Looking for new open cans with huge soundstage
Jun 1, 2012 at 10:53 AM Post #16 of 17
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I need a bit of help. I currently own a pair of AH-D 7000's and AH-D 5000's but I want to open my horizons a bit and get another set of cans that can offer a nice change up. What I would really like is a set of open cans with primary emphasis on soundstage and treble. I certainly don't want them to be lacking in bass (sort of a basshead) but I really do not want it to be the center of attention either. I really am kind of yearning for that beautiful open, full, natural sound that comes with having some open headphones. My price range is about $400 but I would go a little above for something truly remarkable. Any thoughts on what to get? Oh, and I currently use a Fiio E-9/Fiio E-7 as a combo amp/dac.

 
Sounds to me like you just have described the he400...
 
Sep 12, 2012 at 5:43 PM Post #17 of 17
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Yes the D7000's are quite detailed as well. As for the music I listen to it's mostly dubstep, house, and other forms of electronic, but my collection varies greatly (70k song library) and I have a lot of acoustic, classic rock, alternative rock, jazz, raggae and ska as well.  Basically, I'm a music lover first, basshead second. I want to get the 702's because it IS a "very big departure" from the Denons and I want to try out something new and see how it does with my other genres of music (probably would not listen to dubstep on the 702's).

I recommend the HD598 over the Beyer or the AKG. Can't stand the latter two because of the treble, which is over-emphasized. The soundstage on the HD598 surpasses that of the HD 600 / 650, not only in terms of size, but also in depth and imaging. It was a big reason why I sold the HD600/650s. Neutrality wise, the HD598 is quite neutral, far more than most headphones. The sub-bass and mid-bass diasppoints me sometimes; it's neutral bass (as shown on frequency graph) but true bass gives a sense of rumble in real life, affecting our chest cavity. An amp with low output impedance helps extend the bass and make it more textured however. With that said, no headphones get bass right, so you may as well look towards the midrange (probably the most important) and treble. I have never heard a planar magnetic midrange before but I know a HE-400 owner who still uses his HD598 for vocals because they are that good. And I have to say, the HD598 is unsurpassed in the midrange.
 
The DT880/600 and D2000 have a recessed midrange that makes vocal music rather boring. The Q701 has a decent midrange but lacks weight (it's thin) and can be a little edgy depending on the frequency, with the 598 being more "smooth". But it's this smoothness that makes the HD598 - or any other Senn for that matter - sound rather unspectacular, but ONLY at first. The smoothness is very important for listening fatigue, and overall vocal enjoyment. 
 
The treble I feel is often an overlooked part of the HD598. If you are used to Beyer-treble, then the 598's treble may seem dull in comparison. But the treble is far more realistic when it comes to live stage performances - believe me - and is never fatiguing while still having an active engagement with the music. The bass needs to be a more active part of the sound spectrum, and EQ can help that. For bassy music, I recommend you use the D5000/7000. Just as a side note, the bass is up there with the DT880, and it has more bass than the Q701. 
 
Timbre performance is above average though I've heard better. Clarity can be improved as well, and I think the flaw is due to the smoothness of the sound signature. Although as a note, it doesn't have that over-emphasized treble that gives the illusion of a more detailed, high-end phone. Go figure. The HD598 is surprisingly revolving when there are multiple complex instrumental parts involved, though it succumbs to bass that requires precision and speed. Once again, an amp helps out the bass and PRaT. Overall, I recommend the HD598. I haven't heard any other cans that are as diverse in terms of handling music genres, comfort, gaming, movies, etc. 
 

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