Katun
Headphoneus Supremus
Basic Build:
Right off the bat, it is apparent which of these two has better build quality. The AD700 easily bests the A700 when it comes to being solidly built. The most notable way to test this is to simply pick up the headphone. When you pick up the AD700, it just feels solid. It just has a good weight to it, and it feels like a quality product. The A700 on the other hand, feels pretty hollow and cheap. You can definitely feel the plastic feel to it. Even though it is slightly bigger and uses more material than the AD700 due to its closed design, it still feels lighter and cheaper made. The A700 also has cups that pivot up and down, as the AD700 does not. This slightly detracts from the overall durability as well, although it's no problem. If anything, the A700 would conform to one's head better due to the up and down pivoting, which the AD700 does not have; but I have never had a problem with the AD700's fit.
Cable:
Ever since I had the AD700, I've always admired the cable. It is incredibly thick, yet very flexible and has no memory retention whatsoever. To this date, it is still hands down the best cable I have ever used! I honestly don't know of a headphone that can get a higher quality cable than this. Yes, I am fully aware of the "expensive" cables designed with SQ in mind, but I'm talking about its physical aspects. Anyway, there is absolutely nothing I would change about it. The A700 cable on the same note is actually quite good as well. It is actually constructed out of a different material than the rubberized AD700 one. The A700 is fabric coated, which is kind of reminiscent of a shoe lace. When you first take it out, it has quite a bit of memory to it, but after some stretching and daily use, it loses a lot of that nasty memory. It is about as thick as the AD700's cable, but it holds memory a bit more than the AD700's one. Durability wise, I still would prefer the AD700's cable, but the A700's fabric one is still very durable. I'm just too big of fan of the AD700's cable to like anything better. Yeah, it's that good.
Ear Pads:
This is going to be good! Let's just say, the AD700's earpads are miles and miles ahead of the A700's. When I first bought the AD700, I loved the very soft velour pads from the beginning. Although some days I found the material a bit itchy at times, most of the time I never really had a problem with them. They are very soft, and it's hard to notice they are there when wearing them. The A700's pads on the other hand... let's just say they are about THE WORST pads you can ever imagine for a headphone. Yes, they are that awful. They feel uber-cheap, look like they will disintegrate in about a week, and are not even very comfortable. Not to mention they look like crap. I will go more into this on the section below.
Initial Comfort:
The AD700's are one of the most comfortable headphones I've ever worn, there is no denying that. Many compare their comfort to the K701, yet I found that even those aren't in the same ballpark. The AD700's simply vanish on your head -- so you can focus on the music and not on that giant contraption resting on your head. Most headphones I've tried irritate me, as I am very sensitive to stuff being on my head for periods of time. I sent the M50's and the A700's back because of that very reason... they just didn't feel comfortable. If you can physically feel something on your head, and if it irritates you at any time, you aren't involved in the music, and that is definitely a bad thing. With the AD700, I simply have never had a problem. When you first put them on, it feels almost like a cloud. It doesn't clamp, it just resides there -- barely. Moving on to the A700's comfort and the surprise it brought me. I actually thought these would be more comfortable when I bought them, and that was part of the reason I did. Man, was I wrong! The 3D wings like usual, are great, although they feel a bit tighter than the AD700. That is fine, as they would probably stretch over time. But, the thing that bothers me, is you can feel the pads instantly when you put them on your head. It feels like the resist you, they don't mold to your head at all. It feels hard, and intrusive... not ideal for long term comfort in the slightest. And the texture of the pads is also a bit fatiguing as well, as it's not nearly as comfy as the velour on the AD700.
