[MalVeauX]

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If I raised my budget to around $120 would that be the sweet spot for entry level cans?

 
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I saw these Denon AH-D1100 on sale at electronics-expo today for 100 using coupon code march2012. Is that a good model for what I'm looking for?

I would avoid the D1100. They were weird to me. Strange edgy cold treble, very grainy treble, just robot like and weird. Bass was good. Sound stage was good. But that treble was just a frown.
 
Very best,
 

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

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I would avoid the D1100. They were weird to me. Strange edgy cold treble, very grainy treble, just robot like and weird. Bass was good. Sound stage was good. But that treble was just a frown.
 
Very best,

 
Seconded, altough I didn't care much for its soundstage either, but that's more of a personal taste, sounded like vocals coming from miles apart so I could never get immersed by the sound of these headphones, I felt left outside.
 
 

 

[roma101]

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Seconded, altough I didn't care much for its soundstage either, but that's more of a personal taste, sounded like vocals coming from miles apart so I could never get immersed by the sound of these headphones, I felt left outside.
 
 

x3, I couldn't connect to the music that much because of the cavernous sound and recessed mids/vocals. They're not bad if you want to experience some hard-hitting bass though.

 

[metal112524]

I love my CAL! Small, yet over ear, sexy(shiny),super comfortable, and sound great. Look at how much everyone loved the d1001's and these are a better version of that. Coming from a pair of modded harx700's they are an improvement in every way and were under $80. If there are better out there (id say up to $150) I could care less, I am too busy enjoying these phones.

 

[iamthem]

The denon D1100 are more of a downgrade from the D1001 - I think they remade it just to have a new product. They have more bass, and a lot less of everything else...
 
If you can get m-50's in that price range, then you should definitely go for it, especially since you listen to hip-hop, m-50's handle bass exceptionally well. Otherwise go for CAL!'s.
 
Also I saw these: http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/philips-citiscape-downtown whilst browsing through Tyll's blog. They seem... interesting. No opinions myself though.