[MrEleventy]

I would also be interested to see HD650 VS HD700. Great write up!

Pretty close...

 

[Brooko]

Great comparison and review Brooko! Fantastic read.

 

  Excellent review.....very well done....kudos.

 
Thanks guys - labour of love writing it - but it really helped me organise my thoughts regarding the two.  I'm really interested now in making the time to compare the T1 and DT880.
 

  Nice comparison!
 
Have you heard any of the Audeze cans? It sounds like the LCD-2 might be your ideal can if you find them comfortable; when I owned them I found them to sound like a faster/more detailed HD600 with much better bass.

 
Actually I've never tried any of the Audeze headphones.  I'd read comments suggesting they were similar tonally to the Mad-Dogs (which I owned but found too dark) - so my interest sort of stopped there.  Based on your comment - it looks like I need to try one.  Thanks.
 

I never had an HD600 to compare to and I wasn't able to give the HD700 a test with a good amplifier but in general I agree with your assessment. If I were to describe the HD700 in 5 words: Warm, Vibrant, Forward, Thick, but also a bit Ethereal. I ended up finding it too fatiguing for my tastes but I suspect that some people will really love the vibrancy/excitement they offer which will be hard to find anywhere else.

 
Agree.  Sort of like a darker Grado with bigger soundstage.  Funny thing is that I didn't really notice the change from the signatures I normally gravitate to until I did the direct comparison.  Shows how much our brains can adjust to new sound signatures if we give them long enough.  I agree with your comment on the fatigue too.  On most of my music (I listen to a lot of acoustic, jazz, blues etc) they were phenomenal - but on other music they just were a little tiring at times.   
 

  So which one is winner for electronic music ? My english is not good , actually bad  please somebody tell me it
 
I always listen electronic music  by the way ...

 
Actually I found the HD700 pretty good for electronic - but it depends on what you are looking for as people will have different preferences on sonic signature, and electronic is a pretty wide genre.  HD600 is probably an easy choice as it sounds very good with almost anything (and is cheaper).  HD700 can give more excitement.
 

  I really enjoyed reading through your review, thanks for writing it.  Even more than purely reading it, I enjoyed listening to the songs you listed while reading it.  I ended up creating a spotify playlist for the rock/pop songs for anyone interested.
 
HP - Brooko Rock/Pop Test
 
Btw, I made it public/editable if people want to improve it (i.e. better/correct picks of songs from the right albums)

 
Thanks.  I probably need to refine the list more in future - but I find it a good start to get my ideas on a headphone by making sure I cover multiple genres to find strengths and weaknesses.

 

[Defiant00]

   
 
Thanks guys - labour of love writing it - but it really helped me organise my thoughts regarding the two.  I'm really interested now in making the time to compare the T1 and DT880.
 
 
Actually I've never tried any of the Audeze headphones.  I'd read comments suggesting they were similar tonally to the Mad-Dogs (which I owned but found too dark) - so my interest sort of stopped there.  Based on your comment - it looks like I need to try one.  Thanks.
 
...

 
Having heard an original "dark" LCD-2, the rev2 (new driver, pre-fazor), Mad Dogs and HD600, to my ears the Mad Dogs were very noticeably darker than any of the others. Actually, first listen to the original LCD-2s, my first thought was to wonder why people consider them dark. They really just sounded like a very balanced HD600 with much deeper bass to me, and the rev2 is just a little further extended in the treble (compared to the original).
 
If you get the chance, I would highly recommend checking them out. If you happen to fall into the group that finds them comfortable they're quite a treat.

 

[Brooko]

  I wanted to ask your opinion about the HD600, because it is obvious that you have more experience with higher quality headphones it would seem than I.am and was using two different headphones one closed for otg listening and the other open for my main rig and desk listening at home. I used the soundMagic HP100(now sold due to needing the funds) and still have the Beyerdynamics DT990pro, which I actually really like for it's lively and spacious presentation. Though it was not neutral I still think it is a very enjoyable, and currently I have a Shure 440 that is brand new but I am try to sell it seeing as I have never used it. So my limitations are kind of obvious, and though a friend has sent me a HD595 that he no longer uses and wanted to give me a headphone that has a different sound sig than the DT 990s. The HD595 is going to be here today at some point this afternoon and I will see how I feel about it once it is amped with the Vali and the CDAC+. I will also be using it with the Fostex HP-A3 because I think it is a very nice DAC/amp. I wanted to ask if you thought the HD600 is a good upgrade as far as an open headphone, for someone who listens to classical, instrumental, progressive rock, inide/alternative, and other types?

