The Grell OAE2 ranks #245 out of 459 total Over-Ear Headphones for sound quality. See all Headphones rankings for every top pick.
Prices on this page were last checked October 15, 2026 at 5:41 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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#245 Grell OAE2: $599.00 Grell Audio $599.00 eBay
Pros: An open-back from Axel Grell with front angled 40mm drivers for a speaker-like presentation, weighing 378 g. It measures reasonably close to the Harman target (score 70 across three measurements).
Cons: Sub-bass falls about 3.6 dB short at 30 Hz. A 2.71 dB spread from the target shows peaks and dips that better tuned sets avoid. Its score rests on three measurements.
Is the Grell OAE2 right for you?
Buy it if
- your taste runs warm: it scores 84 for that sound.
Skip it if
- you need isolation or will use it in public: open-back headphones leak sound both ways.
- you want the best value: the higher-rated Sennheiser HD 550 costs about $399 less.
| Released | 2026 (this year) |
|---|---|
| Back | Open |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.71 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 40mm dynamic (angled) |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 70 (median of 3 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 38 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 100 dB @1kHz |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-3.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.63 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ Presets
Neutral target
Set a preamp of -0.8 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by Speaker Ranking from the median of 3 squig.link measurements, in the filter layout AutoEQ uses. Predicted Neutral match with this EQ: 70 out of 100, up from 51.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | -3.7 dB | 0.70 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -6.0 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 23 Hz | +3.5 dB | 2.35 |
| Peak | 75 Hz | -2.1 dB | 0.73 |
| Peak | 213 Hz | -1.6 dB | 1.37 |
| Peak | 2,867 Hz | -2.1 dB | 4.93 |
| Peak | 4,291 Hz | -3.9 dB | 3.47 |
| Peak | 7,237 Hz | +2.0 dB | 2.27 |
Studio flat target
Set a preamp of -3.3 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by Speaker Ranking from the median of 3 squig.link measurements, in the filter layout AutoEQ uses. Predicted Studio flat match with this EQ: 66 out of 100, up from 21.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | -5.6 dB | 0.70 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -0.8 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 23 Hz | +3.2 dB | 2.94 |
| Peak | 51 Hz | -1.1 dB | 2.31 |
| Peak | 181 Hz | -3.8 dB | 0.54 |
| Peak | 973 Hz | -1.2 dB | 4.86 |
| Peak | 2,015 Hz | +3.4 dB | 2.14 |
| Peak | 4,557 Hz | -4.1 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 7,174 Hz | +2.0 dB | 3.31 |
Bright target
Set a preamp of -3.3 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by Speaker Ranking from the median of 3 squig.link measurements, in the filter layout AutoEQ uses. Predicted Bright match with this EQ: 57 out of 100, up from 30.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | -3.7 dB | 0.70 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -3.9 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 23 Hz | +3.5 dB | 2.33 |
| Peak | 75 Hz | -2.1 dB | 0.71 |
| Peak | 216 Hz | -1.6 dB | 1.32 |
| Peak | 2,827 Hz | -1.6 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 4,347 Hz | -2.0 dB | 4.96 |
| Peak | 5,767 Hz | +1.4 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 6,612 Hz | +3.4 dB | 2.76 |
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Frequency Response
How the Grell OAE2 measures across the audible range, against the Harman over-ear target that most listeners prefer in blind tests. Where the line sits above the target that range sounds louder (more bass, brighter treble), below it quieter. The curve is the median of 3 independent measurements, so one odd sample or rig cannot skew it, and both lines are shifted so their 500 Hz to 2 kHz average sits at 0 dB.
Measurement data: median of 3 measurements from the squig.link databases of aden, elrics and superreview. Thanks to each of them for publishing their work.