Introduction

 
Everyone here and their mothers have heard of the HD600/650. After over 10+ years, the HD600 series still remains a timeless classic, withstanding the test of time with is beautiful musicality and fidelity while being very appropriately nice. But it's unlike companies to stand on its laurels: the HD800 was released in 2010, which remains the current defacto standard for soundstage and balance among dynamic driver headphones. That being said, it was still a relatively conservative headphone among its peers.
 
Enter the HD700
 
As the naming scheme suggests, the HD700 slots between the HD800 and HD600/650. That being said, it's not an exact compromise between the HD600 and HD800: its styling mimics the HD800's more, while its sound isn't quite either. That being said, I'm glad it's not a hybrid between the HD600 and HD800: if I wanted either sound, I'll just get either.
 
Having sufficient IEM's, I decided it was time to enter the headphone game. The MDR-1A was no slouch, but I was looking at open headphones. After a bit of hesitation, I tried out the HD700's at the only headphone store that demo'd it (Minidisc.com.au, check it out!) I bit the bullet and bought my most expensive pair yet ($600 AUD/ $480 USD).
 
Background
 
It's been a little over 2 years since I started getting into this whole audio shenanigans. Started off with a humble Sony MH1C to replace my lost headset, then from there, things got a little......out of control. For reference, my gear consists of:

Sony MH1C
UE500vi
UE900s (new)
Sony MDR-1A
 
To preserve as much of the headphone's characteristics, I went with an O2/ODAC to begin with. I may revise this review when I finally get my mate's Musical Fidelity hybrid amp. Some may disagree with my choice, saying that the HD700 pairs well with other amps: however, considering that this is all I have (besides an old Yamaha speaker amp), there's not much I could do. Note that I'll be comparing these to my UE900S (my IEM of choice) and MDR-1A (my main headphone before this) as a rough reference, as well as the HD600/800 (the former which I borrowed off my brother).
 
I'm not going to bother to say I'm not an audiophile: I obviously care a lot with how music is reproduced. Using the very definition of the word, we here are all audiophiles. That being said, I don't tend to affiliate with the more 'cult'-like traditions of audiophiles: cables, tweaks, etc. Think of me as an objectivist, if you will.

Without further adieu, let's actually review these headphones!
 
Packaging
 
Although it's probably the most mundane aspect of audio products, in my mind, the packaging is very important. That being said, I'm not particularly impressed by the HD700's packaging: it's more or less the same as the HD600's. However, that is not to say I'm unsatisfied with the packaging: it's just that, at this price range, it's nothing special. The box, however, is very useful and utilitarian, though a bit easy to nick.
 
Comfort
 
Although the HD700 is a controversial headphone, there's pretty much universal consensus on its comfort: it's great. Bar none, it is the comfiest headphone I've ever worn, tying easily with the HD800 I tried for a brief period. Compared to the HD600, it comfortably (geddit?!) beats it. It is not hot at all, and the velour padding allows for wearing even with glasses for hours at end without the slightest touch of discomfort. Its light weight contributes heavily to this in my opinion. The only beef I have with the comfort is the fact that my left ear swells easily (due to me sleeping on it), and will occasionally nick the driver cover. Not a problem for 99% of the time.
 
Design
 
Some swear the HD700 is a person of the HD800. I couldn't agree more: the aggressive space-age styling is very distinctive, and one I love. To be honest, I prefer the look of these over the HD800: these look a lot more aggressive and sleek. However, the questionable material choice is inherited from the HD800: plastics fantastic. Now, I have nothing against plastic: used properly, it is durable and is light weight: however, that 'premium quality' feel would be diminished.
 
And then we have the cable. Bar none, it's the worst aspect of the headphone. Don't get me wrong, it's a beautiful headphone, but that cable just refuses to keep straight. Oh, and it broke after 4 months, and I didn't even roll it over a chair wheel. At least Sennheiser didn't play the blame-game: I'll give them that much.
 
Sound
(Note: unless indicated, I will link the O2/ODAC with it, and listen to 320/V0/FLAC files)

The sound of the HD700 is controversial indeed: most of those that hate this headphone will hate it for its peaky treble. Thankfully for me, I happen to enjoy this 'peaky' treble, as it turns out. Let's start from the bottom.
 
Bass
 
Unlike the HD600 and HD800, where the bass was anemic to me, the HD700 packs satisfying amounts of bass, while retaining very good control of it. It does not spill over to the mids (unlike my MDR-1A's), but delivers sufficient punch for pop and drums. However, despite its healthy amount, it still does not match the HD650's level of bass (quantity, not quality): the HD700 easily wipes the floor in terms of bass compared to the 600 series, and only loses somewhat to the HD800 due to is lesser extension. Despite this, I favour the HD700's bass a lot more than the HD800: there is nothing more bothering to me than listening to classical that has no bass.
 
The bass excels in songs such as X Ambassadors's  'Jungle' where despite it being clipped to oblivion by the producers, produces a visceral punch without bloating the rest. The same cannot be said for the MDR-1A's, where the bass just tanks the detailing, and the UE900S, where the bass was insufficient.
 
