so I have been called a n00b here for recommending the hd-555 set.  i modded mine with the soundstage mod and i think they sound amazing with clarity and bass in movies, music, games and anything i throw at it.  but all i hear on these full size headphones forums here on head-fi is about the

Audio Technica ATH-AD700

and the AD900, etc etc.  my question is, will i notice a huge difference between my modded hd-555 set and the ad700 set?  they are pretty similiar in price on amazon, but i only save 60 with the hd-555 and i saw over 100 with the ad-700.  the hd-55 has more reviewers, and the stars are about the same.  the ad700 are pretty ugly in my opinion but i could spray paint over that so it's not a huge deal.  i would just like to know what would be the best sound headset for an audiophile n00b in the 100-200 price range.  ever since i got the hd-555 with the soundstage mod, i have been hooked.

sorry i thought i said that.  anyways, i will be hooking it up mainly to my computer.  i have a decent onboard 5.1 sound card so i don't think i will need a new sound card or amp for them.  also maybe hooking them up to the television downstairs if i can find a good enough extension cord or something.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1Time 

The best sounding is a matter of preference. And how headphones sound depends on what it's plugged into (synergy). You plug headphones into different equipment, and it sounds different.

 

FWIR, the HD555 / HD595 are known to scale better than the AD700 with better equipment. 

 

If the type of sound you're wanting is focused on an expansive sound stage, then you may be wowed by the AD700. I wasn't. I found the AD700 too bass light, and I could not get it to fit properly unless I radically and irreversibly modded it.  

 

But I did like the stock HD555 and HD595, which sounded very different from one another in part due to the different equipment I plugged them into.

 

 

so you recommend the hd-555 again?  i actually just looked at the ad-700's and everything and i think i want to try them out.  they look a little more comfortable than my hd-555 with that split top piece.  i heard the best things about them.  so you think i should stick with the hd-555 for gaming/music/movies?  soundstage meaning more depth to it, like realism and space right?  like i said, im new to audiophile, and the first set i got was the hd-555.  i then did the foam mod and they sounded better, then ventured and cut the grill out for the soundstage mod and they sounded even better.  but all the reviews on the ad-700 made me really want to try them.  the bass being too light meaning not enough?  bass isn't in perticular to me, just need enough.  what i would like is a really real sounding headphone set.  like in saving private ryan for instance, there is a scene when the soldiers walk across water while it's raining.  with my modded hd-555 it made me feel like i was there.  like i was the one walking through the rain.  but if the ad700 can do a better job at reproducing sounds like this i want them.  the hd-555 bass isn't the best either i don't think, although the soundstage mod did help quite a bit.  please help!

and comfort is important to me.  i just bought a pair of logitech g930 on amazon to try them out from all the good reviews on them and they were pretty bad compared to my hd-555 headphones.  the clarity just wasn't there at all.  and even though they are wireless, it's not worth the 60 dollar price added from the g35's.  if i had a small head and needed something for gaming i would get the g35's.  it has voice morphing software which is about 40 dollars alone bundled with the headset and mic.  the mic was pretty clear when i tried it.  but anyways, back on topic, im sending those back.  i figured for a 6 dollar return fee i would try them out.  i wish i had a place i could test headphones out.  but anyways, i am going to order the ad-700's because i think they are better than the hd-555 for what i want them for.  dont get me wrong the hd-555 is a fantastic set and they are very closely related to the set i want, but the set i want has more comfort and soundstage which is what i want.  i also heard people exxagerate on the lack of bass they have, and i can't imagine it is that horrible with all the reviews they get.  plus i have an equalizer in my windows 7 that should take care of that good enough.  i will post my initial review of the AD-700 when i get them though.  just sold my modded sennheiser hd-555 on amazon for nearly the price i paid so i am happy with that.  and if the ad-700 aren't as good as people say, i will just buy a pair of hd-555 and mod them again.  modding is fun stuff.