The Modhouse Audio Tungsten ranks #38 out of 517 total Over-Ear Headphones for sound quality. See all Headphones rankings for every top pick.
Prices on this page were last checked October 20, 2026 at 10:35 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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#38 Modhouse Audio Tungsten: $1499 eBay
Pros: A planar over-ear with a very high preference score of 89 and a midrange within about 2 dB of target. It is made to order with a distinctive open frame design.
Cons: It is hard to drive at 76 dB/mW, so it needs a powerful amplifier, and it weighs over 500 g. Sub bass falls 4.6 dB short at 30 Hz, a 7.4 dB dip near 9.4 kHz dulls the top treble, lead times run months at about $1499, and the score rests on a single measurement. See headphone amps and DACs with enough power to drive it.
Is the Modhouse Audio Tungsten right for you?
Buy it if
- you want the tuning most listeners prefer in blind tests out of the box (Harman score 89).
Skip it if
- you will use a phone without an amp: 76 dB/mW sensitivity needs more power.
- you need isolation or will use it in public: open-back headphones leak sound both ways.
| Back | Open |
|---|---|
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 1.90 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Planar magnetic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 89 (1 squig.link measurement, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 135 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 76 dB/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-4.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.21 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 1.1 lbs (515 g) |
EQ Presets
Harman target
Set a preamp of -2.7 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by Speaker Ranking from a single measurement from squig.link, in the filter layout AutoEQ uses. Predicted Harman match with this EQ: 100 out of 100, up from 89.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +2.4 dB | 0.70 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -6.0 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 207 Hz | -3.6 dB | 0.68 |
| Peak | 822 Hz | -1.3 dB | 3.65 |
| Peak | 1,607 Hz | +2.9 dB | 3.14 |
| Peak | 3,000 Hz | -2.9 dB | 4.62 |
| Peak | 4,183 Hz | +2.8 dB | 6.00 |
Neutral target
Set a preamp of -2.8 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by Speaker Ranking from a single measurement from squig.link, in the filter layout AutoEQ uses. Predicted Neutral match with this EQ: 100 out of 100, up from 72.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | -3.3 dB | 0.70 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -6.0 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 200 Hz | -3.6 dB | 0.63 |
| Peak | 1,605 Hz | +2.9 dB | 3.11 |
| Peak | 3,000 Hz | -2.9 dB | 4.62 |
| Peak | 4,182 Hz | +2.8 dB | 6.00 |
Studio flat target
Set a preamp of -4.6 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by Speaker Ranking from a single measurement from squig.link, in the filter layout AutoEQ uses. Predicted Studio flat match with this EQ: 97 out of 100, up from 40.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | -5.2 dB | 0.70 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -1.1 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 213 Hz | -5.5 dB | 0.64 |
| Peak | 798 Hz | -1.4 dB | 1.87 |
| Peak | 1,938 Hz | +4.8 dB | 1.79 |
| Peak | 4,105 Hz | +3.1 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 5,495 Hz | -1.7 dB | 6.00 |
Warm target
Set a preamp of -2.6 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by Speaker Ranking from a single measurement from squig.link, in the filter layout AutoEQ uses. Predicted Warm match with this EQ: 100 out of 100, up from 84.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +2.6 dB | 0.70 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -6.0 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 202 Hz | -3.5 dB | 0.75 |
| Peak | 1,590 Hz | +2.5 dB | 2.70 |
| Peak | 3,032 Hz | -4.1 dB | 3.87 |
| Peak | 4,104 Hz | +2.1 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 6,320 Hz | -2.7 dB | 2.16 |
Bass target
Set a preamp of -5.7 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by Speaker Ranking from a single measurement from squig.link, in the filter layout AutoEQ uses. Predicted Bass match with this EQ: 100 out of 100, up from 79.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +5.7 dB | 0.70 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -6.0 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 216 Hz | -3.7 dB | 0.77 |
| Peak | 799 Hz | -1.3 dB | 2.57 |
| Peak | 1,649 Hz | +2.8 dB | 2.67 |
| Peak | 3,056 Hz | -2.9 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 4,183 Hz | +2.8 dB | 6.00 |
Bright target
Set a preamp of -4.0 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by Speaker Ranking from a single measurement from squig.link, in the filter layout AutoEQ uses. Predicted Bright match with this EQ: 95 out of 100, up from 53.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | -3.4 dB | 0.70 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -3.4 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 204 Hz | -3.6 dB | 0.62 |
| Peak | 831 Hz | -1.4 dB | 3.41 |
| Peak | 1,648 Hz | +2.7 dB | 2.57 |
| Peak | 3,042 Hz | -2.8 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 4,604 Hz | +3.9 dB | 1.82 |
| Peak | 7,564 Hz | +2.0 dB | 3.39 |
V-shaped target
Set a preamp of -6.0 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by Speaker Ranking from a single measurement from squig.link, in the filter layout AutoEQ uses. Predicted V-shaped match with this EQ: 89 out of 100, up from 76.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +5.9 dB | 0.70 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -1.9 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 220 Hz | -2.2 dB | 0.82 |
| Peak | 822 Hz | -1.9 dB | 3.02 |
| Peak | 1,705 Hz | +2.8 dB | 3.46 |
| Peak | 3,027 Hz | -2.8 dB | 5.27 |
| Peak | 4,604 Hz | +4.4 dB | 1.55 |
- Links
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Frequency Response
How the Modhouse Audio Tungsten measures across the audible range, against the Harman over-ear target that most listeners prefer in blind tests. Where the line sits above the target that range sounds louder (more bass, brighter treble), below it quieter. The curve is a single measurement, and both lines are shifted so their 500 Hz to 2 kHz average sits at 0 dB.
Measurement data: a single measurement from the squig.link database of kuulokenurkka. Thanks to them for publishing their work.