Images Courtesy of Grovemade
I’ve spent enough time working in home studios to know that desktop organization becomes increasingly important as equipment accumulates. Between audio interfaces, MIDI controllers, headphones, notebooks, monitors, and everything else that needs to stay within reach, a production desk can get crowded fast. Headphones are particularly easy to leave lying around, especially when you’re constantly switching between monitors and headphones while writing and mixing music.
Grovemade has an interesting answer with its Wood Headphone Stand, a $220 desk accessory made from solid hardwood, vegetable-tanned leather, and stainless steel.
The Portland-based company has developed a distinctive design that avoids the conventional upright post-and-hook arrangement used by most headphone stands, replacing it with a curved leather support that holds the headphones while remaining visually interesting when they’re not in use.
At $220, this is clearly an expensive way to store headphones, and much cheaper products do the same basic job.
What makes Grovemade worth examining is the attention to materials, stability, and how the stand fits into a larger workspace. For producers who’ve already invested in quality headphones and a permanent studio setup, those details might justify spending extra on something they’ll interact with every day.
Grovemade Takes a Different Approach to Headphone Storage
The most interesting part of the design is how Grovemade has approached the actual point of contact between the stand and the headphones. Instead of hanging the headband from a narrow hook, the stand uses a curved section of molded vegetable-tanned leather that supports the headphones from underneath.
Grooves machined into the upper wooden surface provide extra grip, helping keep the headband in place when the headphones are placed on the stand.
I recently examined some of those physical considerations in my Audeze MM-520 review, where headband construction, weight distribution, and replaceable ear cushions were important parts of evaluating a $1,699 studio headphone. The Grovemade stand addresses a different requirement, providing a designated place for headphones when they’re not being worn.
It won’t change how they reproduce music, but it could be a reasonable addition to a production desk where expensive headphones are used and stored regularly.
Is a $220 Headphone Stand Worth It for Producers?
The main consideration is price. A $220 headphone stand doesn’t add recording inputs, improve monitoring accuracy, or directly change the music you’re producing. If your budget is limited, I’d prioritize the headphones themselves, appropriate monitoring, or other equipment that addresses an actual production requirement. A basic stand can still keep headphones off the desk without requiring this level of investment.
That said, studio furniture serves a different purpose from audio equipment. Producers spend long periods working at the same desk, and having a consistent place for frequently used items can reduce clutter and make the space easier to maintain. It’s something I considered in my Kali Audio HP-1 review, where headphone comfort and day-to-day operation were important factors because the equipment needed to accommodate extended sessions. Grovemade’s stand addresses the storage side of that routine through a product designed to remain on display.
The Wood Headphone Stand is available for $220 in walnut and maple, with additional finishes listed through Grovemade’s product catalog. At the time of writing, the manufacturer lists an estimated shipping window of six to eight weeks, so customers should confirm current lead times before ordering.
The stand is designed to fit most headphones, although checking the dimensions of a particular model is advisable.
For me, this is the kind of product that becomes interesting once the essential parts of a studio are already handled. It provides a dedicated place for headphones, uses substantial materials, and fits into a broader approach to organizing a working environment. Whether those qualities justify $220 depends on how much value you place on the physical setup surrounding your recording equipment.
Explore the Grovemade Wood Headphone Stand.
Will Vance is a professional music producer who has been involved in the industry for the better part of a decade and has been the managing editor at Magnetic Magazine since mid-2022. In that time period, he has published thousands of articles on music production, industry think pieces and educational articles about the music industry. Over the last decade as a professional music producer, Will Vance has also ran multiple successful and highly respected record labels in the industry, including Where The Heart Is Records as well as having launched a new label with a focus on community through Magnetic Magazine. When not running these labels or producing his own music, Vance is likely writing for other top industry sites like Waves or the Hyperbits Masterclass or working on his upcoming book on mindfulness in music production. On the rare chance he's not thinking about music production, he's probably running a game of Dungeons and Dragons with his friends which he has been the dungeon master for for many years.
