Thanks! Also got the mugatu shirt :P

When the deal is too good to be true, it probably is. Why would you want to roll the dice with such a bad seller. 

  Yes. I completely understand that. I'm just putting in my experience. 

  I'm using a ferrite bead usb right now, but did not see any difference between one without a ferrite bead. I just happen to have one laying around. 

  No, not that I know of. The in-line mic is usually meant to be use in conjunction with a phone. I haven't seen or read about any DACs that will allow you to use your mic. 

  Money well spent :]

  If you do a quick search in this thread, you will find that there are people that did a comparison of the two. 

Great help... Much appreciated...   Thanks....

  Not a solid comparison. Had the chance to audition a friend's Q701s for a night. I preferred the sound and comfort of the HD600. The Q701 was too analytical for my taste and exploited some of my lower quality tracks. 

  I was once torn also. Still want to own a pair of Grado's though and do plan on investing in a pair down line, just to quench my curiosity.  Was hoping for a 325i or something above that. 

Of course the gain depends on your source also. I find that I need higher gain if I use it with my cellphone, and less if I use it with the Odac. How far into the future will this investment be? :]

  I clipped my O2 myself to 1x/2.5x gain and use 1x gain with my HD600. I am among many that find the O2 sufficient in driving the HD600. Although I do prefer my NFB 12.1 for the HD600 since it adds a little darkness to the sound.      To be honest, that math goes over my head. Been...

  Unfortunately, I do not have any experience with Hifiman products aside from my short lived possession of the HE-300 (sold it). As far as amps go, I only own the O2 and NFB-12.1. Both are efficient to drive HD600 and Denon 2k. Hopefully someone else may point you in the right direction in...

  Well, my stand alone odac also works when I plug in my headphones, but it does not have nearly enough power to actually drive headphones to optimal listening levels. I find that my iems do well with the ODAC alone and adjusting the volume in windows to 100% produces a decent volume. Which amp...

If your amp section is powered off, the amp line out works as a dac only. There should be no quality loss. 

He hasn't answered how long the the payment would cover. So I if it's per year..I don't think it's worth it. 

How long does the fee cover? I wouldn't spend the extra on insurance for headphones. 

  It's been at that price for a while. I know cause it's part of my wish list :]

You will hear static if you play unsupported formats. 

True, taste does vary. Here is an identical thread that might help you out since not many people are responding.  http://www.head-fi.org/t/651817/audiotechnica-m50s-vs-v-moda-crossfade-lps

Yes. 

I would go with the m50 between the two. I thought the LPs bass was really muddy and were not enjoyable at all. I also think the m50 are a little more comfortable than the LPs. 

I don't think the 550 is warm sounding at all actually. I find it a little cold to be honest. I normally use it with my o2/odac at work due to the excellent sound isolation but definitely prefer the added coloration of my nfb 12.1. Of course all sound preference is subjective and amp choice is...

Is that an ODAC PCB on top?

If you get IEMs with low impedance (usually 16 to 32 ohms) and is sensitive to voltage applied then the O2 would be a good choice since it has low gain switch 2.5x/6.5x or you can modify it to your liking with a few other combinations. The AD700 is in the same category. You should not have a...