Grado Labs in Canada: A Guide to the Statement and Signature Headphones

Grado Labs has been hand-building headphones the same way since 1953 — by hand, in Brooklyn, by the same family. The house sound is unmistakable: an open, immediate, forward presentation that makes guitars, vocals, and live recordings feel like they are happening in front of you. Once you have heard a good Grado, the brand tends to stay on your shortlist.

At Noteworthy Audio we focus on the upper end of the Grado range — the wood-and-metal Statement and Signature series, where Grado's driver technology and cabinet craft are at their most developed. This guide walks the Grado headphones we carry, explains how the Statement and Signature series differ, and points you to the right model for how you listen. We also keep a deep selection of Grado phono cartridges, which is where the company started — more on those near the end.

The short version: the GS1000x is the most accessible way into the high-end Grado sound, the Signature S750 and S950 bring the warmth of wood at different price points, the HP100 SE is the more analytical aluminium counterpoint, and the GS3000x is the statement flagship.

What makes a Grado a Grado

Three things define the Grado listening experience, and they are worth understanding before you choose a model.

They are open-back. Every Grado headphone here is an open design, which gives them their spacious, natural, un-boxed sound — and means they leak sound both ways. They are made for a quiet room you control, not an office or a shared space.

They are built by hand in Brooklyn. Grado is still a family company assembling headphones in the same neighbourhood it started in. The wood cups are individually crafted, so no two are sonically or visually identical — part of the appeal of the wood models.

The driver and the cup material shape the sound. Grado's current headphones use the "X" generation driver — a more powerful magnet, lower-mass voice coil, and reworked diaphragm for higher efficiency and lower distortion. Grado pairs those drivers deliberately with different materials: mahogany and tropical hardwoods for warmth, machined aluminium for a more analytical read. The wood-versus-metal choice is one of the real decisions inside the lineup.

One honest note up front: we stock the high end of Grado, not the entry Prestige series. If you are cross-shopping a first sub-$500 Grado, that is a different tier than the headphones below. What follows is the premium range — the Grados built to be a long-term reference.

Shop the Grado Labs collection at Noteworthy Audio →

The Grado headphones we carry, at a glance

Prices are approximate CAD and current as of writing.

Model	Series	Cup material	Approx. CAD	Character
GS1000x	Statement	Ipê + mahogany	$1,800	The accessible entry to high-end Grado; warm and open
S750	Signature	Wood	$2,499	Newest Signature; ground-up driver, easy to enjoy
GS3000x	Statement	Cocobolo	$2,900	Largest 52mm X driver; the flagship voice
S950	Signature	Brazilian walnut	$3,199	Warmer wood signature, lightweight
HP100 SE	Signature	Machined aluminium	$3,599	More analytical, detail-forward; detachable cables

The Statement Series: GS1000x and GS3000x

The Statement Series — the "GS" line — is Grado's grand, open, large-cushion presentation. These are the headphones for listeners who want scale and space.

Grado GS1000x — the accessible high-end Grado

The GS1000x introduces ipê, a durable tropical hardwood, alongside Grado's familiar mahogany, for a driver housing that adds sonic solidity. Its 50mm X driver brings the warmth the mahogany is chosen for, with a more powerful magnetic circuit and reworked diaphragm for efficiency and lower distortion. At roughly $1,800, it is the most affordable headphone in this guide and the natural starting point for the Grado high-end sound — open, warm, and spacious, with the large Grado cushions that give the Statement line its airy stage.

Buy it if you want into the premium Grado sound without going all the way to the flagship.

Grado GS3000x — the flagship

The GS3000x sits at the top. It uses finely handcrafted cocobolo earcups, individually matched for finish and sound, with a metal chamber controlling the largest driver Grado has built — a new 52mm X driver tuned for cocobolo and precision metal, for higher efficiency, lower distortion, and preserved harmonic integrity. A super-annealed 12-conductor copper cable and Grado's signature metal gimbals round it out. This is the Statement Series at full expression — the most resolving and complete of the open Grados here.

Buy it if you want Grado's flagship statement and the system to do it justice.

The Signature Series: S750, S950, and HP100 SE

The Signature Series is Grado's modern flagship line of distinct, individually voiced designs — the place where the wood-versus-metal character choice is most deliberate.

