Best closed over ears headphones for jazz, blues & vocal music

[svarreby]

I have been searching google a lot and I can't find consistent reviews about the best headphones. That is why I need your help.

I listen to almost everything except hip-hop & opera.

I would like to buy the best headphone on the market. If I have to point out the strengths, it must handle jazz, blues and vocal.

As long as it cost under $5000 I'm fine.

 

[cossix]

Is that budget including an amp and DAC or do you already have those? If you're looking for headphones that expensive, it would be a massive waste running them straight out of your computer or phone. I've heard good things about Fostex closed back offerings. You should check out Zeos' Reddit page, as he outlines a good selection of headphones and has reviews on most of them. Perhaps TH900 or Ether Flow C?

 

[domsch1988]

The Problem in that price range (or any price range really), there is no BEST.
In any price range you can find varying Headphones that cater to varying tastes. That's why there aren't consistent reviews on whats the best really. Because tastes vary quiet a bit. I never shopped for Headphones for such an amount of money, so no specific recommendations. Just make sure you actually listen to the headphones before buying anything for 5k...

 

[serman005]

Open or closed headphones?

 

[HBen]

As others have pointed out already, there is no "best" headphone and that's why there are no "consistent reviews" . All headphones have their relative strenghs and weaknesses. It's same as asking "what's the best car below 500k?".

On top of that: as soon as you get into the range of over around 1k+ for a headphone, it's not really about "better" any more, its more depending on:

A) music styles listened
B) personal preference
C) amp and DAC synergy
D) Power supply, cables, mods, EQ, and so on ...

The best advice I can give you after my headphone journey so far is the following: don't just look for a good headphone, but try to find a good chain of DAC, headphone amp and headphone that suits your personal preference.
Go to a headphone meet, go to good headphone shops (even if they are far away) and try stuff out and make your own decision, instead of asking in a headphone forum "which headphone is the best for under 5000$".
You have to go out and find the answer yourself
Best of luck!

 

[buke9]

Well for that amount of money you could get a couple and enough for a decent dac/amp also.
Well the candidates are not too many.
Mr Speakers Ether C and C Flow
Fostex Th 900
Audeze LCD-XC
Sony Z1R
AKG K872
AKG N90Q
There is a older Sony that is supposed to be very good haven't heard it but it usually sells for like $14k anyway.
All of those are great at what they do and could not sound more different from each other( other than the N90Q haven't heard it yet).
Finding them all in one place will be a little tricky I would think. If I was spending that kind of money I would visit a place that had most of them $500 or $600 dollar plane ride could save you a lot of heartache.

 

[svarreby]

I will buy the BENCHMARK DAC3 HGC because it it solid state and it is both a DAC and headphone amp.
After looking at these headphones, I might be able to buy everything (cans/dac/amp) for maximum $4000. That is a lot cheaper than I thought. Thanjks for all your input guys!

 

[Youth]

It's interesting that a few people has suggested headphones such as TH900 with the genres OP listed I bet recessed mids are gonna be dope for vocals Just to mention one thing.

 

[BobG55]

I have been searching google a lot and I can't find consistent reviews about the best headphones. That is why I need your help.

I listen to almost everything except hip-hop & opera.

I would like to buy the best headphone on the market. If I have to point out the strengths, it must handle jazz, blues and vocal.

As long as it cost under $5000 I'm fine.

https://www.innerfidelity.com/content/cool-comfy-and-competent-shure-srh1540

 

[mmlogic]

Just get a TH900+Bakoon HDA-5210mk3 combo and use the rest of money on DAC, can't go wrong with that.

 

[kaufman2018]

I will buy the BENCHMARK DAC3 HGC because it it solid state and it is both a DAC and headphone amp.
After looking at these headphones, I might be able to buy everything (cans/dac/amp) for maximum $4000. That is a lot cheaper than I thought. Thanjks for all your input guys!

Hello, did you end up buying the BENCHMARK DAC3 HGC? If yes, what are/were your impressions of it? I am using the DAC3 HGC as a DAC/Headphone amplifier and as a Headphone amplifier for my other sources. I enjoy it because it is the only headphone amplifier I have been able to demo that will drive my Westone W80 IEMs at 5 Ohms and 111dB SPL @ 1mW without noise or background hiss.

To the forum members, let me know if you have come across an amplifier that can drive low impedance and high efficiency IEMs, like the W80 Westones.

 

[Archerious]

If you have a $5k budget the ZMF Vérité Closed at $2499.99 would be my pick. Then spend the rest on a second pair like Fostex or maybe just a good amp and DAC.

 

[Deolum]

For your genres i'd go for the Denon AHD-9200. I remember them to be very good with your genres. They also don't need any good chain to sound good. They sound more natural and normal than the TH-900.

 

[Strayngs]

Look into something from Kennerton or ZMF would be my recommendation.