99 Classics (2nd Gen)

Your criteria need to be... \- Dynamic drivers \- No battery \- Wired with a removable cable \- Sturdy construction \- No pleather \- Designed for repairability, with easy disassembly Maybe consider the Meze 99 Classics V2? Great headphone, affordable, should last forever if you take care of it. Only thing it's missing is that the headphone does use pleather, which does wear down over time. But I don't know of any in this price bracket that do use genuine leather and the pleather is replacable on the 99 classics. If wireless is a must consider the Steelseries Arctis Pro Wireless. While they do not fit many of the criteria above, you can swap out the pads and headband as needed, and most importantly the battery is replacable, so you can make them last forever by swapping out the batteries if you ever experience any issues.

I can vouch for these, too. The 99s are really comfortable, and very well constructed. If you go with the M4s, be careful of where you purchase from. There are tons of counterfeit ones on Fleabay. If it looks too good to be true, it usually is.

Do you want wireless (Bluetooth) ANC headphones, or are you OK with wired headphones? If it’s the former, there are a few options to consider. You say you’re willing to sacrifice sound quality for good noise cancellation- if so, then Sony XM6 or Bose QC Ultra v2 are excellent. But I would strongly suggest looking at a Sennheiser Momentum 4 - way better sound quality, and double the battery life (literally), very rugged - at a fraction of the price of a Sony or Bose. If it’s the latter, you should shop around. There’s no one size fits all answer; people have very different preferences in sound profiles and use case. Some like Audeze and Hifiman are “bright” headphones, Sennheisers are neutral, and Meze or DCA are “relaxed” or “dark.” Audeze’s Maxwell and Sennheiser HD___ series are amazing closed backs for gaming. I love Meze’s 99 Classics v2, or if you want to splurge $800, their new Strada headphones look and sound great. Dan Clark Audio’s Aeon Noire are probably the most comfortable closed backs in the sub 500 range. Hifiman makes amazing open-back headphones but their closed backs are a bit iffy. So if you’re getting into wired headphones, come with a mindset of exploring and trading to find your “endgame” set.

If you wanna save a little money, the best closed back under 500 us dollars is the fiio ft1. Hands down. The only one I'll recommend realistically. Other contenders at that price are the akg k361 and k371. You can also look into the sennheiser hd620 but I've heard it's rather underwhelming. If you want to spend more, I'd look at the meze 99 classic V2. Try to demo something before hand because this is a lot of money you're talking about

The newer Meze 99 classics v2 have fixed a lot of the issues with their tuning and are a straight upgrade on the fiio ft1s in your price point. Just make sure you get the v2.

I just went shopping for a pair of wired closed back cans and stumbled on the Meze 99 Classics V2 and was super impressed with the gorgeous sound and build quality, especially for ~$350 and played with and without a separate DAC/AMP. My first serious headphones were Grado SR60 more than 20 years ago and Sennheiser HD-25 a few years later. I have no doubt the Meze will still be functional and repairable for a couple of decades, which adds a lot of bang in the long run. https://www.headfonia.com/meze-99-classics-v2-review/

Given you already have a great reference open back, I would suggest giving the Meze 99 Classics v2 a listen. They are very engaging headphones without going over the top with their own signature, which can be physically tuned using the “acoustic absorbers” included in the box or the “paper towel mod” as described in the Headohones.com review. Of course you can also run them bone stock for less warmth. Beyond their sound and sense of openness for a closed back, I most appreciate their comfort and excellent passive attenuation. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xiqt9SHDPPk

I have the updated version of the Meze 99 Classics (the v2) and their build quality is actually better than the Fiio with all parts serviceable. They are more neutral than the first 99 Classics and I find the worth their $350 price. Not sure if you want to top $300 u/Kodoku94, but I would suggest a listen if that’s doable. The passive isolation on the Meze is quite a bit better than the Fiio, but it’s worth mentioning the metal headband of the Meze is very resonant when touched.

I’m also a big fan of my Air Pod Pros for many things, but I get a lot of enjoyment from my other listening modes. I would suggest adding something wired whether it be headphones or IEMs. I’ve made two purchases since late last year I would recommend. The first was a pair of Meze 99 Classics v2, which are closed back (but with a more open soundstage than closed backs typically provide), a very engaging sound without going over the top with their own signature, and great comfort, build quality, and passive attenuation. Here’s a review: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xiqt9SHDPPk. They are also on sale to fall in your budget using code latenight20 at the Meze site. Just a week ago I got a pair of $20 Truthear Gate (my first wired IEM) and have been super impressed. Because of the better seal they give a fuller presentation than the Air Pods and stand up to critical listening. I power both of these with a universally praised dongle DAC under $50 (name is forbidden in the sub bc of guerilla marketing issues) so you won’t need to spend a lot to power either pair.

Meze 99 Classics v2 would fit the bill if you are considering wired. They have a relatively neutral sound signature, are tunable with inserts, and strike a great balance of detail without being fatiguing for long sessions.

Focal will pretty much max out your budget since their models are $500+ new. I think Meze could be a good fit since something like the Meze 99 v2 is more similar to the AKG K340 than the others (at least the K340 I heard was somewhat V-shaped with nice bass and fast treble), while also being capable of using on-the-go. You could also try the Meze 105 Silva for open-back. Either way, their brand is pretty luxurious looking. For Sennheiser, there's of course the legendary HD600 series. The HD6XX is a steal for its price and I think could fill the spot for a more relaxing, midrange-focused set. It won't be the best for electronic, but I think for the other genres it does amazing because of how natural it makes instruments and vocals sound. Hifiman's Edition XS would definitely be something different, that spaciousness is really the strength of Hifiman's collection. But yeah, you're rolling the dice with the QC more than the other brands.