[Malfunkt]

First off I want to shout out to @Windsor, whose 2012 comparison thread this is a homage to. His thread and related reviews factored into a number of my headphone purchases over the years (HD650, LCD2, Amperior, and HD700).
 
For the fun of it, I've stuck to a similar review format that he used, using select genre pieces to evaluate the overall satisfaction of the headphones.
 
INTRO
 
I joined head-fi over a decade ago. I can remember leafing through the pages, dreaming about owning an HD650 while going through a range of headphones over the years, refining the way I listen, and what I listen to.  My uses for headphones have spanned outdoor hiking, office cans, home listening, music production, and DJing parties & spin classes. I've gone through a ton of closed backs. I'm sure to other people it seems strange, but really there is a lot to discover. It takes a while to become acquainted with each headphone and how it handles sound reproduction. 
 
This is why I feel one of the best ways to evaluate headphones is to compare it directly against other headphones using a wide genre of music. Certain traits of headphones will become more obvious in comparison to one another.

Headphones used for this comparison (all stock-cabled unless indicated):

Audeze LCD2 (early revision)
Sennheiser HD700
Logitech UE6000
Denon AH-D2000
Sony MDR-7520
 


 
I decided to evaluate each of the above headphones using the following 'types' of music and audio:
 
·      Rock
·      Jazz
·      Classical
·      Reggae
·      Soul
·      Electronic
·      Psytrance
·      Binaural 
 
 
Each of the selected tracks are in FLAC format, and were played from my 2014 iMac using Vox Player, which was then fed into a Mayflower O2/ODAC combo, then to each headphone in turn. Volume adjustments were made to ensure that each headphone spoke at roughly the same dB level.
 
The ratings are not absolute in the sense that 10/10, means its the best headphone ever, it is just relative to this listening session.

 

 
Jazz - John Coltrane - A Love Supreme Part 1
 
 
HD700 - Nice. No headphone can really capture the soundstage of these older jazz recordings, simply because they are truly mastered for speaker listening. So soundstage is never going be proper, unless you don’t mind having your drink in the middle of the players, with sax to you left, bass a bit left, paint a bit right and drums hard right. Cross feed can actually work wonders for these recordings. But back to the actual sound on the HD700. pretty good. 8/10
 
LCD2 - enter the jazz masters. Ah. More natural sounding than the HD700. No weird sharpness. Just smooth, natural flow. Thought provoking. That's what the LCD2 did when I first got them and they still do. They make you stop in your tracks and listen.  Proper. 9.5/10 
 
D2000 - Not as natural as the LCD2, but also doesn’t have any of the sometimes unusual characteristics of the HD700 for these recordings. A bit more confused though than the LCD2 and for that matter the HD700. Don’t mind that bass being a bit more tilted up at all for this. It helps it cut through, almost simulating some of the room effects and reverb you’d get from hearing the bass in a room. 7/10
 
HD700 take two - wow, weird. The first part of this track is nothing like it is on the other headphones. There is a 3D space, even though it isn’t perfect, it is a much different experience. Sometimes the instruments almost seem like they are behind you. I like the LCD2 more, but this is a different listen and take. The effect does help everything become a bit more cohesive though. I’ll give it a half-point more 8.5/10
 
MDR-7520 - man, these nail the mid-range. Although flatter, these are tonally on point. Bass is a bit too much for this, and quite prominent. Great for the recording engineer, but too much for the listener, unless you want that detailed sound. Turn it down and it works better. Tonally, you are not going to miss anything, and I have to say, no sounds really get confused, but they are all a bit too much. Its chaos. Its jazz! Still, because of the 7520s accuracy, you can explore all the notes, but you lose immersion. 7.5/10
 
UE6000 -  Okay imagine this. They won’t let you into the club, so you went around back, and leaned in through a back window. You can hear people having a great time. And you know what, you can hear everything just enough, so you don’t leave. Before you know it, some other people gather in the same spot to hear one of the jazz greats. It kinda sounds like this. :/ While in real life, the bass wouldn’t be this tubby, in this experience, because everything is so relaxed, you can get away listening to this. It is a bit muddy because of the bass getting confused. Sax still cuts through, piano is missing a few upper harmonic registers. Serviceable. 6.5/10



 
 
Rock - Pink Floyd -  Another Brick in the Wall Part 2.
 
HD700 - Wow! Smooth, yet incredibly detailed. Guitar is so, so real. Drum and reverb are perfect. Low-end is perfectly balanced. This must have been a test song in creating these headphones. Voices are never sharp. Actually gone are any disagreeable elements of the HD700 from prior. Excited to hear what the LCD2 sounds like. But I am very happy with this sound. Maybe just a bit more detail, would be okay, but this master could be a bit darker and rolled off. Incredible production. 10/10
 
LCD2 - Strange. The LCD2 actually brings a bit more detail up top to this. Voices aren’t as smooth as the HD700,  a bit shouty compared the 700. Guitars never take on the life of the HD700. Still, there is a bit more shimmer on the instruments here, including the organs. I’d say the organs are better than the 700. Went back to the 700 to check, and everything is more cohesive. And I’m tapping my foot more…so I score the LCD2 9/10
 
