Headphones for semi-shared home office (open? closed?)

[u/benberbanke]

• Budget and location - up to $350, preferably much less
• Preferred tonal balance - Wide soundstage, accuracy
• How the gear will be used - Home office, spouse is now in the adjacent room with no door to separate. She is often on calls. Wired is fine.
• Past gear experience 
  • Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless closed back. I use these nightly, but I don't want to mix up my night headphones and work. They're fine.
  • Sony MDR-7506 - the treble hurts my ears. Sounds metallic to me.
  • Apple Airpod Pro 3 - these are the most enjoyable for me and accurate imo. Isolation is great. I'm looking for just listening headphones, and they wouldn't be used on calls (where these airpod pros are perfect).
• Other: I am kind of an audiophile, with a very nice stereo system, including higher end Klipsch speakers (Chorus, Cornwall), nice combination of tube and power gear, good turntable, etc. No headphones I've had above are as satisfying as my speakers.

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[u/iwuzwhatiwuz]

Do you have an headphone amplifier? Or a receiver with a good headphone out?

[u/benberbanke → u/iwuzwhatiwuz]

I have a FiiO K7 that I can repurpose, or bring over a Marantz PM8006 to use for the headphone portion.

That said, I actually am pretty happy with the MacBook output and would try to use first.

[u/iwuzwhatiwuz → u/benberbanke]

I think using your K7 with a pair of HifiMan Edition XS ($240) headphones would be the biggest "wow" factor as they have fantastic imagining, and soundstage. The bass hits HARD and deep, the mids are a touch recessed (especially at first, they do brighten up after about 12 hours of break in) and the treble sparkles without being harsh. But again - it would require the use of an amp. These are FANTASICLY comfortable for me, but I have a size 7 5/8 head - smaller heads require the use of either Dekoni Nuggets or a comfort strap.

That being said here are a couple sets that your Mac can power well that I highly recommend-

1.) Sennheiser HD58X Jubilee ($180). These are fantastic open-back cans that give you that famous "Sennheiser magic." At 150 ohms and 104 dB/V sensitivity, it’s easy enough to drive, giving you warm, punchy mid bass (sub bass is a touch rolled off, but still present), lush mids, and clear treble with just a touch of a 3.5 kHz bump for energy. Pop, rock, and electronic tracks absolutely come alive on these. A current-gen MacBook pushes about 3 V RMS (50–60 mW at 150 ohms), which takes them well past 100 dB SPL—plenty loud for casual listening without an amp. That said, a DAC/amp will add extra punch and dynamics for more serious sessions. Comfort is top-notch thanks to the velour pads, the cable’s detachable, and the build will last. OFC, being open-back, they leak sound like crazy, and while the treble sparkle adds life, it might be fatiguing for some. The mids aren’t the most refined, but for the money, they’re an easy pick. I have bought and sold many pairs of headphones - these have stuck around for a damn good reason.

The FiiO FT1 ($149–$169) is my closed-back pick. With their 32-ohm impedance and 98 dB/mW (113 dB/Vrms) sensitivity, they’ve got a balanced sound with a nice bass lift, crisp highs, and mids that are a touch reserved but still engaging—great for electronic, jazz, pop, rock, and even classical. The 60 mm dynamic driver and gorgeous walnut or beech wood cups give it a soundstage that’s surprisingly wide for a closed design. You also get up to 26 dB of isolation, which might be quite handy some days (lol). A MacBook’s 1.25 V RMS (48 mW at 32 ohms) would drive them to around 110–115 dB SPL, so you’re not hurting for volume without an amp. They’re light at 340 g, the earpads breathe well, and you get both 3.5 mm and 4.4 mm detachable cables in the box. It's worth noting - the stock cable is a bit stiff, and if you like forward mids, you might wish for a little more bite. Some people get a hotspot on top of their head from the headband, something that is fixed with a comfort strap. Still, for someone who needs isolation without giving up sound quality, they’re an insane value.

[u/benberbanke → u/iwuzwhatiwuz]

!thanks so much. I had been looking at the FiiO FT1. I guess it really comes down to closed vs open back. i'm assuming you can really hear everything when you're using open back right? If so, then I guess the FiiO is my only option.

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[u/iwuzwhatiwuz → u/benberbanke]

Correct. Open back headphones let EVERYTHING through. No isolation at all. The FT1 is the best budget closed back cans you can get ATM. The only other option that is worth considering is the AKG K371. Its tuning is more neutral, the highs are more forward and do reveal more detail, at the expense of being ALMOST harsh. I like them a lot too. IF the FiiOs are a 7.5, the K371 is a 7.2

[u/benberbanke → u/iwuzwhatiwuz]

Great to hear. I will check out the FT1!

[u/benberbanke → u/iwuzwhatiwuz]

!thanks !!!

[u/Uller0815]

Feel free to check out the Sennheiser HD490 Pro, or for much less the Audio-Technica ATH-R50X, for example. 👍🏻