[=][/] Well I was boggled as well. Headphones are the last thing I'd pay MSRP for, except TVs.

I made two calls to J&R and went to Electronics Expo for the HD598; no one will discount. These are pretty easy going retailers, too. J&R told me a discount is now forbidden on the HD598, and that's not because of a new J&R policy.

Oh man, thanks for the info. I agree, it's tough to pay full-price on a headphone that was 35% less expensive two months ago. This is turning me away from Sennheiser as well. If you look at coupons at various stores, they now exclude Sennheiser products. This sucks.

I tried getting a discount from J&R on the HD598... No dice. Sennheiser says no discounts. Does anyone know if this is permanent (as it is with Apple, Grado, etc.)? In which case I'd just buy for $250 on Amazon.

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That's great to know. Thank you.

Thanks... you guys are awesome. I was thinking really hard about the K701/702 but I read that the dimples on the headband can cause pain. Any thoughts on this? After I lived and suffered with Shure SRH440 for a month, I've learned to appreciate comfort above pretty much anything else. It doesn't...

  I'm new to this, as you can see. I adore my AKG K240 studio, which I use un-amped out of my iPhone 4, but there are things I hope could be improved. I want a bigger soundstage, and most importantly, more comfort - the AKG is a bit clamping. I was thinking of the Sennheiser HD598 (which I...

I'm new to this, as you can see. I adore my AKG K240 studio, which I use un-amped out of my iPhone 4, but there are things I hope could be improved. I want a bigger soundstage, and most importantly, more comfort - the AKG is a bit clamping. I was thinking of the Sennheiser HD598 (which I...