I bought these instead of the ATH M50, and i'm glad I did. I listened to the M50s and wasn't too impressed. After reading reviews I opted for the AD700s.
Look and build quality.
They look kinda dorky, no other way to say it. But good headphones aren't about looks. The purple/ pink outer mesh is an odd shade but distinctive, you'll never confuse these with another pair. The pads are comfy and very large, large enough to encompass my whole ear, which is good. The phones rest on the top of the head with two "Wings" that bend nicely, creating a very comfortable fit that can be worn for hours without hardly any breaking in. Seriously, very comfortable. The cable is a no tangle thick insulation grey, that isn't removable, ending in a 3.5mm with an included 1/4 inch screw on adapter.
Sound Quality.
My personal holy grail of audio is clarity and separation, and these are a good starting point for someone in the $100 range. They don't come close to my brand new, not burned in AKG K702's (sadly) but a big step up from my Ultrasone headphones, (don't ask.) Hi's are clear, Mid's and Bass can get a bit muddled at times, but still pleasing. Soundstage is good, I can hear the different placement of the piano, drums, and vocals listening to One Republic. I've been using a Maverick Audio Tubemagic D1, which produces very good up scaling. They're a great solution for easy listening for long periods of time. They're low impedance so they don't require an amp, and can be driven with your iPod, if you so desire.
The good: comfort, easy listening, sound stage. For this price range, a really good pair.
Look and build quality.
They look kinda dorky, no other way to say it. But good headphones aren't about looks. The purple/ pink outer mesh is an odd shade but distinctive, you'll never confuse these with another pair. The pads are comfy and very large, large enough to encompass my whole ear, which is good. The phones rest on the top of the head with two "Wings" that bend nicely, creating a very comfortable fit that can be worn for hours without hardly any breaking in. Seriously, very comfortable. The cable is a no tangle thick insulation grey, that isn't removable, ending in a 3.5mm with an included 1/4 inch screw on adapter.
Sound Quality.
My personal holy grail of audio is clarity and separation, and these are a good starting point for someone in the $100 range. They don't come close to my brand new, not burned in AKG K702's (sadly) but a big step up from my Ultrasone headphones, (don't ask.) Hi's are clear, Mid's and Bass can get a bit muddled at times, but still pleasing. Soundstage is good, I can hear the different placement of the piano, drums, and vocals listening to One Republic. I've been using a Maverick Audio Tubemagic D1, which produces very good up scaling. They're a great solution for easy listening for long periods of time. They're low impedance so they don't require an amp, and can be driven with your iPod, if you so desire.
The good: comfort, easy listening, sound stage. For this price range, a really good pair.
