I'm looking for a solid pair of headphones to use with my macbook and ipod [without an amp of any kind, as I'm trying to keep my gear minimal for travel], and I was hoping to get a bit of advice from audiophiles far more knowledgeable than myself. I'm very glad to have found head-fi for information, but I'm a bit overwhelmed by the sheer depth and breadth of the information provided. After some digging and reading a lot of comparison posts, reviews, and some very helpful shootout posts, I feel like I have enough information to explain what I'm looking for and hopefully make an informed decision -- however, in my opinion, nothing will beat a recommendation from someone knowledgeable, so here I am!
My budget is ideally $50-$100 USD, but I can go up to $200 or a bit more, for the sake of finding the best fit for my needs.
Needs, in order of importance:
- Comfort: By far one of my biggest concerns, as I tend towards severe headaches with headphones that clamp too firmly, and I also wear glasses, which can interfere.
- Portable/semi-portable: I'm on the go nearly all of the time, and most of my listening opportunities happen on the bus or when I'm otherwise in transit.
- Durable: I'm admittedly hard on my gear, and I've been tempted by Skullcandy's warranty [if not by anything else], because I hate to lose an investment to clumsiness or extreme wear-and-tear. Some of my problems in the past have been flimsy folding joints and cords without decent strain reliefs.
- Closed: Listening on the bus or other public places means that closed cans are my best bet, and even when I'm at home I'm trying not to disturb others with my music or movies. [My roommate also has a son who stomps all over the floor directly above my room, so some isolation from that would also be highly appreciated.]
- Circumaural: preferably, as I prefer this fit, but supraaural isn't a deal-breaker if my other needs are met. I strongly dislike in-ear, as the fit almost never agrees with me and I don't like the sensation, even if I love the noise isolation.
I listen to a huge variety of music, so something that's well-balanced and versatile would be terrific. However, vocals tend to factor heavily into my listening experience, and my collection trends towards acoustics, folk, alt rock, and indie. [With fair amount of indie rap and classic rock.]
At various points in my search, I've had people recommend the Sennheister HD555, Beyerdynamic DT770, Sennheiser HD25-1 II, Phiaton MS400 and Audio-Technica ATH-M50, [as well as a variety of others] but I'm curious to hear how they stack up from people who've used them, and I don't know how well they'd fit my needs.
With the information I currently have, I'm leaning towards the MS400s, but I'm always open to new information. [They're also at the outside of my price range, which makes me slightly hesitant.] I'll admit that the very nice carrying case plays a role in my preference, but I'm also not knowledgeable enough to be aware of any cases that could be purchased to fit other headphones [i.e.- the M50s], and I don't know of others headphone that come with such a sturdy, compact case.
I appreciate any help that you're willing to give, and I'm perfectly okay with being corrected about something that I'm misinformed about or I've misunderstood while researching. Thanks!