If you like Beyerdynamic's fit and approach, there's the fairly recent DT700 Pro X. https://www.amazon.com/beyerdynamic-Closed-Back-Headphones-Stellar-45-Monitoring/dp/B09G75RWN2?th=1 By all accounts it tames the treble peaks of the DT770 and DT880. They are closed-back, so not the hugest...

It seems like that your Ali dongle is not doing a good job. You might try the $9 Apple dongle and see if it does better, at apple.com . It doesn't amplify but it does have well-measured specs as a DAC. https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MU7E2AM/A/usb-c-to-35-mm-headphone-jack-adapter Shanling...

I have tried a lot of budget-fi hype trains here on Head-Fi. Most aren't bad. Exaggerated bass, shrill or metallic treble. But over $100 (IEMs) or $200 (headphones), I expect something serious -- not a fast-food boom-sizzle salt-fat blast but something that respects the original production.

ATH-MSR7b are low-impedance, high-sensitivity, meant to play with anything. iPhone DAC is good and you don't need extra power for those phones. Just plug it in and rock out!

There was an old, old audiophile refrain: "No highs, no lows, must be a Bose..." I think your audio horizons are about to expand significantly.

There is a whole Sound Science section on this site where knowledgeable people try to deal with marketing hype -- and get a lot of pushback. Mechanical, physical things -- headphone design, pads, eartips and also the loudness level of the music (because hearing responds differently in loud and...

Not an unpopular opinion at all. The headphones are crucial. The other stuff is incremental at best -- and I think a lot of the perceived improvements are placebo effects. Yes, an amp will help if the headphones need the power. But at the moment you can get an amp with perfect measurements for...

Your new headphones have more midrange -- the range of vocals and instruments like guitars and horns -- than the Airpods, so vocals will be more upfront. Have you tried listening to live albums? Stop Making Sense, Nirvana Unplugged, Live/Dead, Aretha Franklin at Fillmore West, Radiohead's I...

Audeze, Dan Clark Audio and HiFiMan have good reputations. You might look in Classifieds here to find more affordable used sets. You'll want to factor in an amp if you get planars. And they are heavier.

What connection is the phone output? If it's USB-C the VE Megatron is a monster -- $56 shipped to USA. https://www.veclan.com/engappliance_sel_one?eng_ApplianceVo.eac_id=63

If those have been your headphones, then any of the choices mentioned above is going to be mindblowingly better and you don't need to be spending thousands of dollars. If you search around this site you'll run across the concept of "diminishing returns." Twice the price just doesn't bring twice...

Maybe you just like the aesthetic of live performance, with a fixed number of instruments and tracks, rather than all the processing that goes into many studio recordings. Try some of NPR's Tiny Desk concerts, which are live and exquisitely engineered.

Taylor Swift, Kacey Musgraves, Beyonce, SZA, Olivia Rodrigo, Dua Lipa, Shakira, Maggie Rogers, Pearl Jam, Chris Stapleton...Plenty of Top 100 stuff is meticulously produced. And if you want to get some head-spinning productions and you have Tidal, go to New Arrivals Africa.

You'll get better suggestions if you note what kind of music you like, how you'll be using the headphones (long seated sessions? gaming? movies? bopping around the house? possibly travel?), whether open-backs will disturb anyone around you. Do you wear glasses and need to think about clamping...

Not MH755, but I and others have gotten genuine MH750 from this seller. https://www.ebay.com/itm/352537526219

"Not technically impossible" does not equal "good behavior." Imagine simply being courteous and observing community norms when they're pointed out. Especially since people have been trying to help you. No, it's not a big deal. Neither is having your posts Ignored. Have a nice day!

Airpods are still Bluetooth earbuds. https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/do-airpods-work-with-android/

Artti R1. 3 dynamic drivers, lots of bass, no metallic timbre or sibilance. They look big but are comfortable. Shifting deals -- look at volkchoi on aliexpress.

One longtime standby is the Sony MDR-7506. Foldable, closed-back, very portable. A little clampy on my head, though probably good for smaller ones. However, the cable is coiled (like an old landline telephone) and hardwired, not detachable, if that's a consideration.

These? https://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDRZX110-BLK-Stereo-Headphones/dp/B00NJ2M33I

"Don't cover the ears" -- do you mean open-back or sized smaller than your ears? Maybe the Koss PortaPro? https://koss.com/products/porta-pro

I kinda doubt librarians are going to approve a stranger going through the library approaching people with something to insert in their anatomy. Put them up as a lot on Ebay or Craigslist for the price of the postage with "free shipping." Heck, put them in Head-Fi Classifieds or on Reddit...

If you want mid-fi perfection just get the ATH-R70X and a VE Megatron. Done.

+1 on Ebay completed listings research. Head-Fi classifieds don't charge any fee, so you may find at least slightly lower prices than you would on Ebay or retail. And anyone can ignore or turn down a lower offer. You might also consider making your subject lines more succinct -- like one...

Ipods don't stream.