The mids are laid back, that is just a fact. Check the frequency response measurements, that's how my ears heard them when I first got them and that's how I still hear them. The dt1770 is by no means a balanced/serious sound compared to the msr7, the dt1770 are more of a "fun" sounding headphone than anything else. Still has exaggerated bass, dip in the mids, and a treble peak. Not saying the dt1770 is bad because I do like them. But you are being very misleading
This is the danger of trying to translate the nuances of sound into words in order to communicate...it's an endeavor fraught with a thousand pitfalls.
1st of all, due to the differences in ear physiology, what I hear will not be identical to what you hear.
2nd, my idea of recessed, bright, bassy, etc may not be the same as you.
3rd, when comparing headphones, the differences can seem extreme when going from one to the other and can alter what we perceive as neutral.
Here are what some well regarded reviewers are saying about the 1770:
Dale Thorn "The bass seems nearly ideal to me -strong with great impact when music tracks contain real bass, but not the least bit bloated, boomy, muddy, etc. And BTW, not just "strong, but...." followed by the usual caveats - it's the real deal. The midrange is excellent - I tentatively measured a tiny broad emphasis around 450 hz, but it's not enough to be certain at this point in time. The treble seems very slightly shy from about 1.5 to 4 khz, making voices and a few instruments sound a tad more distant than ideal, but in switching the test equalizer off, the sound is barely different, suggesting to me that it's not important to the overall experience."
Tim Gideon (PC Mag) "The sub-bass synth hits that punctuate the beat are delivered with a bit more focus on their raspy top notes than the deeper tones beneath, but they don't sound weak. The vocals stand out in the mix through the DT 1770 Pro, sitting front and center, perfectly clear and never overly sibilant, nor overshadowed by the busy instrumental elements beneath them."
and Lieven over at Headphonia "The mids have a good amount of body as well but not as much as the bass has. The mids are rich sounding, precise and dynamic with good depth and timbre. Because of the slightly more forward vocals, bigger bass body and upper mids you might expect a more V-curved sound but that actually isn’t really the case. The vocals are precise and natural and they’re certainly one of the strongest points of this headphone. I don’t find the treble to be hot at all but it’s energetic and detailed. Its presentation is lively, extended and airy enough to make it precise yet enjoyable at the same time."
Now whether you agree with these reviewers is irrelevant (to an extent). What I'm trying to illustrate is NOT that you're wrong, but that we all perceive things differently. Everyone would (likely) agree that the pleather pads add bass to the sound signature, but not everyone would agree if that was better or nor. There are lots of people that don't find the mids recessed. I myself hear a smoothness that can edge toward recession on SOME tracks...depending on the recording. I just feel it is counterproductive to say "the way I heard it is right". Even if it matches the measurements. For example there is no doubt that the Meze 99 Classics measure a roll off below 50 HZ but most people don't seem to hear it that way. Have a little faith in the readers here. This website is chock full of differing opinions. We're all allowed to express them, I have a problem when it veers toward an argument. Please don't take this as me trying to start one!!
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