The search for the best closed headphones in the world has been completed: Dan Clark Stealth have been found! :)

I already own the perfect open-back headphones within a $2,000 budget—the HIFIMAN HE1000 v2—but I decided to pursue the best closed-back headphones available. Life is short, and I spend several hours daily listening to music through headphones, whether working or walking. Music is a constant in my life.

Now I wanted closed-back headphones for better isolation from external noise. I share my office room with two parrots, and while I adore them, their songs and screeches often disrupt my ability to fully immerse myself in music.

To find the best closed-back headphones, I began by reading dozens of reviews from reputable sources like audiophile-heaven.com and head-fi.org. After compiling a list of top contenders, I visited several large stores in the Greater New York City area, such as B&H, to test them. For models unavailable in stores, I ordered “used, like new” options from Amazon and Walmart to save money and ensure returns wouldn’t be an issue, as the headphones had already been opened. I took great care to return each pair in pristine condition.

After a month of testing and comparing, I found a winner:

👑Dan Clark Audio Stealth 👑

Priced at $4,000 new, I secured a “like new” pair for $3,000 from Gramophone on Amazon. These headphones deliver an exceptionally wide soundstage, rivaling open-back models. Their reference frequency response is flat, with no exaggerated peaks or dips, ensuring balanced sound across all instruments. The bass is robust, the highs are natural and detailed, and the instrument separation is remarkable. I believe they are the finest closed-back headphones available, and I’m thrilled with my purchase.

Among the top five contenders, four were Dan Clark models, with the Meze Liric as the only non-Dan Clark option. While the Meze Liric is excellent, its soundstage is narrower than the Stealth’s, and its frequency response deviates slightly from a perfect reference curve. Nevertheless, the Meze Liric is among the best closed-back headphones for its price and earns a spot in my hall of fame below.

Based on my experience, here are my recommendations for the best closed-back headphones within specific budgets:

• $4,000: 👑Dan Clark Audio Stealth 👑 (available “used, like new” for ~$3,000 on Amazon)
• $2,000: Meze Liric, Dan Clark (MrSpeakers) Ether C Flow, Dan Clark E3 (available “used, like new” for ~$1,000)
• $1,000: Dan Clark Aeon 2 Noire (available “used, like new” for ~$700)

All Dan Clark headphones I tested (Aeon 2 Noire, Ether C Flow, E3, and Stealth) are exceptional for their price. In the U.S., they can be purchased from Gramophone on Amazon, including “used, like new” options at significant discounts. (I’m not affiliated with Gramophone but respect their excellent selection and the pristine condition of their used headphones.)

After a month with the Dan Clark Audio Stealth, I’m absolutely in love. The noise isolation of closed-back headphones proved far more valuable than I expected, allowing me to immerse myself in music more deeply. While it’s challenging—perhaps impossible—for closed-back headphones to match the sound quality of open-back models at the same price, Dan Clark has worked a miracle. The Stealth’s soundstage feels like that of open-back headphones. Only my HIFIMAN HE1000 v2, the best open-back headphones in the $2,000 range, offer a slightly wider soundstage and more “breathing room,” but beating their performance with closed-back headphones is nearly impossible.