Quote:   To my ears the SM3 has the bigger soundstage and is more airy, while the W4 has slightly more forward mids and clarity. W4 is the better choice in technical terms but you won't go wrong with either, just a matter of personal preference.

I'd recommend the SM3 v2 as well. Auditioned the W4, UM3x, W3 before the SM3 v2, none of them sounded as fun as the SM3 v2 on my j-anime songs collection. Not very suitable for rock/metal genre though, the energy and sparkle isn't enough.

you could give the earsonics SM3v2 a try. I'm loving it with my J-pop and anime song collection.

Quote:   yup absolutely agree. i'm pairing mine with the hippo cricri+ and it sounds better than unamped. both the 840 and M50 benefit from amps in some degree but not really necessary on the M50 IMO.

Quote:   well they are a bit more neutral than say the M50 but they're much more comfortable than the M50. Suited for DJ as well with the one-cup swivel design. Bass is tight and clear mids are what Shure does very well.

SRH840 has very comfortable pads but it does get a bit sweaty after a few hours of listening. The headband is a bit heavy as well so it'll need some time to get used to. M50 is lighter in terms of weight but it's way less comfortable due to the material of the pads. I have both and I find it...

Why not include the Shure SRH-840? They're selling at $152 on Amazon and they're great all-rounders. I have them besides the M50 and the SRH-840 has clearer mids and tighter bass.

comfort? I have a pair of M50 for a long time now and comfort is definitely NOT the word to describe it. the clamp is a bit tight for larger heads. i think the TMA-1's would be a better choice if comfort is a main priority.

sweet. done doing the survey and hoping for the best!