UE6000 - Okay so you are Bestbuy, and someone is playing Floyd in the home theatre room - loud. Everyone is rocking out in the store. It’s cool. Home theatre subs are cranked. You stay the entire way though your lunch-break and are late for work. Screw it. Its Flloyd, man. Unoffensive UE6000, tubby bass, but it gets you buy. There is still detail here, and if you turn it up, lower the bass a bit, you have a pretty good listen. No cool room effects like the HD700. Voices not as smooth as the HD700. But EQ a bit more, turn up the upper mids little bit in the 4k range, and you are starting to get somewhere. with EQ 7/10 without EQ 6/10 for tubbiness
 
MDR-7520 - closed in. Bass too prominent. Guitars have more sparkle and presence than the LCD2, not as much as the HD700. Voices are verging on sharp, but under control. Not cool immersive spacial abilities that you get with HD700. Just raw sound, but doesn’t quite convey the epic nature.
with EQ 7.5/10 without 7/10 
 
D2000 - Surprise. You actually get some depth and dimensionality with the D2000. A little too twangy up top. Guitars don’t have enough meat to them, so they don’t have realism. Treble is a bit too tuned up. Voices are verging on sharp. Not as smooth as HD700. Bass is nice and rolling though. Try a bit of EQ turn down the 8khz range a bit. Hmm this is better. Turn it up, yeah this is good. Not as accurate or natural as the LCD2. Doesn’t quite nail it. More spacial realism and depth than the 7520 but not as accurate. Still very good.   with EQ 7.5/10 without  7/10


 
Electronic - Kraftwerk The Man Machine 1978
 
D2000 -  Nice and sharp and crisp off the bat. Perhaps a bit too much. Sounds a bit thin. Very clear though, and nice ambience. 7.5/10
 
MDR-7520 - this is more what I imagine Kraftwerk sounding like. Imagine is the keyword here. Upper registers don’t sound as thin or tizzy as they did on the D2000. Vocoder portions are also more accurate. Everything is upfront, but given this recording style, that is fine. 
8.5/10
 
UE6000 - It's 1978, and your brother just got a ghetto blaster. He plays Kraftwerk in his bedroom and never lends you the tape. Sigh. Still sounds pretty good through that wall. A bit of an exaggeration, as in this case the highs are still pretty good, not muffled. Just the mid-range and upper mid-range is subdued. A fun listen. 7.5/10
 
LCD2 - Directly in front of you is an Arp Odyssey. Sounds fantastic. Everything is very-well balanced on the LCD2. So much I have to now check out other tracks. Sorry. BRB
 
LCD2 - The Model - listen to that Micro Moog howl. Vocal performances are perfect.
 
LCD2 The Robots - a bit dry, but faithful. Pretty good recording and mastering for this type of stuff for the time period. 9/10
 
HD700 - The Robots - Not as natural in tone. But sounds more like you are listening to a speaker. The HD700 have some really weird things going on that create a room space. 
 
HD700 - Man Machine - everything sounds a bit more distant than the LCD2. Like you are listening to Kraftwerk live.
 
Cool, but I’m going hand it to the LCd2 here.  8/10



 
 
Soul - James Brown - Get Up I Feel Like being a Sex Machine (1996 remaster)
 
HD700 - A little thin. There is space separating the vocals, but some of the sounds are bit boxy. Still groovy, and tight drums you can’t ignore. Vocals, sound very good. Guitar is crunchy and nicely hot. Hard to say if it needs more bass, but this seems just right. Brass sections are perfect as is the piano. 9.1/10
 
LCD2 - a bit more twang on the guitar. Sounds a little bit flatter than the HD700. A little less alive. Brass is perfect, so are the drums. Vocal is a little bit fuller. It really comes down to preferences between the 700 and this. 8.5/10
 
D2000 - what's this? ka-boom! This has quite a bit of life. Maybe artificially too much treble titled up, though. I like the bass on this. You have to make sure the D2000 is adjusted properly to hear everything just right. Pretty engaging. I dig. 8/10
 
UE6000 - a pattern is forming. Bass muddy and not as defined. More one note than the others. So turn it up. Yeah, the bass is the weak spot here.  Vocals not too bad, but missing a bit of bite. If you turn it up a fair bit, you can definitely rock out. 6.5/10
 
MDR-7520 - nice hot mic. Bass is tighter and more defined. A little too prominent, but it works here. Pianos have full range of harmonic even though less dimensional than some of the other cans. You are not missing anything. Perfect cans for home or strolling around. You will get up for this. 9/10
 
 

 
Electronic - Koan - Dump (Placidity mix)
 
HD700 - Clear and detailed. This is the one that makes you hear the air in between the notes. It has height and depth. Just wish it had more lower end rumble for this track. Even if you EQ it, its’ not going to get the low end rumble that the UE6000 has for instance. However, I’ll take the more tilted back bass to have everything else the HD700 offers. While the lower notes of the composition don’t strike you as much, the mid-range and spacial effects, which are also integral to the composition take on life that doesn’t happen with the rest of the cans in this shoot-out.
 9/10
 
