Many of my favorite headphones are closed back. E3 is one of the best headphones ever made imo. But the big point of this video is our experiences will vary a lot more than with open backs. Happy listening!
I know this is unrelated but I wanted to say, whatever this aspect ratio is, is very VERY good for the content you produce, the talking head bits feel full, and there is enough space for extra data/graphs. Not suggesting specifically but when you cut to showing the graphs horizontally, I think you should set up the shot more wide with your person taking up one side, and stacking the information vertically. Love the videos
For those “I still love my” or “Is this a good” comments, the issue he’s pointing out is that with closed backs it can have a fantastic FR on your head and a crappy one on another head because of that acoustic impedance. The trouble w closed is that they vary so much more person to person.
Banger video. On a related note, I hope the folks on the Discord are making progress on finding some way to share info about FR variation for different heads and such. Since it's turning out to matter so much for what you can and can't predict, in terms of how someone's experience will match the next person's. There's preference, and then there's "literally different sound reaching your ears" before preference even has a chance to play into it. If that's going on (definitely is), I hope the discourse can start to include it more.
I owe you a big thank you for your review of the E3! I bought one, and it is the most enjoyable headphone I’ve ever listened to, yet it’s extremely detailed and transparent like the highest end open-backs I’ve ever owned or heard.
A very mild correction around 4:20: active feedback control for headphones actually does lower acoustic impedance, just like it can lower amplifier output impedance. As you say, audiophiles sadly won't accept active headphones, so this isn't pertinent to the video as a whole.
Very true. Much like how audio phones don't like to accept electronic crossovers and dedicated per driver amplifiers, even though it gives far better crossover response to reduce comb filtering, plus lower per driver output impedance, especially if the crossover has to adjust for efficiency mismatch via resistance. Then also there's the temporal factor which gets complicated because speaker designs also affect this a lot.
Good point. Considering variables like hairstyle and the thickness of glasses arms affecting the front volume seal, it’s an even bigger issue than I initially thought. I'm surprised you don't have problems with bass while wearing those glasses.
My favorite ones are closed, mainly because I play video games, and have for my whole life... So the headsets I've used have always been closed. Never gotten to experience open ones, but I would love to. The two headphones on my list to buy are Audeze Maxwell and HD600. After watching your video on Headphones Show for finding the best headphone for me, I have added HD490 Pro to the list to get as well lmao.
I think opens are amazing for games, especially single player stuff, but you do have to factor in background noise. Open backs can be problematic if your PC or console is loud, at least for me I hate background noise. Before I upgraded my setup and ventured into audio, I had a razer headset for years. And I will admit, it was nice not having to worry about that, every game I could just put on headphones and get completely immersed immediately, forget about the outside world. With open backs I don't get that to the same extent. Immersion comes with time and can be broken easier. That said, it seems you'd have to spend a lot to get as good closed backs as my Anandas are, so I don't think I'll be swapping to closed in the near future.
@@ZenTunE- second this! The experience I get in simulation games like Minecraft and even horror games with open backs just feel amazing! I think it is very much preference tho, and my biggest reason wasn't stuff like acoustic impedance, just, how tight everything felt on closed backs made me feel like I was suffocating. Surprisingly though I don't feel the same way with IEMs.
@@ZenTunE- The current headphones I use are Logitech's g pro x wireless. I've always hated wires, even with the knowledge that it's gonna give me better audio etc. That's why the Maxwell's are on my bucket list as I've heard that they're pretty much the best wireless headphones for the price. I say headphones as I got external mic already. Still learning of this space, I'm very picky with my choices as I basically am always looking for both the best hardware to price ratio, as well as... Repairability, part replacement options, customization etc. I want my products to last lol. Amp/dac's are still the pain points on my research to figuring out which one to get when I begin purchasing the said products, but I've settled on the Topping DX3 Pro+. Lemme know if you've got any recommendations for other amp/dac combos. Mainly PC gamer these days, built a Mini ITX in SSUPD Meshlicious few years back lol.
@@paolovincedelgado559 I kinda get that from my CHU2 IEMs, to a lesser extent but still. But maybe that's because I always play with the Anandas, open backs are so wide it makes everything else feel constrained in comparison. The Chu2 sounds fine, but I've tried them in Red Dead 2 and it's such an upgrade that open backs make to the liveliness of the auditory world of the game.
@@Ezz0Clan I don't have much experience with dacs or amps, I have a Schiit Fulla that I used to daily drive Hifiman Sundaras with, and now the Anandas. All I can say is that it doesn't sound much different than just the apple dongle, to my ears at least. Maybe a bit "bigger" but that could be placebo. And for the purpose of a dac, the $10 apple dongle does what I need it to. It eliminates the noise floor that my motherboard and phone jacks have. Any other benefits I don't notice myself. Or pay attention to. If you so decide to go with wired, that Topping is probably a great pick. I wouldn't spend much more than that on source gear. PC is nice, there's always some stuff you can do to make it quieter, if needed. Mini ITX does limit your options a bit though I imagine, I'd assume you have to run fans a bit faster than a larger case to keep temps in control?
This video was oddly well-timed for me: after catching up on old headphones show and new Noise Floor live streams, I was wondering about the significance of acoustic impedance, since it keeps getting talked about. Thanks for the explainer, much easier to follow than the papers I was trying to make sense of.
