99 Neo

You've got a large budget. If you're the kind of person who tries to keep the experiences fresh (like I am), maybe consider two different pairs. One for inside use (as people mentioned, Ananda Stealth or Ananda Nano seem to be insanely good for the price planars, but are likely to require EQ, may require a headband replacement, and don't really feel that premium), and one for outside (e.g. Audio-Technica M50x or something equally portable and maybe more engaging - I use Meze 99 Neo for that use case for example)?. There's really no single answer. I was hesitant to recommend something like my ATH-R50x for indoor use when I saw your comment on r/headphones initially, but they're the king of comfort for indoor use, if you're able to get them around 150 USD. Maybe Fiio FT3-32ohm can be an interesting option on the bassier side, it seems to have a somewhat special driver that approaches planars in detail. To make things easier, based on your previous experience, what kind of sound signature do you prefer (V, U, W, M, flat, bright/warm/neutral-leaning?). For reference, Both ATH-R50x and Airpods Pro are a neutral V, Airpods's V is a little more pronounced, R50x's is a little more mild.. And what do you consider to be fun (e.g. microdetail, emotional bassline, guitars being shredded, etc.)?

“Best” really depends on what you want. If you like the way your Beats sound but just want something of higher overall quality, check out the Meze 99 Neo or 99 Classics. For a different sound, I just listened to the Sennheiser 620S (which is on sale for $300 now) and *loved* it enough that I might sell my Azurys for them. Ditto the HD 550, a really great choice for your price, albeit a much different tuning. Finally, the Aune SR5000 is an EXCELLENT choice. I just listened to it for the first time and only didn’t buy it because I already have enough headphones. But it’s truly excellent for $300.

I had exactly the same experience, and I also read a fair amount of reviews before purchasing them. They sound muddy, like VERY muddy on busy (metal) tracks, and the low end is a mess. I tried balanced, unbalanced, Zen Dac 2, straight from the pc, but there's hardly any difference except for volume level. There's a blanket over the music, and I also think the treble sounds very thin and artificial. You hear the sizzle, but absolutely no "body" on cymbals. On some tracks it's unbearable to listen to, even with EQ. The Meze 99 Neo sounds way crisper and clearer in comparison, and people are saying they're super muddy. It does help that the pads on mine are super worn though. I'll return the FT1. The people who are saying "give them time" are either deaf or coping, or there's a chance that our pairs are faulty. I actually don't think they are, but Meze 99 Classic, Neo or Noir seem like a much better all-rounder, but hey, they're not the new kid on the block, so people of course aren't raving about them. Lastly, the build quality is decent at best, and I don't believe they'll hold up well.

Sure, I don't think they're bad, but they feel somewhat fragile, and I'm also not sure how well the wood will hold up. Bump them a few times and it might crack. I don't mind a dark tuning, but I think the FT1 lacks a lot of mids. I don't see how anyone can call these headphones "balanced", or "slightly warm". To my ears they're just extremely muffled. I tried any genre I could think of, but I didn't have a single "wow" moment and the Meze beat them in clarity in every single track, so for me these aren't worth the money. I'll look for something else, but I think I'm done with Fiio.

I really love my [Meze 99s](https://mezeaudio.com/products/99-neo). They're closed back. Personally I have the Walnut Gold ones but the silver and black ones are cheaper. Amazing sound quality, ultra comfy, and they look sick. They do have one with a built in mic but I don't think audiophile headphones should have mics in them. Just get a separate desk mic. They can also be driven on your phone. Open back isn't terrible for gaming and it allows you to control your voice volume better. This is my I use the Micco origen 3 dac amp. Can't link to amazon. Plug and play, haven't had any issues in 5 years. Easy recommendation.

I can also vouch that meze 99 classic or neo (neo is cheaper) fit great with glasses.

as another glasses user I've had some offer surprisingly good comfort. Normally on-ears are a bad idea, but my grado sr60x are super comfortable *after I stretched out the headband*, you have to really stretch it out so that it applies almost no pressure to the ears, it's basically floating there, suspended only by the headband. Another is koss KSC75, again, usually having more stuff hooking to the ear is a bad idea, but I can wear these things all day long (which I have done before...). Sennheiser HD600 I was also expecting to suck, especially when I first put them on and felt how much pressure they apply. I still need to bend them a little more to relieve pressure, but even before stretching they applied more pressure near the jaw below the ear than my glasses frame. worth noting I have metal frames with wide (more like tall) but thin (1mm or less) temples, so I can get away with more pressure than frames with thick temples.

Meze neo for me or if I'm lazy nothing ear a

The next best thing is their next model the fiio ft1. It is 160$ though. If you can wait and save up I do think it's worth it. The other save up option is a the meze 99 neo which is very bassy and would fit your needs well. I wouldn't trust linsoul currently in my opinion. They make some of the best earbuds on the market but they are still figuring out headphones. In a couple years I suspect they will be an excellent purchase. The ath headphones are very safe and fine. I have had a couple pairs over the years and they have been ok if a little boring. I do love the look of them with 3rd party ear pads and tend to wear them out. The 100$ budget has been a difficult price point in the community for a long time. If you want headphones now, I would get the fiio jt1. Otherwise I would save a little more. I wouldn't hesitate pulling the trigger if you want one now though