This is actually probably the right answer.

Are they neutral? No. Do they hit hard in the sub-bass? Not at all. Are they objectively better than the Sonys? Not necessarily, depending on what your sense of objective quality is.

But! Do they sound very different from a pair of closed back Sony cans, and will give a far "airier" and spacious sound that will make them say, "yeah, this sounds very different and kinda awesome"? Absolutely. And you can have a lot of change left over from $200.

I've listened to a bunch of Grados and I consider Koss KSC75 the best take on such a sound flavour (in-your-face and airy). Everytime I listened to them they are better than I remember them.