I guess the actual take-away here is "Try before you buy", trust your own judgement - and be more tolerant of others who love headphones that you may swear sound like crap on your ears.
Also is about Health , Closed back headphones Create Huge pressure inside the ear canal and the Human Diaphragm will eventually get a problem . With Open backs the Air pressure escapes so the Ear Diaphragm has less Stress .
@@DMS3TV From what i know and speaking with a lot of ear nose specialists is that Ear Membrane has a specific way of how it works. It works with sound waves that make the membrane react and vibrate . So In Closed back headphone these Airwaves is being reflected and go back and front creating pressure in the membrane, open back headphones these airwaves hit the ear membrane once and then escape outside. Let me explain it better ... imagine Airwaves move like water if u take a small cup of water and put your finger inside u will create waves these waves will hit the wall of the cap ( not escape and return back ) This is how it works. Most Djs that work with Closed backs have hearing loss faster than other people that work with open backs. But it would be nice to make a video and have some evidence that this is not the case. U know better after all .
Absolutely. It's a brilliant headphone. Edit: the close back market is still pretty sparse. It changes at a slower pace and that's not really a bad thing.
@@DMS3TVI see a lot of people complaining about the noires dynamics. Should I be considering the azurys or the zmf bokeh over the noire if I am looking for cb headphones that are immersive? Sadly can't trial them
I love open back stuff but the DT770 80Ohm does hit a little different every once in a while and when I'm travelling I plug it into my Qudelix and get a wonderful travel setup.
I’ve been watching a lot of over ear headphone reviews lately. I’m not an audiophile by any stretch of the imagination, just looking for a good sound. I’ve been getting a lot of ear infections in the past 18 months so in ears are out of the question. I’m a truck driver and use my iPhone 15 Pro for music listening so am thinking closed back is probably the way to go. There’s just so much choice out there. Great video.
I had the same issue with ear infections from IEM's and TWS earbuds. My Dr. told me that since they became popular, he has seen a major increase in ear infections in people. He told me to stop using them. He said "Anything that goes inside your body is by definition surgical", and these IEM's etc that we toss in our backpacks etc are obviously not sterile, so I'd advise anyone still using them to at least give them a wipe of alcohol before use. Also, never use in-ears right after a shower. Let your ears dry out really well for at least an hour first.
If I want a closed in sound, I prefer the intimacy of iems more than closed back headphones. They're just more comfortable because iems, and open back headphones, make my head get less hot than a closed back headphone.
My favorite headphones, the Shure SRH1540 are closed back. Damn, those things rule (other than the crappy headband foam). They even come with an extra cable and a set of ear pads!
For me closed back have their own unique sound to it and and imo having a good closed back in a collection is a good difference experience to have on hand. That's why I have my MDR Z1R around to be a contrast to my ADX5000& Clear.
@@benstain2674 and? I fullsize headphones have way less innovation compared to IEMs, and man even with I currency have I can close my eyes and check back in 5 years and only then anything new is worth looking into.
I still kind of disagree with the take that closed back, in general, are bad; granted I have yet to listen to a pair of open backs. That being said, it was interesting to learn a little about acoustic impedance. That is why I like these kinds of videos, your explanations are easy to understand.
Tbh i've always used closed back headphones, the isolation just make them so immersive for playing, rn my favs are the dts 1770 with central sound pads, and honestly they sound amazing even without eq, i've heard that some people actually hates them, but when i first used them it was love from first sight, there's something unique about closed headphones, i do understand that for music probably open back are better since it feels like the music it's actually with you on the room, but i do prefer more the immersive isolation
I find that pad-swapping is the best way to improve the sound of headphones on any system -- no EQ necessary. This includes closed-back models like the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x and Shure SRH-840a, both of which improve significantly with Brainwavz Micro Suede Oval earpads. (Their stock pads are uncomfortable garbage.)
Highly recommend a Qudelix 5k (or just Equalizer APO) and Resolve's EQ preset with the Elegia. Without EQ the frequency response has some unique (I'd say weird sounding) features, like boxiness and very forward mids, but with EQ it's fantastic!
I could post a list of my personal favorite closed back headphones and surprisingly most just happen to be very cheap. Getting a very good sounding open headphone definitely tends to be much more expensive
With such a big variance as shown at 1:27 (15 dB in some cases) why should anyone listen to any review? If there is some major problem with a headphone, most of the time it's related to the high freq. and as shown it's extremely subjective.
That's why many people suggest iem in stead of closed-back headphone, especialy in the budget section. I still love my focal bathys but I find myself using an iem more even if it's a bit inconveniene to have a cable dangling around.
I love my open backs, like the sundara or semi-open id say the aune ar5000 falls in there due to so much acoustic fibre damping which yoy can definitely hear high frequencies subside when they're on your head. Problem is it's hard to listen in almost complete silence and the greater the dynamic range, the better stuff sounds, but ny ears are also sensitive to volume above say 80dB unless its very brief, so its a tough balance. Even a fan running in the house ruins some of the fun. I've yet to have a vlosed back with tuning anywhere close to the HD600, or better yet Sundara w/ 2020 pads, which is almost perfect and even better if you EQ it to the HE-1' subtle bass lift and slight pinna region adjustment. Plus, the sundara is just more technical when it comes to busy passages (intermodulation) and especially bass harmonics, frequency responce notwithstanding. The AKG K361+k371 seem very promising for me but I know they won't be as good as even the Senn's and ive got so many blummin heapfohones already. Maybe I should've gone for them instead of the aune when I already had a sundara and HD600.
