Best Closed Back Headphones: Top 12 Models! (Updated 2023)

Top 12 Closed Back Headphones

Introduction

There are numerous different sorts of audiophile headphones, nonetheless, this is for those of us who love a closed back. You wish to seal yourself off from all noise of the outside world and bless your ears with nothing but the sounds of your favorite tunes.

That’s why we made this checklist of the very best closed-back headphones to go well with all completely different kinds of budgets. The market provides all kinds of closed-back headphones. Though it’s simple enough to select any one among them out of the bunch, choosing the very best headphones for your needs generally is a bit tough.

Each product has its own characteristics to make things just a little simpler for you and simplify the shopping process. So we have distilled the data into this useful guide.

Irrespective of your budget at the moment, it’s good to know what’s on the market so you’ll be able to set new targets for future gear. Or, hey, perhaps you’ll even learn that a few of the cheaper cans could be simply as good as those that appear like they’re costing more than an arm and a leg than some money. Either way, let’s start!

We just want to let you know that we’ll list these best closed back headphones in no particular order. They’ll be randomized as we don’t wish to sort them from best to worst.

Listed below are our Top 12 Best Closed Back Headphones for 2023:

1. Shure SRH1540

Designed with luxurious thoughts, there’s nothing concerning the Shure SRH1540 that doesn’t scream premium. Together with the value, naturally. These headphones give you easy consolation and high-quality sound.

When it comes to sound reproduction, the Shure SRH1540 has a flat response in the sound frequencies, punchy bass with unbelievable extension, open midranges, and resonating treble, and delivers every tiny element within the audio file you’re listening to. Maybe the one concern we discovered with it was greater third harmonic distortion in relation to the lower frequencies, but it surely’s not a dealbreaker.

With a 99dB sensitivity score, 46 ohms of impedance, and a frequency response range of 5 Hz to 25 kHz, you’ll certainly be getting the most effective technical efficiency there is on any closed-back pair of headphones. These are not high-impedance headphones and you will be able to plug them directly into the audio interface.

We would undoubtedly suggest this pair to anybody in search of professional-grade wireless headphones that can last years. With that being said, the battery life is good and you will be able to listen to them for long periods. They are great isolating headphones and Shure was focused on getting the best sound quality possible from them.

The reason they’re so sturdy is that they use aircraft-grade aluminum alloy within the building, however, that doesn’t make them hefty, as aluminum excels at being lightweight and sturdy at the same time. Maybe the one reservation anybody might need with these closed-back headphones is their big price tag. In any other case, they’re just without flaws.

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2. Audeze LCD-2 Classic Closed Back

In comparison with its original 2009 counterpart, this LCD-2 stores the mini-XLR jacks separate from the wood rings, as that would trigger the wood to crack in the unique models. In 2014, Audeze’s Fazor expertise (triangle-prism-shaped waveguides on the magnets), had been added to, according to Audeze, improve imaging and element.

This LCD-2 additionally options the 2016 driver revision, which significantly improved their detail retrieval capabilities in comparison with the original driver Audeze used. In 2018 the headband was updated to the suspension-style headband seen right here, which significantly improved consolation because it distributes weight more evenly.

The LCD-2 has an impedance of 70 ohms and a sensitivity of 101dB. In practice, these are literally fairly lenient on the facility necessary to drive them correctly. We will put an amplifier as a requirement, however, we actually don’t assume it must be the most powerful one. This is a great pair of noise-canceling headphones with good sound quality.

Sound is certainly what we discover essentially the most attention-grabbing on the LCD-2. Usually, we might not like to start a review by speaking about EQ, but we really feel like it’s actually obligatory to take action when reviewing the LCD-2. If you are after a premium sound closed-back headphone set that has a crystal clear sound in comparison to other headphones, this is audio equipment that you will enjoy!

In case you are curious about these headphones, we encourage you to maintain open thoughts about using EQ or at the very least using the good tool that Audeze offers within the Reveal + plugin, as these can deliver the headphone’s full potential.

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3. Mackie MC-350 Ltd

At first, the technical information seems unremarkable: 50-millimeter drivers whose frequency range extends from 20 Hz to 20 kHz are used, and these compete in opposition to the amplifier with an amazingly low resistance of 36.2 ohms (on common). Accordingly, the “350s” can deliver a good sound pressure level even on considerably low-powered gear.

