[Phreon]

The title says most of it. I'm looking for a set of closed back cans because I want to be able to crank them w/o everyone around me hearing them as well as reducing external noise as much as possible. I prefer a neutral to mid-forward signature - my benchmark is my Etymotic ER-4Ps, but sometimes I just want to put cans on my head instead of fiddling with ITCs. My current favorite set of traditional cans are my Alessandro Grado MS-1s, but they block no sound and are heard by everyone around me.

I'm no bass-head and find my Etys to be quite satisfying. I prefer accurate punch to boom.

As for "cranking" them, I have conductive hearing loss which means my nerves are fine, but I need more "juice" to hear the music. No, I won't damage my hearing this way... To that end, power handling w/o breaking up or sounding harsh is important. Generally, I use a Fiio A3, but if harder to drive cans merited consideration, I'd think about a modest desktop amp. Perhaps a tube amp kit. Kits are fun...

Basically, I'm looking for the ER-4P's qualities in a traditional headphone form factor.

Sub $200 would be a preferred price range. I'm guessing that given my requirements, studio 'phones might be the logical place to look.

Thanks

 

[Mhog55]

AKG K553. If you look at Z's review and sound demo on YouTube, you'll see he refers to them as midrange cans. Listen to the demo when you get a chance.

 

[Cruelhand Luke]

Massdrop is coming out with version of the Meze 99Classics for $199...they might suit you

 

[Phreon]

What about the DT-1350?

 

[HBen]

I'm looking for a set of closed back cans because I want to be able to crank them w/o everyone around me hearing them as well as reducing external noise as much as possible.
Thanks

I was looking for the same ... and after a lot of trying and testing closed cans, I came to the conclusion that pretty much every closed over ear headphone sucks at blocking out sound and also still leaks enough sound to annoy people around you, even more so compared to in-ears.
If you ever tried a closed over ear at a busy headphone meet or in a busy shop or took off your closed headphone at home while listening, pressed the cups against each other and checked how much sound still leaks you know what I mean.

I came to the point, where I realized that there are basically only 2 types of headphones one needs:

1) good open over ear headphones for at home where sound leakage doesn't matter, and

2) some decent in-ears, for all other situations - on the go or in all situations where you want to block out sound or don't want to annoy others.

Also closed can's just always sound (a lot) worse than their open counterparts ...

Since you mentioned you need to listen at high levels, closed over ears will definitely leak enough sound to annoy people around you, which kind of makes the point of having a closed headphone at least partly obsolete.
As you can probably guess by now my advise is to stick with in-ears.

 

[Phreon]

I can blast my old Pro 4AAs and they don't bug anyone. The problem is they require serious power to sound good. Even my Fiio isn't up to the task. I can't take my old JVC stereo to work, plus, they're fun and nostalgic, but not that great sounding.

Yeah, I like my ER-4s, but they're no good if I just can't wear them.

 

[Philimon]

Bose Quiet Comfort 35 ii
https://www.rtings.com/headphones/reviews/bose/quietcomfort-35-ii

Ive never tried them but maybe for better noise isolation you need active cancelling.

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Logitech G433
https://www.rtings.com/headphones/reviews/logitech/g433

I was considering these. The fr graph looks pretty lean. Definietly not bassy, flat mids, and just a bit of possibly annoying trebles. The graph looks a lot like philips shp9500

Bowers and Wilkins PX
https://www.rtings.com/headphones/reviews/bowers-wilkins/px
Mid-centric and noise cancelling.

 

[Philimon]

I just ordered the MJ2 from massdrop at $99. Mid-centric freq graph. Cyber monday sale.