Grado RS1x Reference Headphones

The Grado RS1x sits at the top of the Reference Series from Grado Labs, the Brooklyn-based headphone manufacturer that has been hand-building headphones since 1953. The Reference Series represents the performance tier above the Prestige range (SR60x, SR80x, SR125x, SR225x, SR325x) and below the flagship Statement and Signature collections, making the RS1x the pinnacle of Grado's mid-tier engineering.

Fourth-Generation X Driver

The RS1x is the first headphone in the Grado range to feature the larger 50mm fourth-generation X Driver. This new driver design incorporates a more powerful magnetic circuit, a voice coil with decreased effective mass, and a reconfigured diaphragm. The result is a driver specifically tuned for the tri-wood enclosure it sits in, bringing what Grado describes as a "completely redesigned speaker and new harmony" to the Reference Series.

Tri-Wood Construction

The RS1x is Grado's first tri-wood headphone, combining three distinct wood species in each ear cup: a maple sleeve, a hemp core, and a cocobolo outer ring. Each wood was chosen for its acoustic properties — the combination shapes the internal resonance of the chamber and contributes to the RS1x's tonal character. The ear cups are machined and assembled by hand at Grado's workshop in Brooklyn, New York.

Cable and Comfort

The RS1x uses a super annealed copper 8-conductor cable, designed to improve signal purity from source to driver. The headband is finished in black leather with a white-stitched accent, and the open-back, on-ear design keeps the overall weight low for extended listening sessions.

What the Press Says

• "'Exotic' isn't a word we have associated with Grado headphones… until now" — What Hi-Fi? ★★★★★ (August 2022)