Audio Systems: How to buy Headphones, bose quietcomfort 2, bose quietcomfort 2 headphones

Question
Hello--I have recently purchased an i.pod and wish to buy a good set of headphones for it.I currently own Motorola MDR-V200 headphones--had them about 6 years and they have served me well.Iwould like to 'move up'--maybe better Motorola or Bose or Sennheiser etc.What do i look for to differentiate one from the other?I understand 'Frequency Response' is important--also'Nominal Impedance'What i find frustrating is Best Buy etc. provide very little info.on the headphones other than price etc.[if i was buying stereo speakers or a computer they provide lots of 'specs']I have read the Bose Quietcomfort 2 headphones are good but what is 'inside them'that make them so good? They cost CAD$399 [I live in Toronto Canada]--that is the top of my price range.Also it is difficult to 'try out' these headphones as they are enclosed in plastic in the stores.So with your expertise i thought you might be able to steer me towards a quality set of headphones.
THANKS!
[By the way--i heard of your Website on the BBC Tv show CLICK ONLINE]

Answer
Dear Ronald,

The Bose Quietcomfort phones have active circuitry which cancels out ambient noise, a real boon if you listen in crowded, congested, noisy venues. However, I've found that ordinary phones without the circuitry work pretty well in most situations. The Bose phones would be a plus, for instance, on a jet aircraft where the ambient noise can be extraordinary. One of our reviewers on The Sensible Sound staff tried 'em and thought they were excellent for noise cancellation, but ordinary for music reproduction.

Okay, you asked my advice about what phones to get. I have a huge prejudice in favor of Grado phones (available through audioadvisor.com). I used his bottom of the line model, the SR-60 (US$70), for years when I commuted on the subway to Washington, DC, and loved the sound. Since all Grado models are closed (vs. open air like the Sennheisers), they keep out enough distracting noise but still let you hear the train operator announcing the stations. Grado makes increasingly expensive models, the SR-80 (US$95), SR-125 (US$150), and the SR-325 (US$295). They're all good. Since you're only listening to compressed audio files on an iPod, the SR-60s are all you need--even standing midday at the corner of Yonge and Bloor. If you were listening to full range sound reproduction, say, on a portable CD player, I might suggest bumping up a notch or two.

Don't worry about Grado's specs--they match anything out there.

Good luck. And thanks for choosing allexperts.com!

Kindest regards,

Kevin