Hifiman has been running a great sale on their headphones. I got the entry set for my birthday.

I first heard Hifiman at an audio show, I don't know what was driving them. I remember really liking te sound although it reminded me some of Quad speakers. Now that I have a pair of my own I have to change my opinion.

I still like the sound a lot, the soundstage is tight and defined, more so than what I'm used to from headphones. The bass goes deep and remains tight and defined, like you can feel it through your body. In comparison to my Sennheiser HD580's the Hifiman soundstage is some smaller, the 580's some warmer. This is also comparing open to closed back. For a tighter more detailed sound go for the Hifiman. I would describe them as neutral, easy to listen to yet not a sense of being warm or colored. Seems from my first listen though, you can achieve that with the right source. The quality you can get from headphones now for not much expense is excellent.

The headphones have a standard 1/8" detachable cable so it can be easily replaced or upgraded. They also fold and come with a carry case, although still fitting comfortably over the ear. Easy to drive. I'd think these would be great cans for travel.