Not really... The M40fs is one of the flattest headphone I've heard, actually. "Very recessed upper mids" doesn't characterize what I remember about the sound of that headphone or the D40fs I recommended (and own for well over a decade). Perhaps your reference for 'neutral' is a more...

Given your requirements, I can't see a better candidate than Audio-Technica ATH-D40fs. Selling now for 49$ on Amazon, which is in stark contrast with their original price in the late 90's (in the vicinity of 150$). A dated design but can still hold its' own even against it's newer siblings...

Dark and airy are usually mutually exclusive attributes. If you are looking for a dark headphone with great spatial representation, I don't think there's anything better out there than HD650 (for the money). But you need a very good amp to tap into their potential. They'll do OK even with a...

I have no experience with Pro80, but I do own the 2050 and several Superlux/Samson headphones. To my ears and my music of choice the 2050's are not as sonically competent as the Superluxes are. Resolution is lower, spatial presentation and accuracy are (much) lower. Tonally the Takstars might...

Have a look at Superlux HD681B, HD668B or Samson SR850. All 3 are variations on the same theme, all 3 relatively neutral sounding and highly detailed (for the price) headphones. All 3 are on the bright side of things and all 3 can be EQ-ed successfully according to taste or necessity. Neither...

I'll put another plug for the AKG K240S. The entire K240 line handles rock music very well, while retaining the AKG house sound (clear and well spaced out). They're also built very well and will, most likely, last for decades.

Impedance can be a bit misleading. In absolute terms a low impedance driver would present most difficulty to an amplifier, as it is with speakers. Low impedance demands more current from an amp. For speakers that can be an issue, as the current demands can be very high indeed (in the order of...

I'll just copy/paste here a response I gave in a similar thread:   They're very similar. The Samson SR850 is essentially a Superlux HD681B, rebranded.   Some people assumed they're identical to the HD668B (cup design shared some more similarities than with HD681 line). However they are not...

  What the EQ does is increase the quantity of certain frequencies, not their quality. If the highs are recessed and poor quality all you'll get is the same poor quality treble, only louder. If they're good to begin with, then an EQ can help.

The NX1 doesn't have a DAC section, it's just an amplifier. The USB port in the back is for charging purposes only.

They're very similar. The Samson SR850 is essentially a Superlux HD681B, rebranded.   Some people assumed they're identical to the HD668B (cup design shared some more similarities than with HD681 line). However they are not. Driver magnets and impedance are different, 32 ohm for the SR's and...

Given your music taste I think Audio Technica D40fs would be a better fit. Their price has decreased significantly over the years, to about half of what I paid for them some ... 10 years ago.   In terms of performance it's not far off from it's more recent sibling, the M50(x). The sound...

There isn't much between them in terms of SQ. Just different flavors of the same thing, mostly. The HD330 have a bit more dynamic sound, which goes a little better with rock music. The 681 EVO has a more laid back presentation with more relaxed treble and slightly better soundstage. If you...

Can you share a few more details about your setup and what you're looking for? More specifically: what will the headphone amplifier use as source with your computer? A soundcard or you have already a DAC? Would a dac/amp combo function as a substitute to what you already have in your main...

Considering he is just starting into this hobby and got overloaded with new information it's probably best to let it sink in and allow the man to come to terms with his decision. Who's to say he will not get impressed by a particular headphone- amp combo and regret the choice later. O2D is an...

The EHP-O2D looks indeed like a very good choice. I didn't realize, until now, what a huge following these two things (odac and o2 amp) actually have. The amplifier is, at least on paper, capable of driving most headphones with ease and, based on the reviews, is transparent and neutral enough...

The pads are a bit larger on the K550 and much softer compared to the pleathers from K240. Overall comfort is also better. The headband design is completely different and the K550 feel quite a bit lighter on the head, with less clamping than K240. The seal is also very good, as I understand it...

This was one of the most entertaining review I've read in a long time. Really enjoyed the subtle humour. Thanks for writing it.

OK, I'll make a short list of some 300$ -ish headphones which I believe are worth reading more about. Sennheiser HD600 - very competent across all music genres and even though dated, they're still a reference at their price point. Open design and will improve with dac/amp significantly (though...

If you want the absolute closest to your k240mk2 in a closed package I think the K550 is the way to go. There's also the K271mk2, but the sound signature is quite a bit different and the bass extension is really lacking.   Now, the K550 might be a somewhat controversial choice, as people are...

  The main advantage of a closed headphone is better insulation from outside noise. So usually closed headphones are purposefully built in that regard, especially for professional or portable use, where noise insulation is preferred. On the other hand open headphones usually sound more...

A better pair of headphones, such as an Audio Technica M50 for example, will sound much better through your integrated soundcard than your current PC360 headphones powered by a D2x or a good 300$ dac/amp. The quality jump from the headphones will be more drastic than that  from your source. I...

Take a look at Creative Aurvana Live. There are some other good sounding headphones in your price range, but most of them come with some shortcomings especially in terms of comfort and/or sound characteristics, which, in the long run, may become less desirable. The Creatives have the sound...

I mean if you need some of the extra features those stereo receivers would give you (network streaming, radio tuner and so on). If you do, then obviously that choice would suit you better. I don't think sound quality is much of a factor in this decision, as both will sound largely similar.