Getting the award for “design I didn’t think would work but did” was the $199 Custom One Pro from Beyerdynamic, which has adjustable vents at the bottom that shift it from closed-back to semi-open to open-back operation. I thought it would probably sound great in one mode and lousy in the others, but no — it sounded excellent in all modes, just different. Powerful but not overwhelming bass in closed mode, tighter bass with more mid and treble detail in open mode. You can get headbands in different colors as well as custom side plates with your choice of graphics, and more options are coming. “We wrote a book, but we’re still adding chapters,” Beyerdynamic’s Peter Carini said.