D2000 - Everything closes in a bit. Quite a bit of decent stage. Seems a bit wider left and right. The HD700 has more a 3D cohesive bubble.  A little bit more bass presence than the HD700. A few dBs more than the LCD2. I quite like the level of the bass on the D2000. The highs might be just a tad sharp.The D2000 and HD7000 share a bit in common up top. 8/10
 
LCD2 - Yum. A bit squashed though in comparison, a flatter sound. Never sharp or offensive. Spacious, but doesn’t convey that strange yet cool psychoacoustic effect the HD700 has - but also has no hint of artificiality. Bass is pretty tucked away, but is well-defined. 7.5/10
 
UE6000 - given the deep nature of Koan’s sound (not to be confused with KOAN Sound!), it works very well with the UE6000. Although dulled in some of the mid-range detail, there is plenty of sub-bass tactility, with a bit of sparkle up top, but never too much. I feel you need to hear the rumble of the lower notes of this piece for it to convey the full emotion. A lot of electronic music can sound like complete ***** without proper bass reproduction (where granted for many, it will just sound like slightly less -*****). 8/10
 
MDR-7520 - this has a bit of everything. Has quite of bit of bass, enough to hear the lower notes well. But everything else is brought up the same level! Guess what this does? From a psychoacoustic level it destroys the perception of a spacious sound. But these headphones are truly made for studio professional use, where no part of the frequency is going to escape you. Turn the volume down a bit if listening non-critically. You’ll still hear everything, and it will be a bit more spacious. 8.5/10


 
Rock- Creedence Clearwater Revival - Fortunate Son
 
LCD2 - Wow. Goose bumps. 9/10
 
HD700 - More air. More realism. Vocals pretty comparable to the LCD2, less meaty though, but that is fine. Make sure to get the HD700 on just right. Very important. Surprising. Although I may not be getting goose bumps, technically the HD700 is smoother and seems to get this right a bit better 9.5/10
 
D2000 - wow. So far so good. Guitars are hotter. Vocals are similar to the HD700 though perhaps just a bit less clear and bit more twang. Nice low end, A bit hot up top. Very, very good though. D2000 rocks. 8.5/10
 
MDR-7520 - a bit more boxy and closed. Guitars still have proper crunch without getting too pitched up like the D2000. You can hear everything, its a bit like focusing your eyes, you can pick out any part. Everything is upfront though and still clear. It’s a bit much, even though every instrument sounds tonally correct. Still turn it down a bit, and this is very good. 8/10
 
UE6000 - again, someone tuned on the sub-woofer. It's like you went to your parents house and they messed up the home theatre settings - again. Still this is the sound that would work well at an office party or a BBQ. Hey, its the UE6000. Still enjoyable. Clear enough. But a bit too boomy. 6.5/10


 
Bob Marley and The Wailers - Jamming
 
UE6000 - Pretty fun. The bass is upfront of course. But Bob Marley’s voice is clear. Curve down that bass by -4db and things clear up. Without eq 6/10 with EQ  6.5/10
 
HD700 - sounds good. The vocals especially the back up vocals take on more life. Organs are correct. A bit sterile. 8/10
 
LCD2 - Vocal less forward than the HD700. A little less smooth. Bass is better on the LCD2 for this than the HD700. Enjoying this a bit more 8.5/10
 
D2000 - surprise. Not sure what it is about this recording, but it sounds the best on the D2000? Didn’t expect that. has the right amount of bass. The high bits of the D2000 don’t get in the way much. A little tizzy again up top. But overall this is more fun and jamming. 8.5/10
 
MDR-7520 - Closed cans are working with this recording. The 7520, as detailed as it is, doesn’t have any tiny trebleness that the D2000 exhibited. The 7520s accented bass works very well here. 8.75/10
 
 

 
 
Classical - Avro Part - Adam’s Lament
 
MDR-7520 - Strings and choir are clear. You can hear the noise floor of the recording. Not much space, but depth and weight are here. Vocals are tonally correct, but stretched out. Less dimensional. 6/10
 
UE6000 - these actually have more dimension and space than the 7520, but are too dark here. You can turn it up, but will get an unnatural bass prominence. Still very listenable and not harsh. Expected them to fair worse. 6.5/10
 
D2000 - much more air than the 7520 and UE6000. Refreshing. Still a bit too hard up top sometimes. Rest of the spectrum is very good. Very nice texture, if not a bit of grain. 7/10

I think this album  would do very well on a pair HD600s or 650s. Well, we have something close...
 
LCD2 - no harshness. Depth, majesty. I’m expecting the HD700 to be more focused here. Natural instrumentation. Very good, textured and layered sound. 8.5/10
 
HD700 - frighteningly real at times. Some of the sections sound like they are creeping from underneath the cathedral floor and then evolving to crescendo. Excellent. Surprised to say this, but a step up from the LCD2 here. Sorry HD700 haters (in trump voice) you're wrong! But really, the critics are really mistaken to my ears, because for these pieces the HD700 does something the LCD2 and the other headphones in this shoot-out simply cannot do. And that is incredible. 10/10


 
Classical - Brahms - Symphony no. 3 - Wiener Philharmoniker, Giulini
 
HD700 amazing, though at times a touch strident. - 9/10 
LCD2 - actually, does very. Nice rich, natural tone. Little easier on the ears than the HD700. Trade offs between them. Imminently, the LCD2 is an easier headphone. It's along the lines and preference of headphones such as the 600/650 that can still convey the proper emotion with balance. 9/10
 
The remaining compare the same as above here.
 
