[samandhi]

  Ok.
 
Just got these.
 
$400 shipped, used, only stipulation is that the stock cable is shorted. An aftermarket one has been provided as a substitute.
 
Bass immediately sounds offensive. Rolls off too early. Flabby and thick. Wait, why do these sound dark? Aren't these supposed to be bright? Turn them up a little. Holy ****, nothing could have prepared me for that treble. These sound super metallic. Gross, wow. Everything sounds wrong. Midrange is recessed. Upper midrange is almost absent. Treble is violent and sporadic. Ow.
 
Resolution is good, clarity is not due to recessed upper midrange. Soundstage is above average. Comfort is absolutely fantastic; almost better than HD800. Build is good. Frequency response appears to be the only massive issue with this headphone.
 
Bizarrely, these are the most tolerable with electronic music. I was expecting otherwise as most electronica is mixed poorly (brightly). The moment anything recorded comes into play, I want to gingerly rip them off of my skull.
 
More to come as I get used to them.

  Congrats on your new HP's. This just goes to show you how different our ears hear things.
 
  I find everything you said to be almost polar opposite of my experience with these cans. I will admit that the spike in treble was bothersome at first, but once they were burned in, they tamed down quite a bit (matter of fact, I find myself turning up the overall treble by +2 db). I can see where you might get the impression that the midrange is recessed, but when listening to songs with a big soundstage, those mids don't seem recessed anymore, but more like layered (and bigger than one might have thought previously). This is all coming from me listening through portable SS amp/dacs too... I haven't had the opportunity to purchase a good tube amp to make them even better... (thanks again for the suggestions DavidA>>>> going with the Ember).....
 
  Is it possible they just need some burn-in time? Let us know how it goes....

 

[KopaZ]

   
Just curious: what do you have for an amp? I am on the fence about adding a T1 to the stable, mostly because of what I've read about its synergy with my current amp.

I used Magni 2 for the T1; magni does power the T1 well. I also have a vali but didn't used on the T1 because it seemed to blur the precision of T1.

 

[tf10charged]

if the treble spike will tame after burn in, mean a tube amp is not really necessary? ( for a less bright sound) 

 

[tf10charged]

  Ok.
 
Just got these.
 
$400 shipped, used, only stipulation is that the stock cable is shorted. An aftermarket one has been provided as a substitute.
 
Bass immediately sounds offensive. Rolls off too early. Flabby and thick. Wait, why do these sound dark? Aren't these supposed to be bright? Turn them up a little. Holy ****, nothing could have prepared me for that treble. These sound super metallic. Gross, wow. Everything sounds wrong. Midrange is recessed. Upper midrange is almost absent. Treble is violent and sporadic. Ow.
 
Resolution is good, clarity is not due to recessed upper midrange. Soundstage is above average. Comfort is absolutely fantastic; almost better than HD800. Build is good. Frequency response appears to be the only massive issue with this headphone.
 
Bizarrely, these are the most tolerable with electronic music. I was expecting otherwise as most electronica is mixed poorly (brightly). The moment anything recorded comes into play, I want to gingerly rip them off of my skull.
 
More to come as I get used to them.

arent you also in another forum that is not really welcome in this forum?
 
in that forum hd700 is a big no no, it is really a big no no. why didn't you listen to their advice? ( which available since 2012?) and they just recently revived the support for hd650, you should have gone with those! 

 

[tf10charged]

  No. 

obviously headfi and those audiophile in china and taiwan are deaf.
while you and your friends in another forum are those with golden ears.
 
heck, you guys are even better than sennheiser engineers, with all your DIY tools for measurements and stuff
 
i expect more thrashing update from you, dont let me down. i have my popcorn ready here. 

 

[dazzerfong]

if the treble spike will tame after burn in, mean a tube amp is not really necessary? ( for a less bright sound) 

You get used to it, but no, it's still brighter than what is considered neutral. Burn-in barely affects headphones in general.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

You get used to it, but no, it's still brighter than what is considered neutral. Burn-in barely affects headphones in general.

 
Easy on that one, the snake oil salesman will come in and say otherwise.
 
I still remember the guys in the Mikros 90 thread insisting that those needed FIVE HUNDRED HOURS of burn in...

 

[Rob80b]

The thing to remember is that the HD700s are tailored for those over 50 and for those of us who can still hear after 60… that’s age not hertz

…younger members are welcome to join our exclusive club “what’s a treble peak?”…but try before you buy.

 

[Mechans1]

I have said this before that I never had trouble with excessive or sibilant treble with my HD700s.  I have only used tube amps but modern tube amps are not dark, they can and do convey crisp, clear even bright, holographic sound, in many cases. 
If you don't want to break your bank I have been using a $79 single tube amp .  It is a Bravo Audio model V2.  I also use a SinglePower extreme.  If you go for the Bravo the stock 12AU7 is pretty good but rolling the tube helps improve an already really good sound.
I got some anti 12AU7 discussion in a different forum and uncharacteristically (I gave up rolling anything that could function years ago) rolled in some 12AT7s which were even better but don't leave much room on the volume knob.

 

[KopaZ]

the one thing everyone can agree is comfort on HD700....
wow, virtually weightless! many comfort! such light!
{insert wow doge meme here}

 

[Zombie_X]

The T90 is very overpriced, even at $399. It should cost $150 cheaper IMO. That treble spike on those is terrible. I love beyers, owned nearly all of them, and the only one I hated was the damned T90. Sounded like a tin can.
 
Quote:

  did you miss my post about 399 T90?

 
Cykelvin, you shouldn't waste your money on upgrade cables that cost that much. Get one of those $40 ones from ebay as they sound the exact same as $500, or rather cables have to specific sound to them.

 

[donlin]

The thing to remember is that the HD700s are tailored for those over 50 and for those of us who can still hear after 60… that’s age not hertz …younger members are welcome to join our exclusive club “what’s a treble peak?”…but try before you buy.

Good one!

 

[3083joe]

The thing to remember is that the HD700s are tailored for those over 50 and for those of us who can still hear after 60… that’s age not hertz …younger members are welcome to join our exclusive club “what’s a treble peak?”…but try before you buy.

 

[dazzerfong]

Easy on that one, the snake oil salesman will come in and say otherwise.

I still remember the guys in the Mikros 90 thread insisting that those needed FIVE HUNDRED HOURS of burn in...

Then I'll let him refute me. Burn in, if you're willing to be cynical, is used by salesman to persuade buyers to hold off on their returns, long enough to push buyers outside of the return time.

What is legitimate IMO is your head adapting to the sound. That's not burn in, but rather mental conditioning.

 

[KopaZ]

what if....
burn in of the HD700 is just your ear adapting to the treble peak, not the headphones changing the frequency response itself?