Long Term Comfort:
Like mentioned in the previous paragraph, the AD700's are just amazing when it comes to any kind of comfort. Not only do they feel great when you first put them on, but also when you leave them on for hours on end. One day, I had worn them for 5 hours straight without even touching them! Didn't even notice -- didn't even care I was wearing headphones. So, I can come to the conclusion that these pass this test with flying colors. Unfortunately for the A700, the longest I had them on was for about 15 minutes, because I didn't have the patience to have them on any longer. They might be comfortable for longer periods of time, but I will never know as they have already been sent back. It's just after about 5 minutes; I was already being irritated by the pads. It had a pretty strong clamping force, even though I stretched them for days at a time. So I guess you can say they might not work out that great for long term comfort, although once again, I haven't tried it that long. While wearing them, you definitely know something is on your head. With the AD700, you just completely forget. A700 comfort compared to the AD700? There is no comparison.
Bass:
I will admit, one of the reasons I bought the A700 was for the bass. I loved the AD700, but I sometime wish it had more bass. So, I bought the A700... problem solved! Or, so I thought. It turns out, the bass on the A700 is indeed more present than the AD700, but it doesn't have THAT much more. A simple tweak in the EQ will bring the AD700 up to pace with the A700, while maintaining the fantastic airy and open sound. The A700 does sound darker than the AD700 due to the closed design and extra bass, but it almost sounds congested or muffled in comparison. Switching back repeatedly from the two headphones, it's apparent the bass on the AD700 is what I prefer, as it doesn't hamper the SQ like it does with the A700. With the AD700, even if the bass is too light, you can still use the EQ and it sounds great. I will expand more upon overall SQ down the page a bit more.
Soundstage:
I'm no good at explaining sound, but I can tell you what I hear, and what I like. The AD700 is a very airy and spacious headphone. There is no doubting that. But you really can tell just how airy it is, when you compare it to something like the A700. The A700 still had a pretty nice and wide sound, but it wasn't as big or as good as the AD700. The AD700 just had more of a 3D, relaxing, and enveloping sound. When put in perspective, the A700 sounded congested... like I mentioned above, although it really does well compared to other closed headphones. Switching back and forth between headphones, reveals the AD700 to be just THAT much better in spaciousness. It has a much more holographic sound as well, in which the word "airy" is truly the best way to describe it. The A700 has a bit more solid and darker sound, which in turn makes it a bit more "stuffed" sounding.
Overall SQ:
There is no doubt about it; both of these headphones do have a similar sound... in some aspects. They are both spacious sounding headphones, with the AD700 obvious being more expansive and airy. The AD700 does have the edge though in overall SQ against the A700. Easily. Although, there are some that may prefer the slightly darker, heavier tone given off by the A700. Switching from the A700 to the AD700, it's apparent how the soundstage becomes more expansive, and has a lighter and clearer sound to it.. Before, sibilance was always a term I didn't understand and didn't know what it sounded like, but the A700 helped me experience it real quick when the singer kept singing "S" words and my eye started flinching. Yes, even after a 40 hour burn in, the A700 seems to still have a nasty sibilance, which is absent in the AD700. Again, listening to both back and forth, there is no denying they both sound pretty good, but the AD700 is more clear, open, light, and relaxing -- while the A700 is more heavy, dark, congested, and fatiguing. Overall, it is clear that the AD700 has the advantage here, even if the bass is "too light" like some have mentioned. But I think its bass is just fine. And if not? Nothing a bit of EQ can't fix...
Message to AD700 owners:
Congratulations! You have one of the best value, and most unique full size headphones on the market today. The comfort and soundstage is unrivaled against many, if not most. It sounds wonderful, and has the best cable I have yet to come across. And on top of that, it all costs about $90. One of the best deals I can think of in the headphone industry. They definitely should be a part of everyone's collection at some point. Whether for music, games, or movies, these are sure to impress.
Message to A700 owners:
You're on the right track, but there is definitely a better headphone around the corner. If you like this headphone in any regard, you should definitely consider getting the AD700. It's more comfy, it's better built, and it sounds better; all for a cheaper price! On the plus side, the A700 does have a bit of noise isolation and also prevents sound leakage, unlike the AD700 which broadcasts the sound so everyone can hear. Other than that, I find the AD700 superior, and maybe you should give it a shot.
