[NosRokanaske]

Hello everyone,
I am new here, but I've been reading a lot of forums trying to decide which headphones i would use. I did compile a relatively large list of headphones that i am considering and i would love some advice from you guys for purchasing my first set of pretty legit headphones. The ones I'm considering are:
 
Shure SRH440 ($99.99)
Sony MDR-V6 ($73.99)
Senheisser HD 280 Pro ($99.95)
Sennheisser HD 428 ($45 after MIR).
 
Those Prices are from Amazon as of now except the HD 428 where i got price from Newegg. I am looking for $100 (or less) headphones. I should note that i am not really considering the HD 428, but only included them because i heard they're fairly decent and the price point is nice.
 
I will try to be as descriptive in my current situation as i can, so you guys can help me narrow down which headphones i should get.
 
My Situation:
School is about to start and i would like to get new headphones that i can wear while walking up the stairs to my classes or just sitting and studying/relaxing. I do listen to a lot of rap, hip hop, RnB, sometimes pop, and sometimes Rock, but i don't really like bass heavy headphones because they usually make Hotel California by the Eagles [sort of my benchmark for which headphones i like] sound weird. I want the bass to be there, but not overwhelming. Which is why i was hesitant to put the V-Moda Crossfade LP ($99.95) and the Audio-Technica ATH-M35 ($69.00) [both prices are from Amazon] on that list because i read that they are generally on the bassy side. Most of the time headphones would be plugged into my Nokia 920 unless i decide to bring my Nexus 7 or Laptop which is not that very often. For at home use, i would only use it when i either want to just listen to music or my Tactic3D Omega gaming headset runs low on battery. If it helps, i will be plugging these into my Recon3D External sound card when i am at home. Because i will occasionally be using these instead of my gaming headset, i would like the headphones to perform well when playing games. Also, because i will be plugging these into my Recon3D, i can set a profile for when i exclusively use this headphone which means they don't really have to the most bassy headphones because i can adjust it within the Recon3D settings. I am not really looking for the best bang for my buck, but the best $100 (pre-taxes and sipping) headphones i can buy. I say this because the MDR-V6 is the best band for my buck reading what some people have to say about them. As far as build quality goes, I've seen some video reviews on them and they all seem pretty good considering i am very gentle and careful with them. I will be getting a stand for it, so if you guys do have stands recommendations sub $20, i would also appreciate that.
 
Which one I am leaning towards:
I am leaning towards the SRH440 because i can replace the coiled cord for a straight cord (or replace them in general when the cord gets damaged) and that people said that they sound really nice all round. I don't think i would mind a coiled cable, but i do prefer to have a straight cable. It is somewhat easy to take with me and store because it does collapse (though i am considering getting a dedicated carrying case for which ever headset i get just for more protection). I've also read that i wouldn't really need to have an Amp with me when traveling to get the most out of them. These are pretty minor things (except for sound quality), just voicing what I've read in other posts. I'm REALLY iffy on the HD 428 because the cord is looks very fragile. Again with the SRH440, that isn't an issue as i can always buy another cable. 
 
So there is everything laid out in as much detail i can think of at the moment. If you think there is something i am missing or should add please feel free to tell me and i will reply as soon as i can (it is getting late, so i might be delayed on replying). Also, if you have any other recommendations for other head phones that. If you read through it this far, Thank You for taking your time to read this and i will appreciate any and all advice that you guys can provide. I included a poll for convenience, but i would definitely appreciate any feedback from you guys.
 
 

Spoiler

TL;DR
Need some pretty decent $100 (pre-taxes and shipping) headphones for strictly music listening while at school using my Nokia 920 primarily, but i will occasionally use it for gaming. My music Genres are Rap, Hip Hop, RnB, Pop, and Rock. Don't really prefer bassy headphones. All feedback is appreciated. 
 

 

[NA Blur]

I would swap out the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro for an Audio Technica ATH-M50.  The M50 sounds slightly better with a huge gain in durability.  Everyone I know of who owned a pair of HD 280 Pro headphones tosses them due to severe damage after a year or two of moderate use.
 
I vote the ATH-M50 or Shure SRH440 if you want something less expensive.

 

[NosRokanaske]

Quote:

I would swap out the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro for an Audio Technica ATH-M50.  The M50 sounds slightly better with a huge gain in durability.  Everyone I know of who owned a pair of HD 280 Pro headphones tosses them due to severe damage after a year or two of moderate use.
 
I vote the ATH-M50 or Shure SRH440 if you want something less expensive.

 
I hear that about the HD 280 Pro fairly often, but i am more concerned on whether or not the people who buy them are actually careful about it. Damage due to usage vs damage due to not being careful. 
 
The M50 is slightly out of my price range unfortunately and i heard that it is pretty bassy which is fine but i am not a huge fan of that. 
 
For the SRH440's i heard you can swap out the stock padding and replace them with the padding from the SRH840's for more comfort. Some even reported that they got slightly more bass from it as well. Just curious on whether the padding does drastically change how the SRH440's sound overall.