Shopping for the best closed back headphones may be a bit overwhelming especially with all the different designs, brands and models available in the market. Closed back headphones are considered to be a popular choice when it comes to music listening solutions, preferred by a big chunk of music producers, singers, musicians, recreational listeners, gamers and more.
In this article, we will be sharing with you our curated list of the best closed back headphones to help you make an informed consumer decision that will fit your audio needs and budget. Before we proceed any further, what are closed back headphones?
Taking from its name, closed back headphones are designed with a completely sealed back. Because of its closed back design, music may not sound as natural as it would with open-backed headphones. The best closed back headphones also block out more external noise.
Table of Contents
- Best Closed Back Headphones: How Much Emphasis Should You Put on Brands?
- Best Closed Back Headphone: Shure SRH1540
- Best Closed Back Headphones: Focal-JMLab Stellia
- Best Closed Back Headphones: Sony MDR-Z1R
- Best Closed Back Headphones: Sennheiser HD 280 Pro
- Best Closed Back Headphones: Audio-Technica ATH-M50x
- Best Closed Back Headphones: Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro
- Best Closed Back Headphones: Shure SRH440
- Best Closed Back Headphones: V-Moda Crossfade M-100
- Best Closed Back Headphones: Wired or Wireless
Best Closed Back Headphones: How Much Emphasis Should You Put on Brands?
Each brand has its own distinct set of features and each model is unique as well. When it comes to the best closed back headphones, does brand really matter?
Technically, yes – brand matters, whether you are shopping for the best closed back headphones or any other product for that matter. The more premium the brand, the higher the price, and the expectations of product performance and quality are higher, too. However, it doesn’t mean that cheaper or more affordable brands do not offer high quality audio and performance.
Our guide for the best closed back headphones will help you distinguish the premium from the budget models and will also help you weigh the value and performance based on our expert reviews and personal experience. If you’re looking for the best closed back headphones that fits your needs, lifestyle and budget, keep on reading because you’re definitely on the right page.
Best Closed Back Headphone: Shure SRH1540
What We Like:
- expansive soundstage
- stunning depth field
What We Don’t Like:
- no inline remote and microphone
The Shure SRH1540 are considered as a premium model in the category of best closed bacl headphones. It has superb accuracy, detailed highs and rich bass, making it ideal to be used as studio monitors. If you are planning to purchase the best closed back headphones with a massive and expansive soundstage, the Shure SRH1540 is an ideal choice. It’s such a bargain when it comes to its critical listening, mastering and monitoring features. The Shure SRH1540 is also adjustable and comfortable, perfect for long hours of usage in the studio.
Best Closed Back Headphones: Focal-JMLab Stellia
What We Like:
- Clear audio
- Audiophile headphones that need no amp
What We Don’t Like:
- Bulky
- expensive
Focal-JMLab Stellia is considered to be a premium pick among the best closed back headphones. It has an audiophile quality that quenches the thirst of sound thirsty individuals looking for a high-end audio experience. Comfort is not an issue with this pair of best closed back headphones from Focal-JMLab. The Stellia model has large earcups and ultra comfortable memory foam ear pads combined with a leather headband. Originally, this design was used for Focal Utopia but was soon adapted by the Stellia model.
This pair of best closed back headphones are available in two colors – mocha and cognac. You can look very stylish with ease as the colors are very fashionable and can offer to be a functional accessory with its trademark design. The speakers of the Stellia are made with an M shaped beryllium dome and frameless 100% copper voice coil. To say that these cans are worth every dollar would be an understatement.
The Stellia model is one of the best closed back headphones in the market because aside from its sleek aesthetics, it also has an exclusive electrodynamic speaker drivers that are designed to provide a generous frequency response ranging from 5 to 40 kHz. With these frequencies, users can hear every single detail and nuance in their music, all while the headphones are operating at a low workload.
