[TheBoss]

My local Best Buy store has the HD 280 for demo and purchase.


The thing I noted is how slightly refined this is compared to Sony V6/7506... and boy HD280s do have vice-grip, it almost gives Bose-like noise-cancelling silence when you wear them.

 

[GaryPham]

The HD280 aren't too highly regarded around here on head-fi.  I personally never listened to them myself, but I've rarely seen anyone saying positive things about them.  The V6/7506 however gets much more love around here.  Does your local bestbuy happen to have the HD439 or Creative Aurvana Live available for demo?  Those are also some good bets also.

 

[zazex]

Not a bad buy, but you can do better.
 
Also, it obviously depends on what type of headphones you want
in terms of sound signature, open or closed, portable or not...
 
 
The 280's initially garnered their sketchy reputation due to a
design (or manufacturing) flaw, which resulted in the
headphone frame developing cracks in its structure.
 
Its all-plastic structure did not help in this regard.
 
Sennheiser sorted out that issue, to its credit, but as often happens
the stories of cracked headphones remained in the mind of the buying public.
 
Still, they sounded decent, were backed by a great company,
the problem was solved, and they continued to sell.  The only real
issue remaining was their clamping force, which is nearly legendary -
and justifiably so.
 
Then, IIRC, the ATH M50's came into the market and just blew out
the 280's.  They're much better headphones of that type.