I hate paying the price but the change these shoes have made in my life are worth every penny. Not sure if the black pair are made by someone else, but they are extremely tight around my feet to the point I really considered sending them back (both colors size 11-12). I wanted a pair of supportive vinyl shoes to use as barn shoes. Ive seen them for $20 on up, depending on color and size. Very easy to walk in. I can make trips outdoors with these and not worry that Im wearing slippers. The Sennheiser Hd 600s is lacking in this category. It has worked well. The difference is very slight (less than a millimeter). I can even turn them up and hear conversations several hundred feet away!