Can a newbie get a little advice?

Considering you listen to such a variety of music and also would like something that isolates well for long flights, I'd recommend the Fischer Audio FA-003 or its cousin, the Brainwavz HM5. It is a neutral can, so no frequency will overpower another, and the earpads isolate sound very well. However, it may get hot under the pads after a few hours.

 

Sincerely,

I have found the m50 to be very comfortable and my friend who flew with me for 5 hours uses them. he used them through the entire flight. I have not used the 770. no idea about their comfort but they do have some bass emphasis so just be aware of that. I find the m50 to have sufficient and powerful bass but for others it's not enough. with that said I would probably recommend the m50 unless you are a basshead.

The M50s are actually pretty uncomfortable for me after long periods because they clamp quite a lot. I've put them over a tissue box for days, etc, and have listened over 1000 hours on my pair, but they're still pretty uncomfortable for long sessions. Also, I think they'd be a bit bassy for your tastes, hence the recommendation of the FA pair, which is neutral and won't over-accentuate any frequency. In addition, I find the 003 more comfortable for long-term wearing than the M50.

 

Yes, Brainwavz and LINDY have their respective copies, the HM5 and Premium Hi-Fi. It has not yet been officially confirmed if they share the same drivers, but the general consensus is that they do. I myself have heard the HM5 and FA-003 and they sounded the same, albeit I didn't have my test tracks with me when sampling the HM5.

 

Sincerely,

I would get the Ultrasone HFI 780's. Period. The M50's are bass heavy, and muddy bass at that. If you look ont he web. there are many ATH M50 vs HFI 580 threads. the HFI 580 always wins. the difference between the HFI 580 and the HFI 780 is that the 780 has less bass, but is still tight and pronounced with a more focus on highs and vocals that you will love. $158 for the HFI 580. I would also recommend an amp to really make these shine. While the HFI series are easy to drive, i find that it's just not enough for the majority of my music. I would then also recomend the FiiO E6 and FiiO L9 LOD(if you have an ipod)

the total will be the best $200 you ever spent

HFI 780 $158

FiiO E6-$26

FiiO L9- $14

 

don't be afraid of the bass in ultrasone's. its fantastic. the bass doesn't show up on songs you don't want it to. and it blows your mind when you start hearing good bass on the songs you want. opening most of my rock songs. the drums just give that little thump and little impact in the background without drowining ANYTHING out. I have the 580's. you will LOVE the HFI 780's

Edited by bowei006 - 12/29/11 at 2:10pm

That's exactly what they are. Conflicting based on tastes. I'm sure you've read my review(...it's the first regular person written review if you search anything about the HFI 580's) and it says it all there

"On head Feel: Pretty solid, I actually wanted a pair with good clamping force and these deliverd :) the pads are also pretty comfortable. I can wear these for 4 hours tops. unlike 2 hours for the Shure 440's. Ears get sweaty after a bit of listening though.

 

UPDATE:ears no longer get sweaty at all as others have noted, they are not really to clampy as others may say in my opinion, however i do see a problem if you wear glasses. These things...don't clamp evenly or enough i guess, my Shure's don't either. more on this in teh sound quality update section. the top headband pad can also be "felt" sometimes. it's one of those times when you just happen to feel the random stuff about your headphones and the headphone band pad is usually the first thing. it can get prety hard and annoying. but i find that pushing down on the pad from the top and then reaadjusting my headphones to accompany  that new slight sag works and you don't feel it after a bit. :)"

 

They are decent for me. Tops of 4 hours like i said. the pads are pretty plush but your ears WILL get sweaty at first. you will get used to it. the headband thing at the top is annoying. push down on it and you will forget about it.

the ath m50's are a bit more comfortable, but as you see in reviews. the HFI 580 is better and less expensive. the M50's are more comfortable but still not the most comfortable things around...hmm maybe Vmoda LP....it's basicallyy all bass with little or minor focus on mids and highs 

 

The FA-003s are great cans for the money, and a great deal in the headphone world. Being neutral they won't have accented bass like the Ultrasones and M50 would, but they're solidly-built, great-sounding cans for the money.