I have been on the lookout for a closed back headphone which I can take for long work commutes and travel, but to also enjoy at home. I love my Edition XS but they don’t cut it for on the go listening (go figure)
So I was looking for a closed back that I can enjoy both outside and at home on my desk. My portable sources are a Mojo 2 and BTR7
I have recently tried a few candidates but they all disappointed me. The Focal Celestee I demo’ed I think was broken. It sounded like it was playing through a pillow before reaching my ears. Weirdly muffled and unpleasant. But the shop owner told me they always sound like that. The Meze Liric were surprisingly pleasant, but I couldn’t wear them long term at all, because they basically just were an on ear headphone for my big head and caused pain within minutes. I am looking at the Aeon 2 Noire. I should be able to demo them in late December when visiting a friend. What do y’all think of them?
But I was also wondering if y’all maybe have other headphones you can potentially recommend.
Not really. All closed headphones seal in air and result in air compression fatigue. To my ears they sound good for 1-2 hours, and then worse and worse. I avoid closed headphones unless absolutely needed (i.e., noise canceling for airplanes, trains, etc.). These days I’m using the Apple AirPods Pro with integral noise cancelling in a tiny Bluetooth IEM. While closed/muffled and rough versus audiophile products, they have a simulated open air mode and are very small. Best option in a non-ideal product class.
i do have some Airpod pro 2 and i really like them. but unfortunately due to bad healing after an ear surgery, my ear canals have been weirdly messed up (Also one of the reasons why On Ear dont work for me). IEMs start to hurt after while (rougly 30 minutes). Same for the Airpods. And they all need to be readjusted constantly because they slip out. Even foam tips cant stay in my ears properly. I am looking for custom ear tips, but even they told me it might not resolve my pain issues. just the fitment issue.
Pressure fatigue has surprisingly been less of an issue for me and only happens after +5 hours of continued uninterrupted wear.
Do you think its still a decent consideration for a commute/travel closed back? Or do you know of any other closed backs I should maybe demo/consider in the future?
I know I have a weird set of requirements/requests and such
While I do not own your Mojo 2 and BTR7, I thoroughly enjoy my Audeze LCD-XC on home gear. Perhaps a closed Audeze headphone might fulfill your requirements for both travel and home use.
I absolutely, positively do not recommend my first generation DCA headphones for travel. They demand a lot of current, so they sound rough as they rapidly run batteries dry. They don’t perform well without a strong desktop amp. I’ve demoed later DCA headphones but not tried them with travel amps, so no comment.
Before switching to the AirPods Pro, I went through a series of over-ear closed travel noise cancelling headphones (Sennheiser, Bose, Sony). They don’t sound great, but may be the best for a commuting use case. Add Apple’s Air Pods Max to that comparison list now. I personally use Bluetooth for travel, exercise, and work/hobby situations where wires tangle or cause problems.
The only closed back I have is the Radiance. I tried it today with my Qudelix 5k to see how it did and it works great. It’s easy to drive, so there was plenty of power and it’s super comfortable IMO. So it would work as a portable option but….
If it were me I would go with something like the Bathys. Though the Radiance does isolate pretty well, I think passive noise canceling only goes so far in loud environments. For me, I’d look at Bathys or for 1/2 the price Momentum 4.
I will note down all your ideas and take a look at them in december when visiting my friend in the netherlands. We found a café/audiophile store that carries most of your suggestions and isn’t far away from a commercial electronic store which carries the things like the momentum, XM4/XM5, etc
I will see what I like the most and then pull the trigger.
Thanks for all the suggestions!
Aeon 2 Noire needs a decent amount of power to sound their best. Not the greatest match with portable amps unless it’s one that has ample juice.
Seriously, for closed-back mobile use, I would recommend a quality Bluetooth can over a wired closed-back with a portable amp. You’re usually going to run into power problems when trying to drive many quality mid-level closed-backs with a portable amp. Plus, I don’t find all the extra attachments and the existing wires of a wired closed-back with a portable amp to be worth it, especially as Bluetooth sound improves.