Off topic but dude, your mic and my headphones are so detailed that i can hear your tongue make wet noises while you talk. Never had this before i upgraded to a he6se v2. Not even with an r70x which is no slouch either. So strange to hear these details
so what my problem is, i have closed backs but I stream and talk a lot while my headphones are on, that being said, my ears/brain lately can't deal with the bass/note that i talk with (sounds like I'm wearing earmuffs), and as such, produces a massive bass tone which interferes with what I'm actually hearing in the headphones, would open backs solve this issue, if I'm able to hear outside of the headphones, would I be able to hear my voice naturally rather than "inside earmuffs' as I like to describe it
I have a Focal Elegia and they sound better than say my HD 560S, and has a similar, if not better, soundstage. And they are so easy to drive, the Elegia I mean. The only problem I have is that Bass can be too loud on certain tracks. But for Jazz, its great.
Bit of a misconception about acoustic impedance. Impedance is a property of a material or homogeneous body, which describes the ratio between pressure difference and particle speed, rather than wave velocity/group velocity etc. And on the boundary between two bodies, you get more reflection the more different their impedances are. Slight oversimplification but that's the gist. I've never heard a space or area or boundary be described as having an impedance, although I guess it's not an invalid idea.
A good way to think of this is like acoustic fibre, it adds impedance and damps the driver more from resonating but it takes more power to overcome it and can change the frequency response depending on the output impedance of the driver at any given frequency. The Aune ar5000 mentioned uses a lot of this acoustic paper to damp the driver so it has a higher impedance (impeding) to the acoustic energy. Whereas a Stax SR-Lambda would have very low impedance, literally only the air resistance beyond the tiny bit of extra air pressure on your head side which may lower bass response if the driver isn't large enough for electrostatics.
honestly one my fav headphones are the pad swapped Audio Technica ath a500z (japanese version, no different to 550 except the number). Clicked so fast on the video when I saw similar headphones in the thumbnail lol. I wouldn't consider them better than a lot of my other headphones, but they have some quirks and kinks that my other headphones just don't have
I love my k371, DT 700 pro X and my Maxwell. They are all great for different use case scenarios. I wonder if the Maxwells, which are basically a very good DAC/Amp in your ears with DSP algorithms trying to make it all sound better, have that technology that DMS was mentioning of inner microphones for compensating for acoustic impedance? I don't think they do but I wonder if they might have something like that in order to be able to receive as much praise as they have ( I can attest for it, they're great!)... or is that kind of technology relegated only to Airpods Max and the like? Anybody care to comment?
Hi DMS! Saw your CanJam footage where you were looking at a tiny Questyle device which you said was a LDAC Bluetooth adapter. Do you happen to know the model number of that? I have been looking for it on the worldwide web but have not been able to find it. Perhaps it is a prototype.
I thought for the longest time that every headphone review was complete bs because all that I personally have tried sounded like absolute garbage. Hint: They where all closed backed and i wear glasses with a bigger frame… settled on the hd650 which are an absolute dream 😊
I've had dozens of closed backs that were fun or interesting, but not a single one that I would consider good. There's not a single situation (other than comfort, depending on the person) where closed backs, even very expensive ones, pull ahead of IEMs to me. The sub $100 IEM space, to me, drastically outperforms the $1000+ closed back headphone space. If DCA could figure out how to fix the hamstringed dynamics in their planars, I could see them pulling off something decent, but I won't hold my breath.
DMS, Doug, my guy! Sell me like 10-15 of those extra foam insterts you got. i love the headfoam wall idea. but i want to store my headphones in them when not in use. What you doing with all them extras?
Hi, could you recommand/sell good in-ear microphones ? I personally use the Sound Professional in-ears, I cut the earhook and glue the mic to earplugs, but if you have something more sturdy in mind it would be very great for us geeky audiophiles. Excuse my English I am French. Thanks for the good content !
i cant use anything but open back. not so much for the sound, but the comfort, i cant wear closed back for more than an hour or two, and i'm ready to throw them across the room lol. i've used the HD600's and the HD650's religiously for the last decade or so.. i can wear them for 10+ hours if/when needed a day for days on end. also, being married closed back would prevent me from hearing the mrs.. and thats never a good thing. for me, the audio quality on both open and closed back are just fine.. but i just love the open and larger sound stages of the open backs. now if Audeze would make the maxwell in open back..... i might be tempted in that direction lol
I’ve never tried an open-back pair good enough to listen to extreme metal genres, they are too bright, the same goes for bass-rich electronic and dance music.
I used closed backs for a long time in high school and then i founf out about good iems and never used closed backs again. I just didnt need them any more
@@DMS3TV Some have measured considerable differences, but of course I approach these with caution. However, it was interesting to see the differences in the pictures when the original and new ones were disassembled.
There are some pictures of some changes that they made. I don’t know how those changes affect, but it is still interesting. I totally agree that measuring devices and methods certainly affect the results. The number of buyers for these compared to expensive headphones is much higher, so I thought this could be of interesting. However, almost all reviewers have reviewed these, and according to them many make a purchase decision.
Please, what is that headband accessory you’ve got there? I have my E3s as well, and love them. But a month later, they still leave a nasty hot spot on the top of my head.
