These could do the job; http://www.amazon.com/beyerdynamic-DT-235-Headphone-Black/dp/B00198BY48   or if u want big bass:   The sony xb 500

Gbak, Do consider the Sennheisser HD25. I found them good for rock and they are closed and portable.

The Audinst seems to be the preferred option in this range. If you dont need a hp out, you can go something which has just purely dac functionality.

Marantz sa8004, Ayon Cd 1 s, CA 840, audiolabs 8200 etc are some that come to mind that perform the function of a cdp as well as external dac.

I hope this time around the output impedance is not too high!

If CDs are your main media, then its better to look for dacs which have better coax input performance compared to one that is focused on a better usb implementations( eg, arcam rdac). Along with the audiolab dac, you can look at ayon cd1s.

I have pretty much the same requirements as the OP. Listen to HD555 and AD700 as of now. The Denon D2000 looks like one of the possible candidates, though I have will have to wait a bit before I accumulate the moolah for it.   HM5, I have stricken off the list, as I have begun to feel, its a...

The Audio Gd Nfb-5 may fit your requirement and your budget.

I have heard the Asus Xonar STX, not heard the D2X. The tubemagic didnt seem like an upgrade to the STX.

Is the Emotiva xda 1 still available for purchase anywhere?

If you can let go of the hp out and volume control, the HRT MS2 is highly recommended in 150$.   Else, the nuforce udac 2, audinst hud mx1, Fiio E17 etc tick all your boxes and are in the budget range. 

You could look at the Cambridge audio Dac Magic( the older model), its got all the features you need and is in your budget. A cheaper option would be something like the Audinst Hud mx1, Nuforce udac 2.

Deepanshu, Tf10 does the trick for me. However I have not heard many top tier iems. But the tf10 is something which just lets me enjoy the music.

Quote: I have heard the Phonaks but not the Perfect Bass ones.  One thing I love about the a151 is the cable. No microphonics, no tangling, its a dream!

Kaikot, Are you saying the B2 has a sound signature similar to the TF10? TIA

Let me try and see how the a151 pairs with the e5 and the iphone. But I somehow get the feeling that it will overly increase the already warm nature of the a151. The bass on the a151 is quite decent though. 

phntmsmshr, How do you find them compared to your tf10s?

The Brainwavz m2 is on pre order for 50$ I think. Another option if you can increase budget is the ecci pr401. It punches far above its weight.

Yo, the Meelec a151 doesnt sound much like what BAs are generally said to sound like. Analytical, fast, bright etc. Instead it sounds very warm, has much more bass quantity than a typical BA and there is no sparkle to the treble. I have not heard it, but why not try the Brainwavz B2. 

esanthosh, great stuff as usual!   So will you be adding comparisons eventually?

Somehow I find that IEMs which are usually found to have strong bass pair well with the Samsung Galaxy S.

+1 to Mark when he says that the bass does not enter into the picture when not called for! Geo, if that is a priority, the pr401 is a good choice. The separation is also pretty good, only thing I miss is a bit more richer timbre to the string instruments.

  WARNING:This is a long post and a first of its sorts for me on head-fi. Please excuse any deficiencies in this post due to my lack of       experience.      Ortho- this word,until a year back would have evoked a mental pictue of a doc in a white coat, who you went to when you broke...

Hi everyone, wish you a very happy new year! Hope the new year brings me another Brainwavz after my Beta pro!

^I share a similar approach. My modest desktop rig comprises an Audio Technica ad700 with a Nuforce udac, with my PC as source or straight off the CD player. For portable use, its a Sansa Clip Plus with hifiman RE-2/Soundmagic PL30.   You cant replace the isolation of some iems . OTOH...