[starfly]

It has to be a source thing then, because I'm hearing the same thing with the mids as Justin. Hopefully there's not variability in the product itself, because what I'm hearing is so obvious that I cannot imagine someone else NOT hearing it.

I'm running both straight out of an iPod Classic, maybe the p7 needs an amp to sound its best.

I will say this, the more I listen to the P7 the more I like it...

Listening to the P7 on the Fiio E07K makes it sound slightly warmer to me vs. listening straight out of iPod classic.

 

[zenpunk]

Just jumping in to say I didn't even  know those existed until I went to the UK Head-fi meet in London yesterday and nearly didn't bother to try it just because I found the P5 to be such a  bad headphone. 
Well, I will have to admit that it is the can that impressed the most at the meet.
I also understood why so many people like the KEF 500, incredible value, but I clearly preferred the P7.
I am now trying very hard to resist the temptation to order a pair despite not really having a need for another headphone, having a HE-6 when at home and Earsonics S-EM6 when on the move..
Damn you Head-Fi!  

 

[ubs28]

  Just jumping in to say I didn't even  know those existed until I went to the UK Head-fi meet in London yesterday and nearly didn't bother to try it just because I found the P5 to be such a  bad headphone. 
Well, I will have to admit that it is the can that impressed the most at the meet.
I also understood why so many people like the KEF 500, incredible value, but I clearly preferred the P7.
I am now trying very hard to resist the temptation to order a pair despite not really having a need for another headphone, having a HE-6 when at home and Earsonics S-EM6 when on the move..
Damn you Head-Fi!  

What is your impression in comparison to the HE-6?

 

[zenpunk]

I don't think the P7 can match the realism, imaging or transparency of the HE-6 but it is very easy to drive and can be used outside with portable gear, although from my preview it didn't' seem to isolate that well.
But I will be able to say more once I receive my P7. 

 

 

[PolkManiac]

Agreed on the comparison to the HE-6, and alot of the better desktop rigs in general.  It's not really fair to put the P7 against such a setup, but having a basis for comparison is nice.  My desktop rigs consists of a Peachtree DAC-ITx feeding a Schiit Lyr with upgraded tubes feeding the HE-500.  So while it's not fair to put a $400 sealed portable headphone being driven from an iPod up against a $1700 rig, it is nice to have a comparison.
 
When I compare either the Momentum or P7 with my desktop rig, I find the latter to be better at everything.  THe soundstage is wider, imaging is better, bass is more controlled and yet still plenty of it, and the mids and highs lead to instruments sounding more realistic.  The desktop rig is better in every way that matters to me.
 
What's surprising, however, is that the margin of victory is not nearly as large as I'd expect.  The desktop rig certainly doesn't sound 4 times better, and it doesn't even sound twice as good.  If I were to have a scale of 0 to 100 for sound quality with 0 being basically no sound and 100 being the best sound I could imagine or the perfect sound for me, my desktop rig would probably fall somewhere around a 95 and the two portables I have in hand now around the 90 to 92 range.  While the absolute values of those numbers are somewhat arbitrary and maybe not particularly useful, the relative distance between them may help give an idea of where I think they fall.  

 

[starfly]

  Agreed on the comparison to the HE-6, and alot of the better desktop rigs in general.  It's not really fair to put the P7 against such a setup, but having a basis for comparison is nice.  My desktop rigs consists of a Peachtree DAC-ITx feeding a Schiit Lyr with upgraded tubes feeding the HE-500.  So while it's not fair to put a $400 sealed portable headphone being driven from an iPod up against a $1700 rig, it is nice to have a comparison.
 
When I compare either the Momentum or P7 with my desktop rig, I find the latter to be better at everything.  THe soundstage is wider, imaging is better, bass is more controlled and yet still plenty of it, and the mids and highs lead to instruments sounding more realistic.  The desktop rig is better in every way that matters to me.
 
