The £149 closed-back bracket is usually where headphones get boring — safe V-shapes tuned for a demo, not for living with. The FT1 is FiiO applying the same engineering rigour it brings to its DACs to a pair of cans, wrapping a genuinely thought-through 60mm driver in real American black walnut, and the result is a rare closed-back that doesn’t feel like a compromise purchase.
Walk into any recording studio in the world and you’ll find a pair of DT 770 Pros hanging on a hook somewhere. They’ve been the go-to tracking headphone for decades, and for good reason. The 770 Pro is the definition of “just works” — reliable, comfortable, and sonically honest enough for professional use.
Indestructible is the word that comes to mind. The coiled cable (on the 80-ohm version), the sturdy headband, the replaceable velour earpads — everything about the DT 770 says “built to survive studio life.” At 270g it’s comfortable for all-day wear, and the closed-back design provides useful isolation for tracking and recording.
I’ll be honest — I’ve always been sceptical of wireless headphones claiming audiophile status. The mere mention of Bluetooth to a headphone purist usually triggers a lecture about lossy codecs and latency. But Focal, the same company behind the Utopia and Clear, decided to have a go at Bluetooth ANC headphones. And they’ve made something rather special.
Premium Focal through and through. The Bathys looks and feels like a proper Focal product — the aluminium yokes, the microfibre and leather earpads, the satisfying build quality. At 350g with all the wireless electronics inside, it’s well-balanced and comfortable. The USB-C DAC input means you can bypass Bluetooth entirely for a wired connection that genuinely rivals dedicated wired headphones.
Finding a closed-back headphone that satisfies an open-back listener is like finding a sports car that’s also comfortable on the motorway — the compromises usually show. Dan Clark Audio’s Aeon 2 Noire is one of the rare exceptions. This planar magnetic closed-back manages to sound open, detailed, and musical whilst actually isolating you from the outside world.
Dan Clark’s folding design is genuinely clever. The Aeon 2 Noire collapses flat for travel, and the included carry case makes it one of the most portable serious headphones on the market. Build quality is excellent — the Nitinol memory metal headband returns to shape after flexing, and the overall construction feels durable without being heavy at 327g.