MDR-7520 6/10
UE6000 - 6.5/10
D2000 - 7/10

..one day I’ll need to own one of these.
 
HD800 ? 
HD800S 
Stax SR-007/009 
Utopia
 

 
Soul / Funk - Ohio Players - Climax
 
LCD2 - Hot damn! near perfect  9/10
 
HD700 - seems to be a more realistic tuning. Again, realistic in portraying a live performance. Like you are listening to them on stage.  9.3/10
 
D2000 - sparkly, with nice low-end. That’s the D2000 story. But it also sports a really good mid-range, it just gets played out by its hot treble. I still dig this. 8/10
 
UE6000 - hey. Not bad at all. Smoother on the treble then the D2000. Pretty clear and groovy. Nothing wrong with a bit more bass with Ohio Players. The rest of the instrumentation sounds good too. Just too much bass. Well thats easy to dial down. I’m going to give the UE6000 a bit of boost here, it deserves it 8.2/10
 
MDR-7520 - yup. Up front. Sounds great. Foot tapping. Just a bit too much bass, but turn it down, and it makes the 7520 more listenable. its very clear. Does this well 8.75/10
 
 

 
Binaural - Naturespace Holographic Audio app 
 
 
 
UE6000 - This is surprisingly very good presentation for these heavily-discounted cans. I dare say, their treble presentation reminds me a bit of an HD650. While not super detailed, it is a natural, relaxed presentation that still conveys binaural space. The thunder sounds at time become a bit overdriven by the UE6000 bassy presentation, which takes you out of the immersion. A bit dark, but still pretty good. 7.5/10
 
MDR-7520 - This is actually more detailed than the UE6000 but at the same time flatter. Audio sounds more hard panned left-right. You can pick out background frogs and wildlife that you didn't hear with the UE6000 but overall the binaural effect does not quite work as well here. 6/10
 
D2000 - I made the tough choice several months back to let go of an HD650 once I got my D2000. I felt that the HD650 has one of the best binaural reproductions, but I felt at the time the D2000 did pretty well, and better in some areas. Now I'm not so sure. For certain, it's better than the UE6000 and 7520 overall, but the rain sounds are perhaps too attenuated upward. Mid-range to low-end is better controlled and balanced. Overall, it is a much wider presentation than the two previous cans but still not perfect on the top end. 7.5/10
 
LCD2 - wow. much better, as far as transient detail goes. This is the great thing about using nature recordings, we are all intimately familiar with what they should sound like. Interestingly, insect sounds are much harder to hear. Thunder is a bit too boomy at times. It seems that the D2000 may have actually handled some of this bass better - surprisingly. Rain is much more realistic in tone. The LCD2 doesn't really convey a 3D headspace though, and again, I feel it is the distance of the drivers from the ear. So tonally better, but not necssarily better at binaural than the UE6000! The HD650 bettered the LCD2 in this area and I miss it for this (or do I? see below) 7.5/10
 
HD700 - Everything just opens up - in all directions. This headphone truly has a front and back, top and bottom presentation. None of the above had this. Best controlled bass, but rain doesn't sound tonally perfect,and it sounds a bit more distant. Overall, the sound is now truly holographic, you are listening within a sphere. I actually might say the UE6000s treble may have been a bit more linear and accurate here! Switching to it now. Yes, it actually is quite natural, again reminding me of the 650. Way too boomy though. Switching back to the HD700. So much more dimensional. The thunder is incredibly detailed. The bass far better in detail, control and texture than the UE6000. Still, aspects of the HD700, on the top mid-range, may not be quite right. Switching to some other tracks on Naturespace, the high-treble of white noise is subdued on the HD700. Wind is incredibly life-like, however, and it acually feels like its brushing up against you ears. Switching back to the UE6000 these hold up pretty well. They have a linear presentation, and would be more accurate if the whole curve tilted up a bit. Ultimately, while the HD700 may not be perfect on the upper range and tone, it still manages to pull off an immersive 3d audio experience better than any of the others in this shootout. There is something about the HD700, in that it seems to have been designed in a way to create a spectral-delay effect which all music is affected by. So for binaural, you have that effect on top of the binaural psychoacoustics. It works, and is among the best I've heard, but I have a feeling my journey for the most immersive binaural audio does not end here. 9/10
 
HD650 (in absentia) - from recollection they are at least an 8.5/10
 
Finally something only a few would be familiar with


 
 
Psytrance - Astrix - Deep Jungle Walk 
 
MDR-7520 - Hits with complete authority. A bit boxy, but everything is still clear and separated. 8/10
 
UE6000 - plenty of natural detail and space in the opening of this track. Waiting for the drop. Interesting, the MDR-7520 actually kicks more on this track. Drum sounds nicely rounded here and not as bloated as you'd think the UE6000 would be.
The UE6000 is much more in its element here 7.5/10 
 
and just for fun. been using the UE6000 in passive mode the whole time.
In active noise-cancelling mode, it gets a pretty weight bite on the bottom. Makes for a fun listen, if not a bit distorted on the bottom. 
 
