Value: I got these for $207 and at twice the price they'd be a great buy. Sound: If the next sentence seems defensive, it's not. it's an assertion of the sound quality of the HD598s. I've been in the music business for over 40 years and I have to assert that anyone giving these a low score on sound would not know a good set of headphones if it bit them on the ass (thanks Frank). These things are very close to neutral with just a bit of warmth due to the fact that they emphasise the lower mids and upper bass just a tiny bit. Bass extension is superb...