[zombchan]

I have the itch again, so I'm going back to some of the headphones that have been on my list and considering trying something new.

The major thing is they do have to be closed back. My husband does not want to hear whatever I'm listening to and being neuro divergent I have a tendency to listen to the same song for 60+ times in a row until I stop "feeling" it.

I don't have a budget per say. My eyes start to water around $2k but I'm not going to quibble over $500 (I also am a fan of checking out secondhand offerings or open box for some savings. If I want it bad enough, I'll pay for it).

I've also found I may like "quirky" cans - confession time, I bought AudioQuest Nighthawks several years ago and LOVED them (especially after swapping to a balanced cable - huge difference.). I have some Meze 99s and while they are a definite upgrade over the Nighthawks (which are starting to disintegrate), they are not my main set of cans. They were SUPPOSED to be - I was TRYING to be good and minimize my audio spending. And then I found an open box pair of Audeze LCD-2 closed backs. And I had always wanted to try some Audeze. I wear them for 9+ hours a day comfortably and found I can't go back to my Mezes. To me, I like how "forward" vocals feel on the Meze but I overall like how cohesive the Audeze feels/sounds.

Listening wise I am all over the place but I am a BIG bass head. If my music could punch me, that'd be great. I like to feel the bass and I listen to fair amount of metal/rock/etc but I am just as prone to have acoustic covers and Broadway soundtracks on.

I haven't tried high end earbuds/IEMs yet because I tend to not not be able to wear anything in-ear for long periods of time - don't find them comfortable.

I have an iFi iCan Signature Pro in terms of amp to drive whatever I need. Planning on adding a Schiit Bifrost 2 as a DAC soon (currently running an FiiO K5 as a stand in because I elected to go bigger on my amp/cans first).

Cans currently on my list that I'm considering and would welcome input on or alternative suggestions:
Meze Liric
Senheiser HD820s
ZMF Verite
Sony MDR-Z1R

 

[Monsterzero]

Skip the ZMF Verite closed and look into the ZMF Atrium closed in a soft wood. Thank me later

 

[dunring]

I currently have the Hifiman Audivina on the loaner tour. The resolve really well but isolation is about the same as the Beyerdynamic DT770. They go from really good to exceptional with EQ. When I used them for a few days and switched to the he5xx I thought something was wrong since everything else sounded blurry. The same when I had the Arya and after that, other stuff sounded like a downgrade
For IEMs I have the Sennheiser IE600 and they're the most compact and comfortable I've ever used. The sound amazing, but the size and shape won me over too. With either you have to bring your A game with sound quality to hear just how great they are.

 

[HiFi Oasis]

This might not be a popular opinion, but the Focal Elegia's are a fantastic closed back for the price. They're not bass-heavy by any means but they can sound super punchy with the right AMP.

 

[zombchan]

Skip the ZMF Verite closed and look into the ZMF Atrium closed in a soft wood. Thank me later

Well you just earned yourself a christmas card

 

[silent-circuit]

The Z1R, of those. Others probably shouldn't be on your list, if you prefer bass punch. Don't agree with the above Elegia recommendation for the same reason - they are good for the price at $3-400, very well built and don't do anything badly... But they don't do anything great, either. The Denon AD-D7200 would be a cheaper option, though it may feel "muddy" after the LCD-2 Closed.

If you decide to try IEMs again, look at Empire Ears. I love the Bravado MK2, and as I understand the Odin is it but better, if you have the budget... Which you appear to.

 

[zombchan]

The Z1R, of those. Others probably shouldn't be on your list, if you prefer bass punch. Don't agree with the above Elegia recommendation for the same reason - they are good for the price at $3-400, very well built and don't do anything badly... But they don't do anything great, either. The Denon AD-D7200 would be a cheaper option, though it may feel "muddy" after the LCD-2 Closed.

If you decide to try IEMs again, look at Empire Ears. I love the Bravado MK2, and as I understand the Odin is it but better, if you have the budget... Which you appear to.

I'll consider giving IEMs a look or a go again - I was looking at the Hiby Zetas briefly and the Odins seem intriguing.

