Most detailed, articulate sound?

Although I have not personally heard them, you may want to try the AKG K701 or K702.  They are supposedly very analytical, although can come up short on micro-dynamics if not amped properly.

 

I guess that should be my next question: are you using an amp, or plan to buy one?

Rush is tricky, for me at least Rush is all about the drums, and that is something the 701/702's aren't perfect with, but in this price range I don't think that you will get anything more detailed with the same size stage, But I'm also of the opinion that Rush doesn't need a large sound stage.

if you don't mind buying overseas you can get the Sony CD900ST. used by the top studios all of japan and known for it's revealing attributes. if not, the AKG 702 would be great. i would of suggested the Sony SA5000 but looking at the current price they go for it's above your range but they are known to have crazy speed and detail retrieval. if don't mind going used you can probably find one under 300 in great condition on the F/S forums here.

Another vote for the K702s.  I was utterly stunned going from the Denon D2000s to the K702s.  The neutrality (as opposed to the horribly recessed mids of the D2000), soundstage, and clarity was something I did not expect under $300.

 

I purchased the DT 880 250 ohms after reading about them and thinking they fit the bill for my musical preferences, being relatively neutral with good clarity and soundstage like the K702s.  I really want to like the DT 880s, but after many hours of comparison, I just can't bring myself to.  Everything the DT 880s are known to do, the K702s do much better, IMO.  

The Shure SRH 940 are ridiculously detailed for the price. A caveat though, is that they can seem unengaging on certain genres.

I'm in the group which finds them quite engaging

I also find my SP-1 to have quite a bit more detail than the 940.  It's flat, and not the "treble-corrected" kind.  Forward mids... makes it easy to pick up everything.  It hates bad recordings though

Q/K701/2, won't work well without an amp, and the DT150 is barely do able. I guess the SRH940 will do.

If amped, the Q/K701/2 and the DT150 is recommended over the SRH940, where it is quite bright compared to them two. Yes, even to the K701 too IMO.

Like to rock and want an up front mosh pit sound?

 

Grado 225i ~ sound stage won't be huge but that explains why they sound so forward.

Won't really need a beefy amp either. E10 would be good if you're on a tight budget.

 

Mids guitar and vocal detail will be difficult to match at this price. They're rock cans.

 

K701 will give you sound stage but drop you in the middle of the backrow, still, some

love them for that nonetheless. These will also require a very decent amp.

 

Volume is not everything, on a sound card or lesser amp they will sound loud

but also thin and harsh. Be warned.

 

Nice compromise is the AKG K601 ~ mine totally rock on my setup, but they're finicky

beasts and will only perform on a decent setup. A real shame because you almost

get it all ~ sound stage (not quite as a big as the K701) and the forward rock mid sound.

Edited by Gwarmi - 10/25/11 at 2:11am

Depends man ~ if you grab a 225i and an E10, there you go. $300.

 

Don't think you'll be disappointed if you like up front sound with rock.

 

The others are great cans but to get the most out of them ~ you need

a very decent setup.

 

Remember the K701 / K601 / Q701 are the AKG flagships.

Very much so in the middle-upper frequencies where a lot of the guitar chords and vocals take place.

 

It's my opinion, but they reproduce guitar unlike any other headphone ~ at any price.

 

Paired with the E10's natural warmish like signature it will help tame the occasional treble spike

that Grados are renowned for, but then again so are the AKG's.

 

Great example today, trying to see if my AKG K601 could run out of an iPod helped

along by a Fostex H1-P1 (combination DAC and Amp)

 

It sounded thin and a tad harsh, listenable but disappointing for the money spent

on the Fostex. Full sized ancillaries is the only way with the big AKG's.

 

Edited by Gwarmi - 10/25/11 at 6:08am