Clearly the 350s value about twice as much as their little brothers – the 250s. It is because the headband and the earpad covers are products of actual leather, and the earpads are sewn, which lends them a noticeable quality. Generally, the MC-350s make a reasonably strong impression, since a whole lot of materials have been used and it makes them look fairly bulky.

The “crispness” is achieved by the MC-350 with comparatively pronounced midrange and high frequencies (which is because that is where the “fast” impulses occur). This additionally gives clarity and transparency, and is extraordinarily advantageous for studio work or recording conditions, because no element escapes you.

Then again, for relaxed music enjoyment in your lounge, such a sound sample is fairly “stressful”. In addition, the bass – which tends to balance the sturdy trebles – additionally has its precedence more in the impulse range and fewer in volume. With great balanced sound, these heavy-duty headphones will sound good in any situation.

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4. beyerdynamic DT-770 Pro

The construction of the Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO is sweet, and you may tell they’re constructed to last. If we had been to present star ratings on the build quality, the DT 770 Pro would get all of them. It’s fabricated from plastic and steel.

The earcups are plastic which is thick and have a top-quality “thud” sound once you hit them. The earcups are hooked up to the headband by steel yokes that may be adjusted up or down.

Being closed headphones, the DT 770 Pro does get warm, however never to the point that you just really feel you might be sweating. The earcups are big and the padding is nice and plentiful. They match nicely over the ear without causing discomfort.

Even for somebody with glasses, it is a comfy headphone. The headband additionally has enough padding and might be adjusted to suit most head sizes. The clamping power is felt a bit especially when the headphone is new.

The Beyerdynamic DT 770 Professional is enjoyable to listen to. The bass is deep, has a good response, and is nicely prolonged. The treble sounds nice and there’s no trace of sibilance. The midrange is a bit recessed, however with a beautiful separation of instruments. The headphone could be very musical and does an excellent job of reproducing music and having a great listening experience.

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5. Rode NTH-100 Professional Over-Ear Headphones

The NTH-100 packaging calls them ‘professional’ over-ear headphones, and definitely, there’s not a lot right here that panders to the newer options – touch controls, app, active noise-cancellation, all that stuff – you discover in lots of the best wireless headphones at this sort of price. These are hard-wired headphones, made to offer complete clarity no matter what you are listening to, and that is it.

The Røde NTH-100 had been launched in March 2022, and they’re very keen on price. The world’s not wanting over-ear headphones promoted for this type of money – however, frankly speaking, they’re profoundly retro, the world is sort of a bit shorter of wired, closed-back over-ear headphones with specifications as austere as this. The NTH-100, safe to say, is ready for a really specific buyer.

Inside every earcup is a 40mm full-range dynamic transducer, with a claimed frequency response of 5Hz – 35kHz. There’s a screw-on 3.5mm-to-6.3mm jack adapter included within the box, together with a soft carry-case. What’s initially most striking about the best way the NTH-100 deliver music is simply how open they sound.

It is a closed-back design, in fact, which implies different individuals will be capable of tolerating being around you whilst you’re carrying them – but the sound they provide is so massive and spacious it’s reminiscent more of what a pair of open-backed headphones would deliver. And open-backed headphones that may create a big, well-defined, and correctly managed sound stage, are what many people like!

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6. Audio-Technica ATH-M70 X

Whether or not the Audio-Technica ATH-M70x headphones are better than the Audio Technica ATH-M50x is an efficient question, nevertheless, it doesn’t appear to be one that Audio-Technica has a curiosity about answering.

As an alternative, they declare that while the ATH-M70x is the company’s new flagship in that line, each model is nice. After testing, we’re inclined to agree: these are amongst the best Audio-Technica headphones. There may be one necessary distinction right here, the price.

With 2W max input energy (at 1kHz) there’s loads of power dealing with available, producing SPLs we will only wince at. At full tilt on any studio headphone amp distortion is barely noticeable, although, with full bandwidth transducers, the earliest part to distort is the bass (bigger diaphragmatic excursions); so once more, lighter bass equals more ‘loudness’.

