[Jason Orlando]

I currently have the HD 700 with the O2 ODAC. Although I didn't notice it immediately, I do find this combo to be terribly fatiguing after listening for more than 30 minutes at moderate volume. It is also severely lacking in bass.

To rectify, I recently ordered the bottlehead crack and I'm awaiting its arrival. This leaves me with a new problem. My ODAC is a combo unit (from massdrop) so it appears i need a new DAC. Currently I'm investigating which DAC to get and while talking with a friend of mine, he had recommended the benchmark dac1. Unfortunately this appears to be a bit out of my price range. While researching in the 400-600$ range I came across the schitt bifrost (multi-bit and uber Editions). Since I expect that the bottle head will smooth out the sound (and hopefully help the bass) of my HD700's, I'm not sure what qualities to emphasize with my DAC selection. It seems like the bifrost might be a candidate, but I've read conflicting info on the bifrost, some people saying it is a bit on the harsher side and others claiming it works better than a benchmark dac1. Would really like to know if anyone here has tried BiFrost (uber or multibit) -> bottlehead crack->HD700 and can comment on that pairing.

In the meantime, With my O2, I'm not sure how to fix the bass problems I'm having. I have tried parametric eq, and found the bass cuts off drastically under 30 hz. To get bass out of my HD700 through the odac i'm having to put +10-15 Db from 30 hz and below, and this still doesn't fix the sibliance i'm hearing. I even turned on windows' "bass boost" feature out of desperation. I still don't know if the lack of bass is due to the amp or the DAC part of the ODAC.

I did choose the HD700 PRIMARILY for their comfort and I also know these headphones can sound great with the right sources... When I plug the HD 700 into my Pioneer vsx-1124-k they sound beautiful... not at all fatiguing (I can listen for hours) and not lacking in bass. This is without using any of the receiver's features such as ALC.

Ultimately I'm willing to spend some money and I'm looking for the same (or preferably better) sound coming from my PC while using the bottlehead crack. Looking for amp suggestions of a dac similar in price point to the bifrost. My PC motherboard does have s/pdif out which I understand is a better option than USB so I'd like to utilize this if it matters. Many of the articles I've read online don't take into account recent offerings, and I really would like to find something that plays well with the hd700.

I'd like to avoid amp/dac combo's unless they can work as a pre-amp for (and compliment) the crack.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

 

[ShureThings]

I just got the HD700's and I'm wondering if they are alright.
 
Snaredrums and cymbals sound thin and harsh to unbearable extends. Is that due to it's soundsignature?
 
Other headphones I use: Sennheiser HD598, Sennheiser Momentum Over-ear, Audeze Sine, Shure SRH840, Philips Fidelio X1, Sennheiser IE80. These ALL sound great to my ears.
 
I listen on a Dell Laptop, iPhone 5S (headphone-out), Roland Quad Capture and use a Fiio E12 Mont Blanc Amp. These don't seem to work for the HD700's.
 
Any suggestions to if the harsh snare are normal on these headphones?!
 
TIA.

 

[Me x3]

  I just got the HD700's and I'm wondering if they are alright.
 
Snaredrums and cymbals sound thin and harsh to unbearable extends. Is that due to it's soundsignature?
 
TIA.

Yep, HD700 has raised 5-6kHz so that's your problem.

 

[ShureThings]

 
Yep, HD700 has raised 5-6kHz so that's your problem.

 
That's too bad; I really tried to like the HD700's, but it's never going to work for me.
 
I've just packaged them again, after my last audition listening to a few selected tracks (mostly parts of them) on Qobuz and Spotify and some CD's in my Denon DCD-1560 (25 years old) Headphones Out (powered).
 
Donald Fagen - The Nightfly, Ozark Henry - The Sailor Not The Sea (listening to that on the HD598's while typing this), Ry Cooder - Chicken Skin Music, CSNY - Déjà Vu, David Sylvian - Dead Bees On A Cake, Kyung Wha Chung - Saint-Saëns: Danse Macabre, Julian Lage Group - Gladwell, Simply Red - Picture Book, Rage Against The Machine - Rage Against The Machine, Queen - A Night At The Opera, Santana - Abraxas, Katie Melua - Piece By Piece, Michel Godard - Monteverdi: A trace of grace, Supertramp - Crime Of The Century, Dream Theater - Images And Words, Norah Jones - Come Away With Me, Fleetwood Mac - Rumours, Tracy Chapman - Tracy Chapman, Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here and then some...
 
Still Enjoying the hell out of Ozark on my HD598's right now; what a relief!
 
An unhealthy amount of the tracks I made myself listen to on the HD700's scared me, because of the pearcing highs. I mean; when would the next beating be?! "Terrible" is the word I need to describe my experience with these headphones, the HD700's.
 
And that's a shame, because now I hope they will take them back (Amazon.de).
 
I don't believe a more expensive amp will convince me otherwise, because I first need to go and buy that as an extra and second; if it doesn't sound great TO ME in the first place...
 