Maybe you could consider something like the Audeze Maxwell – a closed-back, wireless gaming headphone that’s also really well tuned for music – or the Focal Bathys for a wireless closed-back solution. The Final Audio UX3000 also is excellent for $150, but its earcups are puny. So, you probably should try them or buy from a place with a liberal return policy. The Sennheiser Momentum 4 has a more V-shaped, consumer-oriented sound signature than the Maxwell, Bathys or UX3000, but it’s still a solid, fun choice for a wireless, over-ear can.
Or, I would consider IEMs. You’ll get better bang for your buck with IEMs over most closed-backs at $300 or less, and many are pretty easy to drive from a dongle or straight from a phone.
Quite true, but it’s app lets you EQ to about whatever you prefer. The con of this headphone is it’s a little too eager to show electronic wizardry and is somewhat non-refined in the detail department compared to mid price wired headphones.
hi all
until a few months ago I had the QYNQ HPS 2 until it was stolen.
I had it for years, used it sometimes daily for hours and I was very happy with the very clear sound it gave me (I’m not so much into bass).
Closed backs, until my search started I didn’t know there were open backs, but important for me, I use them in an office environment. Keeps all the background noise out and “saves” everyone else from my music taste.
The caps could fold in completely, replaceable stretchable cable, nice clean look.
Well, it’s not available anymore, and I can’t find what headphone can replace it that gives me the same sound and comfort.
Watching countless reviews just give me a headache and even more confusion,
and by now I’m well aware I was very well in the budget range and nowhere near the high end that is out there.
So the question is simple: what’s out there that offers the same as this and will not break the bank ?
Chances of you finding something that sounds or feels exactly the same is very low.
And I would be surprised if anyone here has heard the Synq HPS-2 - so it’s going to be almost impossible for them to recommend something based on similar sound.
The feature set you’re looking for, particularly with folding and rotating cups and a coiled cable, is pretty much the “DJ Headphone” segment. Given the HPS-2 went for <$70 that’s going to reduce your options considerably. Most of the well-regarded headphones of this nature start at $100.
Gemini DJX-500 - $35
Pioneer DJ HDJ-X5 - $100
ATH-M50x - $150
Pioneer DJ HDJ-X7 - $200
Now, I cannot speak to how any of these sound or feel, excepting the ATH-M50x - which is a classic for a reason - but is very much bass-emphatic and has a “fun” signature.
Also, don’t take these as “recommendations” (beyond the ATH-M50x being something you probably want to try) - I’ve never heard of “Gemini” in regards to headphones, and I’ve not tried any of Pioneer’s DJ stuff.
I wanted to wait and see what others would say before adding any thoughts. I’m not at all familiar with the headphone you want to replace, but its price range indicates something about its parameters.
Given that you want a closed back in a modest price range, and that I have recently been happy with the Sennheiser Momentum 4, I see that Sennheiser (available globally) has introduced a lower cost headphone, the Accentum wireless. This goes for about US $179, possibly near the top of your price range.
However it offers a free app that lets you modify the EQ easily to your preference. You may enjoy the wireless connectivity in your office environment, and it has good battery life. The noise cancelling is variable, and includes a transparency mode so you can talk to co-workers. Closed-back so they will not hear your music.
The cups fully rotate, but don’t fold.
It seems unlikely that you will be able to duplicate your old headphone, unless you find it used on an auction site. Given the price range of your old headphone, it is not likely that you will perceive loss of sound quality on Bluetooth 5 vs wired.
As Torq said, I have absolutely no idea how your old ones sounded but a couple of models that you could maybe try are the AKG K371 or the AKG K361 (the 361 is less warm).
They are available in most places, are fairly cheap and are not bad.
Personally I prefer then to the Audio-Technica M40x and M50x but we are all different.
If you search for K361 or K371 here on the forum, I have reviewed them both and at least a few other people have also (IIRC)
I hope you have small ears and head if you consider the M40x or M50x – I owned both before I had a clue about audiophile sound signatures, and both were EASILY the most uncomfortable headphones I’ve ever worn. Even worse than on-ear Grados.
My right ear was on fire after 30 minutes with both the M40x and M50x because of the very shallow cups. My right ear slammed against the driver grille.
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