preamplifier. At two grand, it's not exactly a unit you'd add to your current system just to get a headphone connection...<I>Wait a minute!</I> What am I saying? I'm sure that there are folks out there who would add this to their existing reference systems as casually as I'd buy the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/headphones/796alchemy">Audio Alchemy headphone amplifier</A>&mdash;but they'd be missing out on a great line stage.

It's hard to know what to call the SHA-Gold. It <I>is</I> a superb headphone amplifier&mdash;maybe even the target all future headphone amps need to shoot at&mdash;but it's also a full-function preamplifier. At two grand, it's not exactly a unit you'd add to your current system just to get a headphone connection...<I>Wait a minute!</I> What am I saying? I'm sure that there are folks out there who would add this to their existing reference systems as casually as I'd buy the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/headphones/796alchemy">Audio Alchemy headphone amplifier</A>&mdash;but they'd be missing out on a great line stage.

It's hard to know what to call the SHA-Gold. It <I>is</I> a superb headphone amplifier&mdash;maybe even the target all future headphone amps need to shoot at&mdash;but it's also a full-function preamplifier. At two grand, it's not exactly a unit you'd add to your current system just to get a headphone connection...<I>Wait a minute!</I> What am I saying? I'm sure that there are folks out there who would add this to their existing reference systems as casually as I'd buy the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/headphones/796alchemy">Audio Alchemy headphone amplifier</A>&mdash;but they'd be missing out on a great line stage.

For headphone listeners, this is truly a golden age&mdash;we have multiple choices at many different price levels. During the course of this review, I had as many as five headphone amplifiers (and, in several cases, multiple power supplies) set up for comparison. Yet many people don't understand why we might want a headphone amp in the first place.

For headphone listeners, this is truly a golden age&mdash;we have multiple choices at many different price levels. During the course of this review, I had as many as five headphone amplifiers (and, in several cases, multiple power supplies) set up for comparison. Yet many people don't understand why we might want a headphone amp in the first place.

For headphone listeners, this is truly a golden age&mdash;we have multiple choices at many different price levels. During the course of this review, I had as many as five headphone amplifiers (and, in several cases, multiple power supplies) set up for comparison. Yet many people don't understand why we might want a headphone amp in the first place.

For headphone listeners, this is truly a golden age&mdash;we have multiple choices at many different price levels. During the course of this review, I had as many as five headphone amplifiers (and, in several cases, multiple power supplies) set up for comparison. Yet many people don't understand why we might want a headphone amp in the first place.