@@andtothewestamerica thank you so ever much. Been wanting to get some padding, but couldn’t figure out what would fit best on the DCA headband. Then I saw this video and jumped in my chair in excitement. 😅
@@faremissound Sorry, I should have responded to that earlier last week. I went ahead and ordered it… and it KIND OF fits. Not all of the snaps reach over to be able to snap them. Just the bottom and top snap are barely able to snap in place. The middle snaps just lay open. Can’t stretch it closed, sadly. Just FYI But yeah, it works. But insanely enough, I’ve now realized that I MUCH prefer open back headphones instead of closed backs like the E3. Only had it for two months, so I placed them up for sale on the Sweetwater Gear Exchange site with $400 off the retail price. 😅
I'm still trying to find a good closed back that doesn't cost an insane amount, but every single one I've tried has disapointed me. The latest I've tried was the HD620S, and it wasn't bad but really wasn't worth the asking price.
Do you like E3 more than the Noire? From the same harman paper DCA Noire is the one with the lowest variation, surprisingly good variation from person to person actually.
I’ve tried out closed backs and I just don’t like any of them. The only headphones I’ve truly liked were the HD650, but those are open backs. All of the closed back headphones I’ve tried are either too bright or too bassy for me.
Unless it’s an exceptionally bad device or tube based, the reason will pretty much always come down to a volume mismatch (even using precise measurement equipment to do it, getting a perfect volume match can be impossible), which changes the human perception of sound quite significantly, even for tiny differences. That and bias is a risk for some too.
@@sormwilly6370 Uh, devices? Be it DACs or amps, TL,DR: Everyone does everything differently and tries to perfectly recreate audio differently, but all ears are different, therefore we have choice. Interesting idea for a video, though!
I like only one headphone maxwell. I have so many open backs headphones from different prices but when I hear this deep clear rumbling bass I am hooked no open back headphone compares and feels like not fulfilling. Can someone explain. P.s headphones like 560s HD800 6xx r70x and more open backs.
@@bigdave216 Wish I can say the same but I never had Edition XS. Headphones I like: HE400SE, HE-X4, Ananda Nano. Headphones I don't like: SHP9500, AKG K361, HD600. Ananda Nano is what I'm wearing now, it sounds nice but not relaxing, like it strikes me as a focus needing headphone.
Many of my favorite headphones are closed back. E3 is one of the best headphones ever made imo.
But the big point of this video is our experiences will vary a lot more than with open backs.
Happy listening!
I know this is unrelated but I wanted to say, whatever this aspect ratio is, is very VERY good for the content you produce, the talking head bits feel full, and there is enough space for extra data/graphs. Not suggesting specifically but when you cut to showing the graphs horizontally, I think you should set up the shot more wide with your person taking up one side, and stacking the information vertically. Love the videos
brooo still waiting for earbud roundup video 2.
Review Dita navigator
For those “I still love my” or “Is this a good” comments, the issue he’s pointing out is that with closed backs it can have a fantastic FR on your head and a crappy one on another head because of that acoustic impedance.
The trouble w closed is that they vary so much more person to person.
Banger video.
On a related note, I hope the folks on the Discord are making progress on finding some way to share info about FR variation for different heads and such. Since it's turning out to matter so much for what you can and can't predict, in terms of how someone's experience will match the next person's. There's preference, and then there's "literally different sound reaching your ears" before preference even has a chance to play into it. If that's going on (definitely is), I hope the discourse can start to include it more.
I owe you a big thank you for your review of the E3! I bought one, and it is the most enjoyable headphone I’ve ever listened to, yet it’s extremely detailed and transparent like the highest end open-backs I’ve ever owned or heard.
A very mild correction around 4:20: active feedback control for headphones actually does lower acoustic impedance, just like it can lower amplifier output impedance. As you say, audiophiles sadly won't accept active headphones, so this isn't pertinent to the video as a whole.
Very true. Much like how audio phones don't like to accept electronic crossovers and dedicated per driver amplifiers, even though it gives far better crossover response to reduce comb filtering, plus lower per driver output impedance, especially if the crossover has to adjust for efficiency mismatch via resistance. Then also there's the temporal factor which gets complicated because speaker designs also affect this a lot.
Good point. Considering variables like hairstyle and the thickness of glasses arms affecting the front volume seal, it’s an even bigger issue than I initially thought. I'm surprised you don't have problems with bass while wearing those glasses.
Exactly. I thought the Audeze Maxwell have no bass until I put my glasses down. Holy. Shit.
Fiio FT1 just dropped! Can't wait for your review!
I have one on the way and I'm so excited to try them out
they're so pretty and well built and I hear the tuning is nice too so I'm getting giddy
@@swarontm6096 Extremely well built and comfortable with a natural tuning!
My favorite ones are closed, mainly because I play video games, and have for my whole life... So the headsets I've used have always been closed. Never gotten to experience open ones, but I would love to.
The two headphones on my list to buy are Audeze Maxwell and HD600. After watching your video on Headphones Show for finding the best headphone for me, I have added HD490 Pro to the list to get as well lmao.
I think opens are amazing for games, especially single player stuff, but you do have to factor in background noise. Open backs can be problematic if your PC or console is loud, at least for me I hate background noise.
Before I upgraded my setup and ventured into audio, I had a razer headset for years. And I will admit, it was nice not having to worry about that, every game I could just put on headphones and get completely immersed immediately, forget about the outside world. With open backs I don't get that to the same extent. Immersion comes with time and can be broken easier.
