I just picked up a set of these Audio-Technica ATH-T400 at a very good price. Site shows the regular price is $129.95 and there's a clearance going on. I haven't used any over the ear head phones in decades. And I've only owned a single pair ear buds, dunno the model of them but they're mid model Skull Candy's. As far as the buds go, I was AMAZED at the bass they kick out of such a small enclosure with bright highs, but the mids can be lost because of the strong bass, but an EQ can fix that.
That being said, I also think these ATH-T400s are OUTSTANDING for the money. Before I bought I looked around and read reviews a few places like amazon and a couple other popular places and they have VERY HIGH MARKS. The 53mm drivers will shake your face off w/ the sub bass of some of the new rap and hip hop music. I was blown away at the bass capability of headphones. Like I said, I was a little kid with a walkman on a bike or at home with a set of real over the ear headphones, but that was 2.5 to 3 decades ago and technology has gone very far in the right direction for things like this. Everything is getting smaller and it's performing much bigger. The highs sound nice and clear without being overly bright. Like I said about the ear buds, an EQ can make them sound how you want them to though.
I read about breaking them in and I continuously let them play for 48 hours to loosen them up and think it brought out the mid range quite a bit. I run these off a Yamaha RX-v795a receiver. I try to keep the tone bypass button ON so I can get the most natural sound. These sound great with bypassing all the bass extension and the bass and tremble knobs after the break in. I like home audio and am proud of all my sound equipment, I just use these at night when I can't disturb anyone and they do an A1 job at that.
My local Target has a whole "head phone/earbud isle" that has about 8 to 10 nice earphones you can try out on the isle, Sony, Skull Candy, Bose (I think), and beats Studios @$399!. A couple more I can't remember, maybe a couple different models of most of those manufacturers. I was AMAZED at how well my set sounded compared to these much higher cost sets of head phones.. ESPECIALLY THE BEATS. There's no way I'd pay anywhere near $400 for something that sounds so close to my MSRP $129 set that I got for MUCH cheaper! I was impressed with a set of;=? Sony and an upper end Skull Candy set of ear phones. The low end Skull Candies were crap at $60, my A-T blew them completely away. So that was a fun trip to Target's Electronics's section ear phone isle.
So.. I am thoroughly IMPRESSED with this set of earphones and my ear buds from what I've been able to compare them to. Sorry I'm not a more experienced head gear user, but I'm using them on a more daily basis. They sound BAD ASS for what I paid for them and they seem to be constructed VERY WELL and STURDY. Th 10ft cable comes in handy indoors too, I don't think these are meant to be mobile ear phones at all. I have a listening "lay-z-boy" recliner about 7-8 feet away from my entertainment center and this long cord is PERFECT. (These are super comfortable with the built in suspension band in the frame, and they are definitely not to take with you to listen to an iPod, real amps only is what I suggest.)
So... I give these a 5/5 stars, For the money they can't be beat, (They blow away some makes/models that cost over $200 at sale price!)
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND these if you need a set of REALLY DECENT earphones or just want to have a new set of back-ups for a SUPER CHEAP DEAL.That popular auction site has them for $29.95 last time I checked.
-DaSaUT
