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Pros :-
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1] better sound quality because there are no resonant sounds from reflections inside the "box"
2] less stress on the ears
3] low isolation. you can hear the phone, door, computer breaking up

Cons:-
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1] poor isolation. You can hear outside sounds if you are outside
2] a little more expensive because different driver materials and enclosure design

CLOSED :-
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pros :-
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1] Good isolation - you cant hear extraneous noises
2] cheap

cons :-
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1] Very hard to get rid of the resonant and reflected noises
2] poor sound quality
3] unrealistic sound, boomy bass etc.

Earpads and Earmuffs?? Earmuffs are used to protect your ears from the cold AFAIK...

Earpads are what you find on the headphone drivers to make it comfortable to wear. Some are more comfortable than others. Some are painful to wear!!

Some headphones require amplifications to sound good.

Amplification can be used for all headphones. The problem is that the "AMP" section in portables is very very poor. They concentrate on the rest of the stuff and neglect the amp section because MOST people dont care about horrible sound.

For people who DO care the idea is to use the Line-Out and then connect it to an AMP for better sound after bypassing the internal amp of the device.

I ordered the Sennheiser RS-30's can anyone tell me how good these are. thanks

Those are wireless right? Decent - not exactly audiophile quality

Headphone.com lists the two following categories: Medium sized ear-pads and medium sized ear-muffs. What's the difference? Also, what's the difference between medium size and full sized headphones? I know so little about these. Thanks for your help.

Ok ear pads are harder than ear muffs. ear muffs are more FOAM while the pads are harder...rubber roam ??

Im not so sure about the terminology...

SO what's the deal with mid-sized circumaural phones? the GR60 belongs in this category. Do they cover the entire ear, or does the phone rest on the ear rather than around?

They rest on the ears. I call them Supra-aural Not too bad - quite comfy but not as comfy as circumaural - but not bad enough to decide against it. I can wear it for 4 hours before I run into comfort problems. I can wear the Senns forever

So the GR60 would be supra-aural as you call it? Interesting... Are they bigger than the standard headphones that comes with cd players?

Much bigger. But they can lie flat which makes them easier to carry around in a flat box for protection. These are special headphones see...And you will be blown away by the sound!!

Oh just order one from www.headphone.com and give it a shot trust me on this one!!

Hmm...I think I will either try out the GR60 or the GR80 with an amp...carrying around an amp for headphones would surely attract attention. hehe.

Get a Portable amp from www.jmtaudio.com or ask him to build you a CHA47 Mint Tin amp (altoids tin - very cool - i'll put up a pic of mine just for hoots )

First get the SR-60 - save the $25 and spend it on the amp later if you REALLY think you need one.

What is your budget anyway? That way we can find the best combo because an SR-80 needs an amp more than the SR-60 which is ideal without an amp (no diff with an amp for this one).

Not sure of my budget yet...how much does one have to spend to get real audiophilic quality?

If you want to head to the BIG TIME then look to spend at least 400 - 500 bucks.

But I advise you to get the grado-SR60 and try it out first before you jump into audiophile stuff...

Being an audiophile is an experience you grow into by starting at the lower rung and then climbing up. You wont be able to appreciate high-end stuff without knowing what low end sounds like. The Grado SR-60 is a HUGE improvement over anything else you've probably heard till now so I recomment you begin there and then move up.

Tha truth is moving up doesnt improve sound by much - you have to be in a position to know what to look for in terms of improvement. I sometimes have trouble telling the difference between a $50 Mint and a $1500 Headroom Maxxed Out Home amplifier!!

Take my advice and order a SR-60 - you will love it!!
For contrast - order the Senn HD-590 or the 497 as well...497 is a better choice IMO.

Choose between the two over a week and then return the one you dont prefer...