[mbwilson111]

Are there any other closed back portable headphones on the same par as these that anyone here recommends?

Meze 99 Classic get really close in terms of SQ. When I had an occasion to compare them directely, H6 were better, but I had to listen really carefully to nuances.

They also have nice build quality but the golden trim may not be everyones cup of tea.

I was going to suggest the Meze 99 Neo. Black with silver trim. I love mine... more than my H6. It is comfortable and light enough to wear as an over ear portable but some people might not be brave enough to wear it outside. I probably wouldn't but I have smaller on ears that work for me for that... or IEMS.

I also have a Koss Pro4s that would do the job. In fact, I might actually try mine for that. I love it... again... maybe more than the H6... but I do love my H6 as well...lol. Too many choices.

I do actually prefer the sound of the Neo over the Classic. My husband has the Classic so I have compared. I would not want to take the Classic outside anyway because of the wood. The Neo is the same build quality and style but instead of the wood the cup is a high quality matt black plastic,

 

[mbwilson111]

Another thought... I was not going to mention this because it is more expensive and some will not like the design... I do. It is my favorite closed headphone...along with the also more expensive Shure SRH1540. I am talking about the Sennheiser HD630vb. It actually comes with a cable that is meant to be used with portable devices. It is easy to drive and sounds amazing. Something about the tonality. The bass dial initially put off the die hard Sennheiser fans but the worries have proved to be unwarranted. You could set the dial to make them base light. I have mine about two thirds af the way up and that probably puts it around the level of the H6. The bass does not bleed into the mids. I could listen to it for hours and hours ...and I have. It is very comfortable. The pads are among the most comfortable that I have experienced.

 

[kukkurovaca]

There's a lively recent closed-back headphone thread here for the relevant price range.

I haven't compared other many other closed-back headphones, but my sense from what I've read is that it's probably not hard to find better-sounding headphones than the H6, but it may be hard to find better-sounding headphones that are equally suitable for portable use. The H6's are comfortable, light, have very low-profile earcups, and stay put on my head when I'm walking and if I have to, say, bend down to pick something up.

My Modhouse Argon-modded TX0 isolates as well as or better than the H6 and sounds better, but noooot very portable. : )

 

[Michial]

Im just finding the H6 ear cups are not that comfortable for me. Ive tried everything. If the solution is buying $100 ear cups its just not worth it to me even though they sound great. Unless its a cold day outside or Im inside not exerting any energy I find I sweat in them too. Between that and the comfort I find myself using my AirPods more. They sound worse but are a hell of a lot more comfortable and convenient. The comfort just kills it for me with these excellent sounding and excellent looking cans.

 

[daanodinot]

Im just finding the H6 ear cups are not that comfortable for me. Ive tried everything. If the solution is buying $100 ear cups its just not worth it to me even though they sound great. Unless its a cold day outside or Im inside not exerting any energy I find I sweat in them too. Between that and the comfort I find myself using my AirPods more. They sound worse but are a hell of a lot more comfortable and convenient. The comfort just kills it for me with these excellent sounding and excellent looking cans.

That's a shame. I like the AirPods a lot for spoken word, but I find it impossible to listen to music with them. But the AirPods and H6 together, cover pretty much all the bases.

 

[Michial]

My main use case is podcasts and talk radio 90% of my listening. Music is 10%. So for me I don't find the music from the AirPods impossible by any means. They are good enough for me. I just wanted the best sounding portable but the H6 are too uncomfortable, I can't exert energy without sweating on the cups, and honestly the portable aspect with a wire is just too annoying for me. I like wireless more when it comes to portability. If these were more comfortable or actual "over ear" I would work out a compromise. They just don't work great for me. If I sat still and only wore them for a little bit at a time it wouldn't be an issue.

 

[mbwilson111]

My main use case is podcasts and talk radio 90% of my listening. Music is 10%. So for me I don't find the music from the AirPods impossible by any means. They are good enough for me. I just wanted the best sounding portable but the H6 are too uncomfortable, I can't exert energy without sweating on the cups, and honestly the portable aspect with a wire is just too annoying for me. I like wireless more when it comes to portability. If these were more comfortable or actual "over ear" I would work out a compromise. They just don't work great for me. If I sat still and only wore them for a little bit at a time it wouldn't be an issue.

Are you still within the return window to send them back? Have you considered getting a good bud for music? There are some excellent sounding buds these days for far less money than you might think.

 

[kukkurovaca]

Yeah, if you want portability but not sweaty ears, earbuds or IEMs are a great option. Lots of good and inexpensive options.

 

[Michial]

Are you still within the return window to send them back? Have you considered getting a good bud for music? There are some excellent sounding buds these days for far less money than you might think.

Yes, I just returned them. I think I’m going to stick with the AirPods. I felt out of place with my flirtation with the audiophile world. I definitely see the benefits, but it’s just not worth it for my simple use case. Thanks though.

 

[Michial]

Yeah, if you want portability but not sweaty ears, earbuds or IEMs are a great option. Lots of good and inexpensive options.

what are good options under $100?

 

[kukkurovaca]

Earbuds: Venture Electronics Monk, Yuin PK series, Shozy Cygnus
IEMs: KZ makes a bunch of super affordable ones; the KZ ZSR (under $30) is the one that I'm currently most interested in. At about $90, the Fiio FH1 seems like it would be a great choice for someone coming from the H6

Note: of those I just mentioned, I've only personally tried the VE Monk, which can be found on Amazon for around $10 w/prime shipping.

 

[Michial]

Thanks. I’ll do some research on those

 

[OkayKun]

Just looked for the H6s on beoplay’s official website (German version) and they’re gone completely ... vanished from the product selection... has anyone heard anything?

 

[Ramblinman]

The way I see it, the H6 v1 suffers from a very bad flaw: the headphones are designed for portability, yet have a sound signature that is really only suitable for home use. Being closed back, folding flat, having that amazing design, the daisy chaining capability, the short cable, those are all characteristics of a headphone that is meant to be taken outdoors. However, the neutral sound signature just simply does not maintain its amazing quality when used outside; the bass is lost, leaving behind a thin, weak sound.
Perhaps there is a way to preserve the audio quality outside, but so far, I would only consider the H6 v1 suitable as a home headphone.

Amplification usually helps this tremendously. Use a good portable amp and they should be good.

 

[kukkurovaca]

The H6 should not require amplification to sound good. (Or at least, my iPhone 5s has no problem driving it.)

If you want more bass, maybe EQ in some bass? I've recently been doing this (using a DAP, just b/c that's where my music is, not for power requirement reasons), not because I feel there's a problem with the stock signature, but just out of curiosity. The H6 puts up well with positively garish amounts of bass eq, and has no problem with a tasteful quantity.