Mids
 
The mids of this are, in my humble opinion, the weakest aspect of the HD700. That being said, I don't hate, I still love it: it's just that the bass and treble is better to me relatively. Vocals (especially female) are very exuberant yet natural, making it beautiful for artists such as Haley Westenra. Likewise, for orchestral instruments, this makes the instruments very smooth and articulated. However, all being said and done, it's slightly veiled to an extent, and despite the plots showing me that they are indeed quite a bit veiled, I never thought that for a moment.
 
Surprisingly, compared to the rest of my headphones, the HD700 doesn't particularly stand out: it sounds better than the MDR-1A, but barely nudges the UE900S. Songs such as Amazing Grace by Hayley Westenra benefit more from the air and treble of the HD700's than the mids.
 
Treble
 
And here's where all the controversy of the HD700 is. There's not denying it: it's bright. However, no, they're nowhere near as bright as some Grado's I've heard. No, it's not fatiguing to me. Yes, maybe tubes may help. No, I really don't know if they can help. No, the HD800 has better treble. All I know is, I love the treble on this. There is a lot of treble extensions, which undoubtedly help with is big soundstage. All those treble cues you use for imaging, yeah, it's all there. And it's beautiful. What can I say? I'm a sucker for V-shaped headphones.
 
The treble allows for an amazing experience with guitars: every pluck and slap can be heard with succinct detail. Hell, let's just include all stringed instruments. It's absolutely solid. Gustavo Santaolalla's 'The Last of Us' provides the perfect opportunity for this trait to be heard: every pluck is so finely reproduced, it's hard to imagine this is all coming from a headphone. That extra sparkle provides a lot of air and thus soundstaging, especially with classical songs. One almost-perfect example may be heard in Barenboim's reading of the Emperor Concerto: all the nuances, from the subtle page turning to pedal changes on the piano sounds absolutely immersive in such an environment.
 
Other Sound Stuff
 
Soundstage - impressive, in case you didn't get the hint
Sibilance - none. Zilch. Despite what the treble may tell you, unless your song/ source is clipped, there's absolutely no sibilance.
Cable noise - none, which is about the only good thing I could say about it. But then again, an el-cheapo cable I bought for this doesn't either.
Channel balance - practically dead-on. Not much else to say TBH.
Driving/amping - I can't comment on the effect tubes have on these headphones. I can, however, say this: comparing the O2/ODAC to my laptop/phone's output, there is significantly less noise and the sound doesn't sound like it's being slogged around. Can't really explain it either, and it's driving my inner objectivist insane. My phone barely outputs enough for the HD700, so amping in that case is vital.
Isolation - none. Don't bother. However, it doesn't leak much sound (at least no at my listening volumes)
 
Genres
 
I listen to practically all music (except EDM/house, because that isn't music to me , and jazz). If I was to pick one genre the HD700's stand out in, it's classical/orchestral. The wide soundstage really helps in selling the traits of classical music, while its peaky treble aids in providing detailing and sparkle. However, it's no slouch in the other genres: I am unable to pick out a single genre the HD700's suffer at. One thing the HD700 really suffers from is clipped music: that treble pulls no punches in absolutely destroying clipped/brickwalled songs.
 
Conclusion
 
The HD700 is almost perfect: as opposed to my MDR-1A, which were fun yet bloated, the HD700 strives for fidelity while preserving an element of fun and excitement. This compromise is to my ears and head excellent, and is something that quite a few who migrate from the HD600/800's must get used to for these headphones.
 
Keep in mind, however, that this is relative to the price ($600 AUD/ ~$480 USD) I paid: if it was priced at its MSRP, I'd hesitate a bit. But at that price, it's not exactly a bargain either, but it's damn good.

Now if only the cable they came with were actually any good...........
 
Songs Used

This is my first review on Head-Fi, so forgive me for my trip ups and lack of jargon, as I simply do not have the knowledge or experience to accurately describe everything I hear and feel.

That being said, I deliberated over my purchase of these IEM's for quite a while. For a few months, I had a toss-up between the GR07 BE, Sennheiser CX985, Rock-It R50 and RHA MA-750i. Any one of these purchases would be my 'step' into new territory: triple-digits audio gear.

Before I go any further, I'll describe my previous collection, to provide a little context to the rest of the review. Almost 2 years ago, I was running a pair of MH1's, which I bought when my original Sony Ericsson IEM's were lost. At that point, sound quality was the least of my concern: I just needed a mic and something to hear music with, and most importantly, wasn't expensive. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the MH1's were actually not bad at all, and was raved by many Head-Fier's, as it would seem.

A year later, I bought a new laptop, and since I needed to do quite a lot of Skyping on it, I intended to use my MH1's. To my disappointment, the connectors weren't compatible, so I went out and deliberated over another set of earphones. My eye caught on the Ultimate Ears 500vm, which in addition to having support for my phone (due to an included adapter), also worked with my laptop. My opinion on the 500's were a bit more mixed compared to the MH1: bass was weak-ish for my taste, and it was somewhat hard to drive. Nonetheless, its excellent isolation was incredibly favourable to my daily routine of public transport, so it wasn't a total loss.

