[iaTa]

I've had my hf2s since launch and absolutely love them. I feel as though it's as direct a connection as possible between headphones and my brain. However the time had come to buy a proper pair of cans for use with late night gaming and movie sessions when I couldn't use my Mordaunt-Short 7.1 setup. The hf2s just don't go well with soundstage, Dolby Headphone, HTRF etc. Or so I thought.

After hours/days of research due to the indecision caused by this place I had reduced my options to AD700s, AD900s or A900s. Also noticed the great deal on the RX900s and as they were so cheap I asked my folks to send over a pair from the US to the UK. Whilst I was waiting for them to arrive I thought I would try a pair from my original list. In the end I decided on the AD700s as they were supposed to have an amazing soundtage, have around 80% of the sound quality of the AD900s but half the price.

The AD700s arrived last week and I have to say I'm really disappointed. I truly believed that after all my research I would love them (as I did with my hf2s). In my opinion they come nowhere near to the quality, enjoyment, clarity or comfort of my hf2s. Am I missing something here? Surely proper headphones with a huge soundstage should trounce my hf2s when listening to games and movies. I've tried different amps, different amp settings, different DSP settings, all to no avail.

I just love my hf2s. Is this normal? Is there a can out there which would impress me?

 

[El_Doug]

can you describe exactly what it is about the AD700's you don't like?

there are many times many other headphones out there with impressive soundstages, which also have drastically different tonal qualities

 

[iaTa]

Pretty much everything. It is just such a different experience from listening to an IEM. Maybe I was expecting too much. Maybe I need to get used to the very different type of sound. I just love how you feel totally connected to the sound with an IEM, like you are literally in the middle of the game or movie. In which case do you think I should have gone for closed cans like the A900s?

 

[scytheavatar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iaTa /img/forum/go_quote.gif Pretty much everything. It is just such a different experience from listening to an IEM. Maybe I was expecting too much. Maybe I need to get used to the very different type of sound. I just love how you feel totally connected to the sound with an IEM, like you are literally in the middle of the game or movie. In which case do you think I should have gone for closed cans like the A900s?

The IEM and full size headphone experience is very different, that's why you can find a lot of people here who detest any IEM and consider a $100 headphone to sound better than any $300 IEM. Just give your AD700 a bit more time, being 'in' the music is not necessarily a good thing. Full size headphones offer more depth and puts the music around you, that on the long run is a better experience.

 

[Rednamalas1]

I have sworn off IEMs :[ until the end of forever.