Official Denon AH-C700 Comparisons/Impressions
Dec 22, 2009 at 8:39 PM Post #1,397 of 1,418
Hi, I just want to start out by saying this is my first post here. Thought I'd jump in since I've spent enough time reading these forums (probably a few years on/off). I'm more into home audio but am definitely a audiophile on a lowish budget.

I had just read all these reviews on the c751's, got excited, and purchased a pair, then I realized the date was 2007! Don't ask, I had too many windows going. Did I make a mistake buying the c751? should I have gone for the c710? It's amazing how people started out talking in high praises of the c751 then the c710 comes out and the c751 becomes Muddy, and sibilant. I'll be using these phones with a Sony E345, also using comply tips. Should I try to cancel my order and switch? (its on ebay so Im probably stuck either way
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Just need some reassurance that the 751 is still a good performer by 2009-2010 standards..
 
Dec 22, 2009 at 8:46 PM Post #1,398 of 1,418
Quote:

Originally Posted by fireismind /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I just read all these reviews on the c751's, got excited, and purchased a pair, then i realized the date was 2007! Dont ask, i had too many windows going. Did i make a mistake? should i have gone for the 710? Its amazing how people start of talking in high praises of the 751 then the 710 comes out and the 751 becomes Muddy, and sibilant. Ill be using these phones with a Sony E345, and the comply tips, should i try to cancel my order and switch?


The C-751 didn't become muddy and sibilant, it's just that some prefer the C-751, others prefer the C-710s. Your Sony is basically the next gen of my A816, so you "might" find the C-751s too bass heavy and too bright on the top end. I'm more of an AKG man, so the C-710s better match their sound sig for me, the forward mids, smooth highs and more restrained and controlled bass on my A816, but Mark had the opposite results with his source and amp...

I'm biased, so I would say cancel and reorder, but Mark and others would say, keep the 751s. The decision is only yours to make.
 
Dec 22, 2009 at 8:51 PM Post #1,399 of 1,418
The C700/C751's never sounded muddy to me at all, and I loved them when I had them. But that was a long time ago, and the C710's (apart from the silly joke cable) are better all round for me, especially the mids. They have great synergy with all my Sony daps which makes them nice and versatile too
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Dec 22, 2009 at 9:12 PM Post #1,400 of 1,418
While good bass response if VERY important to me, I hate having TOO much, and lacking midrange detail are usually deal breakers for me. The guy has already shipped the item (after about an hour! lol) so perhaps i should keep them sealed for resale and spring for something else. From everything i READ (havent tested) the Shures and Westones sounded like winners but i had reservations about too little bass, and high $$. My budget was going to be around $200-$250 originally, but I found these for just over $100 and jumped. Any sugestions?

I listen to a lot of Rock/indie, Dubstep, House. Highest Bitrates.
Im looking for Good detail in the midrange nice n smooth.
sparkle on the top end is always good
natural deep bass extension over volume.

I'm having a real hard time sorting through everything posted here. perhaps the 710's will be my best bet

I really appreciate the suggestions and will do more research on them.

Thanks
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Jan 23, 2010 at 6:37 PM Post #1,401 of 1,418
I got my Denon C700s a couple days ago, loving them. I came from ue super.fi 5 ebs, the highs were way too harsh for my liking and the bass was too boomy.

I don't find them muddy sounding in the least. I listen to a lot of rock/metal.

When I'm stationary I wear them down, but when walking around I wear em over the ear. This works out very nicely. The cable is a tad rugged which creates friction between the skin on my ears and cable, thus no slip offs.
 
Jan 23, 2010 at 9:45 PM Post #1,402 of 1,418
Quote:

Originally Posted by thornygravy /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I got my Denon C700s a couple days ago, loving them. I came from ue super.fi 5 ebs, the highs were way too harsh for my liking and the bass was too boomy.

I don't find them muddy sounding in the least. I listen to a lot of rock/metal.

When I'm stationary I wear them down, but when walking around I wear em over the ear. This works out very nicely. The cable is a tad rugged which creates friction between the skin on my ears and cable, thus no slip offs.



I wear them over the ear, and think they stay put well, and make sure to try the Complys T400 tips as well - they isolate better and seem to balance the frequency response better when paired with some bright iPods.
 