Grado HP100 SE — the analytical one

The Signature HP100 SE pays homage to a Grado classic with an entirely new, ground-up design: a new 52mm driver, a fresh headband assembly, and detachable cables — a first that signals the direction of future Grado releases. Its machined-aluminium housing gives it a more analytical, detail-forward read than the wood models. Hand-assembled in Brooklyn like the rest, it is the Signature pick for the listener who prioritises precision and resolution over warmth.

Buy it if you want the most analytical, detailed presentation in the Signature line.

Grado S950 — the warm wood counterpoint

The S950 is the deliberate contrast to the HP100 SE. Built from Brazilian walnut — the first time Grado has used this family of woods — it has its own warmer sound signature, set against the more analytical machined-aluminium HP100 SE. At around 395 grams it stays lightweight and comfortable for long sessions, and each individually crafted wood housing carries a one-of-a-kind grain.

Buy it if you want the Signature line with the warmth and character only wood gives.

Grado S750 — the newest Signature

The S750 is the most recent addition to the Signature collection and its most accessible entry, building on the award-winning HP100 SE and S950. It features a new ground-up driver design and a new cushion, staying true to Grado's hand-built craft. At roughly $2,499 it is the way into the Signature series for listeners who want that step up from the Statement GS1000x without reaching flagship pricing.

Buy it if you want a newer Signature-series Grado at the most accessible point in that line.

Don't forget the cartridges: Grado's original craft

Grado began in phono cartridges in 1953, and it still makes some of the most musical cartridges available. If you run a turntable, the Grado cartridge line is well worth a look — we carry it in depth, from the Master3 (around $1,295) and Reference3 ($1,995), up through the Statement3 ($4,795), Aeon3 ($7,995), and the flagship Epoch3 ($15,995). The same wooden, hand-built philosophy that defines the headphones runs through the cartridges — warm, dynamic, and engaging on vinyl.

What you'll need to drive them

Grado headphones are generally on the easier-to-drive side of the high-end open-back world, and they will play well from most quality dedicated headphone amplifiers and good integrated headphone stages. That said, they still scale — a clean, well-matched amplifier lets the X-driver models show their full resolution and dynamics, and pairing matters more as you move up to the GS3000x. If you are setting up a system around one of these, we are happy to match an amp and source to the headphone and the music you listen to.

Browse our headphone amplifiers →

Hear the Grado range in our King City showroom

The wood-versus-metal character difference, and the step from Statement to Signature, are far easier to hear than to read about. We keep the Grado range available to audition by appointment in our King City listening room, on a system set up to let each model show its character — bring music you know well and take your time.

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Frequently asked questions

Are Grado headphones made in Canada?

No — Grado Labs is an American company, hand-building its headphones and cartridges in Brooklyn, New York, since 1953. Grado is sold in Canada through authorized dealers. Noteworthy Audio is an authorized Grado dealer in Canada, with free Canada-wide shipping, financing available, and a by-appointment listening room in King City, Ontario.

What is the difference between the Grado Statement and Signature series?

Both are Grado's high-end lines. The Statement Series (GS1000x, GS3000x) is the grand, large-cushion, open presentation built around the X driver and premium woods. The Signature Series (S750, S950, HP100 SE) is a set of individually voiced flagship designs where the cup material — warm wood versus analytical aluminium — defines each model's character.

Which Grado headphone should I buy first?

Of the models we carry, the GS1000x is the most accessible entry to the high-end Grado sound. If you specifically want the Signature line, the S750 is its most accessible point. The best way to choose is to compare a couple side by side in the showroom.

Are Grado headphones hard to drive?

Generally no — Grados are relatively easy to drive and sound good from most quality headphone amplifiers. They still benefit from a clean, well-matched amp, especially the flagship GS3000x. We can recommend an amplifier to suit the model and your budget.

Does Grado still make phono cartridges?

Yes — cartridges are where Grado began, and we carry the current line from the Master3 up to the flagship Epoch3. If you run a turntable, a Grado cartridge is one of the most musical ways to upgrade your vinyl playback.

Explore the Grado range

We are an authorized Grado Labs dealer in Canada, with 25+ years in specialty hi-fi, free shipping nationwide, financing available, and a by-appointment listening room in King City, Ontario. If you enjoy open-back headphones, you may also like our Meze Audio collection — see our companion guide on how to choose a Meze headphone for a very different take on the open-back sound.

The Grado headphones we carry: GS1000x · S750 · GS3000x · S950 · HP100 SE