For what its worth, i just got a pair of CX300s today (student too!) - i wanted to try in ear phones, but didnt want to stray too far from the sound of my MX500s (or spend a fortune). Sound wise, the CX300s are VERY bass heavy - i have found myself reducing the level of bass on my iPod to get a similar tone to that of the MX500s, however, with the bass turned down, they are pretty similar. I have also found that the CX300s are quite noisy - the cables are quite thin (perhaps not so good for durability), which i guess doesnt help. They fit well and do a good job of blocking out noise. I'm not sure i would recommend them, as they have left me wanting a more expensive pair, but they aren't so bad for the price - a lot better than iPod phones!