Considering mine (and many others) came from Romania to the US, got stacked in one of Amazon's many warehouses, probably got shifted around several times, then went through the courier shipping process to finally deliver to me - and they still arrived in brand new condition...

I wouldn't worry about it.

The new one's construction feels cheaper (as is the packaging), but the sound is practically identical to what I recall with the old counter top HD600 I used to have. Comparing to what I physically do have now, it is as expected, within range of the HD580 Precision and HD6XX.

Vocal-wise, they are some of the best balanced, for sure - fully present without being harsh or piercing, nor are they muffled or nasal. Changing manufacturing locations hasn't diminished this aspect at all, in my opinion.

I suppose it's cool for the novelty, but for highly sensitive headphones like these on overpowered amps this offers even less adjustment on the volume knob.

Literally just came home from my first concert since the pandemic started, and my brain is swimming in a sea of dopamine all over again. Having the sound waves move air against my body is still a really thrilling experience, no matter how many times I've enjoyed it.

So for now, this hobby is a facsimile hold-over, to get as close to that, without the cops knocking on my door - until the next show. :)

I have not heard those before, unfortunately. However, I will say that any way you can enjoy your music is always great, so perhaps focus on your level of enjoyment, first and foremost, rather than categorizing something as good or bad. :)

Probably best to start with what you have now (what headphones you already use, music source, what you like/dislike about your current setup, etc.), and work your way from there. Blindly buying things is really the quickest path to finding frustration and an empty wallet, at the same time.