Наушники — Grado Labs Signature S550

The Signature S550 is a Grado Labs headphone of the open-air dynamic type, with housings made entirely from Brazilian walnut, and it is the fourth model in the expanding Signature line, joining the S950 and S750 among others. Grado began shipping it in March 2026 at USD 995 or GBP 995, and it was first shown to the public at CanJam NYC on 7 and 8 March. Because the wood is natural, no two pairs show identical grain, and each unit is individually handcrafted.

Key specs that matter

Grado rates the response from 6 Hz up to 44 kHz, with distortion under 0.2% at 100 dB. The headphone delivers 112 dB SPL from 1 mW and presents a nominal impedance of 38 ohms. Weight without cable is 335 g. Drivers are paired to a matching tolerance of 0.005 dB between left and right channels.

Engineering and use context

Grado fits its 50 mm S2 dynamic driver, tuned specifically for the all-wood enclosure rather than carried over unchanged from metal-cupped models. The walnut provides structural stability as well as the visual finish. The headband assembly follows the Signature pattern, with an integrated flexible metal support for adjustment, a narrower leather strap of the kind used on the S750, engraved metal gimbals, stainless-steel height rods, reinforced junction blocks and controlled rotation of the housings. The supplied Signature Silver cable is detachable and described by Grado as lighter, softer and more flexible than its earlier cables. It uses 4-pin balanced mini XLR connectors at the earcups and a 3.5 mm plug at the source end, with a 6.3 mm adapter in the box. Grado ships the new B cushions as standard, and the S550 also accepts every other cushion in the Grado lineup, so the fit can be changed later.

Pairing

The small plug and high efficiency allow direct use with portable players, laptops and dongle DACs, while the adapter covers desktop amplifiers with a full-size socket. Because the cable is detachable with mini XLR ends at the cups, a balanced aftermarket lead can be fitted for amplifiers with 4.4 mm or XLR outputs. Open housings let sound pass freely in and out, so the model belongs in a quiet home setting rather than on public transport. With its low weight and a leather strap in place of a wide pad, it is also a practical choice for owners who listen for long periods at a desk.

Alternatives

Grado's Signature S750 sits alongside it in the same line as another open-air dynamic headphone and shares the narrower leather strap design.