If you are after the 99 Classics that were mentioned in the first response. This version is available on DROP right now, which means they are a pretty good price at 180$ - yes I know these are not exactly the 99 Classics, but they are the same sound according to the comments i’ve read on them, and Zeos seems to like the way they sound, which is good enough for me.
I’ve learned over the years to trust what Zeos says, the one thing that will take some time to decipher is how to zone in on how he describes the sound. From your description of your experience, and what you want in a headphone, I would personally say, this Meze 99 Noir Drop version will probably work well for you.
Here is the Zeos review
Here is where to buy them
Now, when it comes to headphones that can really “wow” you - I am so incredibly tempted to point you toward the Argon Mk3. But they are not the type of thing you could run properly without some sort of dedicated amplifier. The Argon Mk3 is, by far, my personal favorite headphone, followed very closely by the Argon T60RP. The problem with both of the Argon’s, they require proper amplification, you can’t run them properly just off a phone or a normal MP3 player (more commonly known as a DAP ‘Digital Audio Player’ among the audiophile types of folks).
I was in the same boat as you for many years, I had a pair of V-Moda M100’s, they were pretty good, but I wanted more, so I eventually sprung for the Argon Mk3’s and a passable dedicated headphone amplifier, and that changed my life. Since then I have spent well over another thousand dollars on a high quality amplifier, extra pads, fancy balanced cables, another set of Argon’s, etc.
Now I am stuck, I can’t live without Argon’s on my head. Practically all ‘normal’ headphones sound like shit to me. - and i’m not exaggerating, I literally put on a normal pair of typical cheap headphones by accident recently, and I was trying to figure out why the same music I had been listening to for years, suddenly sounded so horrible. I thought something was wrong with my audio system. I checked all my connections, and started troubleshooting my hardware. Then I realized I wasn’t wearing my Argon’s. I promptly hid the crappy ‘normal’ headphones deep in the closet where i’ll likely never touch them again. Actually, I may have just thrown the crappy headphones in the garbage now that i’m thinking about it…
The downside is, I now have very little recent personal experience with headphones that are easy to drive. I’m forever hooked to my amplifiers. It does make things like visiting the gym less enjoyable, because I can’t really wear the headphones I love while working out, and if I want music at the gym, I have to listen on crappy ear buds or just live with whatever is pumped in over the local speakers.
- So - do I suggest the Meze 99 Noir? Well - yes. I think they are a great place to get started they will offer what you are after, while also giving a window into a much bigger world.
From writing this up I also just bought one of these Meze 99 Noir cans from DROP. Mostly because I wanted a decent present for my brother for christmas. The price was right. These should be a good choice, something he likely wouldn’t buy for himself, but will improve his life, and he shouldn’t need a special amp to make them work.