JT1

If only your budget was 5k then I would say Fiio JT-1. It sounds much better than what it is priced at.

Big fan of these, I had them for a while and I'm really happy with them, I know they aren't exactly audiophile in terms of tuning but they are great fun and for the price I don't think anything sounds better

I've tried a couple of the ones on here and I think the jt3s absolutely bulldoze everything else up until the ft1 and even then I could see the jt3s taking it in certain conditions. I'm less excited about the jt7 but they are still solid, same for the jt1s.

The jt1 is a pretty fun and solid closed back, the only good one I tried at a lower price point than the ft1. The jt3s trade blows with the ft1s. Objectively the ft1s are better but personally I like the jt3s more.

You're going to get a lot mentions for the Audeze Maxwell. I was in your shoes and did TONS of research. Maxwells could do it all. I would say really good in most aspects but not "great." First and foremost, they're heavy, no way around it. Sounds crazy but after playing for a while with them on your head, your neck will develop abs. I didn't run into this but they're by all accounts very fragile. They have multipoint which is nice but not simultaneous. Like if you're connected to usb on your PC and bluetooth. The usb sound will be cut off if you get a phone call. So it's not true multipoint in a sense. I sold mine and I'm currently looking again. I have a pair of Fiio JT1 which are actually really good. Lightweight, wired and to me, better for gaming for sure. I'm also looking at IEMs. Stay away from traditional "gaming" headsets. Everything i've seen seems like the Beyerdynamic DT770s/DT990s are the best bang for your buck. They're under $200, wired and no integrated mic but everyone says the sound is amazing. Also, what are you connecting to? PC, console, phone?

Fiio JT1 and it wouldn't be particularly close (<$75) imo. That being said if you care about quality and want to stick closer to your original budget the Fiio FT1 or Beyerdynamic 770 Pro or Sennheiser HD560s (over your budget unless on sale, which they frequently are) are worth it. Beyers and Sennheisers in my experience are built like tanks and are worth the extra money for the comfort and durability alone not even mentioning how much better they sound than my wife's pink HyperX (my Sennheisers are like 9 years old and outside of replacing the foam on the ears twice for like $10 they're basically new).

I got a Fiio JT1, last november and theyre the comfiest and highest quality headphones ive ever used, great price and great quality, anything Fiio is a steal tbh

I was searching too for a closed Headphone with same budget. I'm considering between Fiio FT1, Akg k361 and Takstar pro 82 (if still a good option in 2026). Or Fiio JT1 for extra budget opt. Has anyone tried them?

!thanks I'm very happy, just ordered it

For semi-closed backs - Fiio JT1 / Simgot EP5 +GH22 For open backs: SHP9500/SHP9600 + boom mic cable like V-moda BoomPro. If you’re aiming for sub 50$ - go with IEMs like Kefine Klean. “Gaming headsets” from mainstream gaming brands are mostly overpriced shit and not worth any attention.