Can't you just replace the head-band after an year or so? I think that would be a cost-effective solution to the problem. Look at new cans with replaceable head-bands.

I was comparing these and finally bought the MDR-1R. I would say that it is the most suitable for long term use - read, very comfortable. Warm sound , great vocals/mids and smooth treble. With the bass boost on the FiiO amp, the bass is also tight & deep, but without the amp it may not be up to...

Such high praises. Now I have to give the UE6000 a try!!

My reservations about Logitech aside, I don't see how a UE6000 can trump a DT770.

Not many and its obvious because its a bad idea. The power and weight will definitely be an issue. The one I know of is the Audio Technica ATH-OX7AMP headphones at almost 300 USD. Not worth it IMO; better to buy a discrete amp. An in-built amp is just a bad idea.

I can definitely say that the ATH-M50x should be a good bet in your budget. But, I think more importantly you should try it on and listen to some of your favourite tunes. It is neutral sounding , has very good isolation, tight bass and great SQ for the price. But IMO it is not good for long term...

I am using a Sony MDR-1R. If you can I would recommend getting the newer MDR-1A. It has really good mids, smooth treble and good bass. With the bass boost on the E10, the bass should be more than sufficient. The warm sound and comfy padding is great for long duration listening. Not to mention...

A FiiO E06 should probably solve your volume problems. Happy listening 

If you're playing it from a Mac I would not recommend buying a discrete DAC because Mac's already have a pretty good discrete kind of in-built DAC.    I would recommend the FiiO E11K at 60 USD as a pretty good value for money and you would really like the E11's soundstage when playing...

The E10K has a discrete DAC with amp. So what is the point in buying the Xonar DG? (it also has a DAC - i.e., sound card and a built in amp). IMHO, the surround sound is just a marketing gimmick when it comes to headphones. Software virtual surround works almost the same for headphones.   I...

  The E10K trumps the Sabre in every possible way I can think of !! Combine it with your E11 and you're going to be in for a treat 

It's a good headphone but a few months down the road, you should definitely buy an amp and honestly you're going to be in for a treat then 

I made a mistake and bought the E11, so gave it back and bought an E10K since it had a DAC and amp. Overall I like the E10K's SQ but I miss the 2-step bass boost and sound-stage of the E11. I plan to buy an E11K a few months later if it could improve my soundstage.   Lately I have realized...

Waiting for it    BTW, the permissible exposure for 80 dB is 8 hours but it is calculated on a continuous exposure right? What if it is more like 70-85 dB for 8 hours but varying ?

I am not sure about buying an E11K in the future for fear of degrading quality; And the sound is loud enough for me now in high gain and I don't have the money to spend on an amp. Maybe a Sennheiser HD 650 would be a good upgrade a year or two down the road.