 

[Grunt66]

Like you I needed to find some close back headphones. My wife of 37 years encouraged me to find some headphones since she does not share my passion for music so I it was sound proofing my man cave for my 2-channel listening setup or transition to headphones. So, as they say happy wife, happy life. I am in my late 50’s and prior to March of 2022 all my music listening at the house was done using my AVR and speakers. While I have Bose noise cancelling earbuds and headphones for when I travel via commercial air and doing yard work, I made the transition in March of 2022 to more of an audiophile upgrade path.

My first set of headphones were the Sennheiser HD650 (open back) and they were a no go since my wife could hear the music I was listening to. The search was on for some close back headphones. While researching via the web and this forum I kept reading about the ZMF Verite Closed. Then I reached out to Crutchfield and they have a 60-day return policy. I purchased the Denon AH-D9200’s ($1,600) and connected them to my Creative SoundBlaster AE-5 Plus that is connected to my PC. I had an Emotiva Stealth DC-1 DAC and incorporated Emotiva DAC into the mix.

I started reading about Schiit and since I live in SOCAL I planned a trip to their storefront in early Sept of 2022. Before arriving at Schiit I went to The Source AV Design Group in Torrance California. They have a large show room with various amps and headphones (see attached pictures). I listened to the following tube amps: Amps and Sound Mogwai (I believe that is what its name was Demo and discounted to $1,300), Mcintosh MHA200 ($2,500), Woo Audio WA7 ($1,399), Woo Audio WA5-LE ($4,499). I used my iPhone 13 Pro streaming Tidal to listen the aforementioned amps. The Woo WA7 had an internal DAC. Me and the wife rated the Amps and Sound the best for sound quality through my Denon AH-D9200’s. The store personnel recommended we try the Audioquest Dragon Fly Cobalt connected to my iPhone 13 Pro. Me and the wife struggled to hear a difference between the iPhone dongle. I have heard the Apple iPhone dongle is pretty good since it has a small DAC inside. The Mcintosh came in second and Woo Audio in last place. I also tried the Focal Stellia attached to the aforementioned amps and preferred the sound quality of Denon AH-D9200’s over the Focal’s.

So, we loaded up the car and drove 90 miles north to the Schiit store. Immediately the sound from the Schiit Valhalla 2 (amp) was smooth and alive as the Woo Audio sounded dull and lifeless and I would definitely need to add some EQ to arrive at my preferred sound settings. Maybe it was the Bifrost DAC that was making the Vahalla 2 come alive. The Folkvangr sounds smoother and I can hear more details in the Tidal tracks that I was listening to. By no means is the Valhalla bad. My wife concurred with my findings with the edge going to the Folkvangr. Interesting though I could be happy with the Amps and Sound tube amp. The simple iPhone dongle connected to the tube amp sounded great. I could just imagine connecting the Bifrost to the Amps and Sound amp would be like. I purchased the Schiit Bifrost 2/64 DAC, Folkvanger tube amp (no longer available), and the Schiit Lokius EQ.

Several weeks later, I had a chance to listen to the ZMF Verite Closed (VC) and Atrium (Open back) at the SOCAL Can Jam back in September 2022. I brought my Denon 9200’s with me with so I could compare them. I am not great at explaining what I heard. I thought the 9200’s sounded just as good as the ZMF VC; I think the VC edge the 9200’s out in tonal sound but not enough for me to buy a set. My intentions were to buy a set of the VC closed. I enjoyed the Atrium over the VC but open back headphones are a no go in my house, says the wife of 37 years. I also had a chance to listen to the Focal Stellia and Meze Audio Liric and I enjoyed the Denon 9200’s more. I am currently using a Schiit Folkvanger (amp), Schiit Bifrost 2/64 (DAC), and the Schiit Lokius EQ and my PC is feeding the audio signal via USB to the Bifrost.

I would search out a local audio shop that carries headphones and visit them to audition them. If none are close, I highly recommend Crutchfield with their great 60-day return policy. Sound is subjective to the listener. Another closed back I was considering was the Sony MDR-Z1R but I never had a chance to listen to it.

 

[Grunt66]