I would definitely check out the
Battle Of The Flagships (50+ Headphones Compared) review, there's a lot covering the ~$350 range and you'll get a good idea of what different manufacturers and version offer in terms of their sound signature and character. Every headphone has its own interpretation of music, so while classical music on a Sennheiser HD600 ($400) will sound tonally robust and full, it will be lacking small details and treble extension that a Beyerdynamic DT880 ($350) or AKG K701 ($300ish) headphone would, but conversely those can sometimes sound bright or lacking in mids, or be tonally dry. Alternative and classical genres are very different, so I'd look out for a good all-arounder. The ones mentioned above are the three popular headphones in that price range, and good all-arounders. But there's a whole lot more out there, and while sifting through the reviews you should keep in mind the kind of sound signature
you want, because its really about your preferences not Head-Fi's. It would also be a good idea to try a few headphones, if available. Possible sources for headphone sampling are friends, audiophile retail stores, and the grace of Amazon. Headroom will also allow up to 2 returns a year before charging a re-stocking fee, so you could always order a couple headphone with opposite sound characteristics and choose between the two. Personally, my $350 choice, after listening to the "Big Three" I mentioned above was the Beyerdynamic DT880, But with music, where everyone's tastes and ears can fluctuate, your opinion could be wildly different.
Things to keep in mind:
- Do you want open or closed? Listening in public or private?
- Do you have an amp? This will have a major impact on what headphones you buy.
- Sound signature, sound signature, sound signature. Figure out what you like and what headphones match that character. Do you want warm and relaxing, detailed and edgy, open and airy, dark and bassy, etc
