I purchased these from a fellow head-fier a week ago, and just got these in today. I got home at 3:30PM eastern time, and it's now 8:30 and apart from grabbing a quick dinner upstairs, these headphones have been glued to my head all day. I'd like to think I can give a fairly good review of what I've experienced so far.
Firstly, ergonomics: These headphones are comfortable as all hell. Coming from a pair of Grado SR80i's, comfort is a huge issue in the forefront of my mind. Whereas the Grados with stock pads would tire me out after maybe an hour of listening, these have nearly no clamping effect, and the pads sit comfortably like a big pillow against the sides of my head. Very comfortable. I notice very little sweating effect, either, which I was really concerned about with the fake leather pads. The long cable that comes with these headphones is both a boon and an issue at times. It's great for sitting down listening to my record player, which is about 5-feet away from my computer desk. Gives me plenty of room to not have to worry about accidentally yanking the plug out or damaging something. However, it also feels like I'm going to be rolling over it with my desk chair sometimes.
As for aesthetics: these headphones are sleek. The fake leather headband and pads are sleek and refined, coupled with brushed-metal accents on the headphone band and the great wooden cups. These look like 400 dollars well spent, which I would not be able to say if I had bought the Grado 325i's, for example.
Next, I'd like to talk about what I've experienced so far with sound quality:
So far, I've listened to quite a wide variety of genres in the short time that I've owned these, and I think it's given me a well-rounded opinion of what music they are good for and what music they aren't so great at. I'd like to say up front that I don't feel like any of the music I listened to has sounded "bad" on these headphones. There were a few that did sound like they fit better when listened through the Grado sr80i's that I used as comparison.
The first thing I listened to was Glitch Mob's "Drink the Sea" album on vinyl. Quite to my surprise, the bass I experienced wasn't as overpowering as many people claimed it was on these cans. I found it to be mellow, but present, and very accurate. The highs were also very forward and clear. The highs were as clear as on my Grados. Contrary to what some found, I thought the mids didn't sound "recessed" but more that they sounded that way as a natural effect of creating a "rounder" listening experience. I felt like each sound was represented as it should have been in a natural setting.
Next up was "Rumours" on vinyl, by Fleetwood Mac. I can't begin to say how much this album blew me away on these. You can hear every nuance in Lindsey Buckingham's guitar playing. You can hear every strum and every finger slide, and it comes through so richly and warmly that I just feel like I'm hearing every note for the first time. Stevie Nick's voice sounds amazing and really shows off the treble on these headphones beautifully.
I listened to Prodigy, and found the bass very accurate and very booming. Will have to try some more later.
I read in a review somewhere that these cans aren't good at classical music, but I'm listening to Mozart's Requiem through my hisoundaudio Rocoo P right now and I find the sound to be very rich and detailed. The sound stage is excellent and the bass really enhances everything in a way that the Grados could never accomplish. Hearing the cellos and basses to the bottom of their ranges really enhances the feeling of "being there."
My experience with headphones is limited, and I'm by far no expert on the subject, but I find these headphones to give a very rich experience. The only genre I found them to be just "okay" for was listening to punk. I'll have to give this further investigation, but at first glance I seemed to prefer the Grados for their clarifying effect on punk vocals and the fast-paced attack of everything.
Personally, these were absolutely worth the price. Hopefully others will find this helpful and since they are now discontinued, prices will help bring more into the fold of these excellent headphones.