Right off the bat, it is apparent which of these two has better build quality. The AD700 easily bests the A700 when it comes to being solidly built. The most notable way to test this is to simply pick up the headphone. When you pick up the AD700, it just feels solid. It just has a good weight to it, and it feels like a quality product. The A700 on the other hand, feels pretty hollow and cheap. You can definitely feel the plastic feel to it. Even though it is slightly bigger and uses more material than the AD700 due to its closed design, it still feels lighter and cheaper made. The A700 also has cups that pivot up and down, as the AD700 does not. This slightly detracts from the overall durability as well, although it's no problem. If anything, the A700 would conform to one's head better due to the up and down pivoting, which the AD700 does not have; but I have never had a problem with the AD700's fit.
Cable:
Ever since I had the AD700, I've always admired the cable. It is incredibly thick, yet very flexible and has no memory retention whatsoever. To this date, it is still hands down the best cable I have ever used! I honestly don't know of a headphone that can get a higher quality cable than this. Yes, I am fully aware of the "expensive" cables designed with SQ in mind, but I'm talking about its physical aspects. Anyway, there is absolutely nothing I would change about it. The A700 cable on the same note is actually quite good as well. It is actually constructed out of a different material than the rubberized AD700 one. The A700 is fabric coated, which is kind of reminiscent of a shoe lace. When you first take it out, it has quite a bit of memory to it, but after some stretching and daily use, it loses a lot of that nasty memory. It is about as thick as the AD700's cable, but it holds memory a bit more than the AD700's one. Durability wise, I still would prefer the AD700's cable, but the A700's fabric one is still very durable. I'm just too big of fan of the AD700's cable to like anything better. Yeah, it's that good.
Ear Pads:
This is going to be good! Let's just say, the AD700's earpads are miles and miles ahead of the A700's. When I first bought the AD700, I loved the very soft velour pads from the beginning. Although some days I found the material a bit itchy at times, most of the time I never really had a problem with them. They are very soft, and it's hard to notice they are there when wearing them. The A700's pads on the other hand... let's just say they are about THE WORST pads you can ever imagine for a headphone. Yes, they are that awful. They feel uber-cheap, look like they will disintegrate in about a week, and are not even very comfortable. Not to mention they look like crap. I will go more into this on the section below.
Initial Comfort:
The AD700's are one of the most comfortable headphones I've ever worn, there is no denying that. Many compare their comfort to the K701, yet I found that even those aren't in the same ballpark. The AD700's simply vanish on your head -- so you can focus on the music and not on that giant contraption resting on your head. Most headphones I've tried irritate me, as I am very sensitive to stuff being on my head for periods of time. I sent the M50's and the A700's back because of that very reason... they just didn't feel comfortable. If you can physically feel something on your head, and if it irritates you at any time, you aren't involved in the music, and that is definitely a bad thing. With the AD700, I simply have never had a problem. When you first put them on, it feels almost like a cloud. It doesn't clamp, it just resides there -- barely. Moving on to the A700's comfort and the surprise it brought me. I actually thought these would be more comfortable when I bought them, and that was part of the reason I did. Man, was I wrong! The 3D wings like usual, are great, although they feel a bit tighter than the AD700. That is fine, as they would probably stretch over time. But, the thing that bothers me, is you can feel the pads instantly when you put them on your head. It feels like the resist you, they don't mold to your head at all. It feels hard, and intrusive... not ideal for long term comfort in the slightest. And the texture of the pads is also a bit fatiguing as well, as it's not nearly as comfy as the velour on the AD700.
