Headphones.com Closed Back Headphone Buying Guide - $500-1000

Here at Headphones.com we’re committed to helping people find the right headphone for them. Giving the best headphone purchase recommendation possible means listening to the needs of the individual end-user and tailoring a recommendation as specifically as possible.

Obviously we can’t sit down and have a 1-to-1 conversation with every member of our community, but we still want to help our customers make the best purchase possible. That’s why Headphones.com has a 365-day return policy, continuously commits to helping educate the community, and it’s why we’re back with another buying guide to provide as much guidance as possible to help audiophiles make the best purchase possible.

Today we’re going to discuss our favorite options for closed back headphones in the $500 to $1000 USD price range. So without further ado, let’s dive in!

Focal Azurys ($549)

Kicking off this list we have arguably the best value on this list, the Focal Azurys. What we love about the Azurys is that it’s Focal’s lightest, least-expensive closed back headphone, while also being their most neutrally-tuned.

The fact that Focal have opted to make their most accessible option also among their best sounding headphones is a huge win for consumers, but adding portability and a snappy colorway makes Azurys one of the strongest all-around closed-back headphone recommendations we can think of at any price.

One issue listeners may have is the more portable headband design did result in a minimizing of top-of-head surface area, and this slimmer headband may cause hotspots more easily than Focal’s larger headphones, despite being lighter in weight.

Additionally, the sound of the Azurys changes a bit depending on clamp, with more clamp force resulting in a less bright, warmer response. For listeners with a larger head like Resolve, they will likely get this warmer result by default while also not noticing the skinny headband surface due to extra clamp taking downward pressure away from the top of the head

Watch the video .

However, for listeners with smaller heads like DMS, the Capra Strap from Capra Audio exists to both make the headband more comfortable as well as make the sound warmer and more relaxed.

The Azurys is a great choice for listeners who want a wired, lightweight, portable closed back headphone with excellent frequency response tuning, and for that reason it gets an enthusiastic stamp of approval from us on the content team.

Denon AH-D5200 ($699)

Closed back headphones utilizing biocellulose dynamic drivers manufactured by Foster, like the Fostex TH900 or Denon’s AH-D series are well known for providing some of the most engaging and tactile bass available in over-ear headphones, and the AH-D5200 is a great example of a headphone that does just that.

What we love about the AH-D5200 is that it provides kickin’ bass while not compromising massively on midrange linearity. Guitars still sound like guitars, pianos are still presented naturally, and vocals mostly sound appropriately balanced between fundamentals and upper harmonics.

However, for some people the upper-bass forwardness of the AH-D5200 may color voices in particular a little too much, causing a chestiness or overt warmth that some may find less-than-perfect.

Additionally, the AH-D5200 isn’t the most smooth when it comes to treble response, and while this does have upsides—the sense of texturing and intensity of transients is one thing this headphone does better than any other on this list—it can also be fatiguing. So keep that in mind when considering this headphone: it’s not for treble-sensitive listeners, but if you can handle the treble, the intensity can be really addictive for listening to high-energy music.

Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Noire ($899)

Dan Clark is well-known at this point for trying his damndest to make headphones that adhere to the Harman 2018 target for around-ear/over-ear headphones, and the AEON 2 Noire was arguably the closest Dan ever got before he started implementing his proprietary AMTS (Acoustic Metamaterial Tuning System). At the time of release, our team praised the Aeon 2 Noire for its tuning, and the below measurement illustrates why.

The AEON 2 Noire follows a leaner approach to Harman’s target, but still has enough relaxation in the upper midrange/lower treble to stay versatile and well-suited to reproducing a wide variety of music.

Watch the video

While the AEON 2 Noire comes with an excellent travel case and ergonomics of the headband and earcups themselves are extremely well-done, the portability of the headphone is a bit dubious due having a fairly low sensitivity and impedance (92dB/mW & 13Ω @ 1 kHz).

So be aware: we love the sound and comfort of the AEON 2 Noire, and as an at-home or office headphone it’s a no-brainer. But if one wants something for truly portable use, they’ll need to evaluate the output power of their portable music source to make sure it can adequately drive the AEON 2 Noire… or consider Dan’s newest venture in this lineup.

Dan Clark Audio Noire X ($999)

DCA recently brought their AMTS to the < $1000 price range with the Noire X, and this got a lot of people excited, including our own DMS.

Watch the video

We think this headphone represents a fantastic option for a passively tuned headphone, but we also think it’s quite a bit different than DCA’s past offerings, having a more aggressive, visceral approach to sound reproduction than the prior AEON 2 Noire or the incredibly popular E3.

While the sound is overall fairly balanced, it’s definitely Dan’s most bright-leaning, intense sounding headphone thus far. So those looking for a warm, relaxed headphone may be better served by another headphone on this list.

Additionally, the Noire X made a change to the headstrap that resulted in long-term comfort actually being a bit more hit-or-miss than Dan’s other designs with similar straps like the Stealth or E3. So people should know that, while its still among one of the most well-considered designs in the realm of closed-back planar magnetic headphones, there’s still a chance the Noire X isn’t a perfect fit for you. Thankfully Headphones.com has a 365-day return policy, so you can buy the Noire X to try it and see if its the right fit for you.

Conclusion

When it comes to closed backs, there simply aren’t quite as many good-sounding options out there as we’d like… but that doesn’t meant there aren’t a few bangers that everyone should consider when shopping around.

As with any price range, there are headphones on this list that opt for a more “normal” sound signature, and those that instead try to capture a more vivid presentation of music.

We can’t know which headphone will be the best fit for you, but thankfully Headphones.com has a 365-day return policy, which means you can find out how well the headphone you’re interested in works for you by trying it yourself, knowing that you have a year to make a final decision!

So feel free to check out the full selection of options at Headphones.com’s storefront, pick something that gets you excited to listen to music, and Headphones.com’s incredible store team will take care of the rest!