Wow, awesome find DaMavs
I googled all morning (that sounds dirty...) looking for a local Grado dealer or reseller, or some store with Grado headphones. I'm actually in Flint, Michigan, and Grand Rapids is at least 2 hours away. I'll be trecking out to Kalamazoo this weekend, so I'll make some calls to K-zoo stereo shops
Thanks for the info though, it's definitely appreciated. I tried out my HD-280s twice before buying them, And the Bose TriPorts several times (Briefly, they sound good at the demo station, but once I got them home, they're definitely not good for anything besides hip-hop, or something with mostly purcussion, and I'm a rocker (hence my deep interest in Grados)). I just can't bring myself to drop $100 - $150 for a pair of cans I may not even like. Again, thanks, and I'll be calling them soon.
To the OP, I'm sure you can get some very nice cans from AT and Grados, but I can speak first-hand for the HD 280 PROs. They're nice, particularly if you want closed diaphragm, circum-aural. The higher Ohm rating isn't good for smaller mp3 players, but they're perfectly fine for hooking up to the stereo, or to the PC/Mac. I use mine at my PC every day, hooked up to a Creative Labs Audigy SE sound card, and the sound isn't half bad. As a former X-Fi owner, I know that there is better sound to be had, and I've tried other Senns from the HD-5xx series that sounded better, but not without a price hike. If you can, try the Grados, but if closed cap is an absolute must, It's between Sennheiser and Audio Technica.
And don't be afraid to spend a bit for something nicer. Yeah, for some, there can be miniscule difference in sonic quality for an extra $200 (My girlfriend thinks her $10 "Gummy" IEMs sound as good as my HD-280s). As much as I love my Sennheisers, I do wish I would've got something a bit better. I mean, an extra $40 or $50 can definitely get you a major step up. Money comes and goes, and good cans last for a long time. Think of it as a long-term investment on relaxation.