Long Term Comfort:
Like mentioned in the previous paragraph, the AD700's are just amazing when it comes to any kind of comfort. Not only do they feel great when you first put them on, but also when you leave them on for hours on end. One day, I had worn them for 5 hours straight without even touching them! Didn't even notice -- didn't even care I was wearing headphones. So, I can come to the conclusion that these pass this test with flying colors. Unfortunately for the A700, the longest I had them on was for about 15 minutes, because I didn't have the patience to have them on any longer. They might be comfortable for longer periods of time, but I will never know as they have already been sent back. It's just after about 5 minutes; I was already being irritated by the pads. It had a pretty strong clamping force, even though I stretched them for days at a time. So I guess you can say they might not work out that great for long term comfort, although once again, I haven't tried it that long. While wearing them, you definitely know something is on your head. With the AD700, you just completely forget. A700 comfort compared to the AD700? There is no comparison.
Bass:
I will admit, one of the reasons I bought the A700 was for the bass. I loved the AD700, but I sometime wish it had more bass. So, I bought the A700... problem solved! Or, so I thought. It turns out, the bass on the A700 is indeed more present than the AD700, but it doesn't have THAT much more. A simple tweak in the EQ will bring the AD700 up to pace with the A700, while maintaining the fantastic airy and open sound. The A700 does sound darker than the AD700 due to the closed design and extra bass, but it almost sounds congested or muffled in comparison. Switching back repeatedly from the two headphones, it's apparent the bass on the AD700 is what I prefer, as it doesn't hamper the SQ like it does with the A700. With the AD700, even if the bass is too light, you can still use the EQ and it sounds great. I will expand more upon overall SQ down the page a bit more.
Soundstage:
I'm no good at explaining sound, but I can tell you what I hear, and what I like. The AD700 is a very airy and spacious headphone. There is no doubting that. But you really can tell just how airy it is, when you compare it to something like the A700. The A700 still had a pretty nice and wide sound, but it wasn't as big or as good as the AD700. The AD700 just had more of a 3D, relaxing, and enveloping sound. When put in perspective, the A700 sounded congested... like I mentioned above, although it really does well compared to other closed headphones. Switching back and forth between headphones, reveals the AD700 to be just THAT much better in spaciousness. It has a much more holographic sound as well, in which the word "airy" is truly the best way to describe it. The A700 has a bit more solid and darker sound, which in turn makes it a bit more "stuffed" sounding.
Overall SQ:
There is no doubt about it; both of these headphones do have a similar sound... in some aspects. They are both spacious sounding headphones, with the AD700 obvious being more expansive and airy. The AD700 does have the edge though in overall SQ against the A700. Easily. Although, there are some that may prefer the slightly darker, heavier tone given off by the A700. Switching from the A700 to the AD700, it's apparent how the soundstage becomes more expansive, and has a lighter and clearer sound to it.. Before, sibilance was always a term I didn't understand and didn't know what it sounded like, but the A700 helped me experience it real quick when the singer kept singing "S" words and my eye started flinching. Yes, even after a 40 hour burn in, the A700 seems to still have a nasty sibilance, which is absent in the AD700. Again, listening to both back and forth, there is no denying they both sound pretty good, but the AD700 is more clear, open, light, and relaxing -- while the A700 is more heavy, dark, congested, and fatiguing. Overall, it is clear that the AD700 has the advantage here, even if the bass is "too light" like some have mentioned. But I think its bass is just fine. And if not? Nothing a bit of EQ can't fix...
Message to AD700 owners:
Congratulations! You have one of the best value, and most unique full size headphones on the market today. The comfort and soundstage is unrivaled against many, if not most. It sounds wonderful, and has the best cable I have yet to come across. And on top of that, it all costs about $90. One of the best deals I can think of in the headphone industry. They definitely should be a part of everyone's collection at some point. Whether for music, games, or movies, these are sure to impress.
Message to A700 owners:
You're on the right track, but there is definitely a better headphone around the corner. If you like this headphone in any regard, you should definitely consider getting the AD700. It's more comfy, it's better built, and it sounds better; all for a cheaper price! On the plus side, the A700 does have a bit of noise isolation and also prevents sound leakage, unlike the AD700 which broadcasts the sound so everyone can hear. Other than that, I find the AD700 superior, and maybe you should give it a shot.
