[blacknile]

Hi Nick, if it's a comfort problem you're having, then by all means sell the M50 and look for something that suits you better. I also found my M50 tight on the head initially, but somehow after 4 months they loosened up and now fit me like a glove.  You might want to keep trying a little harder in case they settle on your head eventually.
 
If on the other hand you're unhappy with the sound, I suspect switching back and forth and spending money won't get you necessarily closer to what you're looking for. The M50 are IMHO some of the best headphones at that price range PROVIDED all components in the sound chain are taken care of equally: you take care of spending 150$ on a pair of headphones, and you should take care of what's up-stream, in the same way.
 
You say they didn't make you feel the "audiophile experience", but all you drove them with was an ipod. Also what were the sources? Lossy files? Lossless files? You don't say. Thing is, all these variables contribute in creating that "audiophile experience". The headphone alone won't be able to "invent" crazy detail, luscious mids and tight bass. A good pair of headphones will be good in the sense that it will NOT get in the way when transducing an audiophile signal to your ears - it will not obfuscate the detail in the source PROVIDED it is there in the first place. If anything, the M50 will make you *hate* some of the tracks you love because it will present them naked to you, in all their imperfection.
 
Sorry for the digression, my point being: if I were you, I would first try to borrow other headphones and try them with your source material, before deciding to ditch the M50. 
 
Just my 2c

 

[TMRaven]

I think about the only thing a lossless file will get you over say a 320kbps file is a "less hdd space" experience.  A good dac/amp brought out a bit of M50's bass tightness and impact though.

 

[blacknile]

Not sure about 320cbr, in my case I had to throw away a whole library of mp3 encoded with lame V- 3 because I could identify artifacts in abx tests with the M50.
 
Anyway lossy/lossless is only one of the variables. A far bigger problem is over-compressed remastered recordings. Most of my cd remasters from 2000 onwards sound like absolute cr*p with both my M50 and my DT880.
 
If all I had had in my library was recent digital over-compressed recordings, I might have been led to conclude that my M50 were terrible.
 
Fortunately with vinyl, and good classical, jazz, acoustic cd pressings, the M50 sound wonderful. 

 

[JamesMcProgger]

here:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/433318
 
make sure you check the table compilation at the end

 

[tehgreatguy]

Hmm good points about on how I did not provide more info. Lets begin
 
Before buying the m50s I did a lot of research on how to experience audiophile on a high level. I read a lot about amps, looked at graphs that people provided on this site. I read about how to drive your cans and how to "break-into" them. After about a 15 hour burn on the m50s I saw a change in the audio. It sounded a lot different the typical ear bud that society uses.
 
What I used them with: Before going any further I want to say that the iPod was pretty bad on over all experience, now...things changed when I plugged them into my computer. I have asus xonar essence stx. Just unbelievable audio that comes from that. After plugging the m50 into that badass, it was good, I used it for ableton mixing and some cubase + FL studio. Now overall it was good, a little more bass than what my back up phones do. But its not like I was amazed. I didn't sit back and think "WOW this is amazing, I need to show all my Friends" in fact I sat back and said " mmm...that's it?"
 
First experience with FLAC files was with a Discography from ATB. comparing the regular recordings it was a higher quality rating. Definitely noticeable. Started to use winamp more at Friends house, experimenting with more FLAC songs, stuff from rock, all the way to electronic/dance.
 
I don't know how to explain it, I am not dissatisfied with the cans, just disappointed that for what I paid I got something that didn't add up to the money, you know? Its really hard for me to explain what I mean. I cant say These are bad or horrible, just average
 
 
 

guess I should have add'ed all that in the beginning

 

[tehgreatguy]

Quote:

here:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/433318
 
make sure you check the table compilation at the end

Im sorry are those tiers in order by CASH? because if they are not, Tier A has BEATS audio in them..../facepalm

 

[JamesMcProgger]

yup cash, but if you see the final chart is by score

 

[Borgbox]

Hmm, and in the scheme of Audiophile headphones which present an Audiophilic experience, you got an above average headphone for a dirt cheap price. True High-fi isn't really considered until you're spending $200+ (With an average price of $500 for exceptional headphones), the m50s are considered "mid-fi." You may have to end up throwing more than $160 out for the experience you're looking for. My m50s are wonderful, I truly enjoy the sound from them out of all of my sources, but I didn't get that experience you're searching for until I added a $250 DAC/amp.
 
Quote:

 
I don't know how to explain it, I am not dissatisfied with the cans, just disappointed that for what I paid I got something that didn't add up to the money, you know? Its really hard for me to explain what I mean. I cant say These are bad or horrible, just average
 
 
 

guess I should have add'ed all that in the beginning

 

 

[rhythmdevils]

It's pretty difficult for anyone to help you if you don't even know what you dislike about the M50.  I mean the only thing to do is for you to just try another pair of cans and see how it goes.  And maybe if you spend more time listening to them you'll figure out how what you're thinking and hearing. 
 
But it sounds to me like you are looking for that "wow" effect.  Which the M50 are not designed to do, they are designed to be accurate because they are studio headphones.  The only way to get the "wow effect" without spending more money on headphones that are technically better is to get headphones that are more colored than the M50.  I think you should get some Ultrasones.  More treble and more bass is probably what you will like. 

 

[Genocide174]

Why are you guys focusing on what he dislikes about the m50's instead of suggesting new headphones? Doesn't really matter why he dislikes them.
 
Anyways, I suggest the DT770. Might be out of your price range tho.

 

[ziocomposite]

Buy headphones DIRECTLY from amazon and use the return policy before the time expires =\
 
If the clamp force is still bothering you, the easiest way to reduce the force is to stretch it by using books/DVD's/box/etc. in between while sleeping/not using.  I measured space in between after taking it off and added 1-2 inches more with said DVD's.  Within a week, that annoying/painful clamp was a thing of the past.

 

[astroid]

I've been reading more and more of these kind of threads on the M50's lately.
 
I've also experienced the group-think syndrome here multiple times.
 
The HD-25II has never disappointed anybody. They're built pretty damn good and they'll be lightweight like a gaming headset should be. There isn't anything they're not good at just like the M50 and I've actually owned this pair. The M50 seems to just be rumored to be good at everything and I'm honestly not that sure that everybody that says that has one.

Sorry but the hd25-1 was a huge disappointment to me, uncomfortable , harsh treble, no soundstage and generally fatiguing. Kept my D1100.

 

[EddieE]

Just had a thought. How about the DT770 80ohm (the version with the old style black shells)?
 
Plenty of bass, good isolation, can be run from an ipod and the velour coated pads are comfortable and less sweaty.
 
Not entirely sure what they sell for in your part of the world, but are cheaper than the HD25 I think.

 

[rhythmdevils]

Quote:

Why are you guys focusing on what he dislikes about the m50's instead of suggesting new headphones? Doesn't really matter why he dislikes them.
 
Anyways, I suggest the DT770. Might be out of your price range tho.

Randomly recommending the DT770 is like a mechanic getting a car into his shop that has the check engine light on and just randomly replacing something without running any tests to figure out what's wrong. 

 

[EddieE]

Haha, bad timing as I just randomly recommended the DT770. Thought it did tick some boxes though...