What's surprising, however, is that the margin of victory is not nearly as large as I'd expect.  The desktop rig certainly doesn't sound 4 times better, and it doesn't even sound twice as good.  If I were to have a scale of 0 to 100 for sound quality with 0 being basically no sound and 100 being the best sound I could imagine or the perfect sound for me, my desktop rig would probably fall somewhere around a 95 and the two portables I have in hand now around the 90 to 92 range.  While the absolute values of those numbers are somewhat arbitrary and maybe not particularly useful, the relative distance between them may help give an idea of where I think they fall.  

Yep, that's what they call the law of diminishing returns Beyond a certain price point, sound quality improves degressively. But hey, that's why I guess we call ourselves audiophiles, every percent improvement counts

 

[GWagon]

I haven't found these yet to audition. Has anybody who has heard these had experience with the Audio Technica ATH-ES10? If so, how do they compare?
 
Cheers.

 

[jmkarthi]

Can anyone suggest a hard case to carry the P7 .. about the same size as the soft case that comes with the headphones. Would be awesome if the case could hold the headphones and iPod.
 
Thanks.

 

[zenpunk]

I have owned the ES10 but that was a while ago. Those two have nothing in common. I was still a hardcore basshead and absolutely loved the ES10 but sadly comfort was far from ideal so sold them. The P7 sounds like a pretty accurate and detailed or more "hi-fi" can with good imaging while the ES10 hit hard and is coloured but is a lot of fun.

 

[Beagle]

  I'm not implying the P7 lacks mids, but in direct comparison to the Momentum the P7 seems to emphasize the deep lows and treble more.

 
OK, I'm hearing more present, more solid, better defined bass (as an entire range) on the P7 as well as more natural upper midrange/lower treble (cymbals sound like brass, not hissing air). The mid to lower mid seems about the same.

 

[PolkManiac]

Ain't it cool how we can all listen to the headphone and hear different things? That's what makes this hobby so fun...

 

[Jazz1]

  Can anyone suggest a hard case to carry the P7 .. about the same size as the soft case that comes with the headphones. Would be awesome if the case could hold the headphones and iPod.
 
Thanks.

While I find nothing wrong with the P7's carry case I think I'd like a hard case out of leather with a soft interior, foam or something chamois like. Ha, it would probably cost more than the P7

 

[FenderP]

While I like the sound of the P7, I'm returning them. It's not a sound quality issue or a comfort issue. The problem for me is that they don't do a good job on a plane. You can still easily hear the noise of the engines. While they're I'm sure better than the P3 or 5, it's not enough for me. I was right over the engine today. It worked if I cranked the volume near 100% which I don't want to do. The Harman Kardon NC I can keep the player at 50% (or less) and the rumble of the engines is gone. The NC is better than the MDR-1RNC and while not as good as the P7 in SQ, is good enough. The noise cancelling is pretty transparent on it. They are also not as comfortable as the P7.
 
It's a shame because the P7 would be a set of cans I could easily wear on that 16 hour flight to Australia. They really are comfortable and fit me perfectly.
 
So if I was looking for some headphones and was never on the road, I'd wholeheartedly recommend the P7 without reservation. If you're a road warrior and want isolation on a plane, look elsewhere. The Momentum had the same essential issue.

 

[LFC_SL]

You ain't gonna find any portable full size competing against public transport. IEM all the way

 

[FenderP]

  You ain't gonna find any portable full size competing against public transport. IEM all the way

 
Wholeheartedly disagree. As someone who did IEMs for years, they don't work for long flights in terms of comfort. I don't care which tip you use - after awhile, it's bad. I even had custom IEMs. And if you took 12 - 16 hour flights like I do fairly frequently, you'd feel the same.
 
I've been on the road now for close to 15 years. I've stopped using IEMs and use regular headphones only. Some of the noise cancelling cans do OK. I have been pleasantly surprised by the HKs. They are very effective (and I hate Bose - i have a whole NC headphone thread with comparisons).
 
I also posted that because if people are thinking that being what they are the P7 will have some amazing isolation, they don't. Better than some, but ...