Price Paid:  $30.00 from ebay

Summary:
Don't buy these over similar priced retail models, for 30 bucks they are a deal, but I would reccomend the hd497 over the 490's, or a pair of sony cans, or a pair of Denon can's in the same range. These hd490's have wonderful clarity and highs, but distorted bass.

Strengths:
comfy single cord great clarity and open sound

Weaknesses:
distort easily seem a bit cheap on the build quality

Similar Products Used:
Denon AHD-750 Koss Quadraphones Sennheiser hd490 Sennheiser hd497 Sennheiser hd570 Sennheiser hd535 various Phillips headphones Sony MDR700 various JVC Headphones various Sony Heaphones

Price Paid:  $60.00 from Darty

Summary:
I guess previous reviews have established that these phones should not be used on discmans/walkmans. I had bought a pair of Sony CD380s which I used for about 6 months. They impressed me at first but their semi-closed design tended to give me a sensation of pressure in the ears. Luckily for me, they developed a slight defect (nothing serious, not to downgrade them) and the electronics store chain where I bought them let me trade them in for the Sennheiser 490s.(Two really cool salesmen in my local store!) I've only been using them for 2 days but their sound is impressive. I just can't understand the complaints about boomy bass but maybe that's because I use them on my home stereo (Marantz 6000 OSE amp with 50 watts/channel, very-low distortion, Philips 723 CD player with high quality interconnects). I've been reading reviews of the Sennheiser 497s, which seem to get better reviews than the 490s, BUT. . .a lot of people seem unhappy with the comfort factor with the 497s. Whereas, the 490s are extremely comfortable (I've had them on for 4 hours tonight and still don't feel any discomfort). The sound quality is very good (much better than the Sonys, which had more impressive bass but were quite lifeless). I can't get Grados in France, but once again, some people seem to find the 60s a little uncomfortable so I'm not tempted to try to order them from the states. These are very respectable cans for a home stereo. And hey, aren't headphones a little like shoes? What good is excellent quality if you can't wear them more than 2 hours?

Strengths:
Good Sound Comfort, Comfort Comfort! Reasonable price

Weaknesses:
I do need to turn my amp up a bit more than I do when listening through my speakers (Tannoys M2.5s) But where I usually listen through my speakers at 9 o'clock, I've been listening to the 490S at about 10. It's true that if I turn them up to mid-point the bass tends to distort a little but, maybe that's not such a bad thing--you really shouldn't listen to headphones at high volume, unless you're planning on not listening at all in the future.

Similar Products Used:
Sony MDR-380, Sony MDR IF-120 (cordless)

Price Paid:  $10.00 from Fry's Electronics

Summary:
Just pick it up today. AT $9.99 what a bargain. Great sounds. Great for plug directly in to front of cd players.Sit back and listen to Sade. I will keep it just for that easy music.

Strengths:
Good high& vocals

Weaknesses:
Bass is not to great, after all it is an open ear style.

Similar Products Used:
Many high end dj headphones.

Price Paid:  $30.00 from ebay

Summary:
Don't buy...simply...there are better headphones...For 30 bucks they are OK, but not spectacular, highs sound clear to me, and vocals are good, but they don't like hitting decent volumes without distortion. My friend has the Sennheiser 535's and they are a LOT better. I've read that the HD-497s are a lot better to for only about 10 bucks more retail.

Strengths:
Clear vocals, and highs, comfortable

Weaknesses:
unclear bass, distorts at louder volumes...sounds about like a pair of phillips headphones that cost about 30 bucks.

Similar Products Used:
Senn hd-535, Sony styles, Phillips

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
I have a comment to make: if the HD 490 are badly placed on your ears you will not be able really to appreciate them. When they are positioned too high on your ears, you hear much of boomy bass and little medium and high, on the other hand, when they are placed at the good position, i.e. lowest possible, they are well.

Strengths:
powerful bass comfortable for the ears detachable cord

Weaknesses:
need for an amplifier a little bit expensive a little cumbersome (big)

Similar Products Used:
nothing compared with that