These New Wooden Headphones Are a Treat for Your Ears
You can snag your own pair in Chestnut Hill.
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Photograph courtesy of Jonathan Grado
When Dr. Dre released Beats in 2006, headphones became an instant status symbol. And the handmade versions put out by Brooklyn-based Grado Labs are at the top of the headphone hierarchy, thanks to the mash-up of silky-sounding audio and understated styling. Grado’s been at it for more than 60 years — Billy Joel and John Mayer are devout fans — but its just-released Black Label II series is set to be the most lauded yet; the music (or maybe podcast) experience they create can only be described as otherworldly. $1,549 at Chestnut Hill Audio, Chestnut Hill.
Wood Working
Every set of Grado Labs headphones has a wood element. The rich black oak used here is cured in a proprietary process to enhance the natural acoustics.
Backless
The open-backed speakers perform an engineering trick that lets music sound as if it’s coming from all directions — not just your headphones.
All-In-One
Each component is bonded together by hand to create a continuous structure, so there’s zero background distortion from vibrating parts.
Published as “Rock Steady” in the July 2018 issue of Philadelphia magazine.