Grado Classic Series

Rather than introducing entirely new models, the Classic Series reorganizes headphones that have shaped Grado's identity for decades into a coherent family reflecting the company's historical approach to open-back listening. For many users, these designs represented an entry point into high-fidelity headphone listening, and the new structure acknowledges their continued relevance while integrating technical updates intended to improve consistency and long-term usability.

At the center of the Classic Series is the X2 driver platform, a further development of Grado's long-running dynamic driver architecture. According to the manufacturer, the updated platform is designed to improve clarity, extension, and balance while preserving the direct, energetic presentation that has traditionally defined the company's sound signature. Each model remains individually tuned in relation to its enclosure, maintaining the distinctive character associated with specific housings while benefiting from the shared driver foundation.

Alongside the driver update, the Classic Series introduces revised construction elements derived from developments first implemented in the Signature Line. All models now feature Grado's newer Signature cable design, intended to be lighter, more flexible, and more durable while maintaining signal integrity and the company's characteristic fixed-cable approach. Updated headband assemblies are also included across the lineup, improving comfort and long-term reliability without altering the familiar visual identity that has defined Grado headphones for generations. Unlike the Signature Line, which introduces detachable cable solutions, the Classic Series continues to follow the brand's traditional hard-wired construction philosophy.

The Classic Series brings together seven models spanning a wide range of price levels and materials, from entry-level designs to reference-class wooden headphones. The lineup includes the GS3000 at $1,995/£1,995, GS1000 at $1,195/£1,195, RS1 at $750/£750, Hemp at $495/£495, SR325 at $350/£350, SR80 at $175/£175, and SR60 at $125/£125. Together, these models represent several decades of Grado development and remain central to the company's identity among both long-time enthusiasts and new listeners entering the brand's ecosystem.

Founded in 1953 and still operating from its original Brooklyn location, Grado Labs is a family-owned headphone manufacturer known for its open-back dynamic designs and small-scale production approach. Over three generations, the company has maintained a distinctive engineering philosophy centered on lightweight construction, traditional materials, and a direct, energetic sound presentation that has made its headphones recognizable across the hi-fi community worldwide. All Classic Series headphones continue to be assembled in Brooklyn, New York, maintaining Grado's long-standing local production model while incorporating incremental technical refinements intended to extend the lifespan of designs that have remained largely unchanged in concept but continuously updated in execution. Info and photos by Grado.