The m50 aren't that good with rock and metal. The shures are good for said genres. Another good option are the hd25, which have a sort of similar sound to grado with punchy bass. Their only problem is that they can be quite uncomfortable. Demo them before buying to see if you can handle their...

He means the shures. Totally agree with the shr840, they are wonderful for rock and their construction is quite good. You  would enjoy them!

Apart from the usual suspects (beats solo, ibuds, most cheap skullcandies), I think the mdr-v150 are terrible. Muddy sound, feeble construction and overall ugly looks. There are better <$50 cans.

Maybe this thread could help you. Long read but complete. http://www.head-fi.org/t/574617/review-comparison-beyerdynamic-dt1350-t50p-sennheiser-hd25-1-ii-hd25-13-ii-pioneer-hdj-2000-v-moda-m80-aiaiai-tma-1

I'm not sure most people might think some dude in a limo with a chick carrying a "lightbulb" box to be stylish. I think it all comes down to a target demographic. Audiophiles obviously are not part of said group because we value different characteristics in our headphones. We think sound quality...

I was gonna recommend the hd25 until I read you wanted good soundstage... still, give them a try on any store that demo them. Other than soundstage, they are perfect for you: nice sound signature for rock, over the ear, durable and sturdy. 

Personally I have 4 cans: sr80i for home, hd25 when outside, xb300 when I want EXTRA bass (I know the xb500 are better but I got these ones as a birthday gift) and hd448 for classic music. Now, how many are enough? Nobody knows... 

The M50 aren't that good on rock, they lack aggressiveness. Haven't tried the Shures but I have heard they do deliver for your requirements.

*puts on anti-flame armor* I agree with you. If looks and brand are more important than sound, then yes, they are worth the price. Personally, I'm more inclined towards audio quality over "swagness", so I wouldn't buy nor recommend them. In the end, it's all about preference.

I'm an ex M50 owner and I think they are sort of overrated. As far as I remember them, they are jack-of-all-trades, with a small extra dose of bass. They are very flexible with many genres of music but that's basically it. If you have a favorite genre, chances are they might not make it sound...

From what I've read, not all european players have this cap. Mostly they are applied in France and the northern region.

Well, guess I'll make a leap of faith, get the nwz-z1000 and find out if it is good or not. So far there hasn´t been a complete review for it, except those that compare it right away with the iPod Touch and diss it without talking in depth about it's sq. I'll make a review about it once I've...

http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/27499/eu-imposes-music-player-volume-limit http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/article/320308/eu_wants_mp3_player_volumes_capped/