Hi guys,
 
I was hoping you learned audiophiles can help me out with my situation. I am looking for a decent pair of headphones which I can wear inside the library and enjoy my ipod collection with. I don't need noise-canceling. I recently tried the Audio technica ATH-M35s and Sennheiser HD 428. I loved their sound, but the Senn leaked too much sound in addition to being ON my ear and not AROUND my ear and I had a thumping headache after listening to the technicas for an hour. I then had the chance to try the Bose AE2s and my god, they were unbelievably comfortable. I just sank in the chair and listened to the songs for two hours straight and never felt them on my head. But, that's where the AEs stop. The sound quality was not better than a 15$ in-ear headphones you can get from walmart and I would hate to pay $150 for those. My main attributes are: lightweight, less (or least) clamping force and closed (I spend a lot of time in the library) and they have to be circum-aural (like the AEs). My budget is anywhere upto $150-$175, but obviously the lower the better. I'm a poor student Thanks a lot for your help guys.

I really enjoy audio technica ATH-M50.  They are on my top 10 list for headphones.  If the clamping force is too much place them over a full-sized tissue box when you sleep.  After a week they will fit perfectly.  This works for almost every type of headphone.
 
Read about them here:
http://www.headphone.com/headphones/audio-technica-ath-m50.php
 
Another great closed headphone is the Sennheiser HD 449.
http://www.headphone.com/headphones/sennheiser-hd-449.php
 
They are a little more laid back which will help prevent listening fatigue.
 
If you want some that is more budget than hi-fi the Philips O'Neill Stretch is another decent sounding headphone.  The nice thing about them is the isolation and build quality.  They remain the best in each category for the price.

Consider the Shure SRH 840--more neutral than the "v" shaped EQ of the M50.  If you're a basshead or basshead lite, you'll probably like the M50 better.
 
I haven't heard them myself, but the KRK KNS8400 Studio Headphones have gotten good press here.

 
Quote:

kg jag said:

Consider the Shure SRH 840--more neutral than the "v" shaped EQ of the M50.  If you're a basshead or basshead lite, you'll probably like the M50 better.
 
I haven't heard them myself, but the KRK KNS8400 Studio Headphones have gotten good press here.

Click to expand...

 
The Shure's are nice, but I wouldn't consider them "lightweight".  They can feel pretty heavy on the head after a while, especially compared to the ATH-M50's.

Try the sennheiser HD 449 great comfort and audiophile sound.

You might try the Beyer dt770. Closed, super comfy and quality top to bottom. I've seen them used here for about $135.
 
GL!!