[JHC76]

My Magnolia guy just called me and told he got some Senn HD700s returned, and they're perfect.  Now, I just picked up the P7s Friday, but he said he could price them to where I could do an even trade in for the HD700.  Problem is, I don't have an amp yet.   I guess the only way I could really push them for now is through my Pioneer Elite.  Would this be a smart trade?  Is there really a value difference, and how poorly would they sound vs the P7s just plugged strait in to a computer or phone?

 

[SonusAudio]

The P7's will be far more versatile because it can be used outside, inside and play well with all sources. HD700's will be limited though "may" sound better.

 

[Whitetriton]

I'll offer my experience in case it is useful.  I have not heard the P7 but I auditioned the HD700 in my home for about a week.  The HD700 are incredibly comfortable and sounded very nice MOST of the time.  They did have a little extra treble on some songs that I didn't enjoy but I enjoyed the mids and bass.  Overall I thought they were very nice headphones but overpriced at their initial price of $1000.  For $400 I would very much consider purchasing them. 
 
As SonusAudio said though, you have to look at how you would use them.  I only listen at home so portability is not an issue for me and I already have an amp.  I didn't try running them straight from my computer's headphone jack or from my phone.  Depending on your situation and how you want to use them is a big part of the decision.

 

[JHC76]

Thanks for the input. I have decided that I love the P7s too much to part with them, and I need the versatility. I'm also not looking to go too crazy on equipment. I'm ordering the vali modi stack here in a couple weeks.

That said, I really just love how the P7s sound. I've put near 30 hours on them since I picked them up this past Friday. Seems they're coming in to their own, or my head is. Either way, they just sound near perfect to me. Crystal clear, and punchy when the music demands it. Not to mention classical is heavenly on them.

Now, I do like the open ear feel too. So, this week I'm picking up the Hd598s. These will give be a different feel when I don't need the isolation. I also like that they can be driven easily. As can the P7. I figure with the modest amp and dac combo, I can push a bit more when I'm working at my desk or gaming. But I also like low impedance for easy listening at other times.

 

[Sonido]

I owned both at one point and have to say the HD700 is the better choice if considering sound quality alone. Also, I've heard that the Vali does pretty well for the HD700. Also, I've heard there is background noise pairing the P7 with Vali due to its high sensitivity (111 dB), not to mention poor damping ratio. Magni may be a better amp for the P7.