Thank you. Would you have some recommendations for something that would be compatible with that cable and still mobile enough to be used with an iPhone? Or would I be better off buying a second 3.5mm cable for mobile use?

I ordered a pair of ÆON 2 Noire which I plan to power with a FiiO K7. I ordered the ones that come with a balanced 4-pin XLR cable. I was wondering if that's compatible with the Qudelix-5K which I plan to use on the go. Also, whether this portable Amp/DAC has enough oomph for the power-hungry...

I found this presentation on the history and evolution of headphones very interesting: http://www.ligo.co.uk/evolution-of-headphones/

Thank you everyone for your comments and suggestions. I ended up buying a pair of used, but in fantastic condition HiFiMAN HE-500 headphones.

  That's kind of what I'm thinking as well. Especially since I extended the budget a little. My only concern is that I have an E18 and I'm afraid that the HE-500 won't sound good with it. I do plan to get a better amp/dac combo in the future, but that might be in a while.   Which affordable...

Thank you KG Jag. I called them up and they asked me to email them. We'll see. How would they compare to the new MS2 and the SR325e? The $100 difference is not a big deal.

Have you considered the Grado SR80i or SR80e?

Time for an upgrade. The following are my requirements. I'm curious what you guys think.   Budget - < $450 Source - Fiio E18 now (plus ODAC+O2 or Schiit stack in a few months). Requirements for Isolation - Absolutely none. Preferred Type of Headphone - Open air. Preferred tonal...

I don't have the 50 posts required, but I still wanted to make a suggestion: Rock Jaw Suono. "Suono" means sound in Italian.