I’m trying to find a cheap ($200 max) closed back that complements the Focal Elex. What I mean by that is something that sounds different enough to warrant the purchase. Preferably with good noise isolation to use at night so I don’t bother people. Currently looking at the 99 Meze Noir. Thoughts?
So the Meze 99 Noirs are kind of ‘audiophile Beats’, meaning they are a bit muddy. I wouldn’t recommend them.
For under $200, here are some bassy or warm headphones that are closed back.
Sivga SV006
Cooler Master MH751
I’m still a little confused though. Are you saying you want something darker, bassier, or warmer?
I’m looking for ‘different’ and good isolation. From what I understand the Elex are considered linear/transparent and detail oriented so I’m looking for some variety. Not anything in particular as long as it doesn’t leak too much. I hope that’s helpful.
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I would say something like the k371 may be up your alley imo, pretty balanced and sounds great, portable and isolates well
Interesting. What do you think about Z’s take on them compared with the K361?
Gotcha.
So the Sivga SV006 would be different. They aren’t super bassy, bordering on dark, but they isolate really well and are nice and portable too.
The K371 have more sub bass, and they are ‘harman curve neutral’. So they might sound more neutral than the Sivga.
There’s also the DT770 250 ohm. It has a V shaped sound signature. Nice sub bass, mids dialed back, and nice sharp treble, not hurting though.
Another that may be interesting are the 1More Triple Driver. They are an on-ear, so comfort may not be great, but they have more sub bass and bass overall than the DT770, the midrange is dialed back further and the treble is more clear and less sharp than the Beyerdynamic. They also isolate amazingly, and leak zero sound. My 2nd favorite headphones.
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I don’t know what that was about lol, I do say the 371 is a fair bit better imo, it’s more even where the 361 is more midrange focused
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Thanks for all the feedback guys, helpful as always. The Meze has been ruled out. I’m gonna be deliverating between the AKG, Sivga and DT770 for a bit. 
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I am guessing that means you don’t like on-ears, ruling out the 1More?
The Sivga are wood backed too by the way. Nice feature.
I can certainly say the 770 are very comfortable, the cable is just a bit clunky and large. A bit of clamp, but they stay on your head that way.
I like the meze but they are about of a hit or a miss for alot of people. DT 770, one more triple driver and CAL are bassy closed backs that I also enjoy
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Only problem with the CAL is the build quality, but other than that, sound wise there isn’t anything wrong with them.
So although not particularly bassy or different, I went with the Sivga, the safe and cheap option. The 371 being a bit more price wise and more divisive made me not wanna roll the dice. I like that it’s 70 dollars cheaper than the 99 noir (counting taxes) but I hope that it’s not too uncomfortable in which case maybe I should have went with the DT770. We’ll see!
Well, if you like it, great! If not, the K371 would probably be the other best option. Let us know if you like it!
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I like the AKG K553 MkII
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I love my Meze 99 Classic’s for out and about (DMV, Dr’s appt., lunch at work, etc). Nice sound with some added bass, great looking and super easy to drive. I don’t use them much at home as I don’t find they scale very much. They sound just as great on my LG V30 as they do with my DAP/DAC/pick your amp chain. If the Noir sounds just as good for $160.00, that is a crazy good deal for the money.
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So how were they?
Does the EMU Purpleheart improve on the build quality, if you’ve tried it? They look almost identical aside from the wood cups.
They were good. I also tried the HD280Pro and liked the sivga more. The 006 was nice and smooth with good bass. A very pleasing warm sound imo. The pads themselves were comfortable too. I ended up selling them for the Cascades but those are more money so not a good comparison. In the end I would recommend the Sivga if you’re interested.
I have not tried it, but I know someone who did. They said it is not the same headphone, and they did something with the tuning that messed it up, so not a good choice over the CAL. Personally I think as long as you are careful with your stuff you shouldn’t have too much of a problem. I’ve seen people who had theirs for a good year or so without problems so far.
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Whoa, the Cascades are like 800$ much more than a 100$ headphone lol. How are you liking them? I heard their really good headphones. Made the master switch’s best high end headphone list