I will never jump over the fence at Niagra Falls, nor I will ever buy a pair of headphones for under $100. Why throw away your life listening to bad headphones? With rare exception, headphones are worth pretty much what you pay for them. Sure, there are bargains to be found, like the Koss KSC-75. But I've found that most headphones under $100 really don't do much for me, especially the $20 variety that your new friend Rick was talking about, so I agree with your advice completely.