I own a pair and find them very comfortable. They have nice quality bass as well.  

I own all 3 and the dt-770 hands down has the best sound IMHO. It's closed and isolates well. Very comfortable. Also comes in 80 and 250 ohm versions. The 80 won't need amping. The 250 will sound better with amping.  

I own a pair of M-50's but have not heard the Uptown. If you are interested in other options, look into the Beyerdynamic dt-770. A nice quality closed headphone.  

 I bought the Auralex risers as well and they were a big help. I also installed some sound dampening window shades which also darken my living room. I have a plasma TV so darkening is necessary. The combination of the risers and the shades have made a huge difference. The cops haven't been here...

I have the same problem powering my HE-500's with a Beyerdynamic A-1. Not a problem with my other headphones. The 500's like a lot of output power as do most orthodynamic cans. I recently purchased a Woo WA6-se and no longer have the problem as the Woo amp is much more powerful. You could also...

For the OP, the Beyerdynamic dt-770 in 80 ohms is a nice option. Closed, nice bass, but well over your stated budget I'm afraid. Perhaps a used pair?

They sounded great to me from the E-11  

 I was listening to M-50's from a Fiio E-11 yesterday from a Sansa Fuze + while doing yard work. Sounded nice with good bass. The E-11 has 3 EQ settings so you can increase the bass if you like.

Look into the Beyerdynamic dt-770. Closed, comfortable, good bass. They come in 250 and 80 ohm versions.  

You could look into the Beyerdynamic dt-770. Closed and comfortable but probably lacking in the soundstage you're looking for.

I was running my He-500's from a Beyer A1 and they struggled. I had to set the volume to 4'Oclock. I recently purchased a Woo wa6se and these cans sound wonderful and plenty of volume at 10:00.

Why not simply audition other headphones and then YOU can compare your Beats with other cans ... maybe some within your price range.

 That'll work, just not too loud. Play something that has a good range of sound.

I have a really nice home theater system but I can't play it too loud because of the neighbors so I got into headphones to resolve that problem. I enjoy listening to both but I sure do miss the LFE when listening to cans.

Quote: Sorry for not getting back to you right away. I'm using an Oppo 95 as my source connected directly to my headphone Amp. Right now my amp is a Beyer A1. Jack just shipped the WA6se yesterday via UPS. I should have it by Wednesday.

Be aware that the MK 700's are very tight clamping and uncomfortable. They are also very unbalanced ...  heavy with muddy bass. I own a pair. They are my least favorite headphone.

I have the ATH-PRO700MK2 and find it VERY uncomfortable and I find the sound muddied with bloated bass. I've never worn the Allen & Heath.

Thanks for that great Mod Armand Hammer! The collar you linked to is no longer available but there's another with the same dimensions.   Here ....         http://tinyurl.com/9tw4sfg

Not sure about the AMP/DAC but the Beyerdynamic dt770 250 ohm would be a good choice for closed headphones.

 I guess I'm guilty of buying and keeping many pairs of headphones and spending way too much money. But honestly, I enjoy all but one pair and try to use them all evenly. So now I've gone and purchased a tube amp .... a Woo Audio WA6se. At the moment, I'm running off a Beyer A1 ss amp but after...

I've owned an A1 for some time now and I love it. The only cans it seems to have a problem with are HiFiMan He-500's. On the A1 I've powered Grado Ps-1000's, Beyer 770, 880, and 990's (the latter 2 at 600 ohms and the 770's 250 ohms, Senheisser Hd-800's, AT M50's and Denon 5000's. All except the...

Quote: Love the WA6se! I have one on order!

Quote: Thanks for the suggestion. I just found the hts 1600 on Amazon for $118.00. A nice looking unit!

Quote: I guess for me it's high end. Rawdawg, what power cable do you use with your WA6se?

Quote: I've heard the LCD-3 is a big improvement over the LCD-2. Have you given it a listen? I'm also interested in the Fischer FA-011. I've read some good reviews and it has a great retro look to it. I can't seem to find it online right now. Sock is sold out except on E-Bay.