When I had a bit more money, I finally decided that I would properly venture into the territory of high-end audio, but baby steps first, I thought. These RHA's, I had hope, would be a successful first step. I would not be wrong.

Packaging
 
I don't think I need to go over the packaging in too much detail: countless other reviewers have taken pictures of the packaging, and it is indeed excellent. One problem, however, was pinching from packaging, which somewhat left marks that, thankfully, fade away in time. In addition, some of the tips I got were dirty, and the tip holder was mildly scratched. I was a bit annoyed, but it's not a deal-breaker, considering that everything else was nicely preserved.
 
Build Quality
 
One reason why I chose the MA750i's over the others was its apparent build quality. In one word, it's a tank. Cables are as thick as some headphones I've seen, and most impressively the spring on the ends of the connector which act as a strain relief. It works, a little too well at times, but I'll rather have inconvenience than the earphones breaking any day of the week.
 
Accessories
 
The MA750i's came with 10 pairs of tips: single-flanged SML, double-flanged SL and 2 foamies. Of the silicone tips, only the largest of each fit me, and the foamies were unbearably painful for the first few days, in which they softened enough to not destroy my ears.
 
In addition, the MA750i's also came with a shirt clip (hint: don't hook it to the main cable) which has a 360* swivel on it, and a soft pouch. The soft pouch was a bit underwhelming, but since, in my experience, most earphones break through snagging and not crushing, it's suitable enough. From my personal experience, I would not hold the tip holder in the pouch: the headphones actually scratched the tip holder quite a bit until I realised. Again, this is my vanity sneaking in, so it's not that big of a deal.
 
Comfort
 
I won't lie: these IEM's are heavy. How heavy? Well, when I was turning my head quickly, the IEM's which were hanging off my ear (since I was talking to someone) flew off them and hit my mate's glasses with enough force it knocked them from his head.
 
That being said, the over-ear design works, to an extent. Since I have don't have large ears, the curve doesn't hook onto my ear perfectly: I compensated by pulling the hook taut then holding them in place with my glasses. Once done, it's incredibly comfy.
 
That being said, it takes quite a bit of getting used to in the beginning. I thought they were exceedingly painful at first, and it's only after a few days which they became comfy. A word of warning, though: in winter, especially for those living in below-zero (Celcius) temperatures, the housing is freezing, since it's steel. Warm them up in your hand first or else your ears will want to kill you.
 
Sound Quality
 
This is probably the area where I can either agree with some people here, or piss them off, so I'll try to be compromising here.
 
Compared to my MH1's and UE500's, the sound quality was initially bland. I was actually a bit bummed at first, noting how the mids were a bit too overbearing, and the bass did not have a certain 'punch' to it. In addition, the IEM's were either bloody painful or too loose: I opted with bloody painful. Over a few days, however, I gave my MA750i's a chance, and here's where things get interesting. I have no idea if it's my ear getting un-stretched back to its normal size (since my UE500's have quite a deep insertion), my brain got attuned to the earphones or it got burned in, but the MA750i's over time actually became decent.
 
I listen to a wide variety of music. If anything, I listen to everything besides house music (which is, IMO, a bit of a stretch to classify as 'music' more than 'noise'). The great thing about these is that, while it's not particularly excellent for one genre, it's great for all genres.
 
For pop music, vocals can shine without being too harsh or sibilant. Female vocals are particularly intimate with these: I am particularly fond of listening to Celtic Woman through these, as the MA750i's can accomplish both intimacy of the solo vocals and exuberance of the accompanying orchestra at the same time.
 
Classical music is probably my favorite with these: with decent, modern recordings, soundstage and separation is excellent. Piano solos sound decent, no obvious highs poking out anywhere, but orchestral music is where it truly shines for me: the soundstage can be shown off through this. Beethoven's 9th Symphony is particularly impressive on these, with the vocals in the 4th movement synergising well with the sheer energy of the orchestra.
 
Soundtracks are much the same story with classical: excellent soundstage and separation. More synth-based soundtracks, such as Mass Effect 3's, can show off the MA750's control of bass.
 
Hip-hop/rap is probably the weakest genre for the MA750i's: not saying they are bad, but they lack the other strengths the other genres display. However, hip-hop/rap does exhibit a quality of the MA750i's: its ability to control bass without feeling like a truck ran over you, and spilling over to the vocals.
 
The low-mids are one area which, I've realised over time, I don't like quite that much, so a simple EQ fix bumping down the 125 Hz range was more or less the only EQ I did, besides a little bass boost (coz I happen to like more bass )
 
Conclusion
 
With a few exceptions, the majority of my friends spend ~$20 on their head gear maximum, with some going a bit more for earPods. When they realise how much my MA750i's cost, there first question, usually following their prompts of 'What', is, 'why did you spend that much?' In the beginning, I thought this is the same question as asking why your handbag costs more than my phone, or why your phone costs more than double mine. In other words, if you asked me before I bought these, I would not have known the answer.
 
Now, I think I do.