That said, it seems you'd have to spend a lot to get as good closed backs as my Anandas are, so I don't think I'll be swapping to closed in the near future.
@@ZenTunE- second this! The experience I get in simulation games like Minecraft and even horror games with open backs just feel amazing! I think it is very much preference tho, and my biggest reason wasn't stuff like acoustic impedance, just, how tight everything felt on closed backs made me feel like I was suffocating. Surprisingly though I don't feel the same way with IEMs.
@@ZenTunE- The current headphones I use are Logitech's g pro x wireless. I've always hated wires, even with the knowledge that it's gonna give me better audio etc. That's why the Maxwell's are on my bucket list as I've heard that they're pretty much the best wireless headphones for the price. I say headphones as I got external mic already.
Still learning of this space, I'm very picky with my choices as I basically am always looking for both the best hardware to price ratio, as well as... Repairability, part replacement options, customization etc. I want my products to last lol.
Amp/dac's are still the pain points on my research to figuring out which one to get when I begin purchasing the said products, but I've settled on the Topping DX3 Pro+.
Lemme know if you've got any recommendations for other amp/dac combos. Mainly PC gamer these days, built a Mini ITX in SSUPD Meshlicious few years back lol.
@@paolovincedelgado559 I kinda get that from my CHU2 IEMs, to a lesser extent but still. But maybe that's because I always play with the Anandas, open backs are so wide it makes everything else feel constrained in comparison.
The Chu2 sounds fine, but I've tried them in Red Dead 2 and it's such an upgrade that open backs make to the liveliness of the auditory world of the game.
@@Ezz0Clan I don't have much experience with dacs or amps, I have a Schiit Fulla that I used to daily drive Hifiman Sundaras with, and now the Anandas. All I can say is that it doesn't sound much different than just the apple dongle, to my ears at least. Maybe a bit "bigger" but that could be placebo.
And for the purpose of a dac, the $10 apple dongle does what I need it to. It eliminates the noise floor that my motherboard and phone jacks have. Any other benefits I don't notice myself. Or pay attention to.
If you so decide to go with wired, that Topping is probably a great pick. I wouldn't spend much more than that on source gear.
PC is nice, there's always some stuff you can do to make it quieter, if needed. Mini ITX does limit your options a bit though I imagine, I'd assume you have to run fans a bit faster than a larger case to keep temps in control?
This video was oddly well-timed for me: after catching up on old headphones show and new Noise Floor live streams, I was wondering about the significance of acoustic impedance, since it keeps getting talked about. Thanks for the explainer, much easier to follow than the papers I was trying to make sense of.
When measurement worshippers scientifically found out that the "it sound better for me" people were right 💀💀💀
I guess the actual take-away here is "Try before you buy", trust your own judgement - and be more tolerant of others who love headphones that you may swear sound like crap on your ears.
Also is about Health , Closed back headphones Create Huge pressure inside the ear canal and the Human Diaphragm will eventually get a problem . With Open backs the Air pressure escapes so the Ear Diaphragm has less Stress .
there's no evidence to suggest this actually. In both cases the ear is still in a closed volume.
@@DMS3TV From what i know and speaking with a lot of ear nose specialists is that Ear Membrane has a specific way of how it works. It works with sound waves that make the membrane react and vibrate . So In Closed back headphone these Airwaves is being reflected and go back and front creating pressure in the membrane, open back headphones these airwaves hit the ear membrane once and then escape outside. Let me explain it better ... imagine Airwaves move like water if u take a small cup of water and put your finger inside u will create waves these waves will hit the wall of the cap ( not escape and return back ) This is how it works. Most Djs that work with Closed backs have hearing loss faster than other people that work with open backs. But it would be nice to make a video and have some evidence that this is not the case. U know better after all .
Beyerdynamic DT-250 Pro / 250 Ohm.
A by reviewers heavily slept on headphone, yet very very good sounding and comfy closedback. 🌟
Bro I love you lighting setup and whole background looks so aesthetics
I know they’re getting old, but how do you think the Aeon 2 Noir is holding up in today’s closed back market under 1k?
IMO, yes. It's one of only two sub-1k headphones I feel really comfortable recommending, the other being the Focal Radiance.
Absolutely. It's a brilliant headphone.
Edit: the close back market is still pretty sparse. It changes at a slower pace and that's not really a bad thing.
@@DMS3TVI see a lot of people complaining about the noires dynamics. Should I be considering the azurys or the zmf bokeh over the noire if I am looking for cb headphones that are immersive? Sadly can't trial them
At home I use open over-ear headphones but on the street I use true wireless earbuds
On the street I cover my open back headphones with my hands. 3D chess.
The Galaxy buds 2 pro are awesome.
I use iems when I’m out of the house
Same 👍
TWS on the street, open planar on the sheets.
Going from glasses to contacts probably helped me appreciate my current closed-back pair more.
I love open back stuff but the DT770 80Ohm does hit a little different every once in a while and when I'm travelling I plug it into my Qudelix and get a wonderful travel setup.
I’ve been watching a lot of over ear headphone reviews lately. I’m not an audiophile by any stretch of the imagination, just looking for a good sound. I’ve been getting a lot of ear infections in the past 18 months so in ears are out of the question. I’m a truck driver and use my iPhone 15 Pro for music listening so am thinking closed back is probably the way to go. There’s just so much choice out there. Great video.
I had the same issue with ear infections from IEM's and TWS earbuds.
