So I added the gold H1707 to the stable, so I now have both gold and silver versions.
I will be doing official reviews of both, but for now I wanted to post some quick and dirty impressions, since I know many of you have questions about gold vs silver.
Cosmetic differences:
"Gold" ie EU/Asian version:
- The gold color isn't gold (ie yellow) at all, but rather a beautiful gold/copper-ish color
- The disc/cover in the center of the passive bass radiator is the same anodized gold/copper-ish color as the cups
- The headband has very small gold/copper piping accents running the length of either side
- The fabric covering the cable (below the Y connector) is black w/red speckled throughout
- The metal bodies of the Y split, 2.5mm, & 3.5mm are the same anodized gold/copper-ish color as the cups
"Silver" ie US version:
- The silver color isn't silver, but rather a titanium color
- The disc/cover in the center of the passive bass radiator is the same anodized titanium color as the cups
- The headband has very small silver piping accents running the length of either side
- The fabric covering the cable (below the Y connector) is all black
- The metal bodies of the Y split, 2.5mm, & 3.5mm are the anodized black
Packaging:
- The packaging is identical between the 2 versions (we know at some point 1More will change the text on the silver version's box to reflect the graphene driver)
Sound Difference:
As you all know, the drivers are different between the 2 versions (Gold=titanium, Silver-graphene). In all honesty though, the difference in sound between the 2 is pretty minor. They both sound
excellent, and I like them both. IMO, the Silver version has more sub-bass punch, is a bit warmer sounding, and has a bit cleaner bass presentation (that I have found is somewhat characteristic of graphene drivers). The Gold version has a few dBs less sub-bass (but it still has sub-bass, and deep hitting at that). As far as treble, remember the ceramic-piezo driver fills in a lot of the treble. Therefore, it's logical that the treble is quite similar between the 2 versions. Both have bright and sparkly treble, with plenty of lively energy. The Gold version has a bit more treble, but it comes across as a bit more thin and dry. The Silver version has a bit less treble, and it's smoother sounding. I would be interested in seeing a FR graph of each, as to my ears the differences boils down to merely a few dBs here and there.
Removing the grille for the passive radiator, the bass vents are identical in size. Externally, the cup construction, vents, etc appear 100% identical between the 2 colors.
Final Verdict:
I was surprised at how minimal the tuning differences were. Both are essentially v-shaped headphones, the silver version is just a little north of v-shaped (towards the neutral side), and the gold version is a little south of v-shaped (more v-shaped with a bit more sub-bass). Don't stress out too much about the "right" one to pick. Just get whatever is easiest to get in your country, or get whichever color you like better. They both sound great, and you literally can't go wrong with either. That's why there are numerous comments from owners saying the Gold version "sounds just fine to me". Neither are bad. Yes, technically there are (minor) tuning differences, but it's really splitting hairs.
If I was forced to pick 1, it would be the silver version. I listen to EDM, and like the little bit of extra sub-bass oomph, and the smoother treble. It is more fun sounding to me. If I had never heard the silver version though, I would be just as happy with the gold version, and would never even have known there was a difference.
Let me know if that's helpful or not, and let me know if anyone has any specific questions. I'll bring them both with me to the next Ohio CanJam for anyone that wants to listen to them both back-to-back for themselves.