[WakiDabeast]

Quote:

 
I am pretty sure the aluminium is only on the outside. The aluminium is only describe as an "accent". The only effect I think it might be having is mass damping the plastic at the back of the cup to reduce reflections. Also keep in mind that the ANV version is also supposed to have different drivers. As I said it didn't sound like a huge change to me. The big differences are really that the ANV version actually looks like it has been made out of better materials.
 
If by warm and unbalanced, fun you mean warm and unbalanced I wouldn't describe the ANV Pro700 as such. It sounds dark but very cohesive to me.
 
 

Oh really 0o different drivers? I see that on the website now... now the choice is even harder XD. 
Oh and by fun I don't mean unbalanced, I mean the characteristics of the sound are nice and exciting, like the HD25's punchy bass or the M50's prominent bass and treble. 

 

[a_recording]

Quote:

Oh really 0o different drivers? I see that on the website now... now the choice is even harder XD. 
Oh and by fun I don't mean unbalanced, I mean the characteristics of the sound are nice and exciting, like the HD25's punchy bass or the M50's prominent bass and treble. 

 
Well, if you put it that way, I don't think anyone would find the ANV (or even the normal version) an unengaging listen as long as your music has some beats to it. It wouldn't be my headphone of choice for some genres (classical for instance, except when an organ or timpani is called for) but it actually works nicely for some other genres, such as jazz.
 

 

[a_recording]

Actually, I thought I would float this here first as a bit of an interest check: I'm thinking of selling my Pro700MK2 ANV's because between the full sizes I have at home and my IEM's, I don't use them as much as I could. They could do with a better home. Would anyone here be keen? (I'd still set up a FS classified in any case.)

 

[Malevolent]

 
Quote:

 

I was able to compare both briefly before I got the ANV version. It wasn't the best testing environment, but one thing I can say is that I felt the ANV version had a tighter and clearer sound because there was less resonance from the housing. I suspect this might have something to do with the aluminium accents on the cups actually causing the plastic to ring less in the treble. The difference wasn't huge, but I felt that it was worth it given that in Australia the standard version goes for 200 and the ANV goes for 300. 
 

 
Yeh, this was what I felt, too. The bass produced by the ANV version sounds more controlled and refined than that of the normal MK2s. I would have sprung for the ANV edition if the price premium wasn't that great - the ANV is priced 66% more than the normal version. Still, it's really, really pretty, though.

 

[Dutchi MerenGue]

to be honest, coming from the sony xb500's to these, i felt a little dissappointed right out of the box (read: VERY DISSAPPOINTED)  in terms of bass. i thought these would provide a comparable forward hard hitting low rumbing gutteral sound like the xb500's but with clearer and better defined mids and highs
 
 
the mids and highs part was right on the money, but the bass was kind of weak imo, however, once you amp them and eq the **** out of them with various bass oriented dsp's (real bass exciter, h82 harmonic bbe plugin, and graphical eq's) good lorddddddddddd! 
 
 
these still dont top the xb500's in terms of simple in your face head rattling bass that you can feel in your chest (especially after eq'ing) but the overall quality is definitly better, i love these for electronic (tribal, dubstep, trance) and some forms of rap (90's east coast golden era boom bap rap mostly, but for modern day down south rap ala waka flocka, young jeezy, the xb 500 is still king)
 
 
the pro700s are quicker and better detailed than the xb's and as mentioned before, the mids and highs pretty much destroy the xb's
 
 
so in closing, depending on what genres of music you listen to, fresh out of the box you may be a little dissappointed with these for anything bass related if you're expectations are for a 15 inch juggernaut car subwoofer strapped to your chest, but after some eq'ing and proper amping, you'll finally understand where the hype for these came from, overall a solid purchase

 

[Dutchi MerenGue]

oh yeah forgot the mention, the stock pads might as well be made out of gravel or crushed up glass, those things are ******* horrible, you'll be adjusting them and letting your ears come up for air to breathe like every 5 minutes, the m50 pads are pretty much a requirement with purchase on these

 

[rj200]

 
Quote:

to be honest, coming from the sony xb500's to these, i felt a little dissappointed right out of the box (read: VERY DISSAPPOINTED)  in terms of bass. i thought these would provide a comparable forward hard hitting low rumbing gutteral sound like the xb500's but with clearer and better defined mids and highs
 
 
the mids and highs part was right on the money, but the bass was kind of weak imo, however, once you amp them and eq the **** out of them with various bass oriented dsp's (real bass exciter, h82 harmonic bbe plugin, and graphical eq's) good lorddddddddddd! 
 
 
these still dont top the xb500's in terms of simple in your face head rattling bass that you can feel in your chest (especially after eq'ing) but the overall quality is definitly better, i love these for electronic (tribal, dubstep, trance) and some forms of rap (90's east coast golden era boom bap rap mostly, but for modern day down south rap ala waka flocka, young jeezy, the xb 500 is still king)
 
 
the pro700s are quicker and better detailed than the xb's and as mentioned before, the mids and highs pretty much destroy the xb's
 
 
so in closing, depending on what genres of music you listen to, fresh out of the box you may be a little dissappointed with these for anything bass related if you're expectations are for a 15 inch juggernaut car subwoofer strapped to your chest, but after some eq'ing and proper amping, you'll finally understand where the hype for these came from, overall a solid purchase

 
im coming from xb500 as well and you basically stated my opinions exactly.  first listen i was like What??? only got about 25hrs burn on them and im already like

 

[rj200]

oh and far as the ear pads...  i have some dt250 that i have been using and i like them except the plastic part of the 'speaker' if you will still touches my ear, does anyone know if the m50 pads are thicker than the dt250 pads so that the speaker part of the phone is further away from my ears?  
 
right now i am trying with the stock pads and have shoved some tissue behind the pads so that they stick further away from the speaker and im liking it a lot.  the pads still fit around my ears, it looks better, and i feel like they get a better seal, not sure if its the seal on my head or the seal from the pads to the phones (prolly this as the dt250 pads are a bit lose on top and bottom).  i honestly dont have enough time on them to describe any differences i notice sound quality wise between the 2 pads 

 

[Trae]

Hey thread. For any Pro700 MKII owners, please try out my sound correciton mod (especially if you have some dt250 earpads laying around). The change in sound is simply amazing, and if you are having regrets buying the headphones because they weren't up to your expectations, then all the more reason to try this mod out.

