Sennheiser HD 700: Officially Unveiled at CES 2012! - Page 235

Most of my graphs are different from Headroom's. Different methods and different compensation curves. Only compare mine with mine and use in a relative and not absolute sense. This is critical. And even then measurements only tell you so much.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blasyrkh 


the problem is: why LFF said they are not worth 300 buck? which are his preferred cans? what kind ok sound does he like?

If you would like to hear what LFF prefers in his cans check the Paradox (which LFF developed). IMO the Paradox is a reference level headphone.

Received my HD700 today and so far I'm loving it. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blasyrkh 
in addition, talking about positive things only, is the same as talking about only negative ones....
so why talking about ******** to someone who wants an advice about two cans (for example the guy who asked about hd650 and hd700 was answered with a totally unfair opinion, beacuse he did not even explain why the hd700 was just a hd800 wannabe)
 

I still stand by my opinion and say what I said before. I'm not directly bashing the HD700 as it has some pro's and it is only my opinion only. If you go back a fair few pages in this thread to when these were released I shortly after gave them a listen and was not impressed at all. Guess I'm going to be harsh but the HD700's are a fail product trying to copy the HD800's. In reference to purrins csd graph there is already a 5-6k peak around the treble region for the 800's, I haven't seen a HD700 fr graph but I'm guessing it will have a lot more peaks than the HD800 which is a bright sounding headphone but with some mod's it can be very much more listenable. I don't think I have heard a more annoyingly bright headphone since the Grado SR-80. Not to mention if you're going to buy a HD700 at the retail price, you can buy a used good to excellent condition HD800 for the same price or cheaper.

Compared to the HD650, no I don't find them having more punch or dynamic qualities over it's little brother, as I said they both are opposite sounding headphones, the HD650 can be called dark, warm or laid back, the HD700's are damn bright, bit more clarity and soundstaging compared to the HD650 for sure, other than that, there is nothing special about them, not to mention the usual ridiculous Sennheiser pricing. I think at most the HD700 would be worth around $400-500 top's compared to other competitors. I've heard a half-arsed amped HE-500 and I greatly preferred it over the HD700's.

I feel like stating my opinion because of the action here (not very useful to many apparently) today so here goes:

I do not like the HD700's, but I do acknowledge their strengths. The imaging/ layering is good, resolution is very good too and it's also a very sensitive and low impendence phone catering to the general masses a bit more. These can be driven by an ipod pretty well. They are extremely comfortable and well built.

Are they better than the HD650? To me, definitely, but not that much better. The HD650's are a bit too laid-back for me, but the timbre on many instruments are overall better than the HD700 which do sometimes sound a bit too sharp. They portray the scene much better however, and if you find a good amp pairing (preferably tube), the 700's can actually be nice. You can't correct the artificial mids and glaring highs that well though. They don't have a 999$ frequency response either.

If I were to give faire pricing on the mid-tier Senns I would go as so.

HD600: 320$  HD650: 350$  HD700: 600$

Well it also comes to a point of what source you are using and the amplification in the chain. I have seen people comment on the HD650 being all of the above attributes you listed, I honestly don't find the HD650 like them at all and I use to think all the claims about the HD650 scaling really well with multi thousand dollar amp's was all bullcrap. I was wrong until I heard them myself on a RWA Issabilina amp and later on a SP amp. $700 is a pretty fair price for the HD700's, not $995 though. I wouldn't say the HD800's sound ethereal, sure the soundstaging is a little bit exaggerated but the headphone itself is one of many finicky can's out there to amp, very bright? Again this comes down to the user and how much brightness from the treble region the user can tolerate, given said that the HD800's when amplified properly blows most, if not all other competing products in the market except TOTL Stax and certain unobtaniums. 

my 2c.

Pretty much my experience with the HD700 and the HD650. As much as I enjoyed the HD650, I found it lacking. I had the HD650 and HD700 and the same time and pretty much sold the HD650 within a month.  I've had 6 cans over the last two years and sold them all off.  For me, The HD700 are keepers. Give that, I'm running the Lyr with Amperex Orange Globe tubes.  And yes, I did find them too bright with the "wrong" tubes. Now that my $1K has come and gone, and I've found my working source/amp combo, I'm just enjoying the music.

I think that my last purchase for the near future will be the HE500.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blasyrkh 


I can see your point
I personally listened to much brighter dynamic headphones than hd700..above all the beyers dt880 and audio technica AD2000, and they were appreciated more than a hd650, that about 4 and more years ago was cathegorized as :
1- slow
2-sluggish
3-non dynamic
4-veiled
5-boring

that just to say that people are never happy (ps: I adored the hd650 and was my reference before the modded denon d5000 )

I can definately say that hd700 are punchier and FASTER (i used the wrong term, dynamic instead of fast) in the low end, that for sure, maybe your amp does not let these quality shine

i would never pay them 1000$, i payed 550€(i think around 700$) new..... i would never trade it for the hd800 at the same price, cause even with those peaks, for my listenings I prefer a more material sound than the one delivered by hd800 (ethereal and still very bright).

said that, i'll use the hd700 in combination with the denon d5000 which i definitely prefer over the others!

still willing to try hifiman and audeze...but here in italy are yet to be found

Personally, on a pure enjoyment criteria I would rank the  HD700 just behind my HE-6 and a bit ahead of the HD800/T1. Talking about prices, I would only consider getting a HD800 if I can get a pair for less than $500.

After reading Purrin and LFF's review  I decided I wouldn't like the HD700 and I nearly didn't bother checking those in the shop I went to listen to the Signature Pro. I am very pleased I did and I have been enjoying the HD700 since. 

Well,   I don't think that price of hd700 or hd800 are either justified.

The current attitude for people is to seek justifications for an expensive headphone  from either "popular opinion", or measurements.

But I bet that just with 300$ , most people could reach their "audio nirvana", if they can put their expectation bias aside.

Anyway  if you were lucky to try the hd700 or hd800 on a store, and enjoy it , then just buy it if you can.

Same for the ugly D7100.  Or even beat pros. Your taste first.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blasyrkh 


sorry but I totally disagree....measurements, for me, do tell not much...that's why:
 

I assume English is not your first language? Because the meaning of can "only tell you so much" is not too different from what you just said. In other words:

And even then measurements only tell you so much.

=

And even then measurements are limited in what they can convey.

Hope that clarifies things.

American English is a strange language which borrows from too many others with additional strange constructs and rules thrown in. It is actually my second language.

FYI, my own D7000 and HD700 graphs look different, especially in the bass.

Red = Denon D7000 (which is actually less bassy than D5000)

Green = HD700