i've got the ath-50xs and a pair of dunu dn-1000s ...
while listening to and comparing 50 different pairs of headphones in my price range would be nice, i made both these purchases after hours of reading reviews and then ordering online. i read every review by ever blogger, but theheadphonelist.com was particularly influential in my recent earbud purchase. both they and the m50xs are said to have lightly v-shaped tuning, and that is desirable to me. i didn't need the dn-2000s because some people were saying their sound is truer and less impressive to bass heads. i'm listening to pop like Grimes and FKA Twigs. i of course want everything to sound clean and tight, but with plenty of sparkle and punchy bass.
i love the ath-m50xs. they're comfy and sound so much better than the sony mdr-zx500s they replaced. i don't have a amp for them, because i'm not sure i need one and that's still unknown territory to me. my source is always either my laptop or iphone.
dn-1000s are for listening to music at the office. i had an old pair of lower end bose earbuds that i had swiped from my pops. they broke, so i gave them back and ordered these. they're great. much nicer than the bose. really, when i first got them i had to spend a half hour assuring myself that they do not sound nicer than my audio-technica ath-m50xs. because that would be crazy. they're solid metal, and a lot of reviewers complain that they're too heavy. they looked pretty comfy compared to a lot of the other options, so i risked it. after finding the perfect tip and spacer setup from the like 20 options provided, i've got no complaints. though i just sent them back to the manufacturer for warranty work. after a few months, one of the speakers sounds damaged and tin-y.
bought bose sportsound for gym listening ...
i was thrilled to see that they came with a clip for my shirt; i know i'm not a cool kid anymore. the audio quality is noticeably less than the dn-1000s. especially because they don't seal and leak sound. i did no research before buying them. i knew part of what i was paying for is the convenience of not having to shop. they have a rubber piece that locks them in place in your ear. i suspect they'll work well. $100 for the non apple version because $30 bucks wasn't worth a remote and that's probably where they break anyway. they work well for their purpose, but do leave me longing for the dn-1000s.