I’ve been through a few pairs of UE6000s. Mostly purchased for friends. One thing I’ve noticed is that they can be prone to channel imbalance, but more of a function due to the active noise cancelling switch. It just needs to be switched back and forth sometimes in order to get a good stereo image. Also, the headphone connector is a bit loose, and I've seen a few others complain about this. Not sure how long it will hold up, but pretty sure it trimming the plastic around the connector would help it fit better.  Overall, they are quite good in passive. And FUN in active mode. Overall, I think the UE6000 is killer for electronic dance styles 8/10
 
HD700 - Sounds like your at an outdoor nighttime rave. Turn it up, close your eyes and be transported away. Full-on. 9.5/10
 
LCD2 - a deeper sound. Even though the HD700 lacked a more visceral kick, it had more dimension than the LCD2. The LCD2 while natural, is a little lifeless for this type of music. A little to laid back. It’s still pretty precise. 9/10
 
AH-D2000 - striking a nice balance between all of the cans. Both spaciousness, though not as much as the HD700 but a bit more than the LCD2 for this track. But the kick. The kick here with the Denon is what knocks it out of the park. Nice rolling, authoritative bass. Hats are tiny bit sharp, but tolerable.  9.5/10
 
 
Results
 

Headphone	Total Points	Score	Typical Cost:Value	My Cost:Value
HD700	108.9	9	2	3.2
LCD2	104	8.6	1.075	1.8
D2000	93.5	7.79	2.78	3.1
MDR7520	84	7	2.3	2.3
UE6000	83.7	6.975	9.96	21.13

 
Typical Cost Value is calculated as Score / Typical Price (Canadian Dollars) x 100 . Higher numbers giving a higher value per dollar. My Cost value is based on what I actually spent on my headphones.
For instance, I paid a measly $33 CAD for my refurbished UE6000. Incredible value considering what it can do.  
 
 
Final Thoughts
 
This has been a very useful comparison, and shows the advantages of having a bunch of headphones in front of you to compare. You get to understand their relative strengths and weaknesses. It also shines light on certain traits that you may not notice as much if you just have a single headphone to assess. For instance, as much as I love the D2000, I’m realizing it is a little bit too sharp up top.  Pretty easy to roll it off with EQ, which fixes it completely. Otherwise lovely.
 
MDR-7520- its a tool, and always has a bit too much of bass for most tracks. But this is by design for monitoring, and engineering. It still makes for an illuminating listen with its detail across the spectrum. It's a pretty sturdy can too, the toughest of the bunch with its magnesium cups and solid metal headband. isolates pretty well, still has ports that make outdoor wind noise noticeable.
 
HD700 - Still pretty new to me, always has this trippy dimensional effect that it brings. It's good, but I wonder if it gets in the way of its fidelity just a little bit. Still, it ranks the highest out of all of these headphones and not by an accident. I was very fortunate to get these for a charity price. They are not the end all in high-fidelity, and I can understand some of the criticism. But, like Windsor's comparison before me, it scores high, it has these capabilities which pull you in.  
 
UE6000 - too much bass and loose bass on the bottom end. Otherwise very easy to listen to and works very well for dance, pop, and beat orientated genres. Has some good technicalities hampered by its frequency curve. Seals nicely against the ears. Honestly, it may seem like a bit of joke to throw in some cans that can be had for the price of a case of beer in this comparison. But remember, this had the team of Ultimate Ears behind it.  I actually feel it has some characteristics of the HD650 after listening to it for a while! Crazy I know. Its very easy to EQ down the bass on these, turn up the highs slightly, and get something more reference. Also, turning up the volume can result in a more balance sound, but at the expense of volume fatigue. In passive mode, I'd say they actually need some amplification, though their power handling could be better (see MDR7520 for power handling). I was listening to a number of albums on the UE6000 while typing this out like Fakear - Animal, and they are quite good. Nothing is perfect. Even the other closed cans exhibited problems. The Denon's was the easiest to fix, just by dialing down the uppermost treble a slight bit.  Honestly, the most pleasant surprise int his shootout. Not sure if I'll keep them though. Build quality could be better, little too small for my ears. Cheap, but I may gift them (that's 3 UE6000s gifted, lol!)
 
LCD2 - very natural sounding. Also easy on the ears sonically. Not so easy from a comfort standpoint , but not bad. They obviously perform very well with certain classic recordings. They are probably the best all-rounder out of the cans in some sense, as they are just a bit easier on the ears.
 
D2000 - I have quite enjoyed this headphone, but it's a bit splashy. Little too sparkly with too much sheen. This test has helped make this more apparent. Comfy. Nice quality from the bio-cellose drivers, I may have to check out another Denon/Fostex/E-mu variant. It's very good though. 

Thanks for reading, and hope this inspires you to do your own comparisons. 
 
Make sure to see Windsor's original thread here.

 

[Sennheiser]

Interesting comparison. Thanks for sharing, @Malfunkt!

 

[Naim.F.C]

This is an excellent comparison. Super comprehensive and detailed. Would love to see something similar with all the higher end headphones (Z1R, HD800, HD800S, T1, Utopia, Elear, LCD3, LCD4, TH900, Ether Flow etc). Great job.

