xb700s by Sony.
I don't know why these are so often looked over... it is actually hard to miss them they are quite large, but bass monsters, and from a sansa fuse, can articulate all of that bass, while offering up quite a nice midrange and HF spectrum. A joy to listen to, moreso than the Denons without an amp, or with lossy files. The Denons may be d1001, but they resolve a large percentage of what their bigger brothers do. Bass is not actually that great. The Creative Aurvanas actually sound better (to me) in that regard, and are built in the same factory using the same drivers and headband as the d1001s.
I ended up modding my Aurvanas because the very little bit of air I lose, I gain in having less fatigue. Mod the denons and the bass tightens up as well, but then I kindof liked the piano black of the aurvanas, and for some reason they seem to pair better with a portable. The denons were harsh on the sansa, but great at home through tubes. The modded creatives are punchy now on the sansa and downright a joy at home, but I prefer the xb700s to anything I have yet to hear that is a full sized headphone on a portable. I don't use them at home because I have other phones, and the xb700 bag with my fuse and usb cable plus phones is easy to just pick up and go.
Right now, I am amped, through tubes, DT770s, and yes they can go boom boom, they still have an articulation that seems to span genres. It is hard to drive them with a portabe. The xb700s are so easy to drive it will freak you out how much you can get from them on a tiny little portable, and isolating so you can rock out at the bookstore/library.
Denons are more isolating than the Aurvanas. Don't know why. Just so you know. DT770s are pretty isolating too, but it is hard to beat the earpads on the XB700s
Portable, efficient, and can blow your top off, but with articulation... I really don't know of any other than the XB700s unless, as others said, IEMs.
The beats are just too expensive. they are not the worst ever, but you are paying for Dre's name. Names aren't cheap. I have some really nice shirts and pants, but since they do not have a label that says the Gap, apparently I am a poor slob? No... I am comfortable with all that money in the back pocket of my comfey cotton pants that I got at some outlet store.
You know, the first problem isn't the beats... He went to the apple store. Pot calling kettle black if you ask me. I cannot say the beats are overpriced and all you pay for is the name, and with it a midrange product at high prices without reminding you he found them in a store that is run by a company that makes all of it's money selling just that. Actually, save a few grand, get a PC, and then you have plenty of money for an amp and headphones, even if he still does want the less portable higher end hifi mainstays. Sure portable amps aren't the full answer, but there are AKGs, Senns, Ultrasones, Even Grados that would work fine if you had the extra money from not having to deal with apple products. Can't down the beats without remarking on the irony of the entire idea of going into an apple store and only those are what you find overpriced and not up to par...
I mean, if you have an ipod or macbook, hell, might as well get the beats. Why not? If it wasn't an issue before, why now? If I am misjudging a casual encounter with the apple store, then I apologize, but if not, the irony is fascinating.
