[hikaru12]

Depends on the sound signature you're going for but the most balanced out of your list are the Mezes and they are an incredible value. They add a bit of smoothness and sweetness to your sound without spending a ton of money.

 

[93EXCivic]

Exceedingly helpful, wow, thanks!

I originally had H4/H6/H7 on my list but after not really finding much else on them or any response here I took them off. Will def look into them more again.

A few questions:

1) Any cable you'd recommend to replace the Meze ones if i got that.
2) The TH-X00 was def on my short list, I currently have an annoyingly long cable on my headphones and its not problem as I wrap it around my neck. I also typically walk for my commute so not wanted to clarify when you said sound leakage. Do you mean its not that isolating in that it lets in outside noises or that people around you can hear it? I'm not super concerned about that unless people around me in the office will be distracted by the noise (a bit is fine, I work i na small office and many listen to music anyways or are focused enough on their own tasks). I was interested in this pair because I don't want mids that are too recessed (and most reviews mentioned they improved upon the TH-600's overly recessed mids)

and 3) Any comments about comfort? I'll be using this a lot and for potentially long periods of time so this is important to me as well.

I am not sure on the replacement cable for Meze but I am sure some one in the Meze thread could recommend one. On the one I was using, the jacket started fraying at both connectors. Honestly the ones I was using were pretty early ones so they may have fixed that problem by now.

The TH-X00 chord is also pretty thick so there is that to consider. I found that it both lets in outside noises and people can hear it.

As far as comfort, I personally found all of the headphones to be comfortable for long listening sessions except the TH-X00 which isn't to say it is uncomfortable, I just didn't really do a long listening session with as it was a bit more bass heavy then I like. The B&Os end up being on ears rather then over ears and I know not everyone likes that but I found them very comfortable. The Meze I spent time with had the original smaller pads which bothered some people (not me but some people that I know didn't like their ears touching the baffle) and I have not had any experience with the comfort of the larger pads or if those change the sound.

I forgot I also tried out the Master and Dynamic MH40 but to be honest, I wouldn't put it above any of these other headphones. I found nothing overwhelming awesome about them and I also didn't find them nearly as comfortable as any of the other headphones (headband too hard and for me, the shape and stiffness of the pad bothered me).

From everything you have said, I would really take a good hard look at the Meze. They weren't my favorite out of the bunch I tried (mine were actually the T70Ps but I prefer a different sound signature then you) but they seem to match what you want in a headphone. I'd personally recommend if at all possible try to listen to the Meze and B&O if at all possible and maybe the Shure too.