Got an itch to either get another pair of cans or upgrade sources/amps and wondering if people have recommendations for a next step in the 200-300 neighborhood.   Currently I've got:  HD598s Mad Dog 3.2s (single ended) FiiO e12 160GB iPod classic Xonar DG sound card   I really enjoy the...

Would you say they need an amp either way? I don't have one presently. I'm not necessarily averse to taking that plunge, but I'd want to stay on the less expensive and more portable end of the market. While it looks like the fiio e12 is a fine option there, it also looks like people don't think...

So it looks like t50rps are only good once modded, and the mods involve packing the ear cups with cotton and some other materials. Anyone know if these are still "semi-open" after modding? I see them described as closed in a lot of places.

Yeah, I mentioned Fidelio L1s because they're semi-open. Haven't seen much on how well they isolate though. I'll look into the T50RPs and K240s as well. I've looked at grados but worry they'll require just as much fiddling as my hd598s do to stay at a good volume.

To avoid dying. Basically it's important to me to be able to hear cars and people around me and hopefully also hear the music as well.

Hey All, I'm looking for a pair of headphones to use on my daily commute, a one mile walk, and during the day. The basic requirements I'm hoping to find are:   Collapsible or small (really this means "fits in a pocket or can be thrown in a backpack") Open or semi-open Relatively neutral...