The friction-pole mechanism for headband adjustment is no less agricultural, for all its familiarity where Grado headphone designs are concerned. And while the detachable cable is a fair bit more flexible than some older Grado models, that’s not the same as saying it’s meaningfully flexible. If there’s a more willfully unhelpful length of cable in all of headphone-land, I’ve yet to encounter it.
On the subject of the cable: Grado provides 180-ish centimeters of it with a 6.3-mm termination at the end. When you’re charging this sort of money for headphones, it’s not outlandish to imagine your customer might have a device that accepts a balanced connection. Frankly, why there isn’t a choice of cables in the packaging is, frankly, beyond me. It’s something that the overwhelming majority of Grado’s rivals provide as a matter of course, and though the company’s website suggests there are forthcoming cable options “including a variety of lengths, as well as balanced terminations such as 4-pin XLR and 4.4mm,” these have been “forthcoming” for quite some time now, and will have a cost attached.
Photograph: Simon Lucas
I’m in no position to doubt the effectiveness of the “B” ear cushions where sound quality is concerned. After all, the Signature S750 sound superb, and Grado suggests the cushion design is a contributing factor. What I do feel qualified to say, though, is that the raw-feeling foam of the ear cushions is not especially comfortable, and that it retains and returns the wearer’s body heat with something approaching glee. “Premium” and “luxurious” are not words that apply.
Ultimately, it depends on what your priorities are. There’s certainly no arguing with the way the Signature S750 sound. They’re uncomplicatedly impressive and periodically quite thrilling to listen to, depending on the mix. But unless you’re one of those hair-shirt hi-fi fundamentalists from back in the day, one of those listeners who somehow doesn’t believe outstanding sound quality is valid unless there’s some suffering attached, there may well be too many shortcomings to overlook when it comes to these Grados. “Hand-assembled in Brooklyn, USA” notwithstanding.
