Grado - SR325x

So, there is a lot to unpack here. 1. AirPods Pro are actually great sounding earbuds, so you’re starting from a good place. 2. You’re right to move away from the APMs and XM4/5, although you may enjoy the Apple sound. Bang for the buck, it’s good about tech, though, not sound. 3. You can do a LOT with just wired headphones, if you’re OK with that. Not all of them need amps. A great example is the Grado sr325x: great sound, easy to drive. There are plenty of others in the wired world worth considering. If you prefer bass, for example, the Meze 99 Classic or 99 Noir would be good. For something more neutral, the HifiMan Ananda. All of these work great with just a $9 Apple dongle. And even if you DO need an amp, something like an iFi Go Link Max would fulfill any needs you have with modern headphones, so a Sennheiser 6xx + one of those would get you where you want. 4. If you’re dead set on wireless, check out the Sennheiser Momentum 4, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra (which often sells for under $400), and the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 or S2e. (The S3 comes in at over $400.) All of these have decidedly different sound, and it will depend on what you like. Given your experience with the AirPods, the Sennheiser is probably your best bet. 5. Finally, for $350, you can find an incredible IEM, which might get you exactly where you want: the best sound for the money. But “best” is very relative here, since physics starts to play into the overall picture. Best of luck!

Grado SR325x I know its not exactly what you want but its probably for the best if you get some high quality open backs, open backs would be better if your like going on walks, getting groceries or doing things around the house or just a place you should kind of be attentive to around you, the Grado SR325x would be great for that, theres high quality, good build and you could even use them for studio listening, they are extremely portable seconded to iems and wireless headphones, and i also see lots of people buying them to use with walkmans. But Rode NTH-100 If you really want closed ear noise damping portable headphones, the Rode NTH-100 would also work, ive read reviews and it looks like they leak audio quite a lot but if you want the feel of fully over the ear headphone they look great for the price

I've used several Sennheisers and I second/third/fourth the HD 490 suggestions in this thread. They're slightly bassier and more exciting than the HD600-series, and *very* comfortable. If you like the open-back sound I also suggest you try something Grado, for example the SR325x is in your price range and very good. I know they're not for everybody, plenty of people don't like their sound. But also plenty of people *do*, so I recommend you try them as they may just be your jam.

Grado 325x will be good

Grado My sr60e survived so much abuse over the past 5 years I honestly don't get how. Now the sr325x is even tankier My friends one day showed up to work with his dad's sr60c (Yes c) And they still work like a charm. He has driving them daily for 3 years.

I don’t have much choice but to buy blind. I’ve just been lucky that I like how they sound enough to *mostly* ignore comfort. That said, I have tried everything (even yaxi pads) for my Grado 325x and I just can’t make them useable for more than a handful of minutes. Even if I love their sound

I owned two Grado’s, sr80i and sr325 and used both as all day, listen while working headphones. I’m convinced they contributed to my development of tinnitus. They were fatiguing to the point of pain and ringing. Returned the 325, gave away the sr80i. YMMV but they’re not for me.

My 325s are perfect

Never enough mate. I was at that stage if not more plus again in materials and bits to finish of making the headphones. So I sold every single headphone I owned then went out and purchased an Audeze MM-100.has planer drivers,and this set of cans really can shift music in the most astonishing way.it just sings. I also purchased a WiiM pro plus a Cambridge audio dacmagic 200 and lucky me got a musical fidelity twin tube which had a huge power supple.unfortunately the guy doesn’t trade any more,but there was a little business called rock grotto.he had upgrade or do it’s your self kits. The kits ranged from £60 to about £200 including very nice tubes,diodes umm loafs of very well matched gear.warm it up and your of. If bought planer headphones in between,no they get sold and I still carry on with my Audeze. Well I couldn’t resist a grado PS500 going on FB for £175 and a 325 for I think it was £150 immaculate. Well I would have to say,it’s rude not to have one grado hiding in a cupboard some where. Good luck man and carry on collecting and most of all just melt away with the music in to those grados Cya

The nyczaj pads on those grado x drivers make them so good