I’ll toss my experience with closed-backs into the mix as well, though like most here, I prefer open-backs when the situation permits.
Denon AH-D5000
Perhaps the best Christmas present my wife has ever bought. These are the 1st-gen, probably bought about 15 years ago at this point. Virtually no clamp force, certainly the most supple earpads I think you could find at the time (this was before the heyday of guys like Brainwavz and Dekoni…what you got was all there really was). Unapologetically V-shaped, the D5000 are an excellent can for listeners of bass-heavy music. A far cry from what I’d consider a detail-oriented can, I think they kinda set the standard for what you’d think a wood-cup pair of cans would sound like.
Sony MDR-V700DJ
Sony is cool, man. They even say DJ on the side so you know they’ve got the kickin’ bass. These were bought back in 2005, well before I was gifted the Denons. It’s consumer tuning, but without being exceptionally boomy. For its intended purpose as a DJ can, I kinda like how it presents bass; makes it easy to beatmatch and cue up the next track when you’re mixing since the bass pops more than it booms. Earpads are nothing to write home about, comfort’s not that great, and the plastic build doesn’t lend itself well to constantly swiveling the earcups. I’ve been lucky that mine have stayed intact for as much as they’ve been abused. At this point, they only really get brought out when I’m doing needledrops since it’s easier to hear when I need to set my trackpoints in Vinyl Studio during post-processing.
Sennheiser HD280 Pro
On a budget, they do fairly well. They seem to hug the boundary between analytical and fun and, should you enjoy having a compressed soundstage or need that in the studio, will find yourself quite pleased. That being said, there’s better alternatives out there for simply enjoying your music. Despite the tight clamp and cheap-feeling earpads, I don’t find that to be the source of discomfort; sound-wise they just cause fatigue early. While that’s something that lends itself well to cutting through a mix, their tuning still isn’t neutral and the learning curve for learning how they translate to other systems is steep (though not impossible to overcome). But I still have them around. They tend to share time with the V700DJ for needledrops since I’m not having to strain to pick up on any fade ins/fade outs. Speaking from an enthusiast’s standpoint, though, they do make a solid transition piece for people who’ve been born and bred on consumer tuning.
Meze 99 Classics
And on the topic of consumer tuning, seems like you can’t not bring up the 99 Classics these days. The praise is well deserved…so is the ire. I can see both sides of the argument. Tuning is definitely on the “fun” side with its bass punch and overall warmth, but Antonio has also managed to tune these in a way that doesn’t cause the top-end sparkle to completely disappear. In a word, I’d say they’re romantic, but still energetic enough to keep up with modern music. Pad-rolling can cause significant changes in FR and, the more you look into these, the more you’ll see people covet the original pads (which were shallow and narrow, but didn’t cause issues with bloom in the mids). Haven’t had a pair of them to test myself, but people have also claimed success using Yaxi’s pads designed for the Sony 7506 on the Classics for taming some of that low end. Personally, I love them the way they are and think they’re capable of being diverse enough to be someone’s sole pair if they don’t have an expansive budget and absolutely must have closed-backs. Breaking into the open-back territory, well, I think we can all figure out what happens there.
Bose QC35
Another gift from the wife, these are my go-to pair for taking on planes. Sound signature is what I’d classify as “Bose Plus,” meaning the typical Bose pedigree of sucking out information from the upper mids is still easily identifiable, but overall tuning is a nice departure from what Bose had been doing for many years prior. I found them ridiculously comfortable for long-term use, though they do suffer from a little sweatiness in hotter/more humid climates. Having a printed L and R inside the earcup is also a major plus as the QC35’s “none more black” motif otherwise makes it pretty tough to identify proper sides at a glance. Not surprisingly, the best use I’ve found for them is when flying, though depending on how close your seat is to the turbines, causes some nasty interference during takeoff and landing. These days, I take full advantage of the standard-setting ANC, but (and I can’t help but laugh as I type this) have taken it upon myself to put on a pair of IEMs under the QC35 for enjoyable listening in the air. Chuckle you might, try it you should. You might be surprised at how effective it works.
MrSpeakers Ether Flow Closed
Sadly, I’ve never owned these, but I did get an extended audition at the Schiitr (Schiit showroom in Valencia, CA) over multiple pieces of equipment. Much like @Torq’s impressions of the AFC, the EFC redefined for me what a closed-back pair of cans was capable of. Instantly smitten with them, I think they ended up on my head more than any other pair in the showroom and equally as many amps and DACs. The theme seemed to be neutral with a small tilt towards fun, blatantly analytical yet not boring. Long story short, I walked away from that audition believing they were worth every penny of Dan’s asking price. That was until…
MrSpeakers Aeon Flow Closed
…the AFC arrived. Touted by many as a closed-back, planar HD600, these continue the EFC’s analytical trend. Maybe not as fun overall, but the new earcup shape makes it effortless to find a good seal and the earpads (oh Mylanta, those earpads) are to die for. If the 6XX is an open-backed pair that can stay on your head all day once the clamp has loosened up, the AFC more than fit the bill in Camp Closed. Bass is unabashedly planar, but the closed-back nature helps a bit with the energy. Most first-time listeners will call them boring and I could see why, but they positively grow on you. They’re also the first pair of headphones that gave me a legitimate aha moment where I could be convinced that burn-in is a real thing. Much like my beloved 6XX and Audeze LCD2C, I don’t think I can ever bring myself to part with them. They’re current-hungry suckers, though, so reliable amplification is a must IMO.