Grado Signature S750 Review: Insane Sound, Old-School Fit
The friction mechanism for headband adjustment is no less agricultural, for all its familiarity when it comes to Grado headphone designs. And while the detachable cable is a bit more flexible than some older Grado models, that’s not the same as saying it’s significantly flexible. If there’s such a thing as intentionally unnecessary cable length in the whole headphone world, I haven’t encountered it yet.
About the cable: Grado provides approximately 180 centimeters of it with a 6.3mm termination on the end. When you charge that kind of money for headphones, it’s not strange to imagine that your customer might have a device that accepts a balanced connection. Quite frankly, why there isn’t a choice of cables in the package is frankly beyond me. This is something that the overwhelming majority of Grado’s competitors naturally offer, and although the company’s website suggests that there will be cable options soon “including a variety of lengths, as well as balanced terminations such as 4-pin XLR and 4.4mm”, these have been “coming soon” for some time now and will come at a cost.
Photography: Simon Lucas
I am in no position to doubt the effectiveness of the “B” pads when it comes to sound quality. After all, the Signature S750 sounds superb, and Grado suggests the pad design is a contributing factor. What I do feel qualified to say, however, is that the raw-feel foam of the ear cushions is not particularly comfortable and that it retains and returns the user’s body heat with something approaching bliss. “Premium” and “luxurious” are not words that apply.
Ultimately, it depends on your priorities. There’s certainly no doubt about the sound of the Signature S750. They are simply impressive and sometimes quite exciting to listen to, depending on the mix. But unless you’re one of those hi-fi fundamentalists of the day, one of those listeners who somehow don’t believe that great sound quality is worthwhile unless it’s accompanied by some suffering, there may be too many flaws to overlook when it comes to these Grados. Notwithstanding “Assembled by hand in Brooklyn, USA”.
