I’m getting back in the headphone game. I’m looking for good rock/metal cans that can also do other genre: thrash, hard rock, grunge, alternative, sludge,doom, weird avant garde black metal and drone, death metal, hardocre, crust, classic metal. Not big on commercial, slick modern metal, tech death or New Metal.
I started out years ago with Grado 225 and eventually moved up to Audeze LCD-3. LCD-3 with it’s low end is brilliant especially for doom, sludge and atmospheric metal and great for rock and blues. It’s darker, veiled nature makes it forgiving of poorly recorded tracks. I think it’s a little too laid back for some genres, through. Metal has become so niche and hyphenated, one sound signature doesn’t cover all the weird, dark alleys of heavy music I listen to.
I’ve demoed the LCD-X and Focal Clear (OG). I’ve always heard the LCD-X is a better all arounder than my LCD-3. I’m thinking it’s neutrality would make it better for technical, complex metal. If I can get my hands on a Focal Clear OG, that would be next on my wish list. Does anyone have feedback on the Focal Elex? How about the Mezze 109?
My wishlist:
LCD-X
Focal Clear
Focal Elex (if I can’t find a Clear OG)
Meze 109?
How is the DCA Noir X? What else should I be looking at?
I have LCD-X and Focal Elear with Clear pads (people say it sounds like Elex).
From my point of view Elear emphasizes treble too much and underemphasizes bass compared to Clear, I’d choose Clear or LCD-X with EQ. And Clear over LCD-X for better tonality.
Elear and Elex also known for their faulty drivers and I returned two Elears because of that.
I also have Focal Utopia 2021 and prefer it over all of these. It’s kinda similar to Clear in tonal balance but with better control/articulation and better comfort (less clamping force).
Sennheiser HD650 works good with metal especially with bass shelf, not so articulated as Utopia, but still good and better timbre.
I also liked Heddphone Two with metal, it has very good articulation, but I didn’t like tonality and comfort. If you have an opportunity give it a try.
I concur. I love the OG Clear and hate the Elex with a passion. To my ears the Elear/Elex seems as if relatively heavy drivers exaggerate specific frequency bands – akin to making everything trumpet-like. The OG Clear doesn’t do this at all. The Utopia is fantastic if you can handle its treble (I’ve demoed the OG and later models many times; I can’t handle the treble).
Agreed - the OG Clear and LCD-X are both great options. While the latter will likely be suitable for the OP’s needs, the Clear has a better tonality and much better bass slam; it’s also more comfortable IMO.
It’s got excellent dynamics, very punchy bass, and fast transient response like the Focal Clear OG (which I also have). It has a lot of the attractive qualities of the Clear, with a more natural timbre in the mids and treble. It’s really fantastic in terms of price/performance, and sounds great with metal.
By the way, I tried Meze 109 for very short period of time and even compared it to DT1990Pro, and for me DT1990Pro was more normal sounding despite the peak in the upper frequencies.
109 was fine, but something strange was in treble region. I’d say try it before buying if possible, as with any other headphones, though.
I use Elex with perforated leather pads and an amp that has a tube (Lyr), good with metal. Ananda nano are nice out of balanced.
DCA is hit or miss for many, needs a powerful amp. Stick with Focal, Hifiman and the like first. Try DCA for cheap—would be my vote—at first.
There’s also DT1990 and the like (haven’t tried the new one) but the Nano is pretty great for the price. Never bought an Audeze, they need better up front early in the lineup tryouts like 2C but for less.
And the Hifiman Arya stealth is cheap now, good lightweight dark cans, I traded up.
Don’t personally consider 650 for metal, out of balanced though they could probably do anything to start while you consider options.
Of all these I like Focal the best right now, the bass impact is really nice, they never should’ve turned away from that style. My Organics need a serious workout, too into Focal right now. Maybe I got lucky? When I tried Elear in a store years ago I hated them, now they’re my favorite.
EQ can be a hassle, I tried lcd-x in a store and am primary metal and while impressive scale the tonality was so off.
In my genuine opinion, absolutely cannot miss with clear og. Depending on amp 650 for everything else. Meze is bright, give it a miss unless heavy on tubes. Alba are insane with brightness.
I did consider the closed version, I just mostly prefer open back but you are correct it has gotten excellent reviews and is well loved by people who have one.
Ordering from ZMF is painless (except for your wallet), as long as you’re not getting a one of a kind example. You just have to wait.
The current Bokeh open and closed is in Canary, which is very nice looking. There are also the “stock” wood versions, which are $100 less in each case.
Good luck, if you get one I don’t think you’ll be disappointed!
The closed-back version is the more emotional of the two; with its punchier bass and pronounced resonance reproduction of the room, it’s always capable of tempting you to tap your feet.
The open-back version is the purer-sounding of the two, which I personally prefer for quieter acoustic music.
One thing is certain, though, that you can use both very well across genres without being even remotely disappointed.
Honestly, I think that for the rather “modest” recording quality that metal or even modern, mass-produced pop music often has, DSP-enabled Bluetooth headphones would actually be a better choice.
These are usually able to provide a kind of “sonic icing” over the acoustic deficiencies.
While these headphones don’t sound particularly good, they don’t sound particularly bad either, and I even recommend them for some albums.
And Bluetooth headphones on the market tend to be rather closed.
And….. before I ruin my eardrums with Metal & HiFiman…….. I would go with this solution.
But he was asking for „audiophile“ Headphones, that’s why I kept the Bluetooth solution out.
What I use for rock, metal, and noise pop: OG Focal Clear. Its cleanness and easy-on-the-ears high end doesn’t add to the inherent technical issues of distorted sources. The Clear is nicely punchy but not boomy or flabby.
What I avoid: Audible distortion, treble issues, and fuzz at the amp or driver level. This includes avoiding the internal reflections of closed drivers.
Bluetooth: That’s the “play it softly on a desktop radio” strategy, and yes, it can minimize eardrum damage but never sounds great. In the past I’ve rested on-ear open headphones (such as the Koss Porta Pro) in front of my ears to simulate a distant radio.
The Focal Clear OG gets my vote, too. Dynamics are exceptionally well handled. Treble and upper mids not intolerable—something relatively few headphones can say, at least in what I consider to be “affordable” (bought my Clear OGs on sale, which they still are, tmk) range.
for sure not 