My Dr. told me that since they became popular, he has seen a major increase in ear infections in people. He told me to stop using them. He said "Anything that goes inside your body is by definition surgical", and these IEM's etc that we toss in our backpacks etc are obviously not sterile, so I'd advise anyone still using them to at least give them a wipe of alcohol before use.
Also, never use in-ears right after a shower. Let your ears dry out really well for at least an hour first.
I still love my DCA Aeon Closed ❤
DCA definitely has the best closed backs.
If I want a closed in sound, I prefer the intimacy of iems more than closed back headphones. They're just more comfortable because iems, and open back headphones, make my head get less hot than a closed back headphone.
My favorite headphones, the Shure SRH1540 are closed back. Damn, those things rule (other than the crappy headband foam). They even come with an extra cable and a set of ear pads!
For me closed back have their own unique sound to it and and imo having a good closed back in a collection is a good difference experience to have on hand.
That's why I have my MDR Z1R around to be a contrast to my ADX5000& Clear.
oof
This is like peering 7 years into the past.
@@benstain2674 and? I fullsize headphones have way less innovation compared to IEMs, and man even with I currency have I can close my eyes and check back in 5 years and only then anything new is worth looking into.
@@benstain2674NOTHING wrong with the Sony's to me in real - time
STILL SEE GOOD REVIEWS /Bass
NO NEED TO CHASE RABBIT
HAVE IEMS TOO.
@@benstain2674personally, audio moves slow enough you can be satisfied with any gear for 20 years just fine~
darker background, YES, that pretty much nails it.
I've not heard a great deal of different headphones, but the Focal Radiance is something special which I think most people would enjoy.
Thanks for recommending DCA Aeon Noire and Sennheiser IE600. Both are joyous.
I still kind of disagree with the take that closed back, in general, are bad; granted I have yet to listen to a pair of open backs. That being said, it was interesting to learn a little about acoustic impedance. That is why I like these kinds of videos, your explanations are easy to understand.
You brought back the former ending music. Great. 😉
also happen on iem. especially when people just trashing on some good iem just because they dont want to find perfect fit eartips
I got it. Variable volume closed ear headphones. They run the tuning sounds, and physically change the cup size accordingly
Tbh i've always used closed back headphones, the isolation just make them so immersive for playing, rn my favs are the dts 1770 with central sound pads, and honestly they sound amazing even without eq, i've heard that some people actually hates them, but when i first used them it was love from first sight, there's something unique about closed headphones, i do understand that for music probably open back are better since it feels like the music it's actually with you on the room, but i do prefer more the immersive isolation
I find that pad-swapping is the best way to improve the sound of headphones on any system -- no EQ necessary. This includes closed-back models like the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x and Shure SRH-840a, both of which improve significantly with Brainwavz Micro Suede Oval earpads. (Their stock pads are uncomfortable garbage.)
My first open back was senn 58x and I'm not sure if I could ever go back to closed back.
Thank you very much!
Focal Elegia are at the top of my list! Adorama 200 bucks. Tubes, old receivers, balanced all well done! You guys taught me well D
Highly recommend a Qudelix 5k (or just Equalizer APO) and Resolve's EQ preset with the Elegia. Without EQ the frequency response has some unique (I'd say weird sounding) features, like boxiness and very forward mids, but with EQ it's fantastic!
Simple tone control adjustment. Just used an old little Sansui and Tube Pre and fantastic!
Very spot on assessment, I concur.
Although I come from a different price region, I also prefer closed headphones to open ones. My personal reference is the Sennheiser HD270.
I could post a list of my personal favorite closed back headphones and surprisingly most just happen to be very cheap.
Getting a very good sounding open headphone definitely tends to be much more expensive
What are some of the best closed backs i can get $300?
@@sauravmehra4503Audeze Maxwell and it’s not even close
@@sauravmehra4503the AKG k361+K371 are very well tuned close backs if you want almost Harman neutral but only subbass instead of midbass.
With such a big variance as shown at 1:27 (15 dB in some cases) why should anyone listen to any review? If there is some major problem with a headphone, most of the time it's related to the high freq. and as shown it's extremely subjective.
That's probably the reason why HE doesn't like the Beyerdynamic sound signature but most people do.
That's why many people suggest iem in stead of closed-back headphone, especialy in the budget section. I still love my focal bathys but I find myself using an iem more even if it's a bit inconveniene to have a cable dangling around.
I love my open backs, like the sundara or semi-open id say the aune ar5000 falls in there due to so much acoustic fibre damping which yoy can definitely hear high frequencies subside when they're on your head. Problem is it's hard to listen in almost complete silence and the greater the dynamic range, the better stuff sounds, but ny ears are also sensitive to volume above say 80dB unless its very brief, so its a tough balance. Even a fan running in the house ruins some of the fun. I've yet to have a vlosed back with tuning anywhere close to the HD600, or better yet Sundara w/ 2020 pads, which is almost perfect and even better if you EQ it to the HE-1' subtle bass lift and slight pinna region adjustment. Plus, the sundara is just more technical when it comes to busy passages (intermodulation) and especially bass harmonics, frequency responce notwithstanding.
The AKG K361+k371 seem very promising for me but I know they won't be as good as even the Senn's and ive got so many blummin heapfohones already. Maybe I should've gone for them instead of the aune when I already had a sundara and HD600.
Sony MDR-M1 review when?
