[Uncle Erik]

The best gear always sounds boring at first listen. You have to live with it for awhile to realize how little it does wrong.

A lot of gear is colored to sound great on a first, brief, listen. After awhile, however, you get tired of the coloration. This is done because most people impulsively buy after a short listen. Manufacturers know this. Most of them are primarily interested in making a sale. They don't care if you burn out on the coloration six months on.

The "boring" gear might not make the best first impression, but the good "boring" stuff is what holds up in the long run.

Though I should add that you've barely skimmed the surface of open headphones. There are a lot you haven't tried. Further, you need to hear them on different amps. The HD-800 is picky about amps. If you haven't heard it on a good tube amp, you still haven't really heard the HD-800. Same with the O2. It is a different animal when amped correctly. Do not draw conclusions until you've heard more open cans on good amps.

 

[Nick01]

I vote for "get out of this hobby". Since you don't like any of the headphones that you mentioned, which are SOTA, buying more headphones isn't going to cure the problem. Just accept that you're just not into headphones.

 

[mogs]

If you like GS1000i, Ed 8 is worth a try in the closed cans as they are portable, have good bass and are fun to listen. AT is laid back and needs specific amps to sound good.

 

[Radio_head]

Try Audeze open and Thunderpants closed.  The ED8 are high-end in price only.
 
Edit- although if you like the "romance" of the GS1000s, maybe you'll like the Ultrasone's coloration.

 

[knopi]

The HD800 is a great cans but not for everyone, for example for me not too. If you like Grado sound, you probably like their air and crisp live sound which is very seductive. I recomernd you also try orthos like Fostex tr50p/LCD2, they have different midrange with nice imagine, a little similar to iems from Westone. Also very lively sound like Grado. But sound is a little closed against Grado!
So I recomend you buy Alessandro MS1 and TR50P and both moding Alessandro on MS1000 and TR50P have also mods...and than be happy

 good value too..

 

[customcoco]

after some deep thinking, I'm getting a gs1000i and the thunderpants.
this way I can get the best of both worlds. 
 
now I just need to find a dac/amp combo. I will probably get an eximus dp1....