[olegausany]

 My thoughts on the 700s: I met someone who enjoyed the HD-700's quite a lot at a meet. He was using the JDS Labs portable C5 and he was into electronic music... said he preferred the 700's because of their quality/quantity of bass. I tried them and thought they had better imaging than the 650's... they are also very comfy and do look quite cool. I think they get some love, it's just that the 650's are cheaper and more romantic sounding, and the 800's are just a bit more and generally technically superior.

Thanks for your thoughtful reply.
 
I am into electronic music, as well, and for what I listen to I am not completely satisfied with the HD-650s (similar problem with some classical). Basically, I want a "detail" -oriented set of cans with a lot of imaging and soundstage; the 700s seem to fit the bill. For vocals, guitar rock, et al., the 650s are my cans for life.
 
I've tried to make my Grados fit the role of detail cans, but going back-and-forth between the 650 and the RS2i is too hard (the Grados are just too in your face and it takes me time to adjust).
 
For the bass issue, since updating my tubes (especially the Tung-Sol 5998), I have more bass than I know what to do with, so that's less of an issue for me.
 

 ...the 800's are just a bit more and generally technically superior.

 
...from the reviews I've read on Head-Fi (see the gear review thread), it sounds like this is actually the other way around: the 800 are a LOT more $$$ (2x) and are just a bit more technically superior.

Details, imaging, soundstage and instruments separation that's why I prefer HD700 and now HD800 over HD650

 

[JamieMcC]

  I've said this before, but it has ALWAYS amazed me how many headphone setups are super high-end components with HD650s. I never understood it. I always thought if you were going to drop a few grand on amps and DACs and whatnot, why wouldn't you go for the 800s or something similarly TOTL? After listening to the 600/650s though, I get it now.

Its also true going the other way there are loads of posts on $1000 + cans paired with $200 amps with the normal they don't sound much different to my xyz $100 cans.

 

[Rdrcr]

   
Awesome post! I trust you've read the @Armaegis review of the HA-200 (if not, you should, because he is a huge fan of the mono block setup).
 
For me, I was down to either the NuForce HA-200 or a Woo Audio and I decided on the latter, simply because I wanted to get into tubes. Congrats on your new rig!

 
Thanks! 
 
I did read his review.  It was excellent and very thorough.
In fact, it was because of his review that I ordered my second HA-200.  LOL!
 
Since in the beginning I was severely lacking confidence in the sound of my equipment, I felt that a good solid state amplifier would be the best solution.  I've read great things regarding the Woo Audio amps.  I'm sure it sounds great!  Plus, tube rolling itself is a fun hobby.  Having the ability to tweak the sound is awesome.
 
Mike  

 

[donlin]

Details, imaging, soundstage and instruments separation that's why I prefer HD700 and now HD800 over HD650

This is pretty accurate. If spatial information is critical, the 700 or 800 may be preferable. For me, those aspects are secondary to tonal density, lack of brightness and intimacy which the 650 excels at.

 

[olegausany]

Details, imaging, soundstage and instruments separation that's why I prefer HD700 and now HD800 over HD650

This is pretty accurate. If spatial information is critical, the 700 or 800 may be preferable. For me, those aspects are secondary to tonal density, lack of brightness and intimacy which the 650 excels at.

Partial Annex mod takes care of brightness with HD800

 

[teofilrocks]

Thanks! 

I did read his review.  It was excellent and very thorough.
In fact, it was because of his review that I ordered my second HA-200.  LOL!

Since in the beginning I was severely lacking confidence in the sound of my equipment, I felt that a good solid state amplifier would be the best solution.  I've read great things regarding the Woo Audio amps.  I'm sure it sounds great!  Plus, tube rolling itself is a fun hobby.  Having the ability to tweak the sound is awesome.

Mike  

The WA7 is on MassDrop right now.

 

[Eee Pee]

Partial Annex mod takes care of brightness with HD800

And 700s too. Done em both.

 

[HPiper]

I plan on getting another pair of 700's in the near future, then I will have the entire Sennheiser family from 580 to 800. When I did this once before I found that the 580 and 600 sat in the closet, all I used were the last 3 650, 700, and 800 and primarily the 650 and 700. The 800 cost so much I am always afraid I'll drop it or something, sounds silly I know but there you are. I find the 650 and 700 very very similar with the main difference being (as others have said) soundstage. So I listen to classical with the 700 exclusively and the 650's for everything else. That combo (650 and 700) covers everything quite well for me.

 

[Guidostrunk]

Would you say that the 700 is a combo of both the 650 , and the 800? I'm curious because I've been interested in the 700. I hate harsh treble though.

I plan on getting another pair of 700's in the near future, then I will have the entire Sennheiser family from 580 to 800. When I did this once before I found that the 580 and 600 sat in the closet, all I used were the last 3 650, 700, and 800 and primarily the 650 and 700. The 800 cost so much I am always afraid I'll drop it or something, sounds silly I know but there you are. I find the 650 and 700 very very similar with the main difference being (as others have said) soundstage. So I listen to classical with the 700 exclusively and the 650's for everything else. That combo (650 and 700) covers everything quite well for me.

 

[Krutsch]

  I plan on getting another pair of 700's in the near future, then I will have the entire Sennheiser family from 580 to 800. When I did this once before I found that the 580 and 600 sat in the closet, all I used were the last 3 650, 700, and 800 and primarily the 650 and 700. The 800 cost so much I am always afraid I'll drop it or something, sounds silly I know but there you are. I find the 650 and 700 very very similar with the main difference being (as others have said) soundstage. So I listen to classical with the 700 exclusively and the 650's for everything else. That combo (650 and 700) covers everything quite well for me.

