Great review Purrin. Though you don't need me to tell you that.

What amp did you measure the ESP950 with, if I may ask? That deep bass roll-off looks kinda steep.

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lff said:

We always listen and put down some notes BEFORE any measurements are taken. We also don't share our notes until after everything is done to avoid peer influence.

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Or LFF messes with me and tells me I gotta hear something ASAP (and that I use my good amp) because it sounds really amazing. In one case, I plugged in the headphones and went "huh". This is how it measured later:

 
Subjective impressions are paramount to us. Every now and then, we'll find a headphone in which our subjective impressions don't totally gel with the measurements.

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spacey said:

[size=10pt]I also find it quite amusing how people like to comment on sound quality yet they don't mention a comparative or the equipment used to make the final opinion on how they sound; makes some people look a little bitter that they can't afford drop $1000 on some cans

. I find them to sound stunning; just as good as my main speakers.[/size]
[size=10pt][/size]
 
[size=10pt]My system is: Resonessence Labs Invicta DAC/Weiss DAC202 - ATC SCM25A Pros. FLAC digits are supplied via USB from JRiver MC17 [/size]

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I guess it certainly could happen someone just goes ballistic against a brand or headphone because he/she is furious about the raging inflation in prices in recent years. Having said that, at least for Purrin, I think you can safely assume he's got the funds to buy the HD700 or whatever he fancies. As I remember reading, I believe he even has a tendency to pay for meet expenses out of his own pocket, just for the sake of sharing experience with other fellows. 
 
BTW, I have always been quite impressed by ATC speakers, although I don't know the specifics of the model you own. Please keep posting your impressions after some more time with the HD700 as, who knows, you might get back to reason (just pulling your leg ).

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anathallo said:

IRegarding the T1/DT990-600 comparison, I found the T1s bass much better controlled and enjoyable, and I would agree the treble is slightly hotter/peakier, but only on some songs.  For jazz, classical, acoustic and vocal music, my T1 is a clear and obvious winner in my humble opinion.  For more modern music, the DT990 was a more enjoyable listen over extended periods for sure, but I enjoy the mid-range Senns more for those styles anyways.

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T1 does have better bass than DT990-600. I agree with your assessments.
 
Quote:

catscratch said:

Great review Purrin. Though you don't need me to tell you that.
What amp did you measure the ESP950 with, if I may ask? That deep bass roll-off looks kinda steep.

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SRM-323. I know better amping will bring out the low end of the ESP950.

Quote:

spacey said:

[size=10pt]I also find it quite amusing how people like to comment on sound quality yet they don't mention a comparative or the equipment used to make the final opinion on how they sound; makes some people look a little bitter that they can't afford to drop $1000 on some cans

. I find them to sound stunning; just as good as my main speakers.[/size]
[size=10pt][/size]
 
[size=10pt]My system is: Resonessence Labs Invicta DAC/Weiss DAC202u - ATC SCM25A Pros. FLAC digits are supplied via USB from JRiver MC17 [/size]

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Kind of amusing too how you joined head-fi this month, have an HD700 avatar, and have since posted nothing but praise for the HD700 in your five posts thus far. People are going to assume you're a shill or a sockpuppet account.
 
 

Quote:

arnaud said:

there are maybe one or two fellows on this board that do appreciate the Edition 10's fine tonal qualities so - as they say - to each his own and glad you found yours!

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I think I'm one of those two people who like the Edition 10, haha.

Well done purrin, very concise review and you were quite diplomatic as well.

purrin said:

SRM-323. I know better amping will bring out the low end of the ESP950.

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It sure does, mine gets a decent amount of extra grunt from my SRM-717.

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purrin said:

SRM-323. I know better amping will bring out the low end of the ESP950.

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Tyll's numbers with the stock amp show better bass extension and unlike the treble I'd imagine that the bass should be more consistent across your different systems.

Quote:

purrin said:

Or LFF messes with me and tells me I gotta hear something ASAP (and that I use my good amp) because it sounds really amazing. In one case, I plugged in the headphones and went "huh". This is how it measured later:

 
Subjective impressions are paramount to us. Every now and then, we'll find a headphone in which our subjective impressions don't totally gel with the measurements.

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I wish I could have seen your face......

I will consider myself lucky cause my T1 are sounding very good to me (That's all it matters I guess )
 
Maybe it's more the recess mid range of the 990 that I didn't like (Any headphone with recess mid I dislike) 
 
Anyway I forgot to thank you guys for the very good and informative review. I really like the format. 
 
Maybe I get too defensive when I read a negative comments on the T1. Funny how many manufacture have quality issues with their high end models. Everyone are rushing their product to the markets to get out first.
 
Quote:

purrin said:

 
I have measured two pairs and listened to five others. Of out the seven, three of them sounded decently well balanced (heard on 8/2010, 2/2011, and 5/2012) and one sounded thin and horrible (9/2012), one sounded very trebly (10/2012), and two were in-between (2/2012). And yes, I do keep notes on all this stuff. Even if it's subjective impressions. Anaxilus can corroborate my listening impressions for the five pairs after the 2/2011 dates since he heard the same pairs.

