In early 2015 I decided to spend more money than I have in the past on a decent pair of head phones. I eventually went for the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x, which, 6 months later, I am very happy with. Here's my breakdown of my decision making process.

NAD Viso HP50

Going into the shop, my preference was for the NAD Viso HP50.

Pros:

• Excellent reviews
• $400 -> $100 cheaper than the next ones I was looking at
• Very good looking carry case
• Less known brand
• I found them very light, although a little squeezing

Cons:

• Could be considered ugly
• Apparently could be less comfortable on certain head shapes / sizes

http://stereos.about.com/od/accessoriesheadphones/fl/NAD-Viso-HP-50-Headphone-Review.htm

PSB M4U 1

However a consistently highly reviewed set are the PSB M4U 1.

Pros:

• Sexier, particularly if you like the big, bold, Beats shiney plastic style
• Hard shell carry case

Cons:

• $500 -> $100 more expensive than the NADs
• I found them heavy on my head
• They have a big brother at the same price. Makes you second guess buying them

http://www.head-fi.org/products/psb-m4u-1

PSB M4U 2

But low and behold, the PSBs have a brother, with noise cancellation and some sort of headphone amplification, and they're the same price! The PSB M4U2.

• Most of the same pluses and minuses of their brother

Pros:

• The sound in the shop blew my head off when played through an amp with the extra gadgets switched on
• NZD$500 -> same as their brother
• The second most popular headphone in the shop

Cons:

• I found them extremely heavy on my head
• The extra gadgets, amplification & noise cancellation, require batteries

http://www.whathifi.com/psb/m4u2/review

Audio-Technica ATH-M50x

Then I was introduced to the best selling headphones in the shop, the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x.

Pros:

• Frequently named best headphones under NZD$250
• NZD$220 -> NZD$180 less than the NADs
• Stylish in blue
• I found them quite light and very comfortable

http://www.cnet.com/products/audio-technica-ath-m50x/

I should also mention those I considered before coming down to the NADs and the PSBs.

Sennheiser Momentum

Pros:

• Beautiful looking
• So light and comfortable

Cons:

• Not quite as good reviews as the others already mentioned
• I'd be a little worried about the light build
• Maybe a little bit too-cool-for-school?

http://www.cnet.com/products/sennheiser-momentum-over-ear/

Bose QC15

Pretty common around town, see loads of them since I started considering buying exxy headphones

Pros:

• Incredible noise cancelling. You have to try these things on the demo stand where you stand in front of the screen blasting plane noise at you!
• So light and comfortable

Cons:

• Batteries for noise cancelling I think.
• Compliements for noise cancelling outweigh compliments for sound quality. Does paying so much more for NC really matter in your life that much?
• I'd be a little worried about the light build

http://www.cnet.com/products/bose-quiet-comfort-15/

Logitech UE6000

Pros:

• Reasonably priced, you can often get them on sale

http://www.laptopmag.com/reviews/accessories/logitech-ue-6000

Beats - can't remember which one

Reviews are mixed, they've a load of fans, generally hip-hop fans, but among the audiophile sites, they seem to fall short.

Pros:

• The bass is killer!

Cons:

• Never felt comfortable buying these fashionable things
• Saw reviews of people slating them, everything from over-bass to build quality

Sennheiser HD201

Pros:

• I think I see these all over town
• Very cheap

Cons:

• Not in the same category as the others

http://www.head-fi.org/products/sennheiser-hd-201-headphones/reviews

1 year after making my decision on the ATH-M50x...

I'm still very happy with the phones I bought. I think it's quite a gadget person thing to wish I spent more or made a different decision, but all-in-all, these phones have been a great purchase. Here are some thoughts gained in hindsight:

Pros:

• Used very regularly, on average 1 hour every 2 days, the sound, build and comfort quality hasn't deteriorated
• I use the coiled, telescopic cord in work so that I can move around in my chair while attached to my PC, but I use the short cord when listening to podcasts on my phone. I've yet to use the long cord
• I'm confident about throwing them into my gym bag given the build quality and fold-up design
• They sit reasonably comfortably while extended around my next with the cans facing down on my chest

Cons:

• While I don't notice surrounding noise in work while listening to music, I certainly do when walking around streets listening to podcasts
• Despite occasionally bringing the pouch with me, it's pretty useless so I've never used it