I have to say these AKG K553's hit the sweet spot all the way around. They have large diameter ear cups that are deep enough to sit over the ear not on it. They block a fair bit of sound and leak very little. They're well designed and comfortable for long wear. The build quality is high and they're well made. Best of all, the sound is impressively well balanced. The bass reaches low without being tubby like many closed back phones. The midrange is impressively clear and the highs are clean and honest without being exaggerated. These are forgiving headphones that still sound good with poor content.