Quote: thanks man you definitely know your stuff.  at first i was leaning towards straight cord but now that i think about it, i dont really need 10 feet of slack on the ground while my laptop sits on my lap.  but my computer monitor is sitting on my desk and theres probably two feet...

Quote: thanks for the input.  initially the 598's were appealing to me, i fell in love with the looks of them.  the fact that i had to use the adapter for my computer was a turn off but that was the only flaw i could see personally. they are out of my price range however the headphones...

Quote: im looking for the exact soundcard as i post this, no luck yet.  im on my 15 inch macbook pro, it only says 'intel high definition audio' under the system specs tab 

Quote: basically if it will sound better plugged into the m-audios as opposed to just into my computer. not sure if they act as an amp (dont know what they do lol) but just curious

I have a budget of $200 for a nice pair of headphones.  At first I was looking at the HD 598's (over budget, plus the 1/4 inch cable standard threw me off).  Right now im looking at the ATH M50's which look appealing and the reviews are great for it.  Im wearing my dads Bose quietcomfort 3's...

Ive been lurking on this forum for a bit trying to find a solid pair of headphones for my birthday.  Ive decided on the sennheiser hd 598's but i have around a month before my bday so I have time to change cans if i need to.  im mainly looking for comfort, headphones that i can wear for hours...