Grado GS1000 Classic Series Open-Back Headphones

The Grado GS1000 is a 50mm X2 driver in a full mahogany housing, wearing the largest cushions Grado makes. Mahogany is the wood most associated with the Grado sound, and the G cushions set the driver farther from the ear than any other pad in the range, which is what opens up width and dimensionality. It carries the Signature Gold headband and the Signature Silver cable.

Key Features of the Grado GS1000

• 50mm X2 Dynamic Driver: Mylar diaphragm, copper voice coil and a rare earth magnet system, engineered for efficiency and dynamic control.
• Full Mahogany Housing: Solid mahogany throughout, the material longest associated with the Grado sound, contributing warmth and natural resonance.
• G Cushions: The largest cushions in the Grado lineup. Their geometry positions the driver farthest from the ear, expanding perceived width and dimensionality.
• Signature Gold Headband Assembly: Engraved aluminum alloy gimbals, stainless steel height rods and reinforced aluminum junction blocks, on a genuine leather headstrap.
• Signature Silver Cable: Lighter and more flexible than the cable it replaces, hard-wired into the cups as the whole Classic Series is.
• 99.8 dB at 1mW: Against a 38 ohm nominal load, an easy enough drive for a phone, a laptop or an integrated amplifier's headphone output.
• 0.05 dB Driver Matching: The two channels track within 0.05 dB of each other, the tightest tolerance Grado specifies in the Classic Series.
• Steel Spring Band: Clamping pressure is set by bending the internal band by hand rather than by a click-stop mechanism.
• Assembled in Brooklyn, New York: Built in Grado's own building alongside every other model in the range.

The 50mm X2 Driver in the GS1000

The GS1000 runs Grado's 50mm X2 dynamic driver, built around a Mylar diaphragm, a copper voice coil and a rare earth magnet system engineered for efficiency and dynamic control. It is a step up in diaphragm area from the 44mm driver used lower in the Classic Series, and the reason is mechanical rather than tonal.

A larger diaphragm moves more air for the same excursion. Grado's stated result is deeper bass extension, improved dynamic headroom and a presentation that feels open and effortless. The X2 platform underneath carries refined tuning developed through listening and feedback, aimed at balance and clarity without losing the lively character the range is known for.

Why Mahogany

The GS1000 housing is full mahogany, and mahogany is the wood most closely tied to the Grado name. Grado credits it with warmth, tonal richness and natural resonance, and describes the result as a presentation that feels organic and cohesive while holding onto the openness and scale the model is built for.

Wood is not a finish choice here. Grado's position across the range is that different woods carry different acoustic characters, and the model is tuned in relation to its housing rather than the housing being wrapped around a fixed voicing. Each housing is worked individually, so the grain differs pair to pair.

G Cushions and the Size of the Stage

The GS1000 ships with G cushions, the largest Grado makes. Their geometry positions the driver farther from the ear than any other cushion in the range, and that distance expands perceived width and dimensionality while keeping the center image in focus. It is a change to the acoustic path, not an equalisation.

Cushions are a tuning element throughout the Grado line, and S, F, L, B and G cushions are all sold separately. Fitting a smaller cushion brings the driver closer to the ear and moves the GS1000 toward a more immediate, more forward presentation, so the pad is a genuine adjustment rather than a consumable.

The Signature Gold Headband and Silver Cable

The GS1000 uses Grado's Signature Gold headband assembly, the most refined mechanical platform in the Classic Series. Engraved aluminum alloy gimbals, stainless steel height rods and reinforced aluminum junction blocks give it structural stability and controlled rotation, which is what keeps the cups aligned to the head over time.

A genuine leather headstrap with contrasting white stitching sits against the head, and inside it is a steel spring band you bend by hand: clamping pressure is set once to your head rather than adjusted by a mechanism. The cable is Grado's Signature Silver design, lighter and more flexible than the cable it replaces, and hard-wired. Detachable cables are a Signature Line feature and are not offered in the Classic Series.

What the Classic Series Means

The Classic Series is Grado's name for seven of its most recognizable headphones brought together on the X2 driver platform, with updated cable assemblies and refined build components. Grado's stated goal for the platform was improved consistency, control and refinement, with greater clarity, extension and balance, while keeping the lively presentation the range is known for.

Where the Grado GS1000 fits in the Grado Classic Series

The Listening Room Difference

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Grado GS1000 Specifications