I know you said closed- back over ear, but have you considered IEMs (in-ear monitors)? I find they isolate better than closed-backs and are for more portable; they’re also typically easier to drive (a phone and apple dongle are sufficient).
Otherwise, check out the Final Audio UX3000. I’ve seen Resolve and others say it sounds awesome even with the ANC on.
I concur with @junki about active noise cancelling (ANC) products, and also about Bose and Sony. You may consider Apple’s AirPods Max too. Many regular closed back headphones let in some sound, and some “closed” products have small hidden vents to improve audio quality.
If you plan to use Bluetooth/wireless, many “quality” headphones will perform below their potential.
You can achieve “best available” performance from ANC products without a dedicated DAC and amp, but they won’t be as good as similarly priced traditional headphones.
Following @Nuance, IEMs can block a lot of sound. The Etymotic ER series in particular are great at blocking environmental sounds.
Agree with this recommendation. I would take the convenience of true wireless and the solitude created by active noise cancellation over a wired audiophile closed-back can if my primary use was during public transport or travel.
Also second the recommendation of Bose over Sony. Bose are more comfortable and closer to a reference sound signature than the very V-shaped Sony house sound, although neither can be considered “audiophile” tuning.
Two other TWS recommendations for less than $200 USD:
– Sennheiser PXC 550-II. Very light. Very comfortable. Neutral-ish tuning with a slight V-shape.
– Final Audio UX3000. These look like Bose QC35 II clones. I haven’t heard them, but I’ve read and seen a handful of reviews recommending their neutral sound signature and solid ANC without a lot of extra bells and whistles.
Good luck.
I’m looking for a set of noise-canceling headphones that will give me reasonably good audio quality (for listening to music) in a room that has a noisy air conditioner. I have the Sony XM2 model, which has good noise cancellation for this purpose, but the audio quality is seriously lacking. And I have AirBuds Pro, which have better sound that my current Sony headphones, but the noise cancellation isn’t great. So…any suggestions?
I have an iPhone, so hi-res Bluetooth isn’t something that matters here.
Easy. Bose QC45. Harman-ish sound signature, very little bass bloat in the midrange relative to Sony’s, over a decade of flight tested ANC performance.
Thanks. I’d seen that website, but despite all of their measurements, some of the headphone reviews haven’t really matched my own experiences with them. However, they now have an “early access” (i.e., behind a paywall) review of the XM5, so I’ll be interested to read it.
Grell TWS/1 on Drop (on sale $149 when I last checked, normally $200). The ANC is much better for me than on Airpods Pro (with the foam tips which block a lot of noise themselves) and they sound far better. I’ve yet to find something with better ANC than the XM2 and have held onto them mostly just for ANC.
Looking for recommendations for budget all-rounder headphones, with enough resolution to reveal changes upstream if/when the upgrade bug bites. Let’s say under $300.
Prefer neutral-to-warm tuning, but maybe disregard that if they could take EQ well enough for pleasure listening vs evaluative listening.
Was thinking Senn 6XX but would like to hear opinions from the more experienced.
Was thinking Schiit Magni as starter amp, but you could also take this as “$400 budget for amp and headphones” with the above desires.
Thanks,
Lou
I’m a fan of the 650. That’s what I would recommend. It’ll scale with the gear as it improves.
Some prefer the HD58X, since it gets most of what we like from the HD650, but much easier to drive. Sound good off most anything and responds well to EQ if you are into that.
I’d personally go JDS Atom stack with the Sennheiser HD6XX. The Hifiman Sundara is also a fantastic option, but it doesn’t lean warm like the 6XX, nor does it scale as well as the Senns.
The HD 650/6XX is a benchmark that everyone knows, and thereby the point of comparison when looking at other items. In addition, the Sennheiser 600 and 650 are known for scaling and revealing amp/DAC/source changes for good or bad. They’ve been sparking exploration for the last 25 years or so, where people raving about their scaling has become a meme.
I myself started on serious headphones with the HD 600, as it’s less warm and generally neutral. I still prefer it over the 6XX, but that’s just me. I’ve since upgraded to the Focal Clear and HD 800 S, both with a neutral timbre.
The HD 600/650 needs only a moderate amp to perform well. To my ears the iFi ZenDAC is about perfect as a HD 600 starter amp, but the bass boost is way too strong for the HD 6XX. Drop has sold a 6XX version of the ZenDAC in the past, but I’d not bother or pay for anything other than the base ZenDAC. I’d get a Loki Mini too…which I did…its 4 knobs will let you equalize as you see fit.
EDIT: You’ll need an external amp beyond the ZenDAC if you add a Loki (DAC → Loki → Amp). The ZenDAC includes a basic DAC/amp combo, and the DAC can be used by itself with a separate amp.
To perform “best,” I’d pair the 600 or 650/6XX with an OTL tube amp. I like the 6XX on the Bifrost 2 and Bottlehead Crack.
Thanks for the replies.
Speaking of the 650, google just showed me a $99 price on them at designerbright.com. Anyone know if that place is legit? Since that’s half the price of the 6XX on drop.com, it’s interesting.
Lou
I’d run away, and run fast. That site has the $2K HD 820 at $99 too! Something smells, or there’s a catch!
Got it. Thanks again. Should’ve looked around a bit and seen that myself.
Does the 58X scale well, like the 6XX?
No to my ears, nor by reputation. The Sennheiser families suggest their performance by the lead numbers:
500 family good
600 family better
700 family was supposed to be great, didn’t do so well
800 family top of their current product line
I have a 58X and find it to be very “binary” – you either hear it or you don’t. It’s the opposite of scaling and sounds about as good as it gets on even a basic phone, tablet, or PC. But, sometimes that’s what you want and sometimes you don’t have a special setup.
Only purchase from known reputable resellers. If it sounds too good to be true, it is. Drop has the 6XX for $199 right now; you won’t find a better deal than that.
I’ve never heard the HD650 on anything better than a Schiit Vali 2 or iFi iDSD Black Label, so I’ve never experienced this scaling. Ditto the HD58X.
One thing is certain, the HD58X works fine with minimal sources like dongles, whereas the 650 does not.
Despite its reputation of not scaling as well, I really enjoy what the Bottlehead Crack does for the 58x (compared to SS.)