Phiaton MS 400 Moderna Series Headphones

I'd like to state that I am not an audiophile, and I'm also not someone who would be pleased with any pair of earphones/cans. The Phiaton MS-400's are my second venture into "mid-high" tier range of audio equipment. My first was a set of Ultimate Ears SuperFi noise isolating in-ear phones. The MS-400 is a set of closed-back circumaural earphones that uses passive noise-cancellation. I'll go through the main categories and wrap up with my personal conclusion. Sound: Note: I only play music directly from the iPhone/MP3 player or Mac/PC. I do not own a portable amp. These headphones have a great sense of detail and separation. The low-end (bass) is exceptionally nice and is never muddy or blending together. The mid is also very pronounced and detailed usually the voices and main instruments are in this range. The highs are a little less emphasized which means the "sparkle" of the music is sometimes missing which are said to be typical for closed-back headphones. Personally, I think this saves me from those high pitched bell sounds and etc that are sometimes too bright. Listening to some Beatles hits like Hey Jude and Yesterday ripped from CD with LAME encoding has been very enjoyable. Like sitting in the studio with them playing the song around you. Hearing the detail of the strings, drums, and all the other instrumental inclusions. It was the same for many of today's modern pop music like Black Eyed Peas and The Script. For this price range, it is a great pair of phones that can compare with other more expensive headphones in terms of sound. Durability: Note: I have only used these for a few days and I haven't traveled with them yet. For my daily usage which is long walks and some commuting, the included carrying case has done very well in protecting the phones in transit and in my messenger bag. (Make sure that you fold the phones one into the headband and the other farther away instead of both folded in.) The construction feels pretty sturdy. Style: You won't miss the red highlights on this set of phones. It's crazy how eye catching they are. Not to mention how the carbon fiber adds a touch of class and high end feel to the look. People ask all the time about them, so prepare to be stopped. Comfort: These are very comfortable. Your ears will get a little warm from extended wear, but that comes with the territory for most closed-back headphones. The red band and earcups are all wrapped in a leather like material that is very soft and plush. The cord is a y-cord so if you don't like y-cords I would stay away from this one. It is also a short cord, about 4 feet long perfect for portable use but not so good at home. A simple extension cable will fix that though. Conclusion: If you have the money to spend on these headphones and you were shopping around for something that would give you sound and style similar to the Beats by Dre series then these are a great alternative, because they sound much better than the Beats in detail and I have seen more than enough of the Beats broken near the end of the headbands. Oh yeah, just wanted to bring it up, if Phiaton made these with a mic and controls built into it. They would be perfect for portable/mobile phone use. But they don't at this point in time. All in all, I'm a happy camper.