During the long work-from-home experiment of 2020 — which saw family members turning kitchen tables into an office for two with occasional daycare — it became important to carve out your own personal space.

One of the most relaxing ways of escaping your coworkers and family is with a premium set of over ear headphones. Over ear cans block out a lot of background noise passively, allowing you to enjoy music without needing to pump up the volume, even in a noisy environment. Unlike dedicated noise cancelling headphones, closed back cups allow just enough external noise to leak in, so you still feel connected to those around you.

The latest closed back headphones from French audio brand Focal, Celestee, feel as much like a piece of high end fashion as they do like headphones. The speaker grille and outer cups are made from precision cut stainless steel, in an unusual choice of colours; “soft copper” and navy blue. The earpads rest against your head with soft leather covered memory foam that forms a light, hugging well of sound.

Despite the premium materials used, Celestee are surprisingly light. You can wear these all day and barely notice the weight, with no “headphone fatigue”; that uncomfortable, uncanny feeling you can get after longer listening sessions with some headphones.

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Much of Celestee’s comfort comes from how well made they are and how solid all the moving parts feel. Once you adjust the headband and cups to the shape of your head, the cans barely move. There’s just enough tension on all the joins and sliders to create a snug fit; you can even dance with these on and they’ll barely slip a millimetre.

You won’t be able to dance all that much, though. Like most headphones designed for audiophiles, these require a wired connection to your music player, which can be a little frustrating in a world where headphone jacks are being phased out.

There’s a wonderful, clean, warm sound from the massive drivers in each cup. There’s a decent punch from bass, nothing overwhelming, and the low end remains detailed enough to discern each instrument. The high end is equally bold and clear, without being aggressive. But it’s the mid range, where the majority of vocals and instruments live, where these headphones shine.

When listening to something like Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours, there is so much detail in the mids, from the many vocalists and musicians on display. The soundstage here feels expansive, with each instrument occupying its own space within the mix; closer to the audio experience you might expect from open back headphones, without any of the sound leakage.