
Sennheiser
HD 560S
Budget gaming king with clear sound, but tight fit.

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HD650 for the warmth* *My actual pick would be Focal Clear OG
I don't think this is true. If I handed someone a HD650 then handed them a set of Focal Clears I think they'd be able to immediately hear a huge difference in many ways outside detail.
I own a pair of Focal Clear OGs and a pair of Drop PC38X. I love them both for gaming. I prefer the Focal Clear because it's just so much more comfortable.
I had a chat with you on Discord a few months ago and you also said that you really liked the Focal Clear OG;
XK-Audio Serene lol With the right pads and amplifier, they are heavenly. Like beyond Susvara heavenly. In terms of headphones that made the biggest impact in the industry. I put the following: HD600/650 series. I personally never liked their tuning, but plenty of others do HD800 made kilobucks more mainstream. Industry benchmark for 16 years Focal Clear OG & Hifiman egg series. IMO the first mainstream headphones that can be considered a legit HD800/800S alternative as an all-rounder (at least sonically) Hifiman Susvara. It has been the new benchmark since 2018.
You can’t head bang with the HD800S - they have nearly zero clamp force and will go flying off :) For comfort, looks, and all-round musicality without being overly bright m, Meze is hard to beat; I’d strongly suggest the 109 Pro (open back) or the new Strada (closed back). If “brighter” or more bass heavy sound is more important to you, then the Hifiman HE-1000 is the way to go. With your $1000 budget, a number of great alternatives could be the DCA Noire XO (comfortable as heck, but darker), Focal Clear OG (clampy but energetic), or the new Hedd D1.
Listened to a lot of headphones in stores, bought the ones I thought sounded the best (Focal Radiance and Focal Clear OG).
Focal Clear OG, if it's a bit loud for them then Focal Radiance, if it's really loud then Jerry Harvey JH7.
The Radiance are closed back though? The OG Clears have punchy bass and can take eq well, so might be an option for an open back alternative.
Yeah they're good - but I don't think they fit OPs criteria: "*but I need* ***spacial awareness****, clean sound, and* ***ear breathability*** *for my everyday listening needs"* I found the highs a little fatiguing on the Clear OGs at first, but after a few days (listening for a few hours each day) it disappeared.

Sennheiser
HD 560S
Budget gaming king with clear sound, but tight fit.

Sony
WH-1000XM4
ANC king, durable, but unreliable mic and touch controls.

Sennheiser
HD 6XX
Legendary mids, durable, but narrow soundstage and weak bass.

Sennheiser
HD 490 PRO
Super comfortable, wide soundstage for gaming, versatile pads.

Sennheiser
HD 599
Super comfortable, easy to drive, wide soundstage, open-back.

Ranked #1
Sennheiser - HD 6XX

Ranked #1
FiiO - FT1 Closed-back Headphones

Ranked #1
Sennheiser - HD 560S

Ranked #1
Sony - MDR-7506

Ranked #1
Sony - WH-1000XM4

Ranked #1
Sennheiser - HD 560S