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Cool so money wise should i head in the direction of the grados? I've also heard that grado's are uncomfortable after a while is this a big issue or just a small one?
What's open air mean exactly? (sorry for all the noob questions...hard not to ask b/c i am one!)
Grados are less comfortable than some. Depends a lot on which pads the model you get uses. I personally think the best entry point for the Grado/Alessandro (which are modified Grados) line is the Alessandro MS-1s, which come with "comfie" pads, which are about as comfortable as you're going to get with grado. An argument can also be made for the Grado SR-60s, which are a steal in "high end" headphones at $60us. I believe the SR-60s also come with the "comfie" pads. I don't know, I've never owned a pair.
If you've got more money to spend (and you will eventually. Welcome to head-fi, sorry about your wallet), each step up the grado ladder gets you a bit more. I believe a lot of people skip from the SR-60/SR-80/MS1 range over the Grado SR-125 to the Grado SR-225. I've heard a lot of good things about the SR-225. From there, the SR-325 are an option, but again I believe a lot of people skip over those (as well as the Alessandro MS2) to go to the RS-1 or MS-Pro (or other Grado high end $$$ products). Me personally I'm thinking about the RS-1s at some point, but my wallet isn't even joking about it being not an option yet.
As I said earlier, basically, pick up a pair of SR-60s or MS-1s, and if you like the sound (a lot of people do) and they're not too uncomfortable, then go to the SR-225s, or even the RS-1/MSpro. I just wouldn't start there until you're sure that you're a fan of "team grado" and that you can wear them for awhile comfortably.
As a personal reference (your mileage will of course vary), I can wear/listen to my MS-1s for 2 or 3 hours before I need a break. I can listen to my senn 650s literally all day (we're talking 12-14 hours sometimes). Of course, my old koss KSC-35s, I couldn't stand for more than 30-45min, so it all varies.
Edit: I forgot to answer your second question.
Open air means that there's no solid seal on the back side of the driver. if you look at the "outside" of the headphone, you'll see the back side of the driver (speaker cone), usually through some sort of metal/plastic grate. It's easier to get good sound of of open headphones, so normally you'll get more sound quality for less money out of open headphones (although this is not a hard and fast rule. some of the best headphones are closed). The downside is since it's open... sound also comes out. How much sound depends on how much you like to blast your ears. people in the room will know you're listening to something, they may even be able to identify it and sing along if you pump it loud. People in the next room or through a wall probably won't know. I use open headphones in a room next to a sleeping 2 year old with no problems ever. Also, that mean sounds come in. Open headphones suck in noisy environments. Basically, you may not be able to understand what your wife is saying to you, but you'll know she's talking to you.