Great video as per usual! Any chance we see an Omega Closed, or just a DMS tuned closed back in the future?
please put Project Omega product link in every videos you create from now on, thank you
Off topic but dude, your mic and my headphones are so detailed that i can hear your tongue make wet noises while you talk. Never had this before i upgraded to a he6se v2. Not even with an r70x which is no slouch either. So strange to hear these details
My daily driver is the Aeon RT closed! I've used open backs at the PC in the past, but closed back is much better on a noisy environment
I love the closed DCAs
why ear snail reject the dopamine sound
05:23 Would u say this is where the TH900, HD820 stands out?
So are the ear scanning tools like personalized spacial audio on AirPods Max useful?
so what my problem is, i have closed backs but I stream and talk a lot while my headphones are on, that being said, my ears/brain lately can't deal with the bass/note that i talk with (sounds like I'm wearing earmuffs), and as such, produces a massive bass tone which interferes with what I'm actually hearing in the headphones, would open backs solve this issue, if I'm able to hear outside of the headphones, would I be able to hear my voice naturally rather than "inside earmuffs' as I like to describe it
To me Atrium Closed is outstanding headphone for any type of music
Just got one a couple weeks ago and absolutely love it
Fantastic video, thanks a lot!
I have a Focal Elegia and they sound better than say my HD 560S, and has a similar, if not better, soundstage. And they are so easy to drive, the Elegia I mean. The only problem I have is that Bass can be too loud on certain tracks. But for Jazz, its great.
Bit of a misconception about acoustic impedance. Impedance is a property of a material or homogeneous body, which describes the ratio between pressure difference and particle speed, rather than wave velocity/group velocity etc. And on the boundary between two bodies, you get more reflection the more different their impedances are. Slight oversimplification but that's the gist. I've never heard a space or area or boundary be described as having an impedance, although I guess it's not an invalid idea.
A good way to think of this is like acoustic fibre, it adds impedance and damps the driver more from resonating but it takes more power to overcome it and can change the frequency response depending on the output impedance of the driver at any given frequency. The Aune ar5000 mentioned uses a lot of this acoustic paper to damp the driver so it has a higher impedance (impeding) to the acoustic energy. Whereas a Stax SR-Lambda would have very low impedance, literally only the air resistance beyond the tiny bit of extra air pressure on your head side which may lower bass response if the driver isn't large enough for electrostatics.
honestly one my fav headphones are the pad swapped Audio Technica ath a500z (japanese version, no different to 550 except the number). Clicked so fast on the video when I saw similar headphones in the thumbnail lol. I wouldn't consider them better than a lot of my other headphones, but they have some quirks and kinks that my other headphones just don't have
I love my k371, DT 700 pro X and my Maxwell. They are all great for different use case scenarios. I wonder if the Maxwells, which are basically a very good DAC/Amp in your ears with DSP algorithms trying to make it all sound better, have that technology that DMS was mentioning of inner microphones for compensating for acoustic impedance? I don't think they do but I wonder if they might have something like that in order to be able to receive as much praise as they have ( I can attest for it, they're great!)... or is that kind of technology relegated only to Airpods Max and the like? Anybody care to comment?
Please make video on Sony MDR-M1
Hi DMS! Saw your CanJam footage where you were looking at a tiny Questyle device which you said was a LDAC Bluetooth adapter. Do you happen to know the model number of that? I have been looking for it on the worldwide web but have not been able to find it. Perhaps it is a prototype.
what are all the audiophile shows in us? I wanna go and try out all the flagship headphones.
I thought for the longest time that every headphone review was complete bs because all that I personally have tried sounded like absolute garbage. Hint: They where all closed backed and i wear glasses with a bigger frame… settled on the hd650 which are an absolute dream 😊
I've had dozens of closed backs that were fun or interesting, but not a single one that I would consider good. There's not a single situation (other than comfort, depending on the person) where closed backs, even very expensive ones, pull ahead of IEMs to me. The sub $100 IEM space, to me, drastically outperforms the $1000+ closed back headphone space. If DCA could figure out how to fix the hamstringed dynamics in their planars, I could see them pulling off something decent, but I won't hold my breath.
What headphone is in the thumbnail?
I love the Hifiman HE-R9.
At least someone does!
I got the jm mod version of the re9 and it is better @@Hijynx87
DMS, Doug, my guy! Sell me like 10-15 of those extra foam insterts you got. i love the headfoam wall idea. but i want to store my headphones in them when not in use. What you doing with all them extras?
There are open backs, closed backs, and party in back. 😎
i feel like I just unlocked full-screen XD
Is the thumbnail Audio Technica A500x? And can you review it?
I bought the AKG K361s based on your recommendation actually and love them. Makes you wonder how they did it.
I had Akg K361 too, but I don't like it. It almost pushes me to replace it with Akg K371. Now I'm a Hifiman guy. 😄
questyle cma18 with an ipod classic. Thats possible right?
Hi, could you recommand/sell good in-ear microphones ? I personally use the Sound Professional in-ears, I cut the earhook and glue the mic to earplugs, but if you have something more sturdy in mind it would be very great for us geeky audiophiles. Excuse my English I am French. Thanks for the good content !
i cant use anything but open back. not so much for the sound, but the comfort, i cant wear closed back for more than an hour or two, and i'm ready to throw them across the room lol. i've used the HD600's and the HD650's religiously for the last decade or so.. i can wear them for 10+ hours if/when needed a day for days on end. also, being married closed back would prevent me from hearing the mrs.. and thats never a good thing.
for me, the audio quality on both open and closed back are just fine.. but i just love the open and larger sound stages of the open backs.
now if Audeze would make the maxwell in open back..... i might be tempted in that direction lol
I’ve never tried an open-back pair good enough to listen to extreme metal genres, they are too bright, the same goes for bass-rich electronic and dance music.
