Aurvana Live headphones don't isolate well at all. The Live 2s are no exception. They sound good, though. They sound warm (ample bass, relaxed unfatiguing treble), but have a very lacking midrange. Lots of bass, but expect to turn the volume high to drown out ambient noise.   The cables on the...

Sounds pretty similar. The HE-500s are definitely more detailed and close to natural. The HE-500s sound far more neutral and the Fidelio X1s have a more warm sound. The HE-500s are far more detailed and flat-sounding. As much as I love the X1s, I can't really give it any points above the...

I'm not saying it doesn't need one. But I guess you're right; if it really needs an amp to sound worth it to begin with, it's probably not worth buying, given the OP's budget.

Pretty much what I would have said. The M50s - and by extension, the x's - do not have very good mids. The Onkyos have far better sound quality across the board, but the trade-off is that it's an on-ear. I can't help but gravitate towards these so often even though I own IEMs, though.

What amp would any of you recommend pairing these with? I was thinking about a Bottlehead Crack - or maybe a Bottlehead Quicksand, though I don't think a lot of people have heard it yet, for obvious reasons. Maybe a Little Dot MK III. Realistically, I would probably just pick an Objective2 amp...

I've used the Sennheiser HD 600s with glasses on and they're great. A good pair of IEMs that would compliment the HD 600s if you don't want the same sound signature in a more portable form factor would be the RHA MA750. They might sound veiled in comparison to other headphones, but they have...

Somehow, the OP raises more questions than most threads of this nature do. Let me try to answer this: you want a headphone that you think sounds better than another one? What makes you say that? Does something about how the sound signature has been described appeal to you?   Anyway, I'm just...

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the Sony MDR-MA900.

Well, in regards to your budget and criteria, this is all that exists worth buying at your price, to my knowledge.

Currently listening to:   "Rain When I Die" by Alice In Chains   Last four songs I've heard, backwards:   "If I Had A Tail" by Queens of the Stone Age "Why Go" by Pearl Jam "Water" by Breaking Benjamin "Generator" by Bad Religion

You're just paying for wireless features rather than sound quality at that price.

I didn't either until I heard these ones. Like I said, an amp will do better than onboard or a sound card. But they sound just fine. Impedance isn't the only factor that determines whether or not something is difficult to drive.

Well, I used the sources from each setup. I listened to grunge rock from the likes of Nirvana, and some progressive and metal - The Mars Volta and (I think) Metallica, specifically. The sort of thing I usually listen to. Also, I don't think the ambient noise had anything to do with it. It was a...

Beyerdynamic DT880 Pro. Its price is just shy of your budget. If you're listening out of your computer, it should be enough to drive them. Although, I think you might want a dedicated amp later down the line. The Objective2 amplifier is about the cheapest I can recommend for something like that.

My vote goes to the ATH-M50x. I'd pick the M-80, as well, but you wanted isolation. Even the XS doesn't isolate all that well compared to full-sized cans. I'd just get the ATH-M50s if you want to save some money and don't care about a detachable cable. They're a bargain at the price they're...

I never found the RS2s to be fatiguing, but they're still uncomfortable with the stock cushions. They cover the whole spectrum far better than other Grado headphones. Bass is not non-existent, but mids and treble still have the same house sound.

The Philips Fidelio X1, Sennheiser HD 598, and Focal Spirit Classic are all good choices. I've tried all but the last one, which comes with great recommendations (I have heard the FS Professional, though; feel free to skip that one).   The Fidelio X1 does not have replaceable pads, which is...

I wouldn't be surprised if this was the case. I've heard underpowered headphones before and this just fit the bill, especially considering the HE-500s were right next to it. Honestly though, if a headphone is that much of a power hog, I don't think I can recommend it to anyone even if it sounds...

I just heard these at the Seattle meet this weekend. I know what I'm buying next!

I'm glad I got to meet a lot of knowledgeable people at Kirkland. Came all the way from Vancouver, WA and it was worth it. There was a ton of gear that I never had the chance to demo before like the Little Dot MK III and Objective2, as well as the Sennheiser HD 600 and up. It was a real treat...

The Counterstrike games have it, and I believe so do Battlefield and Call of Duty. A900X would probably be good for a closed headphone. Your suggestion is good. Still, I favor open headphones for the soundstage. It's very nice to have a wide soundstage for gaming, and virtual surround software...

None of the headphones I suggested have surround sound. You can make them surround sound capable by using something like Razer Surround or Dolby Headphone, but it degrades the sound quality. If the games you play have a binaural audio setting in their options, turn that on; it will have the same...

Honestly, I want the Fidelio L2 first, before the X2 comes out. Philips has been completely ignoring the states, it seems.

Let it go, folks. The discussion ended with Benbenkr stopped. This thread isn't about arguing if Dolby Headphone is any good or not.

No, it won't be an issue with Skype. Not unless you play sound very loudly. More than likely, the microphone will recognize that as background noise if it has noise cancelling, and nobody will hear it. Although in the case of the Fidelio X1, leakage is very minimal for an open headphone. I don't...