The frequency response additionally seems to supply a narrower stereo picture than we would anticipate, and this can be resulting from a decreased central anchoring impact from the low-frequency range, which does not often pans out to the sides.

As with all listening-based judgments, subjectivity is king and after a while, with the M70x my ears/mind adjusted, normalizing our perception in relation to the primary monitors we all know intimately. These are a great pair of noise-canceling headphones with decent sound quality

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7. Neumann NDH 20

The foldable NDH 20 headphone model itself comes packaged with two exchangeable cables in a chic product box. Further equipment includes a spiral cable, saving on space and providing you with a little bit extra range, while there’s additionally a straight cable to make the most of whenever you only want a shorter distance from headphone to ear.

The headphones are geared up with two specifically developed dynamic 38 mm drivers, delivering a formidable 1,000 mW of power, together with a max sound pressure level that exceeds 100 dB SPL.

The sound of the Neumann NDH 20 is shown as linear in its promotion. The frequency range of the headphones extends from 5 to 30,000 Hz and might subsequently be described fairly confidently as expansive.

This large sound area does impress with its huge numbers but additionally delivers in practice with noteworthy outcomes. Low frequencies usually trigger issues, for headphone hardware, however, that’s one thing the sound output of those NDH 20 headphones doesn’t have an issue with.

One last factor we have to touch upon is the wonderful sound insulation properties of those headphones. The NDH 20 delivers after which some in this respect. We actually appreciated the excellent suppression of exterior noise whereas there’s little or no leakage of audio from the listeners themselves.

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8. Sennheiser HD-25

Construct quality is great on the HD25. These headphones are designed to be a workhorse earphone primarily for DJing and monitoring functions and in such eventualities, headphones get much more use time than normal consumer headphones.

The HD25’s excessive output and top-notch isolation – features initially conceived to assist outdoors broadcast engineers monitoring in significantly noisy environments – made the HD25 a remarkably adept DJ headphone.

Its minimalist aesthetic and the power to rotate every ear cup to allow for concurrently listening to your cued track and the one that’s at the moment playing made it an on-the-spot classic.

Their rugged, featherweight, and comfortably-fitting building means you’ll be able to merely throw them in your bag and rock up to your gig while not having to fret about inflicting damage.

Sennheiser is most recognized for their open-back headphones, and their somewhat-relaxed sound signature that their critics usually refer to as “veiled.” They sometimes deliver correct bass and midrange, and a treble area that’s been gently sculpted downwards to offer a balance of detail and delicate listening.

The HD25 has essentially the most aggressive sound signature we’ve heard out of a Sennheiser headphone. It’s highly effective, thrilling, intense, and yet still somehow correct enough.

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9. Austrian Audio Hi-X60

Austrian Audio introduces the Hi-X60, the closed-back counterpart to their open-back headphones Hi-X65. We took a glance and listened to the Hi-X60 in motion.

In line with the producer, the technical values of the Austrian Audio Hi-X60 correspond precisely to these of its open counterpart, the Hi-X65. Like Hi-X65, the HI-X60’s drivers deliver audio within the frequency range between 5 Hz and 28 kHz.

This implies they exceed the everyday human listening range in each bass and treble. With a maximum quantity of 110 dB/SPL and a distortion factor lower than 0.1%, this model additionally guarantees distortion-free audio enjoyment up to actually excessive volume ranges. Due to a low impedance of only 25 ohms, these headphones may also be operated at a sufficient quantity on low-voltage outputs.

Transparent, clear highs and an open super-high frequency range made it clear that high quality was at work right here. Voices and vocals had been current within the mids without sounding sharp. Basses had been reproduced with interesting restraint and had been still current even within the deepest lows.

Relying on the audio source, however, an equalizer might have to be used to ensure that low bass is perceived on an equal footing with different frequency ranges. However then, the Hi-X60 delivers distortion-free sound even at greater volumes.

Nonetheless, in fuller productions, comparable to present pop songs, the highs could make up a major part of the listening expertise. Accordingly, different areas of notion take a back seat.

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Check out our full review of Hi-X60 here!

