Keen?

  No portable amp as of yet, just straight out of my phone for now. Chalk up another one for the wishlist. Very true, going from my Pro 900's to these make me miss my highs but if I'm just listening to these exclusively (outside and whatnot) then it's a non-issue. 

Well I just picked up a pair of UE6000's for $78. Better than expected, going to enjoy commuting with these.

Quote: Get a Sennheiser can.

I think the M50 is a nice can to start with but feels a little 'jack of all trades, master of none'. The highs didn't extend as much as I wanted them from what I remember but the lows were alright. It felt like a 'headphoney' sound, like the sound was being pumped into your ears. I'm...

What is this... I don't even...

Quote: Depends on what you consider 'cheap'.  I'm more the save up and buy mid-fi type. 

Saw a couple pass by me in a shopping centre, the guy wearing a Audio Technica M50 and the girl wearing a Sennheiser 2xx series.

Ahhhh I missed out on last years meetup ='( Ah well, try again this year. =P

Quote: Get any song you have in 128 and download a 320kbs version and you tell me. It's no comparison really.

I think I'm firmly in the Treblehead camp. I started my journey with IEMs, starting with V-Moda Vibes and Hippo VB's. Didn't know much about sound back then, so I just went for the bassiest sets I could find. Moved onto full sized cans after that, getting my hands on a Sony XB500. Bass was...

Quote: Both brands are well known around the thread. You be the judge of whether they're quality sets or not.

Quote: Just a tip, put in a [AUS] tag in the title and change the currency to $AUD. Makes searching for fellow Australian buyers easier. 

Quote: Why not post it in the trading forum?

Quote: Wondered about that as well. I've yet to hear a sound system in a car that actually sounded good.

Upgrade or side-grade, it's always an issue. * I forgot to mention, there's always the option of upgrading your DAC/Amp as well.

Most closed headphones block out a decent amount of background noise. Shouldn't be an issue, with the exception of a few specific headphones.   EDIT: Beaten 

Quote: That's been my policy from day one of this hobby. Not worth the time or effort to convert tbh. If they ask, I'm happy to help though.

Quote:   It's like shoveling in a blizzard, people will still make new threads.   Anyway, lets start with the usual. What kind of music do you listen to OP?

OP, I agree with davidsh, there isn't much else we can help you with now. All we'd be doing is going in circles over different headphones and beating around the bush.   In the end, you have to start one way or the other, and since you aren't able to audition any of these mid-fi cans, you'll...

Just a little preliminary impression on the K550 without burn in.   The bass is tight but slightly lacking in quantity. It's definitely there though. The mids have a nicer tone than the Pro 900s. They lean more on the 'thinner' than 'full'. Highs are almost sharp, which is saying a lot...

Quote: Q/K70x series definitely leak sound.     Is there a closed equivalent of Grados? Would most likely fit OP's music tastes. My K550's will be arriving tomorrow so I can comment on that later.

People seem to forget that OP wanted a closed headphone... *Looks at all the HE400 recomendations

Feel a little sold out by AKG.

Quote:   Did you check the earpads? I recall freaking out one time one of my earpads was incorrectly attached and the bass felt 'off'.