[uglysteve]

Thanks for the responses guys, I'm up to 90 hrs burn in so far.  I'll keep you posted.  

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

Burn in won't magically take you from hating a headphone to liking it. Get something else that's more how YOU want it to sound like. Ultrasone HFI-680 had been a better pick among the Ultrasones around that price class which is among the most balanced Ultrasones around, most other models have similar kind of sound like the 780, ie. V-shaped frequency response with elevated bass and highs which makes it sounding "thin". If you want the opposite, very meaty/full kind of sound then warmish sounding headphones would do better that may have slightly rolled off highs as well as neutral or a bit boosted mids (and bass). HFI-580 is a bit different as well, but that also got a bit stronger bass than you're probably looking for and also a roll-off in the highs. Oh well there's plenty of other brands to look at too.
 
Dave Rat tested the HFI-680 and liked it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejCz5bWvBZM#t=05m36s (minor bass bump, otherwise very flat)

 

[maverickronin]

The treble on the HFI-780s is from an alternate universe where all musical instruments are in fact made from cymbals which are in turn made from smaller cymbals, ad infinitum.  When someone hits a hi hat it sounds like someone dropped a crate of them off the top of a large building...
 
The proof is that someone who likes the DT990's (IMO) screeching treble thinks the 780s are too much.
 
If you're meaning them to be portable, the new Beyer DT1350s are pretty awesome.  THey are fairly neutral but can put out some powerful bass when the track calls for it.  I like them better than the DT770s I used to have.  They aren't very comfy though so they're a hard sell for home use.  They're also sold out pretty much everywhere right now.
 
Some Denon D2000s might work depending on how closed you need them to be.  They don't have much isolation and leak a bit of sound to the outside if you listen too loudly.
 
I can second the XB700s if you don't listen at headbanging volumes.  The sound breaks up into crap if you crank them but they sound surprisingly good at lower levels
 
I don't know much about the other Ultrasones though.

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

Quote:

I can second the XB700s if you don't listen at headbanging volumes.  The sound breaks up into crap if you crank them but they sound surprisingly good at lower levels

For me it was the opposite but I'm a basshead so no suprise. I thought it sounded poor at lower volume levels due to it sounded significantly more flat (which means boring to me) but also noted drastic decrease in dynamic range (ofc that can be said about all headphones but on XB700 it was far more noticable).
 

 

[tdockweiler]

I had a similar experience with the HFI-680. I picked this out of the 780 and 580 because it had the more neutral sound compared to the others. Found the bass to be quite good, but the mids were so recessed. It really wasn't cool because they were so much more expensive than my M50 I had at the time and had even MORE recessed mids. I did prefer the bass on the HFI-680 by far though compared to the M50 though.
 
I ended up getting rid of them and sticking with the M50 and then later selling the M50 and keeping the DJ100.
 
Here's an old review of my DJ100 vs the HFI-680 I made long ago:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/514317/ultrasone-hfi-680-vs-koss-pro-dj-100
 
My suggestion is to try the DJ100. It's beat out so many closed headphones I've tried. Maybe a dozen under $200 that were closed. I wish I was kidding.
SRH-840, MDR-V6, KRK KNS-8400, ESW9a and a few others. It's been a year and the only that has come close is the KNS-6400 for $99, but it's just not as fun.
 
I think many will see $80 and Koss and think it couldn't possibly be good.
 
 

 

[BlutoSlice]

The recessed mids will always be an issue, but my 780s were much better after a long burn in. When they were new the treble just plain hurt.
 
I think they should be renamed the Ultraburn HFI-780.

 

[natashaful]

That's because they are awesome, I want some adidas ones their are coming down in price now in the UK i can get some for £185, Soon as i see a pair for £170 i'm ordering them! 

 
Nat. 

 
Quote:

Sennheiser HD25-I II (<$200)
 
And yes, I know I keep recommending these to everyone and their dog but everyone (and their dog) that actually listened and bought them has been thanking me since. 
 
Oh, and for a really fun surprise: Superlux HD662F. Try them, they're only $40. 

 

 

[roma101]

Getting the Pro650's soon in a trade - would you guys say they're as balanced as the HFI-680's? Are the mids recessed on those too? These will be my first Ultrasones.

 

[DemonicLemming]

The recessed mids will always be an issue, but my 780s were much better after a long burn in. When they were new the treble just plain hurt.
 
I think they should be renamed the Ultraburn HFI-780.

As much as Ultrasone burn-in is discussed around here, I never noticed a big change in my 780s. The treble calmed down a tiny bit and the mids worked up a little more strength, but getting a decent amp played a much, much bigger part in making them more enjoyable than the thousands of hours I've put on the cans.

 

[nonsupremous]

Well, also, in all fairness to the HFI780, Ultrasone is pretty clear about the fact that the drivers are tuned for DVD watching....not as much for musicality.  So, the big issue with the 780 is that the drivers may never change into something that's great for music.  They are ok for music in my opinion, but the recessed mids is an issue for me also.  I RARELY listen to mine for music.  That S Logic is pretty effective for your movie watching though. 

 

[rhythmdevils]

Why would you want ear bleeding, tinny, treble and recessed mids for watching movies?  That sounds horrible.  Vocals are really important for movies. 

 

[n-phect]

ultrasones are very technical.  If your singer farts your gonna hear it.  You may not want to hear that fart.

 

[12thgear]

I have both. The HFI-680 is more accurate than the Pro 650, but the Pro 650 offers a little more detail and bigger soundstage.
 
Quote:

Getting the Pro650's soon in a trade - would you guys say they're as balanced as the HFI-680's? Are the mids recessed on those too? These will be my first Ultrasones.

 

 

[nonsupremous]

You got me my friend.  I don't work for Ultrasone....just quoting their website.  I think they are pretty good on movies though.  Very detailed with really solid bass.  The S Logic is pretty effective on the 780's.   And the treble on mine isn't so harsh anymore.  But the treble was never all THAT harsh.  No where in the neighborhood of the DT880 for sure. 
Quote:

Why would you want ear bleeding, tinny, treble and recessed mids for watching movies?  That sounds horrible.  Vocals are really important for movies. 

Quote:

 You may not want to hear that fart.

Quote of the day!!  lol. 
 
 

 

[Inquartata]

I've used the 780s with an Astro MixAmp for gaming and movie-watching, and they've been phenomenal for that. For music listening, though, I usually turn to something else (Phiaton MS400 is the normal choice, sometimes SRH750DJ).