Basic/mid fi headphone advice.

I already have hearing loss and tinnitus (agreed, it sucks) but it doesn't take much volume to hear someone else's ear buds in a quiet room. Regardless, the main reason I would prefer closed headphones is also to keep out any outside noise. I will be using them in places that will not be completely quiet.

@n80, my curiosity having been piqued by this discussion, I’ve just performed an experiment that seems relevant.

First, I listened to some dynamically compressed pop music (i.e., music having relatively little volume variation during the course of the selections) using the closed-back Audio Technica headphones I referred to earlier. I did this from a computer, via an Audioquest Dragonfly Red USB DAC/headphone amplifier. I adjusted the volume to a level that is perhaps slightly higher than most of us would listen at, but that would still be safe and comfortable for most of us.

I then took the phones off of my head and placed the two earpads snuggly against one another. I found that I was able to hear the music VERY faintly within a distance of about three feet. I then separated the earpads, to create what I believe would be a rough approximation of what would be heard by someone in the vicinity of a user of open-back phones, that are being listening to at a similar volume level. I could then easily hear the music at a distance of 15 feet, and I could hear it faintly from another room at a distance of about 20 feet.

I then played the same music, at what I perceived to be about the same volume level, in my main system using my Stax electrostatic headphones. That was done using the same source material stored on the same computer, communicating it to my main system wirelessly via a Squeezebox. The Stax phones are of course open-back. Also, with those phones it is not possible to place the two earpads together. After removing the phones from my head I found that I could easily hear the music at a distance of about 20 feet.

All of this was in a very quiet environment.

The bottom line: The sound isolation provided by the closed-back design of the AT phones makes a world of difference.

Regards,
-- Al

For years I've used and other professionals in the studio used, for good reason, the tried and true AKG K240. Very comfortable, semi-open over the ear. About $64.

The ATH-M50X  gets a hearty recommendation from myself as well, nice call Al.
I have a pair that I bought on ebay for $119 shipped as an open box item but complete and unused and you do see them on ebay at times for even less new.
I find them light and comfortable and precise enough to enjoy my music at any time.
I also have a pair of Audeze el8 open backs and the wife will come in and complain that I may as well play music through the speakers!
An exaggeration for sure but I get her meaning.
I also have a pair of Klipsch earbuds that I still use for about 50% of my non speaker listening simply because they are the most comfortable buds I have ever tried and I usually hate buds to be honest. The sq is honestly quite something for such a tiny pair of drivers!
Just some thoughts......

The 2 AKG 's I mentioned he K175 and K182 were because they are closed and close to the price which the OP seemed to want or I would have mentioned the K240. I have the K701  semi open and have enjoyed  them for about 10 years. The only piece of equipment I own that's older is a panamax line conditioner/ surge protector.