 

[Malfunkt]

  Interesting comparison. Thanks for sharing, @Malfunkt!

 
 

  This is an excellent comparison. Super comprehensive and detailed. Would love to see something similar with all the higher end headphones (Z1R, HD800, HD800S, T1, Utopia, Elear, LCD3, LCD4, TH900, Ether Flow etc). Great job.

 
Thanks Rosmadi and Naim. Naim, would be great to have such a comparison. I know at one point @DavidMahler created a significant thread comparing some of the top-end headphones of the time. Worth a read http://www.head-fi.org/t/634201/battle-of-the-flagships-58-headphones-compared

 

[BoHan700]

Nice Review. I just started my Journey into Head -Fi. My first step was to find a pair that I liked, I have Big ears and a Big head. So comfort was a driving factor. It's funny how things work out. I found the Senn HD 700's the best fit for me, and as I continued to try new cans, I kept coming back to the Senns. I have dabbled in Hi end audio, so now I'm taking the experience straight to the head. I found that the Senns really open up with some Burn time. At about 100 Hours, they just were hands down (I Felt) the best all around cans. I have now started my journey down the road of finding the best way to drive and maximize these. It is truly eye opening to listen to the same track through different sources and hear such a huge difference.
 
Thanks for your review, It helps me feel good about my choice.

 

[BoHan700]

Thanks again for the review. Here's a track that I rally enjoy on Tidal. It's Goodbye Pork Pie Hat by Charles Mingus (Mingus Ah Um-50th Anniversary (Legacy Edition). It was a great reference Track. The HD 700's were the only cans that I actually heard the Valves opening and closing on the Sax...It was awesome.

 

[Malfunkt]

  Thanks again for the review. Here's a track that I rally enjoy on Tidal. It's Goodbye Pork Pie Hat by Charles Mingus (Mingus Ah Um-50th Anniversary (Legacy Edition). It was a great reference Track. The HD 700's were the only cans that I actually heard the Valves opening and closing on the Sax...It was awesome.

Hey BoHan700, very familiar with that track. Taking a listen now. Your right, this sounds incredible with the HD700.
 
Of all the headphones I've listened to over the years, I can say that these are among the most modern in their design and approach. I really think Sennheiser put some work into these, especially in designing the acoustic baffle, as soon as you put it on, you get a bit of an anechoic chamber effect. I love the classic Sennheiser's, and while they had to dip into consumer sound profiles to be sustainable, I feel they are making steps in the right direction with this design. My LCD2 is getting no head time right now. 
 
Here's something I heard recently. Sounds fantastic on headphones. This is just a bit of highlight reel, but still gives you an idea of the recording technique. (bonus: some headphones both famous and a bit infamous make their appearance in this clip)
 

 

[slex]

Glad that my HD700 has a certain value in your evaluation. I have an O2 amp stashed somewhere, might try it before an OTL tube amp.

 

[snapacap]

I agree that the HD700 has some serious abilities, especially in the 3D department. I can't believe how easy it is to get a pair for relatively cheap! 

 

[vormhat]

Go UE6000! $45 bucks of reference power ! 

 

[gearofwar]

  I agree that the HD700 has some serious abilities, especially in the 3D department. I can't believe how easy it is to get a pair for relatively cheap! 

due to the absurd hate it's been received. Great value headphone

 

[Malfunkt]

  Go UE6000! $45 bucks of reference power ! 

You know, even though it scored lower here, I have to say, with some small adjustments they would score higher. 

The more I listen to them the more I think they are quite good. They trade spaciousness for naturalness in tone. Even listening to some jazz by Misha Tsiganov they perform excellently. They are more like a pair of comfy ear slipper (well, if my ears weren't as large they might be). I could honestly say, there are probably a ton of people out there that have this headphone and don't know about any of this head-fi madness and are just enjoying their music. 
 
Highly highly recommend this can, even if one wants to just mod and play around with them. The only issue I've found with the two I have that might be a bit problematic is that the connection between the cable and the input jack is loose, so kinda ruins it for walking about. Didn't have that issue on the first pair I got. I think it could be fixed just by gluing it in? :/ 

Just something to be aware of. I think QC kinda took a bit of a hit with these. They are for the most part well built. Anyhow, sound quality is very good with them. For the cheap price they can be found at, its worth it to check out the UE6000 or even the UE9000. 

 

[Saoshyant]

@Malfunkt Very interesting read, and it's one of the few times I've seen the HD700 win out against the LCD2.  I had about two weeks where I had both in hand, and for my tastes the LCD2 pulled ahead just a little, but it was close enough that I had no regrets about owning the HD700 and never looked back.  I might one day pick up an LCD2 especially with the price drops and refurb discounts.  For the cost I got my HD700 for however, $296.94 new plus tax from Amazon, I got so much more than my money's worth.  My only concern that's kept me from ever really considering replacing the HD700 is I worry that the aim towards a clinical neutrality on many top ends, at least that's my perception of it which very well might be mistaken as I haven't had the luck to hear them, might be off-putting to me as I'm not an analytical listener but more fun-based.
 
