I am wondering if I should go with the sennheiser hd 555 (which is basically a 595 when you take out a piece of foam) or the ATH AD700 open (not closed back A700s).
This is coming from a guy who has heard some budget cans such as the hd280, m50, and the budget iems brainwavz m2, etymotic er6i.
 
The m2 had detailed mids and dark, smooth mids. The highs were slightly recessed, but I love the emphasis on the low end. I really enjoyed this phone.
The HD280s were uncomfortable and slightly heavy but had a polite, well balanced sound. I was okay with it - it was heavy and tight on my head. the bass was tight and punchy but lacking in quantity.
The etymotic er6i s had an extremely deep insertion in my ear which was unpleasant but the sound was quite decent. the bass was slightly lacking but the mids and highs were well balanced (highs being slightly harsh to my ears).
 
I listen to a Jazz (bossa nova, big band, latin), Hip-Hop (eminem, jayz, etc.), Classical(all sorts of piano, strings, concertos), and Pop(mainstream, mixed).
 
Based on what I enjoy and don't, which one is better?
Between the sennheiser and the audio technica, which has more bass quantity? which has more extension in the highs? which one is more comfortable and lighter (without sacrificing build quailty?)
Both will cost about the same for me but the audio technica will be $10 more.
 
thank you for reading and please help me decide.
 

I think you'll like the AD700's. They have everything you need, they have clear highs + soundstage and comfort are good. 
 
Their bass is weak for hip hop tho. 

 
Quote:

metalh3ad said:

I think you'll like the AD700's. They have everything you need, they have clear highs + soundstage and comfort are good. 
 
Their bass is weak for hip hop tho. 

Click to expand...

Is the bass on the HD555 stronger?
 

Nope. Generally bass on open back headphones is weak. They could be perfect for jazz, classical or pop, but for hip-hop bass is light. 

Quote:

metalh3ad said:

Nope. Generally bass on open back headphones is weak. They could be perfect for jazz, classical or pop, but for hip-hop bass is light. 

Click to expand...

One more question before I pull the trigger on the Ad-700s
How hard do they clamp on the ears or head compared to the 555s?

AD700s don't clamp.  At all.  Some might not like that, but I personally love it.
 
I've heard the HD555 and HD595 have more bass than AD700, and from what I remember of 555 when I listened to it, I'm inclined to say it does have a little more.  To get real good bass out of open headphones, you generally need to go in the high-end with headphones like DT880, DT990, HD650 etc.
 
 

To be honest, the AD700's have some of the least bass out of any headphone I've ever tried. But don't let that scare you off. Even though you cannot feel the bass (which usually leads to fatigue depending on strength and duration) you can definitely still hear it. For stuff like Jazz and Classical, I actually prefer light bass in which the AD700's present perfectly. Even for more bass oriented songs, these don't bug me. The crowning jewel of the AD700 though is it's soundstage; not to mention it's comfort. The HD555 and HD595 are known for their very 2D sound, even though they are open. The AD700 is about as good as soundstage as you can get; which envelops you nicely in the music, and gives everything a sense of space. On top of that, it's still one of the most comfortable headphones ever, possibly my #1. Clamp is super minimal, and can be stretched or compressed to loosen or tighten the grip. Although, even at it's tightest, it is still has incredible comfort and very little clamp. Overall, I would definitely say go for the AD700.

HD595 and 2D sound? It's almost the same headphone as hd598 (which you marvelled about) and imaging is almost holographic!

Quote:

domleg said:

HD595 and 2D sound? It's almost the same headphone as hd598 (which you marvelled about) and imaging is almost holographic!

Click to expand...

Every single impression I've read comparing the HD595 to the HD598 says the HD598 has a way better soundstage. It's surprising what a few changes to the cups of a headphone can do.

Quote:

domleg said:

HD595 and 2D sound? It's almost the same headphone as hd598

Click to expand...

 
 
It is? I thought everyone agreed that it was a very different phone.