 

[Dutchi MerenGue]

after switching to the m50 pads the comfort really really went up but to be honest, i couldnt shake the feeling like i was losing out on something, seal perhaps, this comes mostly from my personal views on switching out pads on any phones, i mean the engineers over at audio technica designed them around those uncomfortable pads for a reason i have to assume
 
 
so i went back to stock and i stretched out the headband around a computer tower until it formed almost a straight line for about 2 days, and now these things fit like a dream, i still get that tight seal with zero sound escaping except now the clamping force isnt trying to draw blood from my ears and make my eyes pop out of their sockets, i leave them on and just forget they're on, i dont even have to adjust them every couple of minutes anymore
 
 
so if you never got the m50 pads or feel the same way as me, stretch them out for a couple of days and see how you like them now, it makes all the difference in the world

 

[reminence]

Quote:

Hmm, I'm wondering if my XB700 pads would fit on these...
 
By the way, how much did you buy these for?

 
Quote:

Good question, as I did own those as well.  And good idea too!  That should bring out some serious comfort!  The driver housing (or cups) are a little over 2.5 inches in diameter.  If the diameter of the lips on the XB700's are around the same size I would honestly believe they would fit.
 
I bought these through eBay from Buy.com for $154.99 total - free shipping.
 
By the way, your comparo reviews are top notch!

 
I have the XB700 pads on my mark 1 white,  I hot melt glued them on!
 
The results are very good. Bass gets a bit stronger and a lot deeper, soundstage gets huge, comfort is way way better as well as isolation. Now these are a huge upgrade from my XB700's. The detail of my MK1's are great but it will never be reference clarity but what they lack there they make up with having such a rich full sound. I wonder if the MK2's will be a big improvement, if they add significant detail then I will buy a pair today
 
Edit: repost some people may find interesting,
 
 
I have the old MK1 pro 700's and I like a lot of clamp force, a lot more then what they came with (I am a DJ). I bent the headphone band in a ridiculously overkill way (loop to loop... yes that far) and it worked fine, didn't hurt them one bit. You could easily do the reverse of what I did and bend in the reverse direction for less clamp. Actually doing what I did in reverse would probably be a lot safer than what I did to mine. They are so strong and stiff that a mild stretch such as putting them over a box will do nothing unless left there for a year, I would recommend stretching them relatively flat, in a straight line on a table. The plastic wont stretch but the headband portion will and is made up of very strong metal that will eventually bend, I will even post a pic of how much you can stretch these if your unconvinced.
 
These cans are the most durable headphone I have ever owned and after six years of use (listening to them now) they are still as great as ever. The headbands coating has mostly come off and the pads have been replaced with XB700 ones (improves bass response and extension ~10hz, comfort and increase isolation massively) The cord is still knot and stretch free after all this time of heavy use and this is honestly amaizing for a coiled one!
 
Oh and no cracks at all!
 
I am still using these to DJ with, after trying to upgrade many times and everything falls short, I only just heard there's a MK2. I love my pro 700's so much it might be time for a renewal/upgrade, I wonder what the differences are?
 
My experience with the Pro 700 are that they do bass very well and a bit colored/boosted in that way but for the rest of the frequencies they are fairly neutral. They are not super detailed or high definition like other reference headphones but they seam to give me a very full and rich sound that fills all the space in my head as opposed to an analytical separation found in other high end headphones. Yet there is still a clarity about them of which I can clearly hear the differences between MP3,320 vs flac vs 24bit 96khz. This though I think is a good thing, Its great to have both types of headphones.
 
If the mk2's give do the same sort of thing but with better detail I will definitely grab myself a pair!

 

[GN3RAL KARL]

@reminence, I'd say go for it.  Even though I no longer own the MK2's, they are still awesome.  My Beyer DJX-1's are my new DJ/Studio phone now.

 

[reminence]

@GN3RAL KARL, How do they compare? From the looks of things the bass is fairly flat on the beyer unlike the AT but what other differences are there?

 

[GN3RAL KARL]

The differences aren't huge, well maybe except for the midrange on the Beyers.  The mids are incredibly in your face on the Beyers, but yet it still remains smooth.  The MK2's are definitely more further-back, but also smooth as well.
 
After 50 hours burn-in on the DJX-1's, the bass is bumpin.  It still is a few decibels beneath the earthquake MK2's, but you can EQ for more meat on the DJX's - and yet it still doesn't drown out the mids at all.  The MK2's have much better treble extension, but the DJX's have more detail overall.  Build quality on the MK2's is superior, but the DJX's are generally more comfy because the pads aren't as shallow and feel softer than the MK2's.  The DJX's don't have detachable cables - and are also being discontinued as we speak. 
 
As always, the choice is the preference of sound...

 

[Joshii]

The 598's are horrible for those genres. Firstly they are open back so evryone can hear what you are listening to and secondly there is no bass watsever