Grado just did the thing headphone people always say they want and rarely get: it took the newest driver tech from its bigger headphones and brought it to a new price point. The new Signature S150 went up on Grado's store overnight as a preorder, and on paper it might be the most interesting new model the Brooklyn company has made in years.
The driver is the story
At the center is a newly developed 44mm S driver. Grado says its paper composite diaphragm is based on the technology in the larger 52mm S drivers used in the HP100 SE and the S950, reworked specifically for the smaller format. In other words, this is not a hand me down part dropped into a cheaper housing. It is the same thinking, scaled to fit, and Grado describes the result as clear and detailed while keeping the full bodied, musical presentation the brand is known for.
The published specs back up the ambition. Frequency response runs from 16Hz to 34kHz, nominal impedance is 38 ohms, sensitivity is 104dB SPL at 1mW, and total harmonic distortion is under 0.3 percent at 100dB. Drivers are matched to 0.05dB. That 38 ohm load means the S150 should run happily from a laptop or a phone dongle, and step up nicely when you plug it into a proper amp.
A new body for a familiar look
The other big change is the housing. The S150 introduces an entirely new single piece acoustic chamber, molded from engineered ABS polymer in a matte black finish. It still looks unmistakably like a Grado, with the open grille and the round cups, but the lines are cleaner and more modern than the classic models. Redesigned matte black polymer gimbals, stainless steel height rods and reinforced junction blocks are there to make it sturdier and easier to adjust.
Comfort gets real attention too. The whole headphone weighs 220 grams. The updated Signature headband pairs a padded leather strap with an internal flexible steel band, so you can tune how hard the cups press in. It ships with Grado's F cushions, which have internal acoustic slits for airflow and are part of the tuning, and it works with the full range of Grado cushions if you want to experiment.
Detachable cables
The S150 uses Grado's detachable system with the Signature Bronze cable as standard, which Grado describes as lighter, softer and more flexible for everyday listening. It plugs into dual 3.5mm sockets on each cup and ends in a 3.5mm plug with a 6.3mm adapter. When ordering you can pick a 4.4mm balanced or 4 pin XLR termination, or a longer 12 foot cable, and the Signature cable range is there for later upgrades. As always, every pair is designed and hand assembled in Brooklyn, where Grado has been building audio gear since 1953.
Our call
This one is Surfacing. Big driver tech, a lighter and tougher body, detachable cables and that famously open Grado sound, all in the latest addition to the Signature line. If you have been eyeing a Grado but never pulled the trigger, this is the one to watch. Preorder at Grado Labs or check the store locator for a dealer near you.
Shopping around first? Our guides to the best studio headphones and best portable DACs and headphone amps will help you build the rest of the setup, and the Meze POET Jazz Special Edition shows what the other end of the open back world looks like.
