I'll have to save it for later.
BetaWolf,
Some people are more attracted to certain sound characteristics than others. That immersion created by a "soundscape" was huge for me, and one of the biggest differences made by the AD700 compared to any other headphone I'd heard at that point. I still love that headphone to this day, and feel especially impressed with it when paired with virtual surround. Others have told me that the AD700 is weak because the bass extension is very weak, a few others have flat out told me my opinion was wrong for thinking it was highly enjoyable to listen to.
As ruuku pointed out, there are many facets of what makes a headphone fun, and they all contribute, but personal taste creates different priorities. While I look for excellent comfort, detail/texture, and soundstage to "Wow!" me most, I have definitely enjoyed the increase of bass presence in my AKG Q701's amidst the satisfaction of my other "top" priorities.
In the end though, every review is a mix of personal taste, personal experience, and a mixture of both to analyze and draw conclusions. You have to separate these parts out in your mind. You also have to spend some time listening to various headphones/speakers to learn what characteristics appeal most to your tastes. Once you start gaining an understanding of all that, then you can read almost any detailed review and sort out how it fits your taste. Joyfully, sometimes you might hear something unexpected that will blow you (and your previous assumptions) away!
Ooh, I quite like what I just wrote, especially that last paragraph.
Heh, you might get some funny looks...
If sound stage isn't a huge concern, the V-Moda M-80 make for excellent portables IMO... They still sound more spacious than harder clamping (though more isolating) portables like the HD25-1 II, but it's not really close to most of the open headphones discussed around here.
I really like their overall sound signature tho, a very nice alternative to my Beyers (part of the reason I got them) and the overall package and build quality makes them well worth the $150-160 IMO. For competitive gaming the CAL are though to beat tho, you can often find them near $70 or under... Although they're not the most durable or isolating so it depends on your portable situation or needs.
The Philips Downtown are a nice little bargain at $35 if you have a Marshall's or TJ Max nearby, I've been testing a pair recently... I wanna get a pair of Koss DJ100 later to compare since both of them are now available for $50 or under ($80+ originally).
Also, everyone should have a pair or two of Koss KSC75... I'm thinking of getting a second pair to permanently sew them into a beanie I bought (it's made for that but the headphones it comes with are meh). They bat well above the $12 they'll cost you.
For a minute there I thought you were about to say you would sew them to your ears..And what makes the Koss so great?
