Hand-painted Grado S550 auctioned to support autism awareness

A special edition of the Grado S550 was customized by an autistic individual exclusively to support the non-profit organization (NPO) Eden II Programs. The U.S.-based headphone manufacturer donated one unit of its latest release for the NPO to auction. Below are all the details about this project supported by Richard Grado.

The Grado S550 special edition is one of a kind

To create the special edition of the Grado S550 and support Eden II Programs, one of the organization’s participants contributed their creativity. To bring purpose to the cause, Juliana, an autistic individual, painted puzzle pieces that were later applied to the sides of the S550’s ear cups.

Below is an image of Juliana painting the pieces that were later attached to the Grado S550 headphone.

Below is an image of the handcrafted work created with the Grado S550 headphone.

A partnership spanning decades

For nearly three decades, Grado Labs has supported Eden II Programs. This is not coincidental, as the company’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), Richard Grado, has been personally involved with the organization throughout this entire period.

Richard served on the Eden II Programs Board of Directors for 14 years and as Board Chair for four years. Continuing this partnership, in 2026 Grado decided to create a special edition of its S550 headphone.

How the auction works

The auction for the unique Grado S550 special edition began on Tuesday (April 14) and will run until April 30 at 5:00 PM (New York time). To place a bid, simply access the link that leads to the dedicated page created specifically to auction the headphone on the Eden II Programs website.

On the choice of puzzle pieces

Puzzle pieces have historically been used as a symbol to represent the autism community. In 1960, the Autism Society of America (ASA) adopted the puzzle piece as its logo. However, according to Drexel University, a movement has emerged since the early 2000s to move away from this symbol.

According to Drexel University, the primary reasons why the puzzle piece symbol is considered problematic are:

• Oversimplification: the idea that something is missing or incomplete, suggesting that autistic individuals are “incomplete.”
• Medicalization: the perception that there is a way to “fix” autism rather than accepting and accommodating it.
• Lack of autistic representation: the puzzle piece symbol was originally created by non-autistic individuals.

Alternatives to puzzle pieces

There are several other symbols, beyond the puzzle piece, that are used to represent the autism community.

A widely accepted example is the infinity symbol, created by autistic individuals to represent all forms of neurodiversity, not only autism. The use of this symbol conveys the idea of infinite possibilities and acceptance.

The rainbow is another symbol frequently used to represent diversity and inclusion within the autism community. Another well-known alternative is the butterfly, which symbolizes transformation and growth.

About the Grado S550

Released on March 3, 2026, the Grado S550 is priced at $995 on Grado Labs’ official online store.

The S550 uses a dynamic driver. According to Grado, this open-back over-ear headphone can be described as follows:

“It is a headphone that responds effortlessly to both subtle textures and more demanding passages, feeling equally at home with intimate acoustic recordings and larger-scale performances.”

It is important to note that the S550 features a detachable cable system. As a result, the listening experience can be significantly improved compared to Grado models with fixed cables.

About Eden II Programs

Founded in 1976 in New York City, USA, Eden II Programs supports individuals with autism by providing education, residential services, and community programs.