With this pair of best closed back headphones, the sound quality is awesome enough that it won’t be necessary to use an amp. However, if you really want to enjoy your tracks at an audiophile level, you can use the Arche amplifier and DAC – those are known to pair perfectly with the Focal Stellia.
Again, it is worth reiterating that using an amp to enjoy the studio sound levels of this pair of best closed back headphones is unnecessary. With or without an amp, this is truly one of the best closed headphones that offers an awesome sound quality – smooth highs, clean mids and a rich and punchy bass. Although these are premium and one of the best closed back headphones, they are great for everyday use and can be connected directly to a smartphone, TV or other modern devices.
Best Closed Back Headphones: Sony MDR-Z1R
What We Like:
- Wide frequency response range
- Durable headband
What We Don’t Like:
- Focuses more on bass heavy genres
- Needs amp for optimal setting
- High price tag
The design and technology of the Sony MDR-Z1R headphones make it one of the best closed back headphones in the market. They are considered as audiophile-grade headphones with an accurate mixing of advanced technology. It has a magnesium dome that features a liquid crystal polymer edge to deliver expert, high-quality audio of up to 120kHz. On that note, the frequency response range of the Sony MDR-Z1R starts from 4Hz to 120kHz.
Some would say that the wide frequency range is a feature that this pair of best closed back headphones can do without, most especially since the higher frequencies are not actually distinguishable anymore to the human ear. However, although quite useless to the human hearing, the wide frequency range gives an extended sense of airiness and clarity in the music and vocal quality.
This audio gear comes with a special acoustic filter that controls air resistance of the speaker and lessens reverberations in the ears to prevent false bass frequencies in the process. All of these elements give listeners a clean, clear and smooth audio with sparkling highs and full, rich bass. The accuracy and details of the audio of the Sony MDR-Z1Rs make it truly worth its cost.
Speaking of money, the design can be considered as a limited edition with a headband that’s made of beta titanium that ups the ante of the durability and flexibility of the headphones. You don’t have to worry about bending the headband because it will just bend right back. However, with the cost of this best closed back headphones from Sony, you would surely not gamble bending it backwards.
The ear cups of the Sony MDR-Z1R are equipped with thick and comfortable memory foam for its padding. The ear pads are designed to create a seal around the ears to isolate external noise and keep the audio in. This is one of the best closed back headphones for travel – if you’re willing to look past its bulky build.
With all the enumerated features of the Sony MDR-Z1R, it’s not surprising that it’s one of the best closed back headphones in the market. These cans are comfortable, durable and offer amazing sound quality perfect not only for travel but for daily use as well.
Best Closed Back Headphones: Sennheiser HD 280 Pro
What We Like:
- Recommended for studio use
- Natural sounding audio
- Budget friendly purchase
What We Don’t Like:
- Not so portable
- May feel warm due to heavy padding
Sennheiser is a known brand whose reputation is unmatched when it comes to producing top quality headphones. The Sennheiser HD 280 Pro is one of the best closed back headphones in the market, marking its spot in the hall of fame even if it was released in 2003. Considered as an oldie but a goodie, the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro is a crowd favorite among DJs, producers and musicians because it provides a great listening solution for recording or mixing in the studio and for recreational purposes and projects as well.
In terms of space and functionality, the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro has ear cups that can swivel and the headphones are collapsible as well. This pair of best closed back headphones comes with a self adjusting headband with generous padding for ultimate comfort. It also comes with synthetic, padded leatherette ear pads that helps in isolation of background noise.
Despite its abundant padding, the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro is considered to be one of the lightest among other products featured in our list of the best closed back headphones. It is comfortable enough to be worn for long periods without putting too much pressure on the head or ears. It doesn’t feel constricting at all so you can go ahead and continue working in long studio recording or mixing sessions.
The sound of Sennheiser’s best closed back headphones provides a flat and balanced response with an 8 Hz to 25 kHz frequency response range that allows listeners to hear all the details in the music. Because of its flat response, this is the best closed back headphones for mixing in a studio, the main reason why it has remained to be an expert choice even if it was released 17 years ago.
