I have the Sennheiser 558 headphones [1] and Ultimate Ears SuperFi 5 (now UE600) in-ear monitors [2].

For the most part I use the Sennheiser's. They sound great and are open, so you can hear people talking if someone wants to get your attention. They are very comfortable and I can wear them all day without a problem. They come with a pretty long cord too, which I guess is a plus for some people.

If I want to be dead to the world, I'll put in the UE's. Even if you aren't playing any music, they will block out most of the outside world. The sound is better than the Sennheiser's, but I tend to only have one earphone in most of the time, so that I can hear people come by. Also, the cord is pretty short, so without an extension, you're limited in the range you can travel around.

I would try to sway anyone away from using Bose headphones. Really, you're paying for the name, not the sound.

If you want to do some research, I would suggest checking out Headfonia [3]. They have really well thought out reviews on most of the headphones/earphones/amps in any budget range.

1: http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-558-Headphones/dp/B004FE...

2: http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Ultimate-Ears-Noise-Isolating...

3: http://www.headfonia.com/

I have used both the Sennheiser PXC450 which are active noise cancelling headphones and the Shure SE 215 which are in-earphones. The Shure by far is the one that I have used most for coding/running. It does take some getting used to and earwax is a problem (You need to clean it every month or so). However, the sound quality is incredibly excellent and it shuts down external noise in a way that active noise cancelling headphones don't. Also, I believe you can find deals online for a price less than what you quoted.

As far as earbuds, you can't go wrong with the Meelectronics AI-M6 / AI-M9 - they're only one step down from the $100+ brands for $10 sales price.

My favorite headphones were the Beyerdynamic DT-770 and Audio Technica ATH-M50, both offer durability, significant bass, significant isolation, and significant detail for about $100 new. I used a pair of Grados for a while, and the shock of tight percussion coupled with the detail is an amazing thing, but ultimately it's kind of an odd feeling on your ears if you wear glasses. More comfortable than any of these, though, were the Koss UR-40's, which were a little flimsy, but wearable forever even over glasses, and sounded quite decent for $35 new.

All fullsize headphones, no matter how well built, will die on you if you treat them badly. My DT-770's failed at the driver-cable joint, my M50 broke off a tab that held even pressure on your head, and my Grados and UR40 failed at the cable's Y-join. For now, it's the ATH-M50 with something shoved in the slot to keep it open, the AI-M6 earbuds, or attempting to recable the UR40 once more.

I've been using my HD-280s for about 2 or 3 years now and they're wonderful. They're not audiophile cans but they still put out some nice sound, they're comfortable on my ears (I hate things in my ears or things pressing my ears down too much, which limits headphone selection a lot), and they successfully block out all noise while only playing at a moderate volume.

I use these: Sony DRBT50 Bluetooth Headset [1].

I bought them for $115, however some dramatic dynamic re-pricing seems to have occurred recently [2]. Also, I'm a longtime fan of these Sony MDRV600 [3] which sadly appear to have been discontinued.

Also, this Electronic Archicture album [4] is one my regular ambient listens when trying to focus.

1: http://www.amazon.com/Sony-DRBT50-Stereo-Bluetooth-Headset/d...

2: http://camelcamelcamel.com/Sony-DRBT50-Stereo-Bluetooth-Head...

3: http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Studio-Monitor-MDR-V600-Headphone...

4: http://www.amazon.com/Electronic-Architecture-2-Ambient-Edit...

thanks for the suggestions - I'm going to check them out, always looking for something new to listen to! :)

Grado SR80. ($90-100)

1. Best sound I've ever heard from headphones (compared to Bose QC2, Seinnheiser HD-280/202, Audio-Technica ATH-M50). Frequency response sounds flat to my ears but it could use a bit more dynamic range. However, the great sound is partly due to their open back design which leaks sound like a siv. This means I can't listen to music as loud as I want sometimes when in the office or library.

