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Grell

Grell OAE2

Name: Grell OAE2
Brand: Grell

Weird headphones are good.

MSRP

$599

Manufacturer's suggested retail price at launch. Check retailers for current availability.

Sound

4.8/ 5

SoundMDAQS Overall

MDAQS Overall — measured in the SoundGuys lab.

See the lab data ↓Frequency response · Isolation · Audio quality

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Key specs

Acoustic Design

Open-back

Closed-back56%Open-back36%Semi-open8%

Open-back appears on 36% of the 64 studio & professional headphones we've cataloged (of 68).

Impedance

38 ΩBelow average

38 Ω

18 Ω120 Ω

below average for studio & professional headphones — based on 55 of 68 we've cataloged.

Connection Type

Wired-3.5mmMost common

Wired-3.5mm92%Wired-6.35mm8%

Wired-3.5mm is the most common — on 92% of the 66 studio & professional headphones we've cataloged (of 68).

Weight

378 gAbove average

378 g

120 g544 g

above average for studio & professional headphones — based on 56 of 68 we've cataloged.

Sound

Acoustic Design: Open-back
Impedance: 38 Ω
Driver Count: 1
Driver Size: 40 mm
Driver Type: Dynamic driver
Frequency Response: 12-34000 Hz
Frequency Response High Hz: 34000 Hz
Frequency Response Low Hz: 12 Hz
Frequency Response Signature: Neutral
Sensitivity: 100 dB/mW

Connectivity

Connection Type: Wired-3.5mm
Cable Type: 2.5mm TRRS to 4.4mm, 2.5mm TRRS to 3.5mm

Design

Weight: 378 g
Color Options: Black
Ear Pad Type: Velour
Detachable Cable: Yes
Foldable: No
Headband Type: Adjustable over-head

Build

Material Chassis Primary: Aluminum
Material Ear Cups: Velour

Identity

Model Number: OAE2

Microphone

Microphone: No

Release

Date: 2026-03-31
Msrp Usd: 599 USD
Year: 2026

Lab data

How we test ›

Objective measurements from the SoundGuys test lab — overlay other models to see how this one compares.

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Grell OAE2 Frequency Response (measured on a B&K 5128)

Click a line or a legend entry to highlight it. Click again to clear.Tap a legend entry to highlight its line. Tap again to clear.

Measured frequency response (dB relative) against the SoundGuys Headphone Preference Curve. When the measurement goes above the dashed line, that frequency is louder than our preference curve, and when it goes below: it's quieter. Use the curve for comparison purposes only, as your taste may vary.

Grell OAE2: frequency response, as measured in the SoundGuys lab. Frequency in hertz.
Frequency (Hz)	Response (dB)
20	-1.5
25	-0.0
32	1.0
40	1.5
50	1.6
63	0.4
80	0.6
100	0.1
125	-0.5
160	-1.2
200	-1.5
250	-1.8
315	-1.9
400	-2.0
500	-1.9
630	-1.4
800	-1.0
1000	-0.5
1250	-0.4
1600	1.0
2000	3.5
2500	6.2
3150	7.9
4000	7.8
5000	10.0
6300	5.3
8000	-4.7
10000	-6.0
12500	1.5
16000	-0.2
20000	-8.9

Grell OAE2 Attenuation (measured on a B&K 5128)

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Solid lines: passive isolation (dB) with ANC off — how much ambient noise the fit blocks on its own. Higher on the chart means more attenuation.

Grell OAE2: passive isolation, as measured in the SoundGuys lab. Frequency in hertz.
Frequency (Hz)	Attenuation (dB)
21	-0.8
26	-1.7
33	-0.1
41	-0.0
52	-0.2
65	0.1
82	-0.1
103	-0.1
130	-0.1
163	-0.1
205	-0.1
259	-0.1
325	0.2
410	0.0
516	0.2
613	0.3
772	0.7
972	1.3
1220	3.8
1540	7.3
1940	8.3
2440	13.7
3070	7.4
3870	6.7
4870	8.2
6130	12.1
7720	9.4
9720	4.0
12200	5.0
15400	6.2
19400	3.1

SoundGuys review

SOUNDGUYS rating

6.6/ 10

Worth a look

Reviewed byChristian ThomasEditor-at-largeReviewed April 2026

Isolation2.0

Comfort & fit7.0

Connectivity7.5

Design9.0

Portability5.0

Features8.0

The verdict

Grell Audio delivered a fascinating set of headphones with more-aggressively angled drivers, meant to better replicate the experience of listening to loudspeakers in a treated room. Though the price is high, the OAE2 is a very interesting take on headphone design.

✓Liked: Radical design, Durability, Uncommon bass emphasis

✕Could be better: Mass, Long-term comfort, Availability

Read the full SoundGuys review →

Owners

How we verify owners

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Owner reviews are not paid for, not solicited from specific owners, and not rewritten by us: at most we proofread typos, which is shown on the review’s own page and which the author can undo. The commission SoundGuys may earn on this page comes from retail links, never from owner reviews.

Own the Grell OAE2?

Three answers, four quick reads, one sentence nobody tells you before buying. Shown under a pseudonym. Sign-in needed to publish.