I let the Panny's cook overnight and truth be told I'm not any closer to getting this figured out than yesterday. I would guess that the Panny's I bought have a similar sound signature to the set that was suggested to me earlier in this thread. Here is my impression of them as compared to the Samson sr850's:
Form Factor...
The comfort factor is certainly nice. Better than 850's. They are smaller and lighter and I would guess that I could wear them for extended periods without too much fatigue. The 850's are large by comparison and are really only stable when I am sitting in front of my desk. I can't sit in a chair or lie in bed with the 850's due to their size. The cord of the Panny's is just too short. They must be made for mp3 players or ipod. Cord length is perfect on the 850's. There is a "hot" factor with the Panny's. After several minutes I feel that my ears are warm and it's not very comfortable in that regard.
Sound...
The bass on the Panny's is what I was after. It's fuller, warmer and more effortless. Some would probably say that it was too present but it has the bottom end that I was looking for. The 850 wins everything else here. The sound is more natural. The highs and mids are articulate and detailed, although at times can be a little too forward and shrill to me depending on the source.
Price...
I got the Panny's for $30 and the 850's for $50. Not much difference here to mean anything to me.
So I am left still wondering if the original Panny's that were suggested to me, would have been different. I bought these because I wanted to buy local and be able to return. Should I go out and buy a new sound card, I was looking at the Asus Xonar. Or should I get a dedicated HP amp and then see if either of these brought out better sound in the SR850's? Or return both and go back to the drawing board for a new set of cans.
After several hours of reading, my tendency towards a new set would be the ATH m50's. But the problem is that I can't try or buy them locally.
Any additional advice is appreciated.