The headphones just have the right mixture of sound – shimmery highs, rich mids and deep bass without sounding too harsh or touching unwanted frequencies. If we were to describe the sound quality of this pair of best closed back headphones, it would have to be natural – just as if you were listening to music playing in front of you.
Another thing that makes the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro one of the best closed back headphones is its affordability. It gives a flat and accurate listening experience without removing the energy and vibrancy in music, making it an ideal option for those who need to record or mix in an office or professional music studio with limited budgets. This can also be used for travel since they swivel up and don’t take too much space.
Best Closed Back Headphones: Audio-Technica ATH-M50x
What We Like:
- Highly padded yet compact
- Flat, natural frequency response
- Detachable cable
- High quality microphone
- Great bargain price
What We Don’t Like:
- May feel warm after long periods of usage
Audio-Technica is one of the best closed back headphones in the market, providing pro audio solutions for mixing and mastering. The M series headphones are preferred by audiophiles and experienced listeners. Music producers also like this pair of best closed back headphones from Audio-Technical because it is able to remain flat and neutral for mixing. The ATH-M50x model is considered to belong to the higher end models of closed-back headphones.
The Audio-Technica best closed back headphones are ideal for both who like to listen to music recreationally and for those who like to make music as well. It’s also a great gadget for gaming setup, streaming setup or podcast setup. This has a wireless version if you’re looking for one, just look for the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x BT Wireless model. The microphone of Audio-Technica brand is well-known for their quality and the M50x model is not an exception. If you are looking for the best closed back headphones with good microphone quality, you won’t go wrong with the Audio-Technica M50x.
Another great feature of this pair of best closed back headphones from Audio Technica is its detachable cable. This is quite versatile because users can choose to use a short or long cable depending on the intention or project.
If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative, Status Audio CB-1 has a sound signature that’s quite similar to Audio-Technica. You can check out our product review here.
Best Closed Back Headphones: Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro
What We Like:
- Tough, durable build
What We Don’t Like:
- Very long cable system
- Cable is not removable
- Bulky
The best closed back headphones need not be expensive and Beyerdynamic is living proof of that. The Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro is great for sound monitoring and critical listening without necessarily going over the budget.
This pair of best closed back headphones from Beyerdynamic has a voice coil and low mass diaphragm to provide transparent and fairly accurate audio. It also has a bass reflex system that can extend the frequency response range from 5 Hz to 35 kHz. These cans are great in noise cancellation and can also isolate music well.
When it comes to build and construction this pair of best closed back headphones from Beyerdynamic is a tough one, with an impressive combination of metal and plastic. The ear cups and headband are padded generously with rich, memory foam and covered in luxurious, velour fabric. If you are looking for the best closed back headphones that are recommended for ears that easily sweat, choose one that has velour fabric than leather. With velour fabric, users can enjoy long periods of usage without feeling hot or sweaty in the ear area.
The ear cups of the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro may be a bit large for some, causing it to sit loosely on the head. There are some reviews that it may be a little bit difficult to wear, except for individuals who wear glasses, because on the contrary, the loose fit may be advantageous to them.However, a loose fit may affect the listening experience of even the best closed back headphones, so you might want to consider the fit if you are planning to purchase the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro.
The sound of this pair of best closed back headphones from Beyerdynamic may appear to be more geared towards sounding better in the low frequency range. The highs are more accentuated than the mids and you can detect this when you try to mix or make music in the high notes because it may end up sounding shrill. A word of advice, it would be better to just record with the Beyerdynamic than make or mix music.
This is one of the best closed back headphones especially for producers or musicians who need to do some serious listening sessions while in the studio. The Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro can also be appreciated by gamers, office workers or individuals who wear glasses.
