[GnuB]

 
 
I took a chance on two Amazon specials over the holidays - DT880/250 @ $200 and UE Triple-Fi 10 @ $100 and have to admit that both were home-run deals.
 
The UE 10s have become my preferred office solution with a Corda Move via usb from my laptop edging out my ER4P's. While this is not a critical listening environment there are times when a "wow" moment in the music takes me away. (Don't tell the boss!)  I like the soundstage and fullness of the lower frequencies of the UE 10s.  The only complaints are that the cord is about a foot too short and I had to reverse the L/R connections to get them to fit into my ears properly.  No biggie, but I might consider a replacement cord..
 
The DT880s are competing with HD580s (650 cords & 600 grills) for my attention at home out of an Aune w/ OPA627 via Oppo 981 optical.  I find myself swapping them back and forth repeating the same track to hear the differences and I can't say that one is clearly supperior to the other.  I like the laser focus clarity of the DT880 in the mids and highs and the impact of the lows but the buttery smooth mids of and the rich warmness of the bass of the HD580's are hard to give up.  The two nicely compliment each other.  I tend to pick the DT880s listening to Dream Theater, Rush and Boston but pick the HD580's for Dire Straits, Alison Kraus and Jethro Tull.
 
Anyhoo, just some observations from the journey.  My interest in a home HP setup is fairly new (within 6 mos or so) so the discoveries may be old-hat to some of you old-timers but I am getting a lot of enjoyment out of the process and am spending more on CD's lately (sadly for my wallet, but happiness for my ears ).