[suburbanite]

This list is intended to be a quick, useful list of closed-back circumaural headphones for those who are in the market and want to know what's out there.
 
It's not exhaustive and if you know of any that are not on this list, please post and I'll add them when I can.
 
"Mid-Fi" in this case means appx $150-$800 at MSRP; street prices will vary.
 
In addition to the list below, see the following links:

1. Link 1
2. Link 2

 
 
 

THE LIST​

 
AKG

1. K272MKII
2. K240MKII
3. K550

 
Allen & Heath

1. Xone53

 
Audio Technica

1. M50, M50S, M50LE
2. Audio-Technica
3. ATH-A500, 700, 900
4. ATH-A500X, 700X, 900X
5. ATH-A1000X, 2000X
6. ATH-W1000X
7. ATH-T500
8. ATH-M30, M40, M50, M50LE
9. ATH-PRO500, 700, and the variations
10. ATH-PRO5

 
Beyerdynamic's Professional Range

1. DT-770M, DT-770 ANV
2. DT48
3. DT150
4. DT250

1. DT 770
2. Tesla 70, 70P

 
Bose

1. QC15
2. QC3
3. AE2 and AE2i

 
Brainwavz

1. HM5 (same as Fischer Audio FA-003)

 
Charter Oak

1. SP-1

 
Denon

1. AH-D2000
2. AH-D5000
3. AH-D1000
4. AH-D1100
5. DN-HP700
6. AH-NC800

 
Equation Audio

1. RP-22X

 
Fischer

1. FA-003 (same as Brainwavz HM5)

 
JVC

1. HP-DX700

 
Kenwood

1. KH-K1000

 
Koss

1. MV1
2. TBSE1
3. Striva Pro
4. Pro4AAAT

1. QZ900
2. JR900

 
M-Audio

1. Studiophile Q40

 
Monster

1. Beats Studio
2. Beats Pro

 
Phiaton

1. MS400

 
Philips

1. Uptown

 
Pioneer

1. HDJ-2000
2. HDJ-1000

 
Sennheiser

1. HD 280 Pro
2. HD 380
3. HD 449

 
Shure

1. SRH-840
2. SRH-940

 
Skullcandy

1. SK Pro
2. Mix Master
3. Aviator

 
Sony MDR-

1. MDR7506
2. MDR7510
3. MDR7520
4. MDRV900HD
5. DRZX701IP
6. MDR-V900HD
7. MDR-Z1000
8. MDR-ZX700
9. MDR-D777LP
10. MDR-CD900ST
11. MDR-7509
12. MDR-7520
13. MDR-7506
14. MDR-V6
15. MDR-XB700
16. MDR-XB1000

 
Soul by Ludacris

1. SL300

 
Striva Pro

1. JR900
2. QZ900

 
Ultrasone

1. Proline 750
2. HFI 780
3. HFI 680
4. HFI 580
5. Pro 900

 
V-Moda

1. Crossfade LP

 

[fabio-fi]

Is this list based only on price range? you can also add the Shure SRH840/940, Ultrasone HFI 580/680, Fischer audio FA-003

 

[SONIC BOOM]

the dt990 and dt880 are open and semi open and are more hi fi

 

[Brooko]

Not exactly sure why you're doing this but ......
 
Beyer DT880 and DT990 don't belong there - both are open (DT880 is listed as semi-open, but it's open)
 
Here's a list from Innerfidelity - http://www.innerfidelity.com/category/full-sized-sealed-headphone-reviews
 
Another list from B&H - http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?atclk=Features_Closed+Back&ci=12572&N=4289367041+4289274483+4289274472&mnp=150&mxp=700
 
Basically go to any headphone retailer and filter by circumaural and closed back, then your price range - that'll get you a lot to play with.
 
Personal experience - include appropriate cans from the Shure SRH range.  Fischer audio range as well.
 
Is the $150-700 retail or street?

 

[suburbanite]

Not exactly sure why you're doing this but ......

Here's a list from Innerfidelity - http://www.innerfidelity.com/category/full-sized-sealed-headphone-reviews

Another list from B&H - http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?atclk=Features_Closed+Back&ci=12572&N=4289367041+4289274483+4289274472&mnp=150&mxp=700

Is the $150-700 retail or street?

Thanks for the links.

Because I want to buy some mid-fi closed cans and want to know what's out there, and I'm likely not the only one.

Retail.

 

[KG Jag]

Audio Technica: A700 & A900 (not "X")
                          Audio Technica M50, M50s  & M50LE
 
 
Shure SRH 840 & 940
 
Brainwavz HM5
 
Beyer--add Pro versions
 
Fischer Audio FA-003
 
Sony MDR7506/7510/7520, Sony MDR-V900HD, Sony DRZX701IP

 

[Dyaems]

sony z1000?

