[clickhere]

I need the headphones to be circum-aural and closed back as I'll be in a library often.
 
I also want a USB DAC for my laptop and an LOD for my iPod when I leave the library and am just walking around. 
 
This will also transfer to my home and be used with my desktop as well.
 
The total cost has to be below or around $250.
 
Right now I was thinking:
ATH M50
FiiO L3 LOD
FiiO E7 USB DAC
 
On Amazon total cost is about $240.
 
Changes?  Substitutions?
 
Not sure if this matters but I like to listen to music such as Trance, Ambient electronica, lo.fi, shoegaze, minimal stuff
 
Another question, is there a sound difference between the coiled cable version of the m50 vs straight?  I just really don't want an 11 foot cable...
 
OT: Also I have a set of ath ad700 BUT the plug is bent just enough that it works only somtimes when i plug it in.  (i tripped on the cord)
 
If I were to sell them, would they be worth much?  Cost to fix?  Possible to fix for someone of my caliber (complete lack of skills)?
 
 

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

The M50 doesn't benefit much of anything with an amp attached. Going by what Dweaver said (and I'm very inclined to believe him), I would probably give the Denon HP700 a try if you really benefit from portable amping, as it's been mentioned that with amping, the HP700 surpasses the M50, and has more control of bass (but still impactful) and forward mids.
 
I love the (older) M50s however, but the new ones seem to have less bass than before, which to me would be a dealbreaker.
 
You could probably sell the AD700 to someone willing to recable them and add a mic for gaming or something. I'm sure it only needs recabling.

 

[abhisheknath]

There should be an imperceptible difference between the straight and corded m50's. Listening to my m50's now, I can tell you that they most definitely benefit from a DAC. Less noise, crisper highs and a cleaner bass. Go ahead and pick up the Fiio E7. You really can't go wrong =).

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Oh yeah, a DAC is definitely good for the M50 (and ANY headphone, really). I was speaking mainly of amping.
 
A DAC is worthless on the go however.

 

[abhisheknath]

Agreed for on the go just grab a portable source with a nice EQ. A rockboxed Sansa, Cowon or iTouch will work nicely. Personally after studying dkft's posts on anythingbutipod, I would stay away from the purportedly audiphile players- the sflo2 and the hifiman 6xx/8xx. They clearly color the frequency curves of your source in a manner that is subjectively either good or bad.