Jan 25, 2010 at 2:33 AM Post #1,403 of 1,418
After much deliberation, I went out & picked up the c751's yesterday & have to say... out of the box, they were very good... with the excpetion of the tips

It took me a while to get a good seal, and the Medium "ideally" is the right size, but it takes alot of time to set it in...

So I had an extra set of T400 from my last EX300 & NC33s, and slapped them on... well they fit quite well and give better isolation thank stock and "I do belive" tames down some of the sibilence that is present in poor recordings off a portable device.

I've owned alot of headphones and not quite as many IEMs, but I did do a straight on comparison w/ the Sony NC33 & EX300 that I bought, and overall... well there is more width to the imaging, far more resoltion in all ranges, and mostly a deeper bass, yet retaining a somewhat analyticial sound.

It to me seems like it is a good monitoring can, and reminds me alot of my Sony MDR-V6/7506, where as the EX300 & NC33 are warmer like a set of KSC-35's/PX100s

"I" personally am a resolution nut, and not a basshead... I love grip and detail, but though the bass is deep and plentyful, I do truely enjoy these cans.

Other IEMs I've tried are the Skullcandy Titans (now my room mates
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), Shure 210E, and some low end UE

Personally I hate deep seated IEMs, which is why I went Sony first...

Thing is... w/ the Comply T400, they are supurb, but it is a bit of pain having to roll them every time you insert them & they obviously don't have the best durability...

Should I pick up a set of Sony EX? I have a set of Hybrids that "I" should try, but it seems like the center core is way too small for the Denons :p

Has anyone modded the Sony hybrids to fit?
 
Jan 25, 2010 at 2:44 AM Post #1,404 of 1,418
Quote:

Originally Posted by r3cc0s /img/forum/go_quote.gif
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Thing is... w/ the Comply T400, they are supurb, but it is a bit of pain having to roll them every time you insert them & they obviously don't have the best durability...

Should I pick up a set of Sony EX? I have a set of Hybrids that "I" should try, but it seems like the center core is way too small for the Denons :p

Has anyone modded the Sony hybrids to fit?



I have the Sony EX-81s and used their tips on my C-700s originally, but then I ordered the Koss olives direct from Koss and for $5 you get three sets of small/medium/large. They were a huge sonic improvement over the stock Denon tips and a nice improvement over the Sony tips.

I use the Comply tips on my C-710s and now I have them on the Sony EX-81s which I use for working out so the expanding foam helps hold them in my ears.
 
Jan 25, 2010 at 3:25 AM Post #1,405 of 1,418
Quote:

Originally Posted by BoilermakerFan /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I have the Sony EX-81s and used their tips on my C-700s originally, but then I ordered the Koss olives direct from Koss and for $5 you get three sets of small/medium/large. They were a huge sonic improvement over the stock Denon tips and a nice improvement over the Sony tips.

I use the Comply tips on my C-710s and now I have them on the Sony EX-81s which I use for working out so the expanding foam helps hold them in my ears.



Might just have to do what you you've said...

Then again, I do have enough Complys to last a few months, so may still make due with them...

Not sure why, but the Hybrid Silicone Sonys are easily the best silicone tips I've used... almost a suction cup once there in.

I'll grab a set of Sony EX if they sound as good as the Complys and see how those work
 
Jan 26, 2010 at 4:50 AM Post #1,407 of 1,418
So when it comes down to "comfort" for me & these cans, I find them the most awkward of the EIMs to fit as compared to EX300/NC33, SK Titans, my buddy's Shure 210es... Its unfortunately and I have tried plenty of tips, but have found the ideal compromise & as stated before, its the med Comply T400..

It does take some of the brightness off the top (which I refer to as shrill sibilance), and seals the best with easily the most comfort. Not only that... they seem to bring a much more neutral & transparent presentation where as both the Denon & Sony EX tips seem to give a "hall" like resonance when directly a/b compared. Along w/ that the Comply "I" think give a better sence of staging, but that's my interpritation.

The next in line is the Sony EX series... They fit, they seal and are significally better than the Denon's for achieving both comfort & seal. Performance? I'd say they are exactly the same as the Denon tips.
Problem is... though these tips fit like a glove on the Denon itself, its not the "best" silicone fit I've had. (such as Sony Hybird's on the EX300/NC33)
I've put the same EX tips on a set of Skull Candy Titans (very simular) but for some reason, I can easily achieve aseal that feels like a vacuum in my ear, where it takes a little adjustment w/ the Denons.