Best Closed Back Headphones: Shure SRH440
What We Like:
- Budget friendly model
- Durable
- Decent passive noise isolation
What We Don’t Like:
- Not so comfortable fitting
The Shure SRH440 model is another strong contender for the best closed back headphones. It has decent noise cancellation properties, passive noise isolation (comparable to Beats Solo 3 Wireless) and a reliable build thanks to the brand’s experience in manufacturing audio gears.
Another good set of closed back headphones is the Shure SRH440. These headphones offer good noise cancellation properties for the money and come with excellent build reliability courtesy of Shure’s experience in manufacturing audio equipment. Don’t expect that these headphones are ideal for chilling at the beach or for travel because it’s a bit bulky. However, this pair of best closed back headphones can be used for studio mixing, tuning out coworkers at the office and for listening to music at home.
In terms of comfort, this is not what we may call the best closed back headphones, but Shure SRH440 model can be good enough to be tagged in an above average level. The padding is plush and fairly thick especially on the ear cups, although the frame is a bit stiff. On the bright side, the stiffness of the frame entails that this pair of best closed back headphones is durable and can withstand long term usage.
When it comes to the sound quality of this pair of best closed back headphones, the high and mid frequencies take center stage. The low end frequencies are a bit flat and the bass is not so emphasized. Nevertheless, if you are looking for a pair of best closed back headphones that can offer enhanced vocals and treble detail, the Shure SRH440 is a good call. Sound isolation works good both ways – this pair of best closed back headphones can cancel out the interference in loud situations while allowing a minimum amount of sound to leak out in enclosed spaces at high to medium volume settings.
Best Closed Back Headphones: V-Moda Crossfade M-100
What We Like:
- 50mm drivers
- Dynamic sound
- Detachable cable
What We Don’t Like:
- Model is not recommended for studio mixing
V-Moda may come from a smaller label but it’s one of the best closed back headphones in the market, and basing on its price tag, the manufacturer knows that it’s truly one of the best. This pair of best closed back headphones are powered by 50mm drivers that create a decent separation between the higher frequencies and the bass. On the low end, the response is very good while the highs and mids are clear and crips, enhancing vocal tracking and quality.
If you are searching for the best closed back headphones that are good in noise cancellation, the V-Moda Crossfade M-100 is a good choice. When played at moderate levels, listeners can easily tune out noise from the outside world. As the volume gets turned up even higher, sound quality does not waver, making it perfect to be used by people who frequently commute or travel.
The build quality of this pair of best closed back headphones from V-Moda is durable and stylish. The ear cups have a hexagonal shape with thick padding to make the listening experience comfortable. The shape of the ear cups is quite unique, a breath of fresh air from the usual rounded design of best closed back headphones in the market.
We can liken the V-Moda Crossfade M-100 to a pair of military-grade consumer headphones. If you are an audiophile or a purist, you may not consider this pair to be the best closed back headphones. However, for casual listeners, the V-Moda can be an ideal option, worth more than its price tag.
Best Closed Back Headphones: Wired or Wireless
People who are shopping for headphones may find themselves considering whether to get wireless or wired headphones. Frankly speaking, more and more consumers are leaning in to wireless technology because the freedom and range of motion is really appealing and the workspace looks clutter-free without those cumbersome wires. However, wireless options for best closed back headphones may not always be ideal. For example, if you are aiming for audio perfection, you may want to opt out of wireless headphones because Bluetooth technology cannot really deliver perfection as of the moment. Nevertheless, untrained ears may not be able to tell the difference between the sound quality of wired and wireless best closed back headphones.
Aside from sound quality, the connectivity, microphone and call quality also differ between wired or wireless headphones. At the end of the day, you need to clearly lay down your audio needs and preferences so you can wisely choose the best closed back headphones that would be truly worth your money.
So that ends our list of the best closed back headphones. We hope that this article has helped you in selecting the best product that would fit your needs and lifestyle. All products featured in this article can be purchased on Amazon.