I have good ears, but am not up on the lingo here, nor am I a phones snob.  I can only really compare these to what I have used for years, etymotic h5s, and my home speakers, Boston VS 260s (excellent speakers, I know what good sounds like.) These are fine headphones for the price. Nothing stands out harshly or feels too muddy to me.  Another reviewer described these to be like listening through a balaclava. I can actually hear what he means a bit, there is a slightly muffled quality about them, maybe I would say, more in the midrange, but it is...