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spacey said:

[SIZE=10pt][COLOR=000000]I also find it quite amusing how people like to comment on sound quality yet they don't mention a comparative or the equipment used to make the final opinion on how they sound; makes some people look a little bitter that they can't afford to drop $1000 on some cans :duggfloat: . I find them to sound stunning; just as good as my main speakers.[/COLOR][/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt][COLOR=000000]My system is: Resonessence Labs Invicta DAC/Weiss DAC202u - ATC SCM25A Pros. FLAC digits are supplied via USB from JRiver MC17 [/COLOR][/SIZE]

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Just $1000?

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muppetface said:

 
 
Kind of amusing too how you joined head-fi this month, have an HD700 avatar, and have since posted nothing but praise for the HD700 in your five posts thus far. People are going to assume you're a shill or a sockpuppet account.

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Why else do you think I'd want to join a forum based on Headphones if I'd have not just bought a pair. And why do you think I'd not like what I've bought - that would just be daft; right  Am i supposed to lurk around in the background for a month or two before i post anything!

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spacey said:

Well my HD700 sound fekin great, I'd recommend anyone who wants to make an informed opinion on them, go listen to a well run in pair. Forum reviews are nothing but one persons subjective opinion.  Also; I'd say they take 50+hours use to really open up.

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I find it unlikely that HD700s take 50+ hours to "open up" since they're based on effectively the same driver design as HD650, HD600, HD598, HD595.  There is no doubt some minor change over the first 5-10 hours.  Not enough to change one's impression of the headphone overall.  The design shows some measurable burn-in, and some stiffness is resolved over a few hours.  But it's small stuff, nothing that dramatically changes the sound. 
 
I also find it probable that compared to many lesser things, they "sound fekin great", considering the driver design is of the same stock as the venerable HD650, HD600, HD598, and HD595.  The question that remains is if they sound twice as "fekin great" as the already "fekin great" sounding HD650, HD600, HD598, and HD595 to justify the price tag and putting up with the Beyer/Grado-like treble peaks.
 
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spacey said:

[size=10pt]I also find it quite amusing how people like to comment on sound quality yet they don't mention a comparative or the equipment used to make the final opinion on how they sound; makes some people look a little bitter that they can't afford to drop $1000 on some cans

. I find them to sound stunning; just as good as my main speakers.[/size]
[size=10pt][/size]
 
[size=10pt]My system is: Resonessence Labs Invicta DAC/Weiss DAC202u - ATC SCM25A Pros. FLAC digits are supplied via USB from JRiver MC17 [/size]

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If your main speakers have treble peaks that look like that at your listening position, I think it's time to get those speakers calibrated or to move your listening chair a few feet back. You may also want to put draperies over the stainless steel walls. Speakers don't do treble peaks after distance attenuation.
 
Nothing wrong with liking the HD700.  As I said the basic driver design is proven....over 15 years proven.  At half the price or less. I'm sure it performs quite well given the physical specs.  And if you like that peaky signature, and certainly some people do, then I'm glad you got the right headphone for you.   For objective consideration though, that signature is well into the "deeply flawed" territory for anything that claims to be a reference, and even Senns own signatures, bracketing it on both sides of the price spectrum indicate the same.

Quote:

spacey said:

Why else do you think I'd want to join a forum based on Headphones if I'd have not just bought a pair.

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Plenty of people join head-fi before they buy headphones to become informed consumers. Alternatively those with more experience join to socialize and talk about the hobby. It's just a little suspect when someone registers for the sake of talking about a single pair of headphones and nothing else. I'm not saying you are a shill or sockpuppet, but you're giving off that vibe.
 
When someone with only five posts under his belt starts criticizing the review of an experienced head-fier, it's going to raise a few eyebrows for better or worse. Especially when it's not entirely clear just how many other headphones said person has even listened to himself before going on the defensive over the HD700.
 
Anyway, I don't want to derail purrin's thread. His review is quite good in my opinion, and he clearly lists his gear in his profile. 

Edit - further derailment.

Quote:

purrin said:

Headphone meets are best way to get to know how a headphone really sounds like. Both LFF and I have regularly attended meets. LFF was one of the organizers of CanJam 2010 and attended meets much more frequently in the past. I have made it a point to attend all major meets in California since February 2011. The number of smaller private mini or micro meets I have hosted or attended is too numerous to count.

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Just a correction here, but LFF was on the CanJam 2009 team (even mentioned in his account subtitle) in Los Angeles, along with jp11801 (lead organizer), Iron_Dreamer, Edwood, and a couple of others I don't recall right now. 2010 was in Chicago.
 
Also, having attended my own share of meets, I'd dissent with your first sentence there and argue that meets are actually one of the worst ways to know how a headphone really sounds, due to meet noise, unless of course you're referring to mini- or micro-meets. Even then, I'd probably still argue that any type of meet isn't an ideal setting to hear headphones. The only way to "get to know" a headphone, as you put it, can be done only in the quiet conditions of normal at-home listening, without distractions, so 100% mental focus can be put towards listening, IMO.