Grado Labs

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Grado SR60 with "Grado Labs" name displayed

Grado Labs is a manufacturer of open-air headphones as well as phonograph cartridges.

1 Background
2 Current line of headphones
3 Past Production
4 Limited Edition/Specialty Headphones
5 Future Production
6 External links

[edit] Background

Founded by Joseph Grado and based in Brooklyn, NY, Grado Labs specializes in dynamic open-air, supra-aural, high-fidelity headphones, which have won awards and accolades from audio-related publications such as Stereophile magazine. Grado Labs currently holds 48 patents as of October 30, 2006. Grado currently produces three families of headphones, at different price points:

The entry-level Prestige series ranging from the entry-level SR60 to the high-end SR325i
The high-end Reference series consisting solely of the RS1 and RS2 headphones
The premium-level Statement series, with the GS1000 as the sole offering of its series
The recently-announced iGrado, part of Grado's Prestige series, specifically tailored for iPod and MP3 player users

An older series of headphones (the "HP Series") designed by company founder Joe Grado are also held in high regard in the audiophile community, often selling for high prices on the used market. Currently all present and future Grado headphone models are designed by Joe Grado's nephew John Grado. The question of which member of the family is the better audio engineer has sometimes been a source of contention among Grado enthusiasts.

In addition to their headphones, Grado also produces a highly-regarded series of phono cartridges for over 40 years.

The Grado brand is virtually unknown to the general public. Only professional audio channels, reference audio channels, music mixing channels, and audiophile markets have known of the brand's existence. In its more than 50-year history, Grado has kept a very low profile by relying on word-of-mouth advertising among audio dealers and consumers instead of mass advertising campaigns to protect its brand image.

Grado also produces three models of headphones for the Pennsylvania-based Alessandro High-End Products company; the Alessandro Music Series One, Two, and Pro. These are built from the ground up and are not based on any existing model Grado produces at the moment. In addition, Grado produced a model for a German Distributor, which they call the PS1, and was sold in the US for a retail price of US$1400. However since this is a obsolete item, and allmost all new stock has been depleted, secondhand PS1's have gone up in value and are selling for upwards of US$1800.

Joseph Grado and his achievements at Grado Labs were recognized as Grado was inducted in the Audio Hall of Fame in 1982.

[edit] Current line of headphones

All Grado headphones operate using Grado's vented diaphragm technology, dynamic transducers, open-air, "circled" 40mm driver-oriented circumaural earcups (with the exception of the iGrado that sports supra-aural 30mm drivers), an Impedance of 32 ohms, and a Sensitivity level of 98 dB. All Grado headphones are available only in one color with the exception of the iGrado, available in either white or black. Below is a table of Grado's current headphone line-up:

Headphone Model	Headphone Class	Frequency response	Driver-matched dB	Construction	Earpads	Termination	US MSRP [1]
iGrado [2], [3]	Prestige [4]	20Hz to 20kHz	0.1	Plastic	Comfort Pads	1/8" (3.5 mm) plug	$49
SR60	Prestige	20 Hz to 20 kHz	0.1	Plastic	Comfort Pads	1/8" (3.5 mm) plug with 1/4" adaptor	$69
SR80	Prestige	20 Hz to 20 kHz	0.1	Plastic	Bowls	1/8" (3.5 mm) plug with 1/4" adaptor	$95
SR125	Prestige	20 Hz to 20 kHz	0.1	Plastic	Bowls	1/4" (6.5 mm) plug	$150
SR225	Prestige	20 Hz to 22 kHz	0.05	Plastic	Bowls	1/4" (6.5 mm) plug	$200
SR325i	Prestige	18 Hz to 24 kHz	0.05	Aluminum Alloy colored in Gold	Bowls	1/4" (6.5 mm) plug	$295
RS2	Reference	14 Hz to 28 kHz	0.05	Hand-Crafted Mahogany	Bowls	1/4" (6.5 mm) plug	$495
RS1	Reference	12 Hz to 30 kHz	0.05	Hand-Crafted Mahogany	Bowls	1/4" (6.5 mm) plug	$695
GS1000	Statement	8 Hz to 35 kHz	0.05	Hand-Crafted Mahogany	Redesigned Bowls	1/4" (6.5 mm) plug	$995

In addition to the currently available headphones listed on this table, Grado sells a Headphone Amplifier called the RA1. It utilizes AC, or DC power supplied by two 9 volt batteries (depending on model). It has 2 RCA connectors and a 1/4" (6.5 mm) jack, and is enclosed in a solid mahogany box.

The Alessandro Music Series are manufactured by Grado for guitar and guitar component company Alessandro. They are similar in appearance to normal Grado models, except with different text and they do not have a "button" on the screen to indicate model number, like Grado headphones do. They are said to be made for the musician market, and are currently still in production (See Alessandro's Official Headphone website).

[edit] Past Production

Below is a table of headphones no longer offered by the manufacturer:

Headphone Model	Headphone Class	Frequency response	Sensitivity (dB)	Impedance (Ohms)	Driver-matched dB	Construction	Earpads	Termination	Succeeded by
SR40	Unknown	20 Hz to 20 kHz	100	32	Unknown	Plastic	Foam	1/8" (3.5 mm) plug with 1/4" adaptor	iGrado
SR325	Prestige	18 Hz to 24 kHz	98	32	0.05	Aluminum Alloy	Bowls	1/4" (6.5 mm) plug	SR325i
HP1000	Joseph Grado Signature	Unknown	Unknown	40	Unknown	Aluminum Alloy	Flats	1/4" (6.5 mm) plug	No Successor
SR100	Prestige	Unknown	Unknown	32	Unknown	Plastic	Flats	1/4" (6.5 mm) plug	SR125
SR200	Prestige	Unknown	Unknown	32	Unknown	Plastic	Flats	Unknown	SR225
SR300	Prestige	Unknown	Unknown	32	Unknown	Plastic	Flats	Unknown	SR325

[edit] Limited Edition/Specialty Headphones

Most of these headphones are rebranded and/or limited versions of Grado's headphones. The Grado HF1 was sold exclusively to the Head-Fi online community, which had a total of 450 original November sales, 1 replacement (December), 7 waitlist sales , 3 March sales and 20 April sales, each numbered 001-481. The PS1 Pro was a special production order for a German Distributor, and was more expensive than any of the Grado line. A partnership between headphone manufacturer Grado and wireless technologies manufacturer FreeSystems paved way for the FreeSystems headphones. The FreeSystems package included an integrated Grado RA 1 amplifier (as mentioned above), headphones which have a physical appearance similar to that of the Grado PS1, and a Free Systems infra-red transmitter and receiver. The RRP was $3,800. The system was intended for release by February 2002, but was never released. [5] Source: FreeSystems Grado LE.

All headphones have a 32 ohm-Impedance.

Headphone Model	Headphone Class	Frequency response	Sensitivity	Driver-matched dB	Construction	Earpads	Termination	Production Limit
HF1	Limited Edition	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Plastic and Hand-Crafted Mahogany	Bowls	1/4" (6.5 mm) plug	481
PS1 Pro	Limited Edition	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Aluminum Alloy	Bowls	1/4" (6.5 mm) plug	250
FreeSystems LE	Limited Edition	20 Hz to 20 kHz	Unknown	Unknown	Aluminum Alloy	Unknown	Unknown	Never released