Me, I've always sworn by Sony, myself. And if you want a high-end headphone that can handle pretty much anything you throw at it, it's hard to go wrong with the MDR-V6.
They're a classic design; first produced in 1985; but to discerning consumers on a budget, they're pretty much the golden standard. For one, they cup your ears significantly tighter than the other full-size pairs I've tried, which has a big impact on shutting out outside noise. Because the sound isolation is passive, you won't hear that annoying white noise during the quieter parts of the song. HUGE plus in my book.
As far as the kind of sound you'll get, the V6 is all about fidelity. Pure, clean sound. Certain manufacturers like to play up parts of their sound curve to appeal to certain customers, but the V6 was originally designed as a studio monitor headphone, and is thus built around delivering music as it was meant to be heard. That's not say it's lacking in the bass department, though: Pop in some electronica or rap, and the V6 will sing with the best of 'em.
Little disclaimer: I'm a bit of a poorfag, so these are actually the most expensive headphones I've ever bought. Nonetheless, they're a really nice pair for the price.
If you choose to look into it, I'd caution you not to get the MDR V-7506, as those downplay the bass. Also, the V6 tends to get uncomfortable after a while, but this can be remedied by buying a pair of velour (not rubber) earpads. According to recently-gained experience, it'll probably last about four years of standard wear and tear.