Grado Signature S950 Open-Back Headphones

The Grado Signature S950 puts the 52mm driver from the top of the range into a housing made from Brazilian Walnut, a wood Grado had not used before this model. Walnut is dense and dimensionally stable, so its acoustic character holds as temperature and humidity move around it. At 395 grams with a detachable Gold cable and both G and F cushions supplied, it is the warm counterpart to the machined aluminum flagship.

Key Features of the Grado Signature S950

• 52mm S Driver: A paper composite cone on a high-flux magnetic circuit built from rare earth alloys, with a lightweight copper-plated aluminum voice coil.
• Brazilian Walnut Housing: Individually crafted, so the grain differs on every pair. Chosen for density and for resistance to expansion and contraction as conditions change.
• 395 Grams: Light enough for long sessions, on a headband carrying fifty percent more padding than earlier Grado designs.
• Grado Gold Detachable Cable: A braided six-foot run terminated in 6.35mm at the source, connecting to each cup through a four-pin balanced mini XLR.
• 117 dB at 1mW: Against a 38 ohm nominal load, so a phone, a laptop or a portable player drives it without a separate amplifier.
• 3.5Hz to 51.5kHz, Distortion Below 0.1 Percent: Measured by Grado at 100 dB.
• G and F Cushions Both Supplied: Two voicings in the box. G sets the driver farther from the ear for width, F brings it close for immediacy.
• Signature Headband Assembly: Engraved aluminum alloy gimbals, stainless steel height rods and zinc alloy end caps, with housing rotation held to 105 degrees.
• Hand-Assembled in Brooklyn, New York: Built at Grado's own headquarters alongside every other model in the range.

The 52mm S Driver in the S950

The S950 runs a version of the 52mm S driver Grado developed for the top of the Signature Line. The cone is a paper composite, the magnetic circuit is high-flux using rare earth alloys, and the voice coil is copper-plated aluminum kept deliberately light. Grado's stated aim for the platform was high-frequency detail, a smooth midrange and bass power at low distortion.

What Grado changes for the S950 is the voicing rather than the hardware. It describes the S950 as more neutral and balanced than its aluminum sibling, a broader brush stroke rather than a scalpel, which is the same distinction the two housing materials imply.

Why Grado Chose Brazilian Walnut

Grado has worked in wood for decades, and the S950 is the first model built from this family of it. Walnut is dense and resists decay, and it barely moves with temperature and humidity, which keeps the housing's acoustic character from drifting with the seasons.

Each housing is individually crafted, so the grain on any two pairs is different. Grado says the wood is grown in the tropical rain forests of the Amazon and sourced with sustainable practice in mind. The tonal result Grado attributes to it is a relaxed musical presentation, set deliberately against the analytical character of the machined aluminum HP100 SE.

The Detachable Gold Cable

The S950 ships with the Grado Gold cable, six feet, terminated in a 6.35mm single-ended plug. The braided finish is softer and more durable than Grado's older cable designs, and the insulation change makes it more flexible and lighter on the head.

Each cup takes a four-pin balanced mini XLR, the same connector across the Signature Line. That makes cable length and source termination a later decision: Grado builds 4.4mm balanced, four-pin XLR balanced and longer runs against the same socket, so a balanced source does not mean a different headphone.

Two Cushions, Two Voicings

The S950 arrives with G cushions and F cushions rather than one set. G cushions are the largest Grado makes and position the driver farthest from the ear, which is the geometry behind the wide, dimensional presentation. F cushions bring the driver close, tightening the bass and pushing the midrange forward.

Grado treats the cushion as a tuning element rather than a comfort part, and this is the largest change you can make to the sound without changing the headphone. Both sets in the box means the S950's two main characters are covered on day one, and the rest of the Grado cushion range fits if you want to keep going.

Comfort at 395 Grams

The headband is the Signature assembly built for long sessions: fifty percent more padding than earlier Grado designs, on a stainless steel band with height rods you adjust to fit.

The rest of the assembly is about durability. The engraved gimbals are aluminum alloy, the stainless steel height rod stiffens its junction with the block, and the rod is designed to stay put even if the zinc alloy end caps come loose. Rotation is limited to 105 degrees to reduce wear over time.

Wood, Brooklyn, and the Grado Method

Grado Labs is a family-owned American company that started on a kitchen table and still works out of its original Brooklyn building. It has been shaping headphone housings from wood for over a quarter of a century, on the view that different woods carry different acoustic characters, and the S950 is the newest argument for that position.

Where the Grado Signature S950 fits in the Grado Signature Line

The Listening Room Difference

We're a third-generation family business with a brick-and-mortar showroom in Chestertown, Maryland, and a reputation built on exceptional service and relentless passion for hifi. Whether you're visiting in person or ordering online, we bring decades of experience, personalized service, and honest guidance to every interaction. We don't just ship boxes. We help build systems, answer your questions like real humans, and make sure every detail of your setup is right, from the cables to the final connection. Our passion is helping you get the most out of your gear, with support that lasts well beyond the sale.

Grado Signature S950 Specifications