The highest of the four ranges making up the wired headphone catalog of American manufacturer Grado, the Signature Line was until recently composed solely of the HP100 SE, priced at 2 990 €. It is now completed by a model with wooden ear cups, the S950.
Beneath these handcrafted Brazilian walnut shells, Grado Labs’ new signatory remains an open version. It uses the same 52 mm transducers as its metal counterpart, with a composite paper cone combined with a magnetic circuit made from a rare-earth alloy, for a very wide frequency response (3.5 Hz – 51.5 kHz), while the motor uses a copper-plated aluminum voice coil. All these technologies influence sound characteristics towards even greater musicality and balance.
Quite similar in structure to the HP100 SE, the S950 retains the padded headband and stainless steel rods for adjusting the height of the ear pads to suit each head, while the headband remains in leather. The detachable cable connects to the headphones through each earcup via a balanced 4-pin XLR connector, and to the amplifier via a 6.35 mm jack as standard. Less expensive than the HP100 SE, the new wooden Grado is launched in Europe for 2 490 €.
03/27/2025
