[alexhutu]

I am looking to buy some good headphones for listening to music and watching movies at home.
 
The most important thing is that they have to be VERY comfortable, for long listening sessions. I usually have issues with the headband, so that should be extra-comfortable.
 
I will use them with my MacBook for playing ALAC files from iTunes, genres ranging from hard rock to blues.
 
After visiting innerfidelity.com, I've come across the Creative Aurvana Live, which seem to be great for the price, but not so sturdy, the Philips Fidelio L1, which are definitely a lot more expensive, but the semi-open design is supposed to make a huge difference, and the Sennheiser HD558, which I still haven't researched.
 
What would you recommend? The price of the L1s – £137 on Amazon – is the absolute limit of my price range. I wouldn't want to pay more than that.
 
Is the price difference between the Live and the L1 or HD558 justifiable? I currently own a pair of Klipsch Image One, would the Creative Aurvana be a great improvement?
 
Thanks in advance for the responses!
 
Edit: Added HD558 to the list of choices.

 

[KG Jag]

From your list the open HD 598 best matches your described needs in terms of sound.
 
Headphone comfort is a very individual thing.  Sizing and sensitivities are unique to each person.  We can point you to headphones that are generally considered to be comfortable and mention others that have garnered complaints for being uncomfortable.  However, the only way to know for sure is to wear them yourself for a time equivalent to your longest listening session.
 
You should spend some time with the buying guide, if you have not already done so.  See:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/a/headphone-buying-guide

 

[alexhutu]

I browsed the buying guide, that's where I found the HD 558s. I might go for those...

 

[ShreyasMax]

Hello there,

As a long time user of the HD558, paired with another budget FiiO E07K, I would strongly recommend it for home use, especially for an entry level 'near-audiophile-grade' home use headphone. Please note that I haven't listened to the L1 and wouldn't know how much of a difference it would be in terms of Sound quality.

The HD558 should win in terms of comfort through its velour ear pads, and especially considering I'm from India and the humidity levels can be quite unbearable here during summers.

The build quality is also very good with good quality plastics and they should last a long time with normal handling. This is also true of the L1 (build quality; metal) and it would be upto you to decide whether it is a good enough upgrade from the 558 in terms of price and sound quality.

Hope this helps,
Cheers

 

[Me x3]

Hd558 definitely.
Fidelios are pretty dark sounding headphones and not as comfortable as those Senns.

 

[teb1013]

The 558s are great sounding and very comfortable in long sessions. They are playable without amp and good with the Fiio E7 but truly come alive with a bit more. I use the Aune T1.

 

[alexhutu]

Thanks everyone, my HD 558s just arrived half an hour ago and they sound pretty great!
What I've noticed already is that the headband is not extremely comfortable, but I've had this issue with all the headphones I've tried.
 
I'll be back with a short review after a few days of use.