2. Huge foam cushions are super comfy. I often leave them on for full 8 hour days with no comfort issues.

3. Well built mainly due to their simplicity. They have a very unique retro design which I like but others may think is ugly. 1 year warranty.

Audio is very subjective so reviews like this aren't worth much. Your best bet is to find an audio dealer that sells the headphones you're interested in for a couple hours of listening.

Might I also suggest along those lines, The Alessandro MS-1i headphones. They have the same drivers as the SR80, but they are slightly cheaper (depending where you're buying from).

I got these for 79$ on a sale last year. My best 79$ so far. I use it 10 hours every day both at home and office. The SR 125 is a good bet too.

I've got the SR60. They are $20-30 cheaper than the 80s, but the same construction.

I use ATH-M50s (over ear) and shure s115 (in-ear). Both sets sound great to my casual ear. The ATH-M50s work best when my surrounding area is quiet. If someone is talking I can't hear what they say but I can hear muffled sounds. The Shure in-ear buds are fantastic in isolating you from external sounds. I relied heavily on head-fi.org for guidance. If you are thinking of full size headphones go to a music shop and see if they'll let you try on different pairs. I found that the Shure over-ear pairs felt heavy and uncomfortable, so I went with the ATH-M50s. Also I do not use any external amp at work for either pair, just straight plug in to the stereo out on my machine.

Sony MDR-V6 are probably the best bang for your buck. They've been around forever and are truly great. Pair them with the Beyer Dynamics pads for greater comfort.

Sony MDR-7506 are also good - a more updated (in the mid-90s) version of the V6.

Both at home and at the office I have a pair of Marshall Major headphones. They sell for about 100 euros and the support Marshall offers is great. They are a little hard to get used to but the sound from these things is amazing. I think they are the best headphones for that sort of money at the moment. http://www.marshallheadphones.com/product/major

Audio Technica ATH-A700

I can not recommend these more. Super comfortable, closed back, huge drivers, great balanced sound, affordable. The "winged" support makes these babies wear-able all day and night.

http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-AUD-ATH-A700-Technica-H...

Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro (80 ohms). They are rugged as heck and have insane bass if you like that sort of thing.

I really like the Jabra Halo 2: http://goo.gl/KURM6, http://gdgt.com/jabra/halo/2/

Have not tried yet, but hearing good things; http://www.californiaheadphones.com/laredo.html

sony headphones MDR-XB500 http://www.itechnews.net/2009/02/20/sony-xb-series-extra-bas... may get a bit warm after awhile, wish top had huge foam too

I've just bought a pair of Klipsch earbuds that have worked pretty well so far.

Not me, but my friend (Amit) = V-Moda Crossfade LP2 Limited Edition

bose headphones without noise canceling, been using them for 7 years, used the upgrade plan a couple of years ago to get the newer version for half the price.

I have a pair of Bose Quiet Comfort 2 which I've had for quite some time. Comfortable as hell--can wear them all day. The only big problem is the AAA battery that they require. When the juice runs out, no more sound, which sucks.

For me, the battery issue is a deal-breaker, I have a Logitech "darkfield" bluetooth mouse & the thing goes through 1 AA battery every 3-ish days (heavy usage) which drives me a little nuts sometimes...two devices to feed with batteries is to much.

Good to hear that they are comfortable to wear all day though!

With the Bose, the battery drains if you keep forgetting to turn the button on your headphones off. Now its a habit to turn off my bose when i'm not using it.

+1 for Bose Quiet Comfrot. The AAA battery requirement sucks, but it's a small price to pay for sound proof, comfort and solid construction.

are you happy with the construction quality?

I was originally leaning towards a pair of Bose but was a little put off by some of the Amazon reviewers who complained that they felt a little flimsy & that they are a little tight fitting.

Bose inspires an active hate-dom in the audiophile community for manipulative sales tactics (they disallow A/B comparison as a stipulation of retail distributorship, for example), units reliably over-priced by a significant margin versus competitors, and spending so much on marketing its R&D and so little on its R&D.

Logitech h330 USB headset.

AKG K240 DF