This is just personal and as a positive note to self, I now know for sure I cannot stand these highs...
 
And I'm cured of thinking about the HD800's.
 
Quoting myself:
Sennheiser HD598, Sennheiser Momentum Over-ear, Audeze Sine, Shure SRH840, Philips Fidelio X1, Sennheiser IE80. These ALL sound great to my ears.
 
Exit crave for the next headphones and back to enjoying the music on my aformentioned headphones. 

 

 

[Bacci]

   
That's too bad; I really tried to like the HD700's, but it's never going to work for me.
 
I've just packaged them again, after my last audition listening to a few selected tracks (mostly parts of them) on Qobuz and Spotify and some CD's in my Denon DCD-1560 (25 years old) Headphones Out (powered).
 
Donald Fagen - The Nightfly, Ozark Henry - The Sailor Not The Sea (listening to that on the HD598's while typing this), Ry Cooder - Chicken Skin Music, CSNY - Déjà Vu, David Sylvian - Dead Bees On A Cake, Kyung Wha Chung - Saint-Saëns: Danse Macabre, Julian Lage Group - Gladwell, Simply Red - Picture Book, Rage Against The Machine - Rage Against The Machine, Queen - A Night At The Opera, Santana - Abraxas, Katie Melua - Piece By Piece, Michel Godard - Monteverdi: A trace of grace, Supertramp - Crime Of The Century, Dream Theater - Images And Words, Norah Jones - Come Away With Me, Fleetwood Mac - Rumours, Tracy Chapman - Tracy Chapman, Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here and then some...
 
Still Enjoying the hell out of Ozark on my HD598's right now; what a relief!
 
An unhealthy amount of the tracks I made myself listen to on the HD700's scared me, because of the pearcing highs. I mean; when would the next beating be?! "Terrible" is the word I need to describe my experience with these headphones, the HD700's.
 
And that's a shame, because now I hope they will take them back (Amazon.de).
 
I don't believe a more expensive amp will convince me otherwise, because I first need to go and buy that as an extra and second; if it doesn't sound great TO ME in the first place...
 
This is just personal and as a positive note to self, I now know for sure I cannot stand these highs...
 
And I'm cured of thinking about the HD800's.
 
Quoting myself:
Sennheiser HD598, Sennheiser Momentum Over-ear, Audeze Sine, Shure SRH840, Philips Fidelio X1, Sennheiser IE80. These ALL sound great to my ears.
 
Exit crave for the next headphones and back to enjoying the music on my aformentioned headphones. 

 

 
Yeah, gear is hit and miss with the HD700, or rather vice versa. They can sound harsh on my AMB M3 SS amp, but they seem made for my fully modded Bottlehead Crack. 

 

[Me x3]

   
That's too bad; I really tried to like the HD700's, but it's never going to work for me.
 
I've just packaged them again, after my last audition listening to a few selected tracks (mostly parts of them) on Qobuz and Spotify and some CD's in my Denon DCD-1560 (25 years old) Headphones Out (powered).
 
Donald Fagen - The Nightfly, Ozark Henry - The Sailor Not The Sea (listening to that on the HD598's while typing this), Ry Cooder - Chicken Skin Music, CSNY - Déjà Vu, David Sylvian - Dead Bees On A Cake, Kyung Wha Chung - Saint-Saëns: Danse Macabre, Julian Lage Group - Gladwell, Simply Red - Picture Book, Rage Against The Machine - Rage Against The Machine, Queen - A Night At The Opera, Santana - Abraxas, Katie Melua - Piece By Piece, Michel Godard - Monteverdi: A trace of grace, Supertramp - Crime Of The Century, Dream Theater - Images And Words, Norah Jones - Come Away With Me, Fleetwood Mac - Rumours, Tracy Chapman - Tracy Chapman, Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here and then some...
 
Still Enjoying the hell out of Ozark on my HD598's right now; what a relief!
 
An unhealthy amount of the tracks I made myself listen to on the HD700's scared me, because of the pearcing highs. I mean; when would the next beating be?! "Terrible" is the word I need to describe my experience with these headphones, the HD700's.
 
And that's a shame, because now I hope they will take them back (Amazon.de).
 
I don't believe a more expensive amp will convince me otherwise, because I first need to go and buy that as an extra and second; if it doesn't sound great TO ME in the first place...
 
This is just personal and as a positive note to self, I now know for sure I cannot stand these highs...
 
And I'm cured of thinking about the HD800's.
 
Quoting myself:
Sennheiser HD598, Sennheiser Momentum Over-ear, Audeze Sine, Shure SRH840, Philips Fidelio X1, Sennheiser IE80. These ALL sound great to my ears.
 
Exit crave for the next headphones and back to enjoying the music on my aformentioned headphones. 

 

 
Now you can start thinking about HD650
; )
 
Kind of a more intimate and refined Fidelio X1
Had both and kept the HD650. The Fidelio is more cinematic, wow-ing at first listen but the HD650 is much clearer in terms of micro detail and not as bloomy in the bass.
Overall everything feels more real sounding in the HD650 in my experience.