"I" think the Denon's actual tips (the metal bit) are a bit too short and the body too wide, causing the unit to not quite go deep enough before the metal touches my ear.
That being said, if I wear it over my neck, it helps mitigate this enough to be quite functional.

The Complys on the other hand make these can's quite magnificant and "do" in fact isolate a bit better than any silicone.

But... as I get alot of calls during the day in my line of work, I'm content w/ the Medium Sony EX tips, as they are way easier to slip on/off.

The Sony Hybrid tips just have too small of a "core" diameter, and I didn't want to wreck those tips by forcing them on... as well the diameter of the sound tube from both the new EX300/500/NC33 line is much narrower and I think that tryin to put those tips on the Denons would likely result in a smaller stage, if not some altered presence.

Also tonight, I decided to compare them w/ my AKG k701's off of my audio alchemy hpa-1 amp & well... it didn't compare off the amp. Off the same source "my 2nd Gen Ipod w/ 320k rips)" The AKG 701's danced with significantly more soundstage, realistic full bodied vocals w/ a viscreal like presence and deffinately a much more neutral bass presence.

The Denon's off that amp just sounded boomy and un-controlled... the bass became way overpowering and severly hindered the finess in its midrange...

BUT.... right off the Ipod itself, it was very well behaved (no EQ).. still a bit "bassy" but a fun bassy, much more dynamic and still incredibly resolved..

Weird hey? To me, they don't like being amp'd off a powerful neutral source... perhaps these were made or EQ'd for low powered outputs
It works for me, as I "hate" carrying around an portable headamp.
 
Jan 26, 2010 at 5:46 AM Post #1,408 of 1,418
Quote:

Originally Posted by r3cc0s /img/forum/go_quote.gif
So when it comes down to "comfort" for me & these cans, I find them the most awkward of the EIMs to fit as compared to EX300/NC33, SK Titans, my buddy's Shure 210es... Its unfortunately and I have tried plenty of tips, but have found the ideal compromise & as stated before, its the med Comply T400..

It does take some of the brightness off the top (which I refer to as shrill sibilance), and seals the best with easily the most comfort. Not only that... they seem to bring a much more neutral & transparent presentation where as both the Denon & Sony EX tips seem to give a "hall" like resonance when directly a/b compared. Along w/ that the Comply "I" think give a better sence of staging, but that's my interpritation.

...

The Complys on the other hand make these can's quite magnificant and "do" in fact isolate a bit better than any silicone.
...

BUT.... right off the Ipod itself, it was very well behaved (no EQ).. still a bit "bassy" but a fun bassy, much more dynamic and still incredibly resolved..

Weird hey? To me, they don't like being amp'd off a powerful neutral source... perhaps these were made or EQ'd for low powered outputs
It works for me, as I "hate" carrying around an portable headamp.



You got it. I've posted similar things about the Complys here before, and also about the pre-EQ'd theory too. Pop on a T400 and plug into 3G Nano headphone out and they're pretty enjoyable. They still don't get as much ear-time as my W2 and W3 or custom IEM now, but they outlasted others that are long gone. But they do need the T400 tips to help control the bass and treble balance better for me.
 
Jan 26, 2010 at 6:48 AM Post #1,409 of 1,418
Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif
You got it. I've posted similar things about the Complys here before, and also about the pre-EQ'd theory too. Pop on a T400 and plug into 3G Nano headphone out and they're pretty enjoyable. They still don't get as much ear-time as my W2 and W3 or custom IEM now, but they outlasted others that are long gone. But they do need the T400 tips to help control the bass and treble balance better for me.


For me, the main reason is the fit... they stay and Isolate pretty well

I can enjoy the cans w/ the EX tips, but man those stock Denon tips are terrible. "Why" would Denon provide those tips, is beyond me... my room mate & wife couldn't get a proper seal without fidigiting with the Denon tips, but found the EX to work, to their respective size, every time.


Does anyone make a compatable tip like a Comply but with better longevity?

But yea, I mean I don't have the most modern amp, but even off my Luxman LV-103 that I use for my bookshelves in my study, well... gives the same impression that these little cans prefer a less promonant source.
 
Mar 31, 2010 at 4:24 AM Post #1,410 of 1,418
wow, i just pulled out my c700's and started listening to them then looked up this thread... i never gave them a chance as I upgraded from MD33's to these.. then moved straight to the PFE's soon after... but i have to say, they still sound pretty darn good.. gonna burn them in a bit and see what happens...
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