 

[obobskivich]

Please help me build and correct this list for those in the market for closed-back circumaurals.

Let's call "Mid-Fi" the broad cateogory $150-700 MSRP circumaurals.


AKG

• K272
• K550

Audio Technica

• A700x
• A900x
• W5000

Beyer Dynamics

• DT 770
• Tesla 70, 70P

Denon

• AH-D2000
• AH-D5000

Fischer

• FA-003

Equation Audio

• RP-22X

Kenwood

• KH-K1000

Sennheiser

• HD 380

Shure

• SRH80
• SRH940

Ultrasone

• Proline 750
• HFI 780
• HFI 680
• HFI 580

In your price range, up to $700 (based on street price I'm assuming), add:

AKG
K271MKII
K240MKII
Audio-Technica
ATH-A500, 700, 900
ATH-A500X, 700X, 900X
ATH-A1000X, 2000X
ATH-W1000X
ATH-T500
ATH-M30, M40, M50, M50LE
ATH-PRO500, 700, and the variations
ATH-PRO5
Beyerdynamic
DT-770M, DT-770 ANV
DT48
DT150
DT250
Denon
AH-D1000
AH-D1100
DN-HP700
AH-NC800
Sennheiser
HD 280 Pro
HD 449
Ultrasone
Pro 900

Also add:

Monster
Beats Studio
Beats Pro
M-Audio
Studiophile Q40
Bose
QC15
QC3
AE2 and AE2i
Sony
MDR-V900HD
MDR-Z1000
MDR-ZX700
MDR-D777LP
MDR-CD900ST
MDR-7509
MDR-7520
MDR-7506
MDR-V6
MDR-XB700
MDR-XB1000
JVC
HP-DX700
CharterOak
SP-1
Koss
MV1
TBSE1
Striva Pro
JR900
QZ900
SkullCandy
SK Pro
Mix Master
Aviator
Soul By Luradcris
SL300
Pioneer
HDJ-2000
HDJ-1000
Allen&Heath
Xone53
Phiaton
MS400

And others that I'm not sure of model #'s:
There's the 50 Cent/SMS headphones, there's more Soul headphones, Phiaton makes more models as well, there may be another SkullCandy, there's probably more Audio-Technicas (pro and the T line) and Sonys (pro) that I'm missing, maybe a Beyer or two as well.

I also want to add, I find it hilarious that the ATH-W5000 has gone from world-class flagship to "mid-fi" in less than five years, and that the AH-D5000 has gone from TOTL and "R10 challenger" to "mid-fi" in the same. If you were actually going based on retail (just to further poke at the absurdity of "mid-fi mania" that seems to be popular right now), the W5000 would not even approach this list. Release MSRP was $1695, current MSRP is $1195, and only one authorized dealer sells them under $999. In short, I think "mid-fi mania" is sad and pathetic, and I'd really love to see people stop trying to put other people into boxes based on economics. Anyways, I'm going off topic, so there's your huge exhaustive list.

 

[suburbanite]

Quote:

...
And others that I'm not sure of model #'s:
There's the 50 Cent/SMS headphones, there's more Soul headphones, Phiaton makes more models as well, there may be another SkullCandy, there's probably more Audio-Technicas (pro and the T line) and Sonys (pro) that I'm missing, maybe a Beyer or two as well.
I also want to add, I find it hilarious that the ATH-W5000 has gone from world-class flagship to "mid-fi" in less than five years, and that the AH-D5000 has gone from TOTL and "R10 challenger" to "mid-fi" in the same. If you were actually going based on retail (just to further poke at the absurdity of "mid-fi mania" that seems to be popular right now), the W5000 would not even approach this list. Release MSRP was $1695, current MSRP is $1195, and only one authorized dealer sells them under $999. In short, I think "mid-fi mania" is sad and pathetic, and I'd really love to see people stop trying to put other people into boxes based on economics. Anyways, I'm going off topic, so there's your huge exhaustive list.

 
Genuine thanks for the list.
 
I was in error in placing the ATH-W5000's here.
 
If I wanted to see such a douchebaggy attitude, I would've posted in the Summit-Fi forum.

 

[manveru]

Philips Uptown.
 
Also Fischer FA-003 and Brainwavz HM5 are the same thing.

 

[obobskivich]

Genuine thanks for the list.

I was in error in placing the ATH-W5000's here.

If I wanted to see such a douchebaggy attitude, I would've posted in the Summit-Fi forum.

