[deckmoney]

I'm looking to spend $300 - $400 for over-the-ear headphones to use at the office.
 
- No sound leakage in either direction: I don't want to annoy the folks around me, but I also don't want them to annoy me  
- Comfortable: I plan to work them for hours every day while at my desk.  
- Of course I want them to sound good.  I primarily listen to (classic) rock, but I'm not an audiophile so I may not hear everything that you guys hear.  Still, I want everything to sound as good as possible for my price range.
 
I don't travel much, so I'm not really concerned about blocking engine noises or anything like that; I'm more interested in blocking people noises (which, from what I've read, it sounds like good cupping around my ears is important).
 
Help!!!

 

[MalVeauX]

Heya,
 
Mr Speakers Mad Dog with Alpha Pads
AKG K550
Beyer T70 (used/refurb?)
Shure SRH940
 
Very best,

 

[Eric_C]

Mal, would you recommend the Mad Dog for similar purposes, even without amplification?

 

[MalVeauX]

Heya,
 
Without amplification? It will run, contrary to tons of belief. I've ran it from a cellphone. It's better with an amp. But I think there's a lot of misinformation that this headphone needs serious power to do well. The Fiio E10 seems to power it just fine to my ears, let alone something more powerful (yes it sounds a little different with higher powered sources, but I think it's overstated that it's necessary to sound good).
 
Very best,

 

[Claritas]

I can corroborate this, as I have demoed a Mad Dog from my iPod both with and without an amp; I run my T50RP off it a couple of nights a week.

 

[Eric_C]

Thanks guys.
(my wallet hates you)

 

[MalVeauX]

Heya,
 
I almost forgot, for a bit more, you could stretch to the Shure SRH1540. No amp needed there.
 
Very best,

 

[Eric_C]

Thanks Mal, but it's ok. I have a Schitt Vali on the way, just wanted to know if I could use a Mad Dog without amplification too.

 

[ZokharaFi]

First of all, this is a great place to start: http://www.head-fi.org/a/headphone-buying-guide#
My recommendations include the following:
Denon D2000
Shure SRH940
Bose Quiet Comfort 15
Audio Technica ATHESW9A

Do some research with your sound preference in mind. Look at Frequency Response #'s we may not be able to hear that whole range but the capability of the headphone to reach the higher/lower frequencies probably correlates with its ability to play the frequencies we can hear without distortion.

Happy hunting, and let me know the end result!