Harder question for me to answer because I haven't heard most of the headphones you've listed.  I've spent a lot of time with the DT880, but never heard the DT990 (I need to at some stage).  Likewise I haven't heard the SRH440 but I've owned or tired most of the rest of the Shure line-up (loved the SRH840 and 1840).  I have heard the HD598 (though not the HD595) - but have been told they are similar.
 
I really do think that the HD600 is a classic headphone that every music lover should hear.  It's also a headphone that you need to spend some time with - listening to it without rapid comparisons - before making decisions.  The thing that captivates me with the HD600 is it's realism in both timbre and tone, and also the natural way it portrays sound.  It has a good sense of space and imaging without being unrealistically large in it's sound stage.  It's not the most exciting headphone - but almost every time I return to it, it gives me at least one wow moment.  This is why it has been such a difficult headphone to part with - and why I repurchased it.  For the genres you mentioned - and particularly (for me) with prog rock and indie - I find it wonderful. 

 

[Brooko]

  I would also be interested to see HD650 VS HD700. Great write up!

 
Unfortunately not in a position to comment on that - but it would be interesting (especially the difference in speed/decay).  I know when I first decided on the HD600, I spent around 30 minutes comparing the 650 and 600.  The HD600 won me over by its natural presentation - still does today. 
 

Pretty close...

 
Thanks - that would be a very interesting comparison looking at the graphs!

 

[Brooko]

   
Having heard an original "dark" LCD-2, the rev2 (new driver, pre-fazor), Mad Dogs and HD600, to my ears the Mad Dogs were very noticeably darker than any of the others. Actually, first listen to the original LCD-2s, my first thought was to wonder why people consider them dark. They really just sounded like a very balanced HD600 with much deeper bass to me, and the rev2 is just a little further extended in the treble (compared to the original).
 
If you get the chance, I would highly recommend checking them out. If you happen to fall into the group that finds them comfortable they're quite a treat.

 
Thanks for these comments!  You now have me really intrigued.  Heavier headphones haven';t worried me too much in the past - so these are now definitely on my radar to try.

 

[awry]

Very nice read. 

 

[Defiant00]

Thanks for these comments!  You now have me really intrigued.  Heavier headphones haven';t worried me too much in the past - so these are now definitely on my radar to try.

Haha, well, sorry about your wallet in advance then

 

[TrollDragon]

Really enjoyed the read and comparison.

 

[kokolino23]

HD600 are one of the best open cans considering the price and wht they offer in terms of music quality delivered IMO. Cheers for the review

 

[rovopio]

which one disappear more when you wear it... hd600 or sr325i...?
 
im all about comfort for long hours listening session...

 

[Dionysus]

An excellent read very good write up. I too owned the HD700 not once but twice after the price dropped but soon sold them off and settled for the HD800 and called it quits. Your write up is spot on thx.

 

[chocolatewol]

I really enjoyed reading this. I would love to see how you feel about the T1 and DT880 in similar format!

 

[Brooko]

Thanks you guys.  I appreciate the feedback.
 
 
Quote:

  which one disappear more when you wear it... hd600 or sr325i...?
 
im all about comfort for long hours listening session...

 
No comparison.  Loved the SR325i sound - but would only take me less than an hour to start feeling the Grado "burn" or ear itch.  Saying that though - I've often thought about repurchasing the 325is.  The HD600 is a totally different headphone though (sonically) - and much more comfortable.
 
If you really like the SR325i sonically - you might be better off with the HD700 - or perhaps try a Beyer DT880 or DT990.
 
Quote:

I really enjoyed reading this. I would love to see how you feel about the T1 and DT880 in similar format!

 
Hoping to try this in another couple of weeks.  Have some IEM reviews to write up first.

 

[jjsoviet]

Excellent comparison, makes me appreciate my HD600 a lot more.
 
I'm quite curious though: have you made a comparison between it and the Shure flagships (1840 and 1540)? I'm actually interested in finding a closed-back equivalent to the HD600 and the 1540 seems to fit the bill. I've had the 840 for a long time and love its neutral/warm sound signature so I'm no stranger to Shure's products. Just wondering how the higher-end cans compare to the HD600.