KRK Systems have intentionally ruined our reference frame for closed back mid-end headphones by sneaking in the KNS 8400s. Not only do they block out a good amount of noise, their sound signature is extremely pleasing to boot. The fact that they can be driven by pretty much any PMP or sound card on the market makes them extremely good value for money. Gaming performance wise these are right up there with the über expensive BeyerDynamic MMX 300s.

For the average listener that wants to listen to recordings as they were intended to be heard these headphones will do it for you, bass-heads might be left wanting with their slightly less emphasized bass compared to other mid-end headphones. Because of the design, these headphones can be worn on the move even though they are full size headphones. The cable solution with the volume control is yet another feature that is great both when using them on the move or at home.

One of the things that surprised me the most was their balanced sound signature and great timbre and overall detail level. It is a long time since we have come across such a well-balanced set of closed back headphones and at the current asking price of around $150 they are absolutely a steal for everyone looking for a set of balanced sounding and durable closed back headphones.
There are some minor downsides to the design, first of all it is not exactly high fashion, and the cable is a bit stiffer than usual, but these things are completely eclipsed by the performance of the headphones.