At one point I owned the UE6000 but gave them to a friend after buying the UE9000 back when I was on a search for a decent BT headphone.  But it's interesting to see how a can of it's cost holds up against some of the higher up cans, and the descriptions are classic.
 
All in all, a great read.  I also second the flagship thread read, although it can be painful for your wallet if you read about something you just have to try.

 

[canali]

Happy New Year, Malfunkt...is always enjoyable reading your thoughts on audio.
thanks for your insights and efforts...well done.
the senn 700s seldom get any attention these days.
 
i agree the bass on the 7520s can sometimes almost smear and overwhelm...
i tried them aside the audeze sines a bit back:
sines were more balanced  (but a tad bass shy for me)
 
if only more cans had a 'bass/treble' button  

 to adjust sounds sigs.
 
am also interested in the new Focal Elear to replace senn 650 for home
(but haven't listened to it yet)...unsure on what to replace the 7520 with.
(balanced, detailed, but punchy, slightly warm)

 

[Malfunkt]

  @Malfunkt Very interesting read, and it's one of the few times I've seen the HD700 win out against the LCD2.  I had about two weeks where I had both in hand, and for my tastes the LCD2 pulled ahead just a little, but it was close enough that I had no regrets about owning the HD700 and never looked back.

The LCD2 very well may be superior to the HD700 in certain ways, and vice versa. It's at a point where listening to one will bring an experience that you don't quite get with the other. Even though I added up my rating for the one session, the LCD2 could well pull ahead in the long run. And even if it does score a bit lower, it may be considered superior in other ways that are more important to listeners.
 
Listening with fresh ears this morning to both LCD2 and HD700. 

Electronic - BT - Artifacture
 

 
LCD2 - Slept in this morning, kicked around for an hour. Fresh ears for this piece.It starts out slow and evolving, with some granular sounds, likely from some of BTs custom software. From the standpoint of texture and transient detail, the LCD2 is wonderful. It is also slightly dark, a bit cavernous, yet clear. I've called the LCD2 'bottomless' before, and you really can listen outward, into the depths of sound with these. 
 
Time to test the low-end. About 6minutes or so in, the bass kick drops. It's not quite a Roland TR-808 kick, but it very well might be, with some DSP. Either way it hits hard. I've turned it up a bit. The LCD2, at times I feel can be a bit bass shy, not here. It is a perfect balance, but then these aren't your typical electronica masterings. By the time the piano hits, the bass remains unwaveringly solid, leave room for the rest of the spectra in the track. 9.5/10
 
So how does it compare?
 
HD700 - Bass is tucked back a bit, maybe by a 1db or 2db relatively to the LCD2. At the same time it is just as solid. The LCD2, extends deeper with its kick and I'll have to say it wins out, just, when it comes to its bass depth. Vocals, instrumentation, are now actually positioned with the HD700. Truly remarkable. I don't expect this from headphones, but here it is. You get a much better center representation.  Overall the HD700 has a much more open space in between all of its sounds. Switching back to the LCD2, its darker and more 'meaty'. Again, as in the original post, the LCD2 is linear, natural and easy on the ears while remaining fully extended. Reverbs tails have huge depth. Switching back to the HD700 - I would say it is just more cohesive, more dimensional, while being slightly unnatural in certain frequencies - slightly hyped in its upper regions, a bit of sharpness and edge. Bass is better represented here by the LCD2. 
 
9/10
 

Again for the fun of it. Let's put a cheap little headphone into the mix and see how it fairs.
 
UE6000 - a bass does muddy things up here. It has nowhere near the control and tightness that the LCD2 and HD700 have. The bass, without eq, will bleed into the midrange with the UE60009. The mid-range and treble are more relaxed like the LCD2, quite linear. Rolling off the bass in a 6db slope and increasing the treble tilt slightly then compensating for gain. Wow. Quite good. Lacking that extra refinement, but enjoyable. Still a bit confused down lower. Bass has more body, possibly due to distortion than the LCD2 or HD700. But it actually sounds very enjoyable. Nothing offensive about the sound. Nothing grating. 
 
Removing EQ - and it gets tubby sounding, but the bass is deep, deep. Much more than you are going to get on the LCD2 or HD700. Its more car-sub woofer here. And that can be a good thing. I'm fine listening to this with flat EQ. 
 
6.5/10 - Going from the HD700 to the UE6000 is a shock. Its really damped down,  the bass is prominent, rounder yet quite good still.  Fun but inaccurate. Lack of top-end, though fairly linear. Still very good, but in this comparison is going to lose to higher-end technicalities. On its own merits, and for the price, this is a lot of headphone. For people who enjoy electronic, dance, pop, rnb, but also listen to a wide range of music, the UE6000 is a good bet. Many people who aren't as obsessive, owning these would not want our expensive headphones. They honestly, might prefer these! And for $33-66 (the prices I paid, Canadian!) I'd say they are more than worth it. Even at $100 it would be still a good buy. At their original price, not so sure. I have some concerns over the build. The UE9000 looks to be better built in parts plus it has a very good bluetooth implementation. Score one of those perhaps. 
 
