If you are looking to shut off from the outside world and listen to the clear, crisp sound on your headphones, it is hard to beat the ambience created from closed back headphones. However, finding the best closed back headphones while juggling price and quality can cause a headache.
That is why we have created a list of our top 10 closed back headphones reviews. You will be able to quickly find a set that suits your needs while ensuring maximum value for money.
What are the best closed-back headphones?
1. Bose QuietComfort 35 II
As you can guess from the name of this product, the Bose QuietComfort 35 II is designed for quiet (made possible by its advanced noise cancellation) and comfort (provide by the soft earcups).
Unlike the competition, you can’t even tell that these headphones are actively canceling out sounds since there’s no static or white noise.
Along with the soft earcups, the headband is designed to minimize clamping while still providing you with a secure fit.
In addition, these headphones feature consistent sound quality, putting them amongst some of the best wireless headphones in their price range, and even competing with some wired models.
Speaking of which, the wireless design of these headphones means that they’re far more convenient than the competition. You won’t have to worry about being tethered to your device.
The Bose Connect app ensures that compatibility is straightforward, and these headphones even work with Alexa.
Furthermore, with a battery life of up to twenty hours, you won’t have to recharge these headphones more than once a day.
The inclusion of three levels of noise cancellation also allows you to optimize your listening experience based on your surroundings and how aware you need to be of them.
Bose has made some of the best wireless headphones on the market with these.
2. Campfire Audio Cascade
If you’re looking for quality above all else and you don’t mind a higher price tag, then you may want to try out the Campfire Audio Cascade headphones.
These headphones were designed to replicate the performance of an open-back model in closed-back design, and they’ve done an excellent job of it.
The sound quality is clear and crisp, with an unmatched depth that you’ll struggle to find in more affordable headphones.
Unlike most headphones, these are excellent at reproducing bass notes, and they rarely blast out of control, like you may be accustomed to with cheaper closed-back headphones.
The sheepskin earpads are made to be as comfortable as possible without sacrificing durability, and they also help isolate noise better. Even when the volume is high, people around you won’t be bothered by your music when you use these headphones.
In addition, the cups themselves are made out of aluminum, which provides them with the necessary structural rigidity while keeping the weight low.
Since these headphones weigh just under 1.5 pounds, you can wear them all day without them getting annoying. If you’re an audiophile with a big enough budget, these are a great choice.
3. Sony WH-1000XM2
Another convenient set of wireless headphones is this model from Sony. These are the best headphones to wear out in public because of their superior noise cancellation.
Sony’s QN1 Noise Cancelling Processor is responsible for this and won’t find it on any of the competition.
In addition, these headphones feature 32-bit audio signal processing. This makes them far more effective at reproducing sounds faithfully.
Whether you’re listening to your favorite song or watching a movie, you’ll be able to hear all of the details.
The earcups and the headband are ergonomically designed and are comfortable to wear all day without getting tired.
Lightweight with a low clamping force of the headband ensures that you won’t get any headaches.
We were also highly impressed by the batteries on these headphones. The batteries can last for up to 30 hour. Furthermore, you only need to charge them for ten minutes to get an astounding five hours of use out of these headphones.
The Sony WH-1000XM2 is the best choice for customers who usually find themselves on the move or in public.
4. Master & Dynamic MH40
If you want a combination of style and performance in your new headphones, then the MH40s from Master & Dynamic are a great choice.
Designed with brown leather complementing aluminum and stainless steel, the MH40s have a retro look. This gives them a unique flair when compared to other models in their price range.
Along with their looks, you’ll find that these headphones are also comfortable, as they feature lambskin earpads. In addition, the earpads are replaceable if they happen to become damaged through extended use. However, we did find that they were surprisingly resilient.
Thanks to the inclusion of high-performance drivers the MH40 earphones feature excellent sound quality. High notes have a crisp sound to them while bass notes are resounding, and the clarity is uniform across the frequency range.
These headphones effectively combine form and function into a single package.
While the default cable is a 3.5mm jack, they are also compatible with Apple products. Futhermore, you also receive some extras, including a canvas carry case and a leather cable box, both of which feature the same styling as the headphones themselves.
If looks matter to you, then you won’t find anything that can match the MH40s.
5. Audio Technica ATH-M50x – Best Budget
Audio Technica is one of the biggest names in the audio industry, and their ATH-M50x is the most recent variant of their famed M50 line.
The main difference between the M50x and the M50 is that the newer model features a detachable cable. This will make them much more reliable in the long term.
They may not be the most comfortable set of headphones. However, they provide some of the best value for money in the industry.
Designed to be used for studio monitoring the sound quality is exceptional. As a result, you’ll get a lot more out of them if you couple them with a portable amp.
As we mentioned, the M50x is not designed for comfort, so the ear pads are going to take some time to break in. So, they can get annoying after a few hours of use.
Despite this, you’d have to pay at least twice as much to get your hands on some headphones that have comparable performance along with superior comfort.
If your priority is sound quality, you’ll love the ATH-M50x from Audio Technica. This is our outright winner when it comes to value for money.