 
That's my impression of how I would use the 700s, as well, based on what I've read. I'm watching these on Amazon; really coming down in price.
 
Unfortunately, I went psycho buying tubes for the Woo, so new cans are on hold.

 

[rovopio]

anybody here own or have tried he-400i?
how does it compared with hd650?
 
i'm looking for opinion regarding hd650 vs he-400i... which one has better midrange (more forward midrange, or more engaging midrange), and renders female vocals better?
 
Here's my situation,, i live in south east asia. my funds are severely limited. there's no place to properly audition either. So i'm going to decide between the two blindly. Oh, there's no return policy her either. So... buying stuff are not optimal here.
 
But more important than that, one of my ear is sensitive. i have what is called vestibular neurinitis. Basically one of my ear couldn't stand peaks in trebles. i LOVE grado sound, and i've owned sr60 in the past and sr80e presently. However physically one of my ear hurts when listen to them for more than an hour or so.
 
After the grado sr60, i moved up to shure 940. great midrange and female vocals, perfect for me. Atrocious build quality and broke in a couple of months.
Then i moved on to dt880, i like everything about it but the midrange. and all i care about from a headphone is the midrange, particularly female vocals. dt880 sounds a little too dry and not engaging on the midrange. i can't say that they are recessed either, not prominent i guess.
 
All those times i also own this relatively unknown sony headphone, the ma-900. it has a very nice midrange with slight treble roll-off and i never find it fatiguing or hurting my inner ear. As much as i personally love bright headphones (being attacked by grado sound), i think my ears physically prefer a dark or warm headphone.
 
So after a lot of research i came to a conclusion to get either hd650 or he-400i. it cost the same here ~$640...
Any advice on how the both of them sound in regards to rendering female vocals and which one has more treble roll-off or which one is brighter?
 
thanks in advance...

 

[SomeGuyDude]

I've tried the HE-400 before (not the -i but they're the same from what I understand).
 
Long story short, I was not impressed with them. They were far too bright for my tastes. A lot of people rave about them for being bassy but I just didn't hear it. I didn't give them a super long test, and it's ENTIRELY possible that I needed more time with them, but when I put them on my ears with a Burson Conductor at HiDefLifestyle in Harrisburg (silent store, really good listening environment) I was left going "eugh no thank you." I remember there being a weird spike up near the top that hit my ear terribly.
 
When I tried the HD650's for the first time in NYC at ACGears, and this was in a smaller store with more outside noise, I was seriously impressed. I didn't buy them then, I was just window shopping, but I walked out like "wow that's an open headphone I could see myself with." I just walked out feeling really positive about 'em. That was about a year ago. I literally had not heard them until I blind bought a pair from Amazon and my memory is exactly in line with my current experience.
 
Maybe the HE-400 are different than I recall, but the HD650s are not going to hurt your ears with brightness the way I -remember- the HE-400's doing. As for midrange and female vox, they sound excellent with the HD650s. There's an album I like, "Who's Been Here Since I've Been Gone" by dyad, which is female/male vox in harmony, and it's really blissful. 

 

[Billheiser]

  anybody here own or have tried he-400i?
how does it compared with hd650?
 
i'm looking for opinion regarding hd650 vs he-400i... which one has better midrange (more forward midrange, or more engaging midrange), and renders female vocals better?
 
Here's my situation,, i live in south east asia. my funds are severely limited. there's no place to properly audition either. So i'm going to decide between the two blindly. Oh, there's no return policy her either. So... buying stuff are not optimal here.
 
But more important than that, one of my ear is sensitive. i have what is called vestibular neurinitis. Basically one of my ear couldn't stand peaks in trebles. i LOVE grado sound, and i've owned sr60 in the past and sr80e presently. However physically one of my ear hurts when listen to them for more than an hour or so.
 
...

The 400i is surprisingly different from the 400.  It's better and more balanced overall, however the bass is less pronounced.  The 400i still has a bit of boost in upper mid/low treble.  It's a good phone but I prefer the HD600 and HD650, and you would too, given that ear issue.

 

[rovopio]

  The 400i is surprisingly different from the 400.  It's better and more balanced overall, however the bass is less pronounced.  The 400i still has a bit of boost in upper mid/low treble.  It's a good phone but I prefer the HD600 and HD650, and you would too, given that ear issue.

yeah. i LOVE grado sound. but, yeah it's too bad i have a condition. Anyway, they don't sell hd600 here, only hd650.
Which one between he-400i and hd650 has more quantity of bass?
and the one has that more, is it significantly more?
 
*More than being a midrange-person... i'm not really a bass person, dt880 bass is as much bass as i can enjoy, really.
(well, my IEM altone200 have more bass, and that's as much bass as i can tolerate). but i don't think majority of people are familiar enough with altone200 so im using the dt880 as the comparison reference..)

 

[Billheiser]

 
yeah. i LOVE grado sound. but, yeah it's too bad i have a condition. Anyway, they don't sell hd600 here, only hd650.
Which one between he-400i and hd650 has more quantity of bass?
and the one has that more, is it significantly more?
 
*More than being a midrange-person... i'm not really a bass person, dt880 bass is as much bass as i can enjoy, really.
(well, my IEM altone200 have more bass, and that's as much bass as i can tolerate). but i don't think majority of people are familiar enough with altone200 so im using the dt880 as the comparison reference..)

The 650 has slightly more bass than the 400i, IMO.  There has been a lot of discussion in HE400i threads about its level of bass - some think it's too light, some just right.  The old 400 was definitely a big bass phone, so the update to the i caused consternation.  
 
I reckon the 650 will be more right for you.