Drop + MrSpeakers Ether CX Closed Headphones

A collaboration with MrSpeakers, a boutique shop in San Diego, California, the Ether CX closed-back headphones have a lot going for them. For one thing, they sound more like a pair of open-back headphones—clean, open, realistic, relaxed—while retaining the low sound leakage and high isolation you'd expect from closed cans. As for looks, they're like something off an Italian supercar lineup, with the sleek lines and sizable, high-gloss carbon fiber cups of the original Ether C. The NiTinol memory metal headband is lighter and more durable with fewer moving parts, while the new and improved ear pads combine memory foam, Japanese protein leather, more consistent stitching, and a flat design. Featuring the same V-Planar driver used in the Ether C, the CX has been retuned for enhanced tonal balance, a smoother bass-to-midrange transition, and a lower 5–6 kHz peak in the upper mids.