My DCA Aeon X closed changes sound quite a lot if i shuffle them around on my head.
I used closed backs for a long time in high school and then i founf out about good iems and never used closed backs again. I just didnt need them any more
Why is no one talking about what changes have been made to the HD560S headphones since the release?
560s hasn't really changed functionally
@@DMS3TV Some have measured considerable differences, but of course I approach these with caution. However, it was interesting to see the differences in the pictures when the original and new ones were disassembled.
@@EarphonesFin I find it likey it's all the clone measurement rigs and some degree of unit variation.
Most of the clone rigs are not reliable
There are some pictures of some changes that they made. I don’t know how those changes affect, but it is still interesting. I totally agree that measuring devices and methods certainly affect the results. The number of buyers for these compared to expensive headphones is much higher, so I thought this could be of interesting. However, almost all reviewers have reviewed these, and according to them many make a purchase decision.
Great video 🥰
Please, what is that headband accessory you’ve got there? I have my E3s as well, and love them. But a month later, they still leave a nasty hot spot on the top of my head.
Look at the ZMF Crescent Snap
@@andtothewestamerica thank you so ever much. Been wanting to get some padding, but couldn’t figure out what would fit best on the DCA headband. Then I saw this video and jumped in my chair in excitement. 😅
was wondering same thing! Is it what it is? ZMF Crescent Snap? Thanks!
@@faremissound Sorry, I should have responded to that earlier last week. I went ahead and ordered it… and it KIND OF fits. Not all of the snaps reach over to be able to snap them. Just the bottom and top snap are barely able to snap in place. The middle snaps just lay open. Can’t stretch it closed, sadly. Just FYI
But yeah, it works. But insanely enough, I’ve now realized that I MUCH prefer open back headphones instead of closed backs like the E3. Only had it for two months, so I placed them up for sale on the Sweetwater Gear Exchange site with $400 off the retail price. 😅
I'm still trying to find a good closed back that doesn't cost an insane amount, but every single one I've tried has disapointed me. The latest I've tried was the HD620S, and it wasn't bad but really wasn't worth the asking price.
What dac/Amp is good for high end headphones like the dca e3? Would the atom stack be good enough?
Do you like E3 more than the Noire? From the same harman paper DCA Noire is the one with the lowest variation, surprisingly good variation from person to person actually.
What dac/Amp do u run with the DCA E3? Would the atom stack be good enough?
I have MDR-Z1R and Aeon Closed X. I don't want to hear extraneous noise when I listen to music.
Same here
I’ve tried out closed backs and I just don’t like any of them. The only headphones I’ve truly liked were the HD650, but those are open backs.
All of the closed back headphones I’ve tried are either too bright or too bassy for me.
Headphone makers, please collab with DMS on a Project Omega Closed with DSP
Project Alpha DMS made closed back when
I've always preferred closed back.
can you explain why the headphone change sound when i change the device i play?
Unless it’s an exceptionally bad device or tube based, the reason will pretty much always come down to a volume mismatch (even using precise measurement equipment to do it, getting a perfect volume match can be impossible), which changes the human perception of sound quite significantly, even for tiny differences. That and bias is a risk for some too.
@@sormwilly6370 Uh, devices? Be it DACs or amps, TL,DR: Everyone does everything differently and tries to perfectly recreate audio differently, but all ears are different, therefore we have choice.
Interesting idea for a video, though!
Well, the obvious reason closed backs suck is that you can't combine them with simultaneously listening to your speakers like open backs.
Please make a review of a new beyerdynamic MMX 330 PRO Open
Need those bass ports
I like only one headphone maxwell. I have so many open backs headphones from different prices but when I hear this deep clear rumbling bass I am hooked no open back headphone compares and feels like not fulfilling. Can someone explain.
P.s headphones like 560s HD800 6xx r70x and more open backs.
why did you do it... why did you delete that video....
What video?
idk my IEM's are closed back and are totally rad
I feel like IEMs have the exact same problem
Finally someone said it! Listening to Hifiman headphones is like getting my ears stabbed with needles
I guess everyone is different but I love hifiman
@@bigdave216I love Hifiman too.
@@gavinxq1224 my favorite by far has to be my edition xs
@@bigdave216 Wish I can say the same but I never had Edition XS. Headphones I like: HE400SE, HE-X4, Ananda Nano. Headphones I don't like: SHP9500, AKG K361, HD600. Ananda Nano is what I'm wearing now, it sounds nice but not relaxing, like it strikes me as a focus needing headphone.
@@gavinxq1224 unpopular opinion my favorite for relaxing is monolith m1070
If I could walk through wall I would go rob a bank so I can have enough money to buy all the nice headset
IEMs are all closed back basically.
anyone can make a good open back, closed back are where it's at
Ay-oon? Ow-nuh? Aw-nee?
I've gone through thousands of dollars in both open & closed back headphones. In the end, I'm using a pad swapped ATH-M50x. EQ'd, nothing beats it.
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