Help finding closed back headphones budget (£300 to £500)

Headphones Headphone Discussion / Help
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Had my Oppo PM-3 since about 2016 however sadly died this week and was unable to repair them. As I don’t have any back up pairs, I’m really after getting a new set of headphones ASAP.

I am after something that is an upgrade over my Oppo PM-3 within my budget.

Budget:

£300 (GBP) to £500(GBP), may be able to go to £600(GBP) if the extra cost offers a big upgrade but would rather not if can be helped. If not really anything that is an improvement over the PM-3 in that price range then the cheapest one that is closest to it will do.

Source/AMP:

Will be used with PC/TV and a Sony NWZA-15 Walkman. I do plan to upgrade my Sony Walkman to a DAP later in the year but have yet to settle on one but will try and match a good one with whatever headphones I get.

I have no AMP, unsure if I really need one as I play my music lower than what is normal for most people and really not a fan of loudness.

How the gear will be used:

It will be mostly used indoors, however, will be used in public spaces such as shops and transport as well. I need the headphone to be close back and have low sound leakage if any. I don’t need it to be sound cancelling, however.

I will mostly be using them for watching movies/tv shows and general pc usage within the day. They will get used to playing music just not as much as the other tasks listed.

I do wear glasses but only when using the TV, so this won’t be an overly common thing.

I will have them on for at least 6 hours if not longer in one sitting, so need something comfortable. I found the Oppo PM-3 comfortable but also had a pair of HD-25s which started to give me earache after long use.

Size doesn’t really matter much, will be using them outdoor but always have a bag with me they can go in when needed to.

Preferred tonal balance:

Really don’t have one outside not being overly bassy, as heavy bass gives me a headache.

Preferred music genres:

I mostly listen to classic music and rock before the 90’s so from stuff like Beatles to anything like Iron Maiden.

I avoid music like rave, rap, dance, techno and other similar genres.

But 80% of its use will be for watching movies or general pc usage

Other info:
Rather avoid anything with leather if possible.
I’d prefer wired headphones
Replaceable cable is a must.
I am based in the UK, so unable to order things from sites like Drop
Nothing overly bass-driven, as really not a fan of that sound

Any help would be greatly appreciated and happy to give any more info if needed.

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Welcome aboard :slight_smile:
First recommendation would be the AKG 361, not too bass heavy, a little warm with overall good comfort (though you might need some extra padding on the headband if you are planning to use them for over 6 hours)

Second recommendation - Meze 99 Neo with a pad swap to Hybrid pads (also helping to avoid leather). Now this could not work out for you but i think its worth a try - out the box the 99s are bass heavy but after pad swapping them the bass a little more refined and you get more detail. They are also quiet warm which should play nicely with your music preference . Personally i love the comfort of the 99s, the spring on the suspension strap spreads the pressure fairly evenly but they have a fairly large footprint so they a fair amount of space in the bag.

Third recommendation would be the Focal Elegia but i hesitate on that one, they are clear and detailed which would be great for your classical music but im not super if it will play well with stuff like 90’s and Beatles. The Elegia are what i would call a “energtic” headphone, the bass isnt super emphasized but it does have a fair amount of energy

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Thanks for the reply, did think about getting AKG K371 just to make do for a few months before getting a better pair giving myself more time to research but heard about sound leakage no sure how awful it is, however.

Also looked into the Meze 99 Classics, and heard they were pretty bass heavy and not good for movie-watching, unsure if the same is true for the Meze 99 Neo.

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Both with the Meze and the AKG pad swapping could do a lot for you, praticularlly with the 99s, like you said (and i also mentioned) out of the box they are very bassy, however pad swapping them reduces that a fair amount while giving you more detail. since i havent tried pad swapping my 361 i would suggest going to the 361 post and checking for possible alternative pads to help with isolation and comfort

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Also another alternative would be a good set of IEMs, there are killer ones that you can look out for stuff like Moondrop, Thieaudio and a lot more

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Thanks but I have issues with IEMs, so really need to stick with over ear ones. But right now thinking about getting the AKG 361 you said, as I can pick up a pair for £50 and find something better later as I really do want something better than my old oppos pm-3

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