[Wiljen]

Please help me get my head to stop spinning.
 
I have up to $200 that I would like to spend on upgrading my office headphones.  My current office setup is a Fiio e9/e17 stack with either Monoprice 8323s or Superlux 668bs.   My music mix is probably 65% or better classic rock with the rest being jazz/blues (BB King, Kenny Wayne Shepherd etc).  
 
I thought I had this figured out in that I like the open headphones soundstage typically and had heard that Grado was the holy grail of rock headphones and I had seen a couple of sr125 or even 225s go by within my price range.
 
Then I started reading reviews and I got:
"Not good with glasses"
"Cant wear very long - uncomfortable"
"Other brands sound way better at this price point"
 
So I started following the classifieds and have read reviews on:
AKG 553, 545, and 701x
ATH-M50x
Sennheiser 558,598,580
Beyer 880 pro, 990 pro
V-moda M-100
Grado sr80,125,225
fostex trp50
and several others that have shown up for sale in my price range. 
 
Every day I see another brand or model for sale in my price range and instead of my focus getting narrower, everyday it widens a bit more. I wish I had a good store where I could go test and listen close by but I don't (Closest I know of is 5 hour drive one way).
 
Help me out, are all of the things I am going to see in my range so much better than what I am using now that it doesnt really matter what I pick or is their a clear winner in this genre?
 
With other expenses and kids in college right now, I really do have a hard limit of $200 so please don't suggest what is better at $250 as it will just serve to add to my current mental breakdown.
 
Thanks,

Wiljen

 

[Lorspeaker]

do u have an office of your own? open cans will leak sound, esp rock music...
 
but if u like rock music...u must own a grado at least ONCE in your headfi life

 

[serman005]

As Lorspeaker says. open cans are going to leak sound both in and out, so the first thing you need to decide is whether that is okay for you at the office or not. If not, then you can immediately cross off the Senns, Grados, Beyers, Fostex,  and one of the AKGs. That will help narrow down options. If you can go open, then I am +1 with Lorspeaker on a Grado--they are the king of rock and you should probably get one.

 

[Wiljen]

I have an office door so open cans are fine.   Thanks for confirming the Grado as a choice.  I was headed that way but information overload kicked in.

 

[serman005]

  I have an office door so open cans are fine.   Thanks for confirming the Grado as a choice.  I was headed that way but information overload kicked in.

It can definitely be information overload around here when you are trying to select a can.

 

[Lorspeaker]

Grado 225 should be the sweetspot in the grado range of cans...
amazon selling it for 200bucks.

 

[Wiljen]

Found a 325i in the "For Sale" forum so life is good.