10. Ultrasone Pro-900i

The Bavarian producer Ultrasone provides professional studio headphones with the Pro 900i. A complete of 5 models with the suffix “i” can be discovered within the firm’s repertoire, whereby the Pro 900i is supposedly the perfect and the most costly model. We took a more in-depth look at the Ultrasone Pro 900i and listened to it.

In line with Ultrasone, the closed, dynamic Pro 900i headphones provide a frequency response of 6 to 42,000 Hz. The impedance is 40 ohms within the lower range, and the utmost SPL is specified as 96 dB. Sadly, as is so usually the case, the technical values ​​say relatively little concerning the sound.

A particular characteristic of some Ultrasone headphones is the “S-Logic Plus” technology. As usual, Ultrasone doesn’t place the headphone transducers in the middle however shifts them to the front and bottom.

In this approach, the sound is first directed to the outer ear, and the anatomy of the auricle is included in the listening. That is supposed to improve spatial perception.

The sound of the Pro 900i instantly presents itself with a good deep bass foundation. Appropriate for digital music production or hip-hop songs, that’s approach too much for different songs. This can be okay for vocal or instrument recordings, however, we’d have problems with mixing and mastering.

The headphones additionally come throughout as a bit sluggish on this frequency range because, for instance, they don’t act as quickly and jaggedly as the K812 with short kick drum hits.

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Best Closed Back Headphones – 2023 Additions

11. Roland VMH-D1 V-Drum Monitoring Headphones

There is a luxurious feel to the VMH-D1 when held in the hand. In my opinion, the metal plates on the outside give the headphones a higher perceived value and a heavier feel. As part of the packaging, Roland includes a 3-meter drumming cable, a 1.5-meter listening cable, and a 1/4-inch adapter. Additionally, you will receive a travel pouch, a cable restraint, as well as a simple headphone hanger.

There is no longer any need to settle for mediocre headphones. You will find Roland VMH-D1s to have tight, punchy kicks in the bass, warm, full snares and toms in the midrange, and lovely, smooth cymbals in the highs.

In addition, you will experience a deep immersion in high-impact sound when you customize your speaker. The best part is that you will also be able to hear fine details such as subtle overtones, realistic-sounding decays of cymbals, ambiance effects, and room sounds.

Do the VMH-D1s represent the best headphones available for electronic drums? Compared to similar models, I believe they are the best I have ever used. These headphones are ideal for electronic drummers due to their tight bass frequency response, warm midrange, and smooth top end. Using the VMH-D1s on your drum set is sure to be a satisfying experience for you.

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12. Behringer BH60 DJ Closed Back Headphones

It is crucial that your headphones deliver high-definition bass and highly transparent highs across a range of ultra-wide dynamic ranges, regardless of whether you are mixing a recording or monitoring a bass line.

This pair of closed-back studio reference headphones features a high-grade, extra-large 51 mm Neodymium driver that provides incredible high-resolution performance, relieving you of the need to compose your own tunes wherever you may be.

You will be able to keep the BH60 headphones on for extended studio sessions without feeling any weight over your head due to their secure fit and lightweight design. With ultra-comfortable and thick ear cushions, ambient noise can be attenuated so you can focus more on your performance.

Additional sitting distance comfort is provided by the additional length of the detachable cable, which is 2.5 meters (8.2 feet). There is no comparison to the comfort provided by the BH60! 

In an electronic gadget-filled studio environment, this high-quality design is an indispensable companion for musicians and composers. You will be able to hear the ultra-low thumps of kick drums or the fullness of cymbals with BH60 because they feature powerful 51 mm neodymium drivers with extended range (10 Hz – 35 kHz).

Amazing for both studio usage for double checking and perfect for DJin purposes, the BH60 are headphones that everyone should check. And with its amazing price, you cannot lose anything!

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Conclusion

Many closed-back headphones provide excellent noise cancellation and sound quality. They are perfect for isolating external noise and are practical for long listening sessions. Noise isolation might be one of the most important headphone features that these ear cups provide.

If you ask us, we will say that there are many great headphones on the list, but we will put the Audeze LCD-2 on top of each model. For drum players, the new 2023 Rolands and all-rounders, definitely the Hi-X60!

In case you are having any other questions in regards to our topic here, please let us know in the comment section below!