Thanks to you guys, I've been exploring some new ideas. I'd like to especially thank lini for being so helpful.

Now, I'd like to get a general idea. I'm thinking of a reasonably portable amp, such as a Headsave Tempo or what not. Along with that, I'd like to firstly get a decent set of phones that will probably be my last for a long time. As much as I love upgrading stuff...too much money for someone my age.

Anyways, what would you say between the HD580 and the K240S?

I listen to most of the spectrum of music except for rap and country. Notably, some classic and modern rock and acoustic stuff such as Loreena McKennitt.

Thanks for your time!

Where can you audition the K240S?

Baring that, where can you buy them and return them if you do not like them?

Although I've heard the 580 and quite liked it, from what people say I'd be inclined to go for the K240S on the strength of it being a groovalizer and I suspect it wont need the same kind of financial input as the 580 to get a very good sound out of it.

Objectively I would say the HD580 is a better deal for its street price, and is the cheapest headphone that will give you that hi-fi type of sound. I would say it is more detailed and slightly more neutral. My complaints with it are a disjointedness and harshness in the treble, and a slight tendency to lead you to analyze the music rather than enjoy it.

Subjectively, I enjoy the K240S more. It may have a little too much bass emphasis, but it draws me into all of my music and has no major faults that stand out and annoy me. It is not quite as comfortable to wear, but I do have comfort problems with every headphone. And don't let the low impedance fool you, the sensitivity is low and so it requires a decent amplifier just as the HD580 does.

On a side note, I would choose the Stax SR-003 over either headphone, but I do have weird tastes.

I could audition the K240 from Headroom along with the 580. Just trying to get a feel for things...

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You must have heard an unbroken-in HD-580... there's a bit of treble harshness that goes away upon break-in. If not, you're the first person I've seen to ever observe any harshness in the HD580's treble.

There is that slight tendency toward being analytical... with certain amp/source combinations anyway. The 580 is like a chameleon in the way it adapts to systems -- if I'd first seen how it does that and later someone told me its price tag, I would never have believed it.