[dj630]

The cable on my Bose AE2s recently broke, and I'm using this as an opportunity to try new things out.  I'm not an audiophile that can tell the nit picky differences between headphones.  Equal to or better quality than the AE2s are fine.  I ride the bus for about two hours every day, so a good amount of isolation is preferred (active noise cancelling is nice, but not required).  I'll mainly be using an iPod with MP3 or Apple Lossless quality files.
Option 1: ATH-M50.  I've read mostly positive reviews about this set.  One thing I don't like is the size and looks of it.  The AE2s were fairly lightweight and very comfortable to wear for two hours.  It also had a minimal, clean design.  The ATHs look bulky and heavy, so portability might be an issue.  However if the sound quality exceeds the aesthetics I'll consider.
Option 2: Bose QC15.  Like I said, I'm on the bus for some time every day.  I'm also about to take a ~14 hour plane ride soon.  Given that all I really is people trashing the sound quality of the QC15s, is the good noise cancelling technology but subpar sound worth it for my travel?  I should note that I've been leaning towards these.
Option 3: Replace the AE2 cable.  I've had no problem with them, they do just fine in terms of audio and comfort for me.  If they would isolate sound a little better I would be happy.
 
To be honest, I'm looking for a balance of sound and looks.  For example Beats are all looks and no sound, but brands like AKG and Sennheiser may have excellent sound but I'm not too thrilled with how most of them look.  To me Bose met that balance.  
 
Feel free to suggest other models or shoot down my ideas.

 

[wolfetan44]

Bose QC15 sounds like they would be very, very good for you.

 

[3X0]

Quote:

The cable on my Bose AE2s recently broke, and I'm using this as an opportunity to try new things out.  I'm not an audiophile that can tell the nit picky differences between headphones.  Equal to or better quality than the AE2s are fine.  I ride the bus for about two hours every day, so a good amount of isolation is preferred (active noise cancelling is nice, but not required).  I'll mainly be using an iPod with MP3 or Apple Lossless quality files.
Option 1: ATH-M50.  I've read mostly positive reviews about this set.  One thing I don't like is the size and looks of it.  The AE2s were fairly lightweight and very comfortable to wear for two hours.  It also had a minimal, clean design.  The ATHs look bulky and heavy, so portability might be an issue.  However if the sound quality exceeds the aesthetics I'll consider.
Option 2: Bose QC15.  Like I said, I'm on the bus for some time every day.  I'm also about to take a ~14 hour plane ride soon.  Given that all I really is people trashing the sound quality of the QC15s, is the good noise cancelling technology but subpar sound worth it for my travel?  I should note that I've been leaning towards these.
Option 3: Replace the AE2 cable.  I've had no problem with them, they do just fine in terms of audio and comfort for me.  If they would isolate sound a little better I would be happy.
 
To be honest, I'm looking for a balance of sound and looks.  For example Beats are all looks and no sound, but brands like AKG and Sennheiser may have excellent sound but I'm not too thrilled with how most of them look.  To me Bose met that balance.  
 
Feel free to suggest other models or shoot down my ideas.

AKG K550

 

[posteriorpounde]

AKG K550

Not very portable with huge cups and a 10 ft cable. Would not recommend.

Momentums are a good bet for small portable, but only if you have smaller ears (<65mm).

 

[djcarpentier]

Philips has the L1. Closed back headphones which should block out most of the sound. Reasonably priced. Check them out

 

[Trunks159]

The l1 has poor isolation for very loud areas like the train or bus. The mdr 1r and ws99 have much better isolation, and just have different sound signatures. 1r is the most comfortable though.