6. Sony MDR7506
Users looking to save money without sacrificing build quality, few options can hope to match the MDR7506 headphones from Sony.
These wired headphones feature a relatively basic design, and they don’t come equipped with many additional features. However, they feature exceptional sound quality.
The use of 40mm drivers and neodymium magnets ensure that the MDR7506s can’t be matched by other models in the same price range.
Furthermore, the folding design also means that these headphones are relatively portable. In addition, they’re less bulky than other headphones that use similar drivers, like the M-50x.
When you compare this model to more expensive headphones, you’ll start to see a few disadvantages. The frame is very thin, and it’s much more prone to damage than other headphones. So you’ll have to be careful when transporting or storing them.
The wire on this product also can’t be replaced, so if it breaks, you’ll either need to solder in a new one or get entirely new headphones.
Despite these concerns about reliability, these are still excellent headphones, and they’re well-built.
If you don’t mind sacrificing durability for a lower price point. Then the Sony MDR7506 headphones will provide you with excellent performance at a bargain.
7. Beyerdynamic T51i – Best Portable
Beyerdynamic is another producer of high-end audio equipment, and the T51i headphones are one of their more portable designs.
If you’re usually on the go and you need compact headphones that you can store with ease. Then you’ll likely be impressed by the performance and sound quality of the T51i.
These headphones use Tesla technology to provide superior noise isolation when compared to other models at the same price point.
Despite their small size, these headphones can reproduce sounds with high fidelity. They have particularly impressive performance when it comes to high and low frequencies.
The skeletonized headband and frame ensure that these headphones are as lightweight as possible. They even swivel 90 degrees to make for simpler storage.
In addition, these headphones come with a high-quality carry case that is designed to protect them from damage while in transit.
To make them easier to use, the T51i headphones feature a 3-button controller that is compatible with Apple devices.
Unlike other compact headphones designed for travel, this model has excellent build quality and durability. Therefore, you can rest assured that you’ll get your money’s worth out of them.
These are some of the best portable closed back headphones available, and they feature a surprisingly reasonable price tag.
8. Sennheiser HD 598 Cs
The HD 598 Cs from Sennheiser is more of a bargain than some of the other products on this list.
While these headphones may not exactly be cheap, they’re also not very expensive. However, they feature relatively high performance for their price point. Surprisingly enough, there isn’t much of a catch to these headphones; they’re just well-priced.
A leatherette headband and fabric earpads provide acceptable comfort. Although you may not want to wear these headphones all day without adjusting them a few times.
Also included are two cables, one of which is about 3.5 feet long for portable use and a 9 foot long cable for at-home use.
The noise isolation is impressive, but it isn’t as complete as what you’ll get with other, active noise canceling headphones.
Since these headphones are equipped with high-quality transducers, you won’t have to deal with too much distortion, and sounds should be clear across all frequencies.
In addition, they are compatible with a wide range of devices, and come equipped with a one-button control remote.
They even feature E.A.R. Technology, which is designed to guide the sound waves directly into your ear canal with greater precision.
If you need cheap and effective headphones, these may be the ones for you.
9. Shure SRH1540
At the top of Shure’s Professional Headphone Line, you’ll find the SRH1540.
These headphones feature the 40mm neodymium drivers that you can expect to see on all of the best model. This helps to ensure excellent sound quality.
Furthermore, they feature soundstage that sounds closer to open-back than closed-back headpohones. So, they can faithfully reproduce a wide range of frequencies.
The highs come through loud and clear while the bass has a quality much like thunder, resounding and rumbling across the soundstage like an elemental force.
Made out of a combination of aluminum and carbon fiber, these are some of the lightest headphones in their class. That ensures that you’ll remain comfortable no matter how long you use them.
In addition, the six-foot long cable is ideal for home use, but we’d argue that it’s a little too long to be used conveniently on the go.
The earpads are made out of Alcantara, which is more durable than many of the other fabrics used in competing products
They also come with a wide variety of extras, including a set of replacement ear cushions, a storage case, and an extra dual-exit cable.
10. AUDEZE LCD-2
Finally, we’re going to take a look at the LCD-2 headphones from AUDEZE. They are a lot pricier than many of the other options on this list.
While they may be more affordable than the Campfire Audio Cascade, these headphones are in the same price class.
Thanks to the 100mm planar driver, you’ll get incredible sound quality out of these headphones.
In addition, they feature one of the vastest sound stages you’ll get from a closed-back model. The sound is truly directional, and they’re particularly impressive when reproducing sounds that come from behind you.
Bass on these headphones are at the perfect level, as they’re not too loud that they start distorting, but they still feel like a force to be reckoned with.
Moving into the midrange, you’ll find almost no overlap between the mids and the lows. You also won’t have to worry about coloration in the mid frequencies.
As for the highs, they are as balanced and coherent as they can be. This gives them excellent performance across the whole range of frequencies.
As to be expected with the high price tag, the build quality is excellent. However, the price tag will put many users off of buying these closed back headphones.
Related posts
