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ATH-AD700 best <$100 choice?

post #1 of 16
3/23/10 at 3:07pm
Thread Starter 
A friend of mine is looking to get a pair of headphones around the $100 pricepoint, and he asked me to help him figure out what the best choice is. I would have recommended JVC RX900, but he's completely against modding, so upon doing some research I came upon the ATH-AD700.

He listens to a lot of fast metal, also tons of slower indie stuff. And he games, a lot, and wants these to work great with gaming. Comfort is also paramount, and portability/isolation/leakage are all nonfactors.

So thread upon thread that I found people seem to praise the ATH-AD700, and I just wanted to make sure: is this the best choice?
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post #2 of 16
3/23/10 at 3:18pm
Seems like a good one for what he needs them for, but you may ask him how much bass he wants because they are bass light from everything I've read.
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post #3 of 16
3/23/10 at 3:22pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shimmer View Post
Seems like a good one for what he needs them for, but you may ask him how much bass he wants because they are bass light from everything I've read.
I know for sure that he does like bass, but not an inordinate amount. He prefers the bass to be very impactful, but tight and fast as well. Is the AD700 going to be too light on the bass?
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post #4 of 16
3/23/10 at 3:25pm
I have no clue because I haven't heard them, and bass is always so subjective. Maybe just have a little patience and see where this thread goes =).
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post #5 of 16
3/23/10 at 3:25pm
Also consider the Alessandro MS1.

It's plasticky, looks vintage World War II and build quality isn't exactly great, but it sounds good. For the price, it is one of the better deals in headphones.

Comfort might not be great depending on the user. The stock comfy earpads should be comfier than bowl pads, but I think it sounds better with the bowl pads.
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post #6 of 16
3/23/10 at 3:30pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Elephas View Post
Also consider the Alessandro MS1.

It's plasticky, looks vintage World War II and build quality isn't exactly great, but it sounds good. For the price, it is one of the better deals in headphones.

Comfort might not be great depending on the user. The stock comfy earpads should be comfier than bowl pads, but I think it sounds better with the bowl pads.
This is another one I had considered, but kind of shied away from because some reviewers mentioned that the highs were a little harsh. I don't think he'd be a fan of that, and the intense electric guitars/high pitch singing of a lot of his metal might not turn out the best? Perhaps I'll read a few more reviews on these, and get his opinion on if they look okay/comfortable enough for him.
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post #7 of 16
3/23/10 at 3:34pm
Bass is present but without impact. Comfort is second to none. AD700s can be pushed easily with any source but bass can come out with an amp of some sort.
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post #8 of 16
3/23/10 at 9:47pm
Thread Starter 
I told him to go for the AD700's and he bought them a few hours ago, so we'll see how he likes them once they get here. I'll probably post back with my own impressions as well, although I know there's already been plenty of reviews.
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post #9 of 16
3/23/10 at 9:58pm
They're great headphones. The bass is there, just without much punch. They are good for many genres and are supremely comfortable.
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post #10 of 16
3/23/10 at 11:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ear Damage View Post
Bass is present but without impact. Comfort is second to none. AD700s can be pushed easily with any source but bass can come out with an amp of some sort.
I'm in the slight minority where I think the AD700s comfort is like a 4 out of a 10. They DO feel good around the ears, but their design flaws set it back in comfort for me. They are WAAAAY too lose, so unless you put a rubber band under the wings, they will constantly slip off your head with the slightest head movement. After the rubber band mod, they lose their extreme comfort and they start feeling fatiguing around your ears. Wearing a skull cap helps it stay put without a rubber band, but I don't wanna have to wear one at all times.

I love the sound they put out for gaming, but they aren't the funnest cans as their bass is waaaay too light to get any true enjoyment out of them.
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post #11 of 16
3/23/10 at 11:21pm
The AD700s have always sounded grainy to me (they're a friend's) even out of my Glite with well-recorded CDs. That said, the soundstage is truly amazing, but the sound itself left me wanting. Gaming is probably a good application for these.

I agree with MadLustEnvy on the comfort, I thought that they really sucked in that area. I couldn't even lean my head back without them slipping off. At the same time, there was a clamp right on my jaw, which was uncomfortable, but YMMV.

I've never heard the SR60/80/MS-1, so I cannot pass judgement on those, but I've always heard that they're tremendous budget headphones for rock and metal.
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post #12 of 16
3/24/10 at 12:08am
Coming from open headphones, closed ones are definitely better for gaming. My music thru the RX900 was more like in your face, out of the box.
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post #13 of 16
3/24/10 at 12:20am
More in your face is actually BAD for competitive gaming. You'd need to be able to judge distance and positioning for serious online gaming, which are the AD700s strong points. This is assuming you're using surround sound processing like Dolby Headphone and Silent Cinema.
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post #14 of 16
3/24/10 at 12:28am
Well the RX900 is my first real headphone so i'm not so familiar with the audiophile terms :P

Positioning was definitely there but with closed cans, i feel i could concentrate more and the sounds were easier to pick up compared to my old open siberia.
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post #15 of 16
3/24/10 at 4:55pm
it's all in your head you want a massive soundstage with good positioning, i personally wouldnt even audition a closed can for gaming.... maybe for single player, but even then i'd still prefer an open can.... the battle isn't going on inside your head, it's happening all around you.... it's really hard to understand or explain if you've never experienced it.
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