Grado Signature S150 Open-Back Headphones

The Grado Signature S150 is the new way into Grado's Signature Line: a 44mm S driver with a paper-composite diaphragm, a detachable Signature Bronze cable, and the padded leather Signature headband, in a single-piece matte-black housing weighing 220 grams. It is the first headphone to use the 44mm S driver, which takes its diaphragm technology from the 52mm drivers in the HP100 SE and S950.

Key Features of the Grado Signature S150

• New 44mm S Driver: A paper-composite diaphragm based on the 52mm S drivers in the HP100 SE and S950, developed specifically for the smaller 44mm format.
• Signature Bronze Detachable Cable: Lighter, softer and more flexible than Grado's earlier cables, terminated in a 3.5mm plug with a 6.3mm adapter supplied.
• Dual 3.5mm Connections at the Cups: The cable plugs into each housing, so it can be oriented the way you prefer or swapped for a different termination.
• 220 Grams: Light construction for a comfortable, secure fit over extended listening sessions.
• Padded Leather Signature Headband: A flexible steel band inside the strap lets you set the inward tension by hand.
• Single-Piece ABS Housing: An entirely new acoustic chamber body molded from engineered ABS polymer in a matte-black finish.
• F Cushions, and the Rest of the Range Fits: Ships on the F cushion and remains compatible with Grado's complete cushion range.
• 104 dB at 1mW: Against a 38 ohm nominal load, with the two drivers matched to within 0.05 dB.
• Hand-Assembled in Brooklyn, New York: Designed and hand-assembled in Brooklyn, where Grado has built audio products since 1953.

What the New 44mm S Driver Brings Down From the Flagships

The S150 is the first headphone to use Grado's 44mm S driver. Its paper-composite diaphragm is based on the technology in the larger 52mm S drivers that power the HP100 SE and the S950 at the top of the Signature Line, and it was developed specifically for the smaller 44mm format.

Grado's own description of the result is clarity and detail that challenge expectations for a headphone in its class, while keeping the natural body of the music. It also calls out the bass: open-back headphones are often associated with a restrained low end, and Grado describes the S150's as clean and articulate, with a satisfying sense of presence. Quoted response runs from 16Hz to 34kHz, with distortion below 0.3 percent at 100 dB.

Can You Change the Cable on the Grado Signature S150?

Yes. The S150 uses Grado's detachable cable system, and the cable supplied is the new Signature Bronze, part of Grado's latest generation of Signature Line cables. Grado built it lighter, softer and more flexible than its earlier designs, for comfort and convenience in everyday listening.

The cable connects to each housing through a 3.5mm socket, which gives you freedom over cable orientation. At the source end it is a 3.5mm plug with a 6.3mm adapter supplied, so it works with a portable player, a headphone amplifier or a full-size home system out of the same box. Grado also builds the S150 with alternative cable terminations.

F Cushions, and Every Other Grado Cushion

The S150 is supplied with Grado's F cushions, selected as part of the headphone's overall acoustic tuning. Their design includes internal acoustic slits that let air move through, which Grado credits with contributing to the open, detailed presentation.

The F is a starting point, not the only option. The S150 is compatible with Grado's complete range of headphone cushions, so you can try different cushions to personalize both the sound and the fit.

Fit and the Signature Headband

At 220 grams, the S150 pairs light construction with Grado's new Signature headband assembly. The padded leather strap spreads the headphone's weight across the head, and a flexible steel band inside it lets you adjust the inward tension for a more personal fit.

The hardware around it was redesigned for this generation: matte-black polymer gimbals, stainless-steel height rods and reinforced junction blocks for stability, adjustability and durability. Housing rotation is deliberately controlled, limiting unnecessary movement while keeping enough flexibility for a personal fit.

A Single-Piece Housing

The S150 introduces an entirely new single-piece acoustic chamber body. It is molded from engineered ABS polymer, chosen for light weight, durability and dimensional consistency, and finished in a rich matte black that keeps the shape anyone would recognize as a Grado.

It is a contemporary take on Grado's classic look rather than a departure from it, built with modern materials and manufacturing and hand-assembled in Brooklyn, where Grado has designed and built audio products since 1953.

Where the Grado Signature S150 fits in the Grado Signature Line

The Listening Room Difference

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Grado Signature S150 Specifications