Because headphones are credentials on this site I'll list a few that I own. I'm a sucker for budget performers. I'm running a Sabre U2 Asych DAC to an O2 Amp. Because measurements.
Yamaha HPH-200, M-Audio Q40, Sennheiser PC360, Samson SR850, Samson SR950
If I had to sum up the sound of the DBI 700 in a few words I'd have to choose...
Fun V or U balance with minimal compromise and unforgiving treble.
Once you get past the fact that the stock earpads are medieval torture devices and replace them with something less painful, you can start appreciating the headphones. Since sound seems to be the most interesting thing about them I'll jump straight to that. If you don't know they're nigh invincible already I don't know where you've been reading.
Treble:
Very lifelike. Cymbals and other percussion have a unique closeness and sparkle. At first the cymbals sounded fake or grainy compared to other headphones. I thought about my experiences with cymbals in person and concluded that other headphones were wrong instead. Double bass drums have a remarkably powerful prat. Bass guitars benefit from the boosted treble in texture and harmonics.
Unfortunately, if a vocalist or mix is moderately sibilant it is painfully reproduced. The levels of sibilance aren't unrealistic, though. I think the phones are too honest for their own good. I had to lower my listening volume in comparison to my Sennheisers, which are extremely forgiving of such elements.
I tried to hate the sibilance, but its honesty to the music is slowly winning me over. I'm not saying that the 700s are neutral. They do, however, present a sound similar to a mouth-close-to-mic live performance with all the upsides and downsides included. Hopefully a pad swap and some foam pads over the driver instead of thin cloth will dull it a little... If not I'm damping the suckers.
Update: The treble's impoliteness seems be tamed a tiny bit by doing secondary burn in with Blue/Violet/Purple noise at HIGH volume. These headphones respond well to EQing. You'll find peaks around 8 and 10k.
Mids:
Nothing really special. They're tastefully balanced and possessing the proper presence for the intended sound sig.
Bass:
Punchy and fun midbass with enough subbass to balance things out. Very well executed. Detailed. These are NOT BASS LIGHT. I'd say they're halfway to bassheadphones. It's obvious in the sound, but not head rattling. The bass rarely bleeds into the mids and is, I think, at the point all consumer headphones should shoot for.
Yamaha HPH-200, M-Audio Q40, Sennheiser PC360, Samson SR850, Samson SR950
If I had to sum up the sound of the DBI 700 in a few words I'd have to choose...
Fun V or U balance with minimal compromise and unforgiving treble.
Once you get past the fact that the stock earpads are medieval torture devices and replace them with something less painful, you can start appreciating the headphones. Since sound seems to be the most interesting thing about them I'll jump straight to that. If you don't know they're nigh invincible already I don't know where you've been reading.
Treble:
Very lifelike. Cymbals and other percussion have a unique closeness and sparkle. At first the cymbals sounded fake or grainy compared to other headphones. I thought about my experiences with cymbals in person and concluded that other headphones were wrong instead. Double bass drums have a remarkably powerful prat. Bass guitars benefit from the boosted treble in texture and harmonics.
Unfortunately, if a vocalist or mix is moderately sibilant it is painfully reproduced. The levels of sibilance aren't unrealistic, though. I think the phones are too honest for their own good. I had to lower my listening volume in comparison to my Sennheisers, which are extremely forgiving of such elements.
I tried to hate the sibilance, but its honesty to the music is slowly winning me over. I'm not saying that the 700s are neutral. They do, however, present a sound similar to a mouth-close-to-mic live performance with all the upsides and downsides included. Hopefully a pad swap and some foam pads over the driver instead of thin cloth will dull it a little... If not I'm damping the suckers.
Update: The treble's impoliteness seems be tamed a tiny bit by doing secondary burn in with Blue/Violet/Purple noise at HIGH volume. These headphones respond well to EQing. You'll find peaks around 8 and 10k.
Mids:
Nothing really special. They're tastefully balanced and possessing the proper presence for the intended sound sig.
Bass:
Punchy and fun midbass with enough subbass to balance things out. Very well executed. Detailed. These are NOT BASS LIGHT. I'd say they're halfway to bassheadphones. It's obvious in the sound, but not head rattling. The bass rarely bleeds into the mids and is, I think, at the point all consumer headphones should shoot for.