closed-back

closed-back (not comparable)

1. Of headphones: completely covering the ear, so that there is no airflow through the wearer's ears.

   Synonyms: close-back, close-eared, close-ear, closed-ear

   Antonym: open-back

   • 2015 July 2, Kate Murphy, “The Difference Between Listening Up and Tuning Out”, in The New York Times‎, archived from the original on 2022-06-28:

     Closed-back earphones with active noise canceling by manufacturers like Bose and Phiaton produce a nullifying frequency to block intrusive sounds.

   • 2016 March 3, Samuel Gibbs, “Blue Lola headphones review: not your average set of cans”, in The Guardian‎, archived from the original on 2022-04-16:

     For a closed-back headphone, they've got a relatively open soundscape, too, which makes extended listening less tiring than some more direct cans.

   • 2018 October 5, Mark Sparrow, “Focal Announces Its First Closed-Back Headphones For Audiophile Music Players”, in Forbes‎, archived from the original on 2020-11-09:

     Luxury French headphone manufacturer Focal has announced that it's launching its first high-end, closed-back pair of headphones aimed at the portable music player market and high-end smartphones.