They are NOT $500, they're only $349, and perhaps Ubid.com carries them, I don't know. You could find used ones on occasion for $200 to $280, or perhaps endeavor to befriend a dealer who'll let you have 'em new for a few dollars over their cost...............Um, they aren't the "only" headphone manufacturer that Walmart doesn't carry, heh heh heh. Stax comes to mind..............The headphone amp will add to the cost of course, but you can start out without one. The sound is unmistakably "highend", even with my 10 year old Sony AM/FM Walkman!! I usually have to avoid the classical station, or else risk losing my concentration for 20 minutes or more...being unable to type on the computer, and having the music and soundfield totally absorb me! (And this is NOT with one of those headphone "surround" processors, either)..............I used to be skeptical about headphones too, until I bought these. AND I DO LOVE DVD MOVIES WITH THEM. Watched "Heat" recently (while everyone else was asleep), moved the easy chair close to the 35 inch screen, was completely lost in the story. The shootout scene when they rob the bank was making me feel a little nauseated...with fear! I forgot I wasn't really there with them in the street, with the gunfire and shattering glass, and cops dying...the surround effects came from WAY outside my head (and down the virtual "street")...AGAIN, WITHOUT ANY EXTRA HEADPHONE SURROUND PROCESSORS! Just the headphone jack on the DVD player. Very, VERY "real" sounding...
