 | Sennheiser PX 100 Collapsible Headphones
Buy new: $39.99 / Used from: $28.95 Unbeatable practicality, wearability, sound. Best all-around value. (Follow-up: I don't use these as much as I anticipated. They produce feedback close to a mic, and they're "fussy" to fold and unfold, pack and unpack in their hard case.)
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 | Sennheiser HD-497 Over-Ear Headphones (Silver)
Buy used from: $44.99 Only slightly better-sounding than the PX100's, but too tight for long stretches. On the other hand, the tighter seal eliminates feedback problems when working close to a mic.
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 | Sony MDR-V600 Studio Monitor Series Headphones with Circum-Aural Earcup Design
Buy new: $62.99 / Used from: $59.99 For that sealed-in, virtual soundscape experience. Fullest bass. Somewhat heavy. Not crazy about them after 10-15 minutes. Consider the Sony MDR-V6 (still available) for a lighter headphone with less gratuitous boost in the bass.
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 | PANASONIC RP-HT660 Monitor Headphones with Auto Rewinding Cord
Buy new: $52.00 Big and loose but comfortable for long, immobile sessions (fit around, not on, the ears). Cord and adapter inside the phones. Excellent bass and treble (sizzling ride cymbals). Mid-range deficient.
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 | Panasonic RPHT710 Basic Headphones
Great value in traditional headphones. Long, heavy gauge cord, big drivers. Comfortable, and with full frequency sound.
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 | Sony MDR-CD180 CD Series Headphones with 30 mm Drive Units
Top-rated Consumer Reports phones compare favorably with Sennheiser HD-497's except in high-end frequencies. A steal.
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 | Koss TD-80 Closed-Ear Home Stereophone
Favorites at the radio station. Seem a trifle tight and heavy for extended sessions. Also, the two volume dials are a nuisance unless you have unbalanced hearing.
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 | Panasonic RPHC100 Noise Cancelling Monitor headphones with folding design and carry pouch
Noise reduction version of the Panasonic RP-HT 850's. Compact, portable, and cool, but unfortunately the sound is "canned" and scandalously bass-deprived.
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 | Panasonic RP-HT970 Vibration Series Home Theater Headphones
Gimmicky version of RPHT-710's. Surround-sound feature gets old and unnecessary in a hurry. Extra long, thin wire and attached, battery-operated control frequently a nuisance.
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 | Panasonic RPHT850 Basic Headphones
My favorite phones stylistically, but sonically the most disappointing. OK for isolating vocals and mid-range instruments. Lack fullness, transparency, and bass.
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 | KOSS TD85 Home Stereophones
Buy new: $35.99 Impressive upgrade of the Koss TD 80's. Light weight, full frequency, high efficiency (a bit loose-fitting).
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 | Koss UR40 Collapsible Over-Ear Headphones
Buy new: $31.66 Handiest, lightest, best-sounding phones for the money. Fit like a dream. Sound "expensive." Thin wire and unibody plastic the only concern. My most used headphones by far.
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 | Sennheiser HD-280 Professional Headphones
Buy new: Too low to display / Used from: $65.99 Cnet rates these Sennheiser's with phones at 2-3 times the price. They don't sound better than the company's less expensive phones (PX-100, HD-497) but seal you off better from ambient sounds--closer in size, fit, and insulation to the cheaper Sony VR-600's. I'd balk if they're over $70. If you you want a "trippier" experience, consider the Panasonics below.
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 | Panasonic RP-HT722 Monitor Headphones with Built-in Surround Control
Buy new: $26.12 / Used from: $18.99 Panasonic makes some good, inexpensive phones that should suit the needs and tastes of the home theater or gamer seeking a bit of aural virtual reality. The build quality is lagging a bit, but since they're likely to see infrequent use and are not exorbitantly priced, you're not risking a lot. ("Monitor" and "Surround" sound is contradictory.)
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 | Panasonic RP-HT227 Monitor Headphones with XBS® Extra Bass System
Buy new: $14.36 These would be wonderful headphones if they didn't fall apart after a couple of months. They pack very nicely, and they sound darn good. Regardless of build quality, you can't go wrong for ten bucks.
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 | Sony MDR-V6 Monitor Series Headphones with CCAW Voice Coil
Buy new: $79.72 / Used from: $99.99 Still available, though it's not clear how much support Sony gives the product, which was replaced by the aforementioned MDR-V600. These are a bit trimmer, lighter, better in build quality and with more natural bass.
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 | Sony MDR7506 Professional Large Diaphragm Headphone
Buy new: $99.00 Arguably the best in the bunch, coming in just under my $100 price max. They're more lightweight than either the MDRV600 or MDRV6, the cord is shorter for convenient use when working close to a microphone, and they have a style and build quality that is no less "clean" than the undoctored sound.
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 | JVC HANC100 Noise Cancelling Headphones
Buy new: $41.73 Practically identical with the Panasonic RPHC100 Noise Cancelling Monitor headphones with folding design and carry pouch, which in turn are "noise-cancelling" clones of the RP-HT 850 headphones. Stylish, charismatic little headphones excessively stingy with bass frequencies and quick to distort.
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