Count me in. I'm very interested.

I would advice you stay away from DT770. They have a deep "V" shape sound signature and will cause your music to be bass and treble light (very mid forward).  They're good for listening, not producing music.

Don't use the headphone out if you want to avoid double amping. Use the main balanced out. As billybob_jvc said, you need to convert balanced to unbalanced in order to use normal amplifier. Otherwise, you'd need a balanced amplifier if you want to keep everything balanced.

Would something like this be what you're looking for?:   http://www.vinylflat.com/canopener.html

Sorry for my humble opinion. If it's help with my credential - I am a working musician and I live next to a big headphone store. I've tried almost every headphones that currently available in the market.  I personally prefer the sound of open headphones but if I have to choose a closed back can...

Why don't you try using some sort of EQ first? I'd recommend DFX audio enhancer. Or if you want something more serious : Equalizer APO. They are both free and would have much more impact to the sound quality than getting a new amp.

Here is the way I do it:   I set the soundcard in Windows to 7.1 caused I have surround speakers.  I use a little software called DFX Audio Enhancer to change between surround speakers and headphones. Just one click (the software always open when Windows starts up). Surround sound still come...

I'd recommend Moxpad x6. Very good and strong removable cable. Come with hard-shell storage pouch. They also sound good and very durable.

Hifiman HE-500 and Sennheiser HD 650 are open headphones - They sound great but do not isolate well. The sound will leak both in and out.

May I recommend Fostex TH-600 - the little brother of their flagship TH-900 : one of the best closed headphones in the world.

Fiio X1 is not a DAC but a DAP.   I would suggest putting most of you money on headphones would give you the best quality result.  You can listen to your music on a smartphone or laptop.  But if you really want a DAP, fiio X1 is a good choice and that would leave you ~ $200 for headphones. ...

You probably want something like this ? : http://www.amazon.com/Griffin-Technology-NA16029-Multimedia-Controller/dp/B003VWU2WA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1426850464&sr=8-1&keywords=usb+volume+control

I've only used the IM02 with my Centrance Hifi M8 which is great imo.  You might want to start a new thread to get better opinions from other head-fiers.

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Oh, sorry to here that the rope didn't work. I guess new cans would be the way to go then.  And yes, CIEMs are pretty expensive.

Headphone out for most speaker amp is poorly built, or sometimes a resistor network tap from the speaker out which give out only a few mW.  If you're planing to get a high impedance headphones (300 ohm in case of HD650), a dedicated headphones amp would be better, IMO.

Yep.  The rope I'm using is about that thick.

I think it should work with most headphones.  For the strong clamp problem,  I normally try put the headphones on a box, or a speaker, or a side-way hardcover textbook for 2-3 days and they'll be loosen up quite a lot.

Wanna try doing something like this to your DT770? http://youtu.be/BCmou_SBCR0 I tried it with my HE-500 and it really helps make the cups deeper.

  +1   They are roughly the same headphone. Good things you heard about M50s are still apply to the M50x.  Which that said, if your turn out not liking the sound of M50 then M50x would not be for you as well.  Many people go for for the M50x just for the removable cable( coil cable is too...

Can you try passing some signal through random pair of the wires and see which pair generate the sound to which earpiece? Without soldering of course. I would used something like alligator clips to do so.

Yes. the M50 were discontinued for a while now.  There is a newer improved version called the M50x with better bass, better comfort and removable cable.  The M50 has been a highly recommended hp for years and now there's the M50x as the replacement.

the IM02 are more neutral and leaning more toward the analytical sound signature while the um pro 10 are little bit bright with well mid and beautiful treble.  So it depends on sound characteristic you're after.  Apart from the bulkiness of the IM02, I find they're both comfortable.   Note...

Look into the RHA T10i. They come with tuning filters which can be used to emphasis on bass (or treble).

How about Audio technica ATH-IM02? They are dual balanced armature drivers and around your price points.  They are a little bulky though.