Meze Audio - 105 AER

You could go for a Meze headphone and add their boom mic accessory (https://mezeaudio.com/products/boom-mic) Depending on your budget you could go for a 99 Neo https://mezeaudio.com/products/99-neo for $199 99 classic walnut for $309 https://mezeaudio.com/products/meze-99-classics-walnut-silver-wood-headphones Or the open back 105 AER for $399 https://mezeaudio.com/products/105-aer In my opinion they sound really good for the price, and they look really good, at least to me. All locally crafted in Romania so you're directly supporting the European economy. The one caveat being that they're not wireless. Edit : and I think they'd look dope in meetings, no flashy lights, and the walnut is really classy if you're going for that one. No gamer design here

If you're on a budget or want to buy second-hand: I liked the Meze 105 AER. With a bit of EQ I could be happy with it (for rock/techno). Others are better at classical music.

Personally, I wouldn’t jump from the Sonys to a $500 headphone until you know what you like. I’d recommend starting with the Sennheiser x Drop HD 6XX; they’re on sale right now for $180 and they’re a really, really great pair of audiophile grade headphones for you to see if that’s even something you like. Alternatively, the Hifiman Sundara is under $200 right now and it’s a great example of an entry-level planar magnetic headphone. If you’re committed to going all out, I’d recommend the Meze 105 AER at $399 and a JDS Atom Amp+ for $99. Reviews: - 6XX: https://daemonxar.com/2025/01/27/sennheiser-x-drop-6xx-review-seven-years-in-the-making/ - Sundara: https://daemonxar.com/2025/10/26/hifiman-sundara-a-classic-in-open-back-headphone-design/ - 105 AER: https://daemonxar.com/2025/06/05/meze-105-aer-review-another-great-meze-product/

Skip the Beyerdynamics unless you can listen to them first. They’re … very trebly. If you go that route, buy from somewhere with a good return policy AND get the lowest Ohm version you can find. If you can buy them from someone with a better return policy than Hifiman directly, the Arya Stealth is a great gaming headphone around $500 USD. I prefer the Meze 105 AER and 109 Pro personally for music (warmer tune), but any of those will be great. If you really want closed backs (and it doesn’t sound like you do), the best value on the market is the Fiio FT1, an excellent headphone at any price but currently $160 USD. (Their open back sister the FT1 Pro are also excellent). The closed back upgrade pick is the DCA Aeon Closed. Reviews: - Arya https://daemonxar.wordpress.com/2025/02/02/hifiman-arya-stealth-my-new-favorite-objective-open-back/ - 109 pro https://daemonxar.wordpress.com/2025/02/08/meze-109-pro-review/ - 105 AER https://daemonxar.wordpress.com/2025/06/05/meze-105-aer-review-another-great-meze-product/ - FT1 https://daemonxar.wordpress.com/2025/04/17/the-fiio-ft1-a-truly-excellent-budget-closed-back/

I'd recommend the Meze 109 Pro (used, MSRP is $799) or 105 AER (new, $399); both have a really lovely, buttery, warm character and will compare favorably to Sennheisers as well as probably my favorite aesthetic in hifi AND the most comfortable headphones I own. I bought the 109 for myself as a "job stability is awesome" gift right before I got laid off, and they're hands down my favorite headphone of the 100 or so I have right now. I'd recommend the Focal Elex instead but it's been out of production for years and they're a little challenging to source, but they're basically a super-6XX with incredible vocals. Reviews: 109: [https://daemonxar.wordpress.com/2025/02/08/meze-109-pro-review/](https://daemonxar.wordpress.com/2025/02/08/meze-109-pro-review/) 105: [https://daemonxar.wordpress.com/2025/06/05/meze-105-aer-review-another-great-meze-product/](https://daemonxar.wordpress.com/2025/06/05/meze-105-aer-review-another-great-meze-product/)

Great compliment to each other; VERY different tuning and style. The 105 are much warmer, and better for really everything to my ear except maybe just a hair of resolution and detail (though that might be more a function of the XS' spicy-to-me treble). Better bass, better vocal presentation, and a (to me at least) more pleasant treble response. My XS are with a friend on loan because I won't really use them outside of testing anymore; I'm always going to grab the 105/109/6XX for the kinds of listening I do (or the Arya/HE6se v2 when I'm feeling spicy). But yeah; I'm working on a "I want to spend $x, what should I get" post and a bunch of the middle tiers are going to be a planar paired with a dynamic driver and Meze/Hifiman are a great compare/contrast matchup.

The Meze 105 Aer sounds great for all genres with punchy bass and a very lifelike midrange, it's extremely well made and it's the comfiest headphone I've ever worn! :)

The usual recommendations for open headphones that can do competitive gaming are: $: Sennheiser 560s, the new ATH R50x, and maybe the upcoming ATH R30x in April $$: Sennheiser 490 Pro, ATH R70x (and new R70xa), Aune AR5000, Meze AER105, Hifiman Ananda $$$: Sennheiser HD800s I own the 560s and Ananda, and have tried the R70x, AER105 and AR5000. They're all great and how much you like them will depend on your ears preferences. Took me a while to understand, but it's like buying good shoes; everyone has a different fit and preference. Personally, the R70x and AR5000 were fantastic but I was looking for something with a bit more vocals. The AER105 were bass cannons to me, so if you like bass they're a bassy option. I haven't tried the rest so I cannot speak for them, but if you have any questions for the ones I've tried feel free to poke.

For my daily headphones: Meze 105 AER, headphones that only surprise me. For my travels, a wireless headset: Bowers & Wilkins Px8 For my calls: AirPods 4

FIIO Ft1 is a great closed back at about $140 new. It's wired, with 2 cables, one is balanced(that saves money right there) They are super comfortable, sound great, and from the box on is very well done., there is a Pro version for about $50 more, and upgrades from there. If you buy on the AVexchange, where I have bought many headphones, you can get a great deal on a $300 headphone, that cost retail much more. I just picked up the Meze 105 AER, in like new condition for $265, typically sells for $399. Bluetooth, I have Bowers Px7 S2e, and Bose Ultra. but, the Bose Ultra ear buds are the ones for on the fly, the other two aren't really great for outside of the house. There really isn't much buzz about the Bose Ultra ear buds, but from amazing noise cancelling to amazing sound quality, they should be. There are so many options, and it's great to read other's recommendations. You will find something that hits your sweet spot.

depends on your sound taste, for me, Id advise something like a meze 105 aer, dt 900 pro x, sivga p2 pro

I managed to try the 105 AER at a store and I honestly found the sound a bit muffled/dull, at least in comparison to the 105 Silva which I thought were pretty good

Meze 99's if somebody is around, meze 105aer if noone is around

Mine is over, I just have meze 99 classics, 105aer and alba. I have everything I would want and can listen to each them for days.