How does it sound compared to the black? /s

I might have to try the ZMF velour. I bought lambskin pads from Amazon that are better padded and isolate better (more bass) than the stock velour, but I miss the velour fabric feel vs leather.

I own the 800s and agree.

Some people exaggerate how much better expensive headphones are beyond the $200/$300 price point. I think the problem isn't the XS. Your perception of their quality is maybe more realistic than some hyperbolic online reviews. I used to own the XS but returned it for comfort issues. It sounded great! But like any headphone I've ever worn, a basic home theater system will blow them out of the water, so it's good to have that in your mind when shopping for new headphones in the future. Check your expectations.

I would say be prepared to lose $200. For example, ebay's charge for sellers is 13% I believe.

I have a HD800s, I like it, but for actual daily use, I wear my HD599 and HD650 much more than my HD800s.

I would say if you live alone or are often alone and absolutely love to listen to movies and music, go for it.

But if you mainly listen to YouTube/podcasts, live with others that don't want to hear your super sound leaking headphones, then you're spending a lot of money for something you might not use much compared to your current headphones that aren't picky about the source and leak sound way less. I think people underestimate diminishing returns and the daily usage practicality of headphones that leak sound as much as high end open back headphones do. But if you've got the funds, it's not a big deal if you aren't using them daily. Your mileage may vary.

Can you elaborate on how crude oil cost fluctuates? From your chart, it looks like tax, marketing, etc costs are fairly consistent, but I don't understand how/why crude costs fluctuate.

Yeah the px100-ii were my favorite workout headphones. Really sucks they're discontinued. I thought about trying Koss but I'm not sure they'd be comparable.