Who wins here - LCD2 for Bass, lushness, naturalness and linearity. HD700 for vocals, pads, dimensionality.  Take your pick. For the reasons the HD700 excels at classical, its tuning isn't perfect for bassier genres. Not that it doesn't work at all, as the bass here is very controlled, and plenty too enjoy. Also, EQing the HD700 can't make it extend and hit as deep as the LCD2, nor will it ever reach the glorious quantities of the UE6000 or other bass cans that many like.

You are right though, even if you might prefer the LCD2, at the price you got the HD700 at, you are getting quite a bit of headphone. 
 
One last test this morning (have a ton of work to do!)
 

 
Hip Hop / Rap - Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly
 
LCD2 - I don't listen to much hip hop, and rap even less so. But this is a standout album. Quite a masterpiece. The LCD2, this is perhaps a bit too polite. The bass, doesn't quite hit here, depending on track. Bass is very precise, but you can tell this requires more quantity (ie. a subwoofer) to balance out. Everything is pretty smooth, but sounds a bit cluttered. Vocals, are clear and cut through. 8/10
 
HD700 - Much more speaker like. Sounds separate, and everything opens up. Enjoying this more. Though I could use a bit more bass, it is overall balanced. Even a tune like 'King Kunta' with its heavy rolling bassline, though even a bit more dialed back than the LCD2, becomes more listenable as the whole range of sounds is more cohesive. There is quite a bit going on in this studio production, and the HD700 handles it well. While overall, some sounds are less natural, they sound more like they are in an environment - a psychoacoustic effect that has a naturalness of its own. Still its lacking some oomph. 
 
8/10
 
UE6000 -Well what do you know. This is the music made for these headphones. And probably Beats too! Lol. Sounds amazing. Vocals still cut through perfectly. No word of a lie. Easier on the ears than the HD700. Smooth, and relaxed, but with enough detail. Very robust bass, sounds balanced for this production. That is the key here, and something that is very important that I don't alway see on these forums. Some music is designed for bass reproduction, and sub bass representation in quantities beyond what typical audiophile headphones reproduce. Here the UE6000 performs, and more than adequately. Still, the HD700, because of its more open sound, will actually give it a better overall listen. The LCD2, long-term listening is going to win out.
 
8/10 (again, enjoyment only)
 
 
D2000 - Its a bit of everything above. Nice rounded bass, probably the best balanced with the mid-range for modern music styles but also works well for jazz and even classical. Good mid-range, just a bit too splashy in its treble range. A great all rounder. Lacks the visceral nature of the MDr-7520 more laid back. I think I may be outgrowing the D2000, only because the HD700 and LCd2 are in the room. The 7520, is more flexible for its use. Still this is an excellent headphone. Good technicalities make it work for urban styles but more refined listening as well. 
 
on a track like 'Blacker the Berry' the bass doesn't quite have the impact it needs. Snares are a bit more accented, and voices are teetering on being sharp.
 
8/10
 
 
Lastly, and as a shout out to @canali 
 
MDR-7520 - Here it is. The studio sound. Right here. Now my head is nodding and I understand. This is tight. While it doesn't have the rounded bombast of the UE6000, it has a lot more going on up top. On the verge of being sharp, but even the peaks of the 7520 never seem to hurt. It's because you can listen to it at a volume a bit lower if needed and hear everything. Perfect for mix engineers who need to balance out the bass lines, kick drums and vocals. You bring them all in balance here. 
 
Even though the MDR7520 scored lower sometimes, for what it does, it is indispensable. It is faithful, and works well for listening to all genres to inspect them. For enjoyment, anything that requires a bit more bass and the 7520 delivers along with audiophile clarity. One of my favourites. MDR7520 is the new HD25. 
 
9.5/10
 

  Happy New Year, Malfunkt...is always enjoyable reading your thoughts on audio.
thanks for your insights and efforts...well done.
the senn 700s seldom get any attention these days.
 
i agree the bass on the 7520s can sometimes almost smear and overwhelm...
i tried them aside the audeze sines a bit back:
sines were more balanced  (but a tad bass shy for me)
 
if only more cans had a 'bass/treble' button  

 to adjust sounds sigs.
 
am also interested in the new Focal Elear to replace senn 650 for home
(but haven't listened to it yet)...unsure on what to replace the 7520 with.
(balanced, detailed, but punchy, slightly warm)

Happy new year too! Personally, I don't think there is a replacement for the 7520. There are more relaxed and attenuated closed backs. But what the 7520 does, providing a window and close listen into your music is unmatched. Sony has made a classic here, alongside the MDR-7506 and 7509. This is a studio tool. Built like a light tank. Would keep it. Though it scored lower in some of my scores, I still regard it highly, as I understand what its doing.
 
If it wasn't for all this can churning and testing, if I was to keep two headphones, they might just be the ones you have.

HD650 or HD600 and MDR-7520. You have an amazing headphone for overall listening and reference. Then you have a headphone that can be fitted for portable use, studio us, DJing, close-monitoring, but a great listen indoors/outdoors. Those two headphones pretty much have you covered. I also think, that over the course of a lot of material, I think my opinion of the 7520 would be even higher, with its ability to reveal the source material. Force me to sell the D2000 or the 7520, and the D2000 is going.