A Headphone Worth Checking out under $100 : Sony MDR-XB700 - Page 2

I've demoed them at a local Sony Style, wasn't anything too spectacular. Or maybe it was just because the 'phone was unamped.

i amped them with fiio e5... still they got trumped by ES7s, to my ears.

Ouch. They are ugly as sin.

on the contrary i think they look nice lol.. the metallic plate that is. and uber comfy

I agree. Most people say they're ugly but I love the modern-retro look. They're different from the countless cans out there. They're uber comfy, indeed like putting two soft pillows on your ears. I plugged in my iPod and I loved the sound. The bass is clear and rich and not distorted and it's definitely not overwhelming. These headphones are exactly what I was looking for. Unfortunately, only the XB700 has the metal covering so I'll have to go with them.

EDIT: Forgot to mention that I tried both the XB500 and XB700. While the XB500 completely covered the ears and they are around the ears rather than on, I could still feel the inside of the padding touching my ear, while the XB700 are practically covering the whole ear.

The XB700 looked nicer than the XB500 mainly due to the fact that they have the metal covering and I felt that the bass was more pronounced and clearer on the 700 rather than on the 500.

same here, i kinda like how they look. i like them better than the beyers on the look department. gonna go to sony store to try them out soon.

tried this cans again today.

maybe its the burn in or maybe its just me, but they sound better to my ears. i think i just grasp a better understanding on this hobby though, because just recently i discovered what D2000 lacks. I used to think D2000s are the perfect cans for me with sibilance being the only issue, but now i realized that i am looking for a fuller midrange than D2000s.

along with that note, I can see now what germania pointed out- these Sonys are reminiscence of the D2000s in the sense that they lack some midrange to my taste. they have a V-shaped frequency curve.
the bass is not as bloaty as previously. not quite D2000-level in impact and depth, but very similar sounding. and overall really nice, not overpowering the mids and highs.
compared to D2000s, the sonys suffer from the lack of instrument separation and imaging. D2000, with those qualities, sounds "clearer" and more effortless. hence it feels more hi-fi. but aside from those, the sony exhibit similar qualities.

now, compared to my beloved ES7s, of course the sony are lacking in midrange. but so far i dont feel that the sonys are as hollow-feeling as the denons. aside from the more boomy and present bass, what the sony also have is a smoother presentation than ES7s. some bits of songs that pierce my ears in the ES7s do not sound as harsh in the sony XB700.

the bottomline is that the Sony XB700 is a very capable headphone, especially if one can get them cheaper. it is warm and nice sounding, much better than my expectation- especially when looking at the gay packaging font. do audition it, you may like it. i still prefer my ES7s for the liveliness and forwardness, but if i didnt come from the ES7 i will definitely get these sonys.

sorry for the messy impressions; feel free to just ask and ill try my best to answer.

Have you tried auditioning HFI-580/550? They probably has the same amount of bass. In terms of bass quality how does it compare?

i had experiences with HFI-780. i'd say the ultrasone is tighter and more impactful, and more refined quality throughout. but in terms of "amount" im not sure. in general, though, i prefer XB700's sound sig. ultrasones are just not for me.

Hardstyler, I am going to take the Sony Australia printout down to our local Sony Centre here in Brissie on the weekend - they had '$299' on the sticker for the XB700 when I went in there about a month ago ! Website price is $269, and if they give me a hard time about 'Oh, we need to add shipping !' or whatever, they can keep their overpriced cans.Also interested in the MDR-V600, but I'm sure they are also exorbitantly marked up. Its a joke here in Oz : small market. big shipping costs and too many people who allow themselves to be gouged.

For those who like the ES7, I simply cant wear mine for more than 30 minutes : the A500s are such a wonderful contract after the vice-like ES7s have pinched the top of my ears for the duration of their time on my oversized head. Horses for courses, I guess

how does the midrange compare to phones like the

hfi780, sony v6, sm3 (iem), or fx-700

 

 

How clear is it and is it forward, neutral, or recessed?