 

[ShureThings]

   
Now you can start thinking about HD650
; )
 
Kind of a more intimate and refined Fidelio X1
Had both and kept the HD650. The Fidelio is more cinematic, wow-ing at first listen but the HD650 is much clearer in terms of micro detail and not as bloomy in the bass.
Overall everything feels more real sounding in the HD650 in my experience.

 
You are a disturbance in The Force!
 
Yet I was already thinking about the HD650 again...
Had them two times: First driven by the Musical Fidelity X-Can v3 and a few years later driven by the Musical Fidelity M1 HPA.
Liked their sound a lot, but not their fit! That's why I gambled with the HD700 on sale.
And I sold the HD650/Amp-combo's, because they made me the most money in one sell.
 
They also leak as hell...
 
And I've had the Grado SR325is at the same time I had the HD650 and M1 HPA.
I guess the tinnitus started with them too. What a piece of sh#t, compared to the HD650 (to my ears).
 
I started out in 1991 with a Denon DCD-1560 and the Sennheiser HD560 Ovation's; fabulous, back then!
 
My curiousity extends to HD600's, EL-8 Open Back and maybe the Oppo PM-3 instead of the Audeze Sine.
 
Definitely some Stax, when a nice sale comes along.
 
I have some more headphones, which I just don't use anymore.
Grado iGrado, Grado SR80i, Teufel Aureal Real, Koss Portapro, Shure se215, Philips Fidelio S1, Sennheiser IE4.
 
Pondering while listening! 

 

[ShureThings]

   
Now you can start thinking about HD650
; )
 
Kind of a more intimate and refined Fidelio X1
Had both and kept the HD650. The Fidelio is more cinematic, wow-ing at first listen but the HD650 is much clearer in terms of micro detail and not as bloomy in the bass.
Overall everything feels more real sounding in the HD650 in my experience.

 
Reading your sig: Asus N-Series (Foobar 2000) > Schiit Audio Bifrost 4490 > Schiit Audio Asgard 2 > HD800  |  T1  |  K702  |  DT880  | HD650
 
I would guess the HD650 are really different from the other four HP's you mention; from reading other peoples reviews I'd say those are more treble-heavy than the HD650, so I should steer clear of those!?
 
A collegue let me listen to his DT990's once and I liked them, except for their highs. So there you have it.
 
Also a confession: I bought the HD598's a few weeks ago on sale (€129,- instead of €229,- retail) and did not get around to listening to them, before spotting the HD700's on sale.
I'm now finding out that was a mistake, because the HD598's are starting to become my favorite HP's out of my bunch right now. (Yep; listening with them again).
 
PS. I'm sorry; this is all off topic off course... Just my excitement! 

 

[Me x3]

   
Reading your sig: Asus N-Series (Foobar 2000) > Schiit Audio Bifrost 4490 > Schiit Audio Asgard 2 > HD800  |  T1  |  K702  |  DT880  | HD650
 
I would guess the HD650 are really different from the other four HP's you mention; from reading other peoples reviews I'd say those are more treble-heavy than the HD650, so I should steer clear of those!?
 
A collegue let me listen to his DT990's once and I liked them, except for their highs. So there you have it.

 
Well... yes, HD650 is the one that's very different from the others.
Not to say the others are very much alike because that's not the case, but the difference between HD800/DT880/K702/HD700/T1 is smaller than the difference between any of them and HD650.
These are all brighter than HD650 and less mid-bassy. Something that's important to note is that the treble is not just a spot but a wide frequency range so you can have very different kinds of bright headphones and you might like some of them and you could hate the others.
 
Both HD800 and HD700 have slightly raised 5-6kHz, while the K702 has slightly raised 6-7 kHz and not that high, so the presentation is different, less clinical, less steely, but still bright.
DT880 has raised 6kHz and raised 8.5 kHz, 6kHz is not as raised as HD800 or HD700 and thus it's less steely and less clinical and raised 8.5kHz adds a sense of sharpness to the sound that's not present on HD700/800 or K702, not necessarily perceived as bright but sharp, energetic, fast treble.
My late T1.1 doesn't have a 6kHz bump and thus it's definitely less prone to emphasize sibilance and it never sounds steely or clinical. On the other hand it has raised 8kHz so it's similarly sharp/energetic as DT880.
 
DT990 is similar to DT880 in terms of treble shaping, but it's significantly brighter.

 

[Senu Hun]

Very old thread but I have the HD 700 650 , 800s on loan and K702 ,
Amps .... Best really was Chord Hugo , Im not to fond of the Mojo good though they are
Pocket friendly Creative Labs SoundBlaster E5 , Denon DA 10 ,
Most affordable non-portable Arcam Ir Dac2 ..
They sound different , and source depedent . The most forgiving is the HD650 and least fatigiong
The absolute best the HD800s but aural overload is a risk ... and the HD 700 , perfect on many tunes , a bit fatiguing on some low bitrate and YT .
One thing for sure on all with all Amp/DACS you will hear new things .