fatcat28037
Headphoneus Supremus
RS-1. They've been my "go to" phones for a couple years now. I've bought and sold and listened to a number of other high-end phones but I always come back to my RS-1.
What you SHOULD consider:
1. Sound quality
2. Durability
3. How it suits the genres you prefer
If I only consider the criteria stated in the first post of this thread, I'd have to pick the Grado HP-1000, which is sonically marvelous, suits all genres of music very nicely, and is built like a friggin' tank. I owned but eventually sold one due to another extremely important factor not in the original list: comfort. The HP-1000 was too heavy for my liking, and combined with the rough surface of Grado foam pads, did not make long listening sessions enjoyable. (The roughness of the Grado pads was made worse by the added weight of the phones. And if I tried to relieve the pad pressure by stretching out the headband, the high weight of the HP1000 made it prone to slipping around on my head.)
If I factor in comfort, my current pick would be a Beyerdynamic T1, although I have to reserve final judgment on that can until I've used it for a year or two.
Have you tried out the Grado GS1000i? The pads are improved, and they are extremely light weight. If the sound signature suits you, then you should check them out.