[TMRaven]

Not just any plastic for the 598, they literally went to a city dump and directly recycled old snes systems with yellowed plastic.  They looked so white and creamy in internet pics, but man, they're really yellow in person.

 

[Finnegans]

Interesting... I bought a pair of HD800 almost a year ago and they still look flawlessly, just the same as brand new, being in use every day though. Alkantara proved to be very enduring material - earpads are still in exellent conditon - the ones on the HD650 age faster and were replaced once. As for the paint, I've had no problem with both 650 or 800 (650 were bought ~4 years ago).
 
Maybe I'm about to get dissapointed with 800 for the first time?
 
Sad thing such misfortune occurs. I believe plastic was used in HD800 for a reason (giving them sturdy, resonant-free construction with minimum weight), but they shouldn't have painted it. All-black HD800 would have been far more classy looking to my taste.

 

[keanex]

Magnesium is lighter, more sturdy, and gives a better feel, even mid-level Audio Technica's use magnesium.

 

[Lan647]

My pair was brand new when I noticed a nasty nick on the right earpiece. I was chocked, since the HD 800 was/is the most expensive item I've ever owned and I treated it with extreme care (There is no way in the universe I could have scratched them) I got them fixed by Sennheiser support though, we agreed it was clearly a flaw in the paint job. Now I treat them with ultra-sick-out of this world care and those edges come in contact with NOTHING but the storage box and my (clean) fingertips.