Grado GS1000x Statement Headphones Balanced XLR

The GS1000x sits at the heart of Grado's Statement series — the Brooklyn manufacturer's flagship line of wood-bodied headphones, positioned above the Reference series RS1x and below the range-topping GS3000x. With over two decades of engineering development behind it, the GS1000x pairs mahogany and ipê wood for the first time in a Grado headphone, combining the tonal warmth of mahogany with the structural rigidity of ipê to shape the acoustic character of the ear cup chamber. This balanced XLR variant ships with a professional XLR-terminated cable for use with dedicated balanced headphone amplifiers.

X Series Driver Technology

At the core of the GS1000x are Grado's 50mm X Series drivers, each pair matched to within 0.05 dB. The X driver platform introduces a more powerful magnetic circuit, a voice coil with decreased effective mass wound from UHPLC (Ultra High Purity Long Crystal) copper, and a reconfigured diaphragm. Together, these changes improve efficiency, reduce distortion, and preserve harmonic integrity across the 8 Hz to 35 kHz frequency response.

Construction & Materials

The open-air housing is hand-assembled from mahogany and ipê wood — mahogany contributing warm tonal characteristics while ipê provides a dense, stable foundation for the sound passing through its grain. The redesigned black leather headband features a white-stitched accent. Each GS1000x is hand-built by Grado's team in Brooklyn, moving from workbench to workbench until complete.

Cable & Connectivity

The GS1000x Balanced XLR variant is fitted with Grado's 12-conductor super annealed copper cable terminated with balanced XLR connectors. The balanced termination provides a fully differential signal path, eliminating crosstalk between channels and delivering improved dynamic range when paired with a balanced headphone amplifier. The standard GS1000x is also available with a conventional 6.35mm jack connector.

Soundstage & Performance

The combination of the large 50mm driver, open-air operating principle, oversized ear cushions, and generous wooden housing works in unison to produce the expansive soundstage that defines the GS1000 line. The open-back design allows air to move freely around the driver, creating a spacious audio field with distinct instrument separation. At 99.8 dB SPL per milliwatt and a nominal impedance of 38 ohms, the GS1000x is efficient enough to be driven by portable sources whilst scaling well with dedicated headphone amplifiers.