Grado in the Media: What Reviewers Are Saying in 2026

It has been a busy year for Grado.

With the Signature family continuing to expand and the introduction of the new Classic Series, there has also been a steady stream of independent reviews looking at how the latest generation of Grado headphones builds on more than seven decades of headphone design in Brooklyn.

We thought it was a good time to round up some of the recent coverage.

Signature S750: Grado's New Direction Gets Noticed

The Signature S750 has attracted particularly strong attention from reviewers.

AVForums awarded the S750 a 9/10 score, praising its exceptionally open presentation, tonal balance and build quality. Reviewer Ed Selley noted that the S750 manages to remain recognisably Grado while subtly changing the formula to appeal to an even broader group of listeners.

That balance between traditional Grado character and a more refined presentation has appeared repeatedly in S750 reviews.

TechRadar highlighted the headphone's expansive soundstage, clarity and precise positioning, describing its performance on well-produced recordings as particularly impressive.

More recently, Best of High End revisited the S750 in August 2026, awarding it 9.1/10 and highlighting its resolution, articulation and characteristic Grado openness.

For a headphone introduced into an increasingly competitive high-end market, that is an encouraging level of consistency across independent reviews.

Signature S550: A New Entry Point to the Signature Family

The Signature S550 has also been attracting attention since its introduction earlier this year.

Moon Audio described it as the most approachable member of the Signature family to date, highlighting its smooth, musical presentation, dynamic character and punchy bass.

Built around Brazilian walnut housings and Grado's 50mm S2 driver, the S550 brings many of the ideas developed for the Signature range to a new price point while retaining detachable cables and compatibility with Grado's different cushion options.

For listeners who have been curious about the new generation of Signature headphones but haven't been ready to move into S750, S950 or HP100 SE territory, the S550 provides an interesting place to begin.

The SR325 Enters the Classic Era

One of the more interesting developments in 2026 has been Grado's transition from the long-running Prestige "x" models to the new Classic Series.

The new SR325 Classic has already received detailed coverage from both What Hi-Fi? and Tom's Guide.

What Hi-Fi? praised its clarity, detail, precise presentation and fuller tonal balance, while noting that its character differs from the energetic SR325x it replaces.

Tom's Guide followed with its own review in August, highlighting the SR325's detailed midrange, vocal reproduction and warm presentation.

The differences of opinion are almost as interesting as the areas of agreement. Grado headphones have rarely been products designed to disappear into the middle of the market, and the SR325 continues that tradition. Reviewers may differ over which generation they prefer, but there is broad agreement that the new X2 driver platform brings greater refinement, detail and control.

The Signature Line Continues to Grow

Taken together, the HP100 SE, S950, S750 and S550 represent one of the most substantial evolutions of Grado's high-end headphone range in many years.

The HP100 SE introduced a newly engineered driver platform, redesigned headband and detachable cables. The S950 brought Brazilian walnut into the Signature family, while the S750 and S550 have continued to explore different tunings, materials and price points.

What remains unchanged is perhaps the most important part.

Grado headphones continue to be designed and hand-assembled in Brooklyn, New York, by a family-owned company that has been building audio products since 1953.

And judging from the amount of attention the latest headphones are receiving from reviewers around the world, people are still listening.

We will continue to share new reviews, product news and independent coverage here as the Grado range develops.

For information on Grado headphones and authorised retailers in Singapore and the region, explore the latest products here at Grado.com.sg.