There is absolutely no need to be rude or resort to such profanity, or to cast aspersions onto a large portion of the community. My complaint is not solely levied at you either; in the last few months there seems to be this tendency among "people" to want to dump more or less anything that doesn't cost multiple thousands of dollars into "mid-fi" and in so doing create a ranking system of everything based solely on price. It's erroneous in that it ignores many very excellent cans (and other pieces of gear) that do not cost thousands of dollars, in that it elevates expensive bologna, and in that it usually will boil down into a very tense argument that ends in a death-spiral of classism.

This recent fit that everyone is in about $1500 being the new normative average, and $600 being the new entry-level or midrange is just madness (madness I say!). I am not accusing you, directly, of any of this; it's simply a complaint with the way of things in general. We don't need to put people, or their possessions (which unfortunately and very often might as well be the people themselves!), in boxes. It just breeds pretension and draws lines between "us" and "them." Instead, it would be far more fair to see every single product evaluated on its own merits, regardless of price, and then discussed. There are plenty of very expensive cans that sound like fud, and plenty of very cheap cans that are truly world-class. There also does not, to my knowledge, exist any clear-cut or absolute way to determine where they all fit except from personal experience (which is subjectively qualified). See here for a nice write-up:
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/beyond-neutral-measurements-blind-testing-subjective-experience-and-personal-pleasure-headph

Also, finally, regarding the list directly:

Beyerdynamic seems to be the most obfuscated item - see if their website will help clear things up: http://north-america.beyerdynamic.com/shop/hah/headphones-and-headsets.html. I also see that you tried to add categories; and I'm afraid that this will create more confrontation and disagreement with your list than anything else. I see at least a half dozen red-flags within the two categories already. Regardless, what you're attempting to accomplish is commendable simply by virtue of the time you're (apparently) willing to put into it. It shows devotion, not just to the hobby, but to helping other people enjoy the hobby. That's always wonderful to see. And I do hope that you answer whatever you've sought to answer in completing this exercise. Hopefully this is some food for thought, and you can make use of the (rather incomplete and uncategorized) data that I provided as well.

 

[Brooko]

@obobskivich
 
Nice response.  Agree with a lot of what you said - and thanks for the link to Tyll's article.  Excellent read.
 
I know it doesn't really relate to current thread - but whilst a lot of my gear was considered to be near the top of the line in the reasonably recent past, I sadly see that for a lot now it's considered mid-fi (at times I even list it as a mid-fi set-up).  The thing is - I decided earlier this year that I'm perfectly happy with where I am for now - it may not be summit/top-end, but it sounds beautiful to me - and over the last few months hi-fi for me has been more about the music than wantingto try more gear.
 
I continue to remain curious about a number of headphones - but my desire to rack up more purchases has completely gone.

 

[obobskivich]

Should mention, Striva Pro is a (very very very new) Koss headphone, so are the QZ900 and JR900:
http://www.koss.com/en/products/headphones/full_size_headphones

Really like the new formatting too - everything stands out and is easy to find!

I continue to remain curious about a number of headphones - but my desire to rack up more purchases has completely gone.

And imho (so feel free to disagree), that's what defines "hi-fi" or "summit-fi" - when you reach end-game. That end-game can be a moving target though.

 

[KG Jag]

Quote:

@obobskivich
 
Nice response.  Agree with a lot of what you said - and thanks for the link to Tyll's article.  Excellent read.
 
I know it doesn't really relate to current thread - but whilst a lot of my gear was considered to be near the top of the line in the reasonably recent past, I sadly see that for a lot now it's considered mid-fi (at times I even list it as a mid-fi set-up).  The thing is - I decided earlier this year that I'm perfectly happy with where I am for now - it may not be summit/top-end, but it sounds beautiful to me - and over the last few months hi-fi for me has been more about the music than wantingto try more gear.
 
I continue to remain curious about a number of headphones - but my desire to rack up more purchases has completely gone.

 
The best and even the very good in Mid-Fi (I see it as $200 to $500 +/- U.S. street price) is damn good.  That is where most of my best cans fall.  If someone wants to spend much more and get what improvements/differences it will bring beyond Mid-Fi, then good on them.  I'm comfortable in my own skin.  Impressing other people by having "the best" is not even a minor priority for me.

 

[karma00]

Hmm...some people take this and themselves a little too seriously. Like it or not, price comes into play when purchasing things. Like it or not..material items will always be placed into categories. Any one item at any one time may fit multiple categories. It would seem your attaching way more than price an quality to your objects. Lighten up. Didn't your mama teach ya to be polite an keep rudeness to yourself. Not like the OP saught out to diminish these precious headphones and offend you...

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