Grado RS2X Reference Headphones

The RS2x occupies the middle tier of Grado's Reference Series, sitting above the Hemp model and below the flagship RS1x. It is the first Reference headphone to use a bi-wood chamber, pairing a maple outer sleeve and ring with a hemp wood core. Each pair is hand-assembled at Grado's Brooklyn, New York workshop, following the small-batch manufacturing tradition the brand has maintained since 1953.

Housing and Construction

The bi-wood chamber combines maple and hemp wood. Grado describes the RS2x as exploring new territory for the Reference Series through this material pairing — the maple ring and sleeve enclose a hemp wood core, each material contributing distinct acoustic characteristics to the combined chamber. The open-back, on-ear (supra-aural) design means the listening environment directly influences the perceived soundstage and there is no passive isolation from ambient sound.

Driver Technology

The 44mm dynamic drivers are Grado's fourth-generation X drivers, tuned for the bi-wood housing. Driver pairs are matched to within ±0.05 dB, ensuring consistent channel balance across units. Operating impedance is 38 ohms — low enough for use with a portable source, though the RS2x will also benefit from a dedicated headphone amplifier.

Cable and Connectivity

The RS2x is fitted with a permanently attached cable of eight conductors of super annealed copper, approximately 1.7m in length, terminating in a straight 3.5mm (⅛ inch) stereo jack. A 3.5mm to 6.3mm (¼ inch) screw-on adaptor is included for use with full-size headphone amplifier outputs. An XLR-terminated cable variant is available separately for balanced amplifier outputs. The headband uses black leather with white stitching.