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.