BackwardPawn
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2011
- Posts
- 254
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- 52
The AD700 seems to be one of those headphones that everyone either loves or hates. If you're in the former group, its one of the best bang-for-your-buck in deals in hi-fi at $90 on Amazon and is definitely worth trying if new to headphones.
Comfort:
There is almost no clamp force due to the unique 3D wing system that Audio-Technica includes on this series of headphones. Potentially, these could be extremely comfortable, but there are two issues worth mentioning. Both seem to be getting better with use, though. First, the felt ear pads are soft to the touch, but are initially itchy on the side of your head. Second, the pads themselves put a weird pressure on the front of your jaw, despite having almost no clamp force. I'm expecting both of these to be break-in issues as they seem to be improving and will follow-up in a later post. Also worth noting, I have a big head, so these fit well. People with smaller heads may have trouble.
Out of the box performance:
Initially, I found the performance of this headphone a little disappointing. The general recommendation is that a standalone amp is not needed to power these headphones. While this may be technically true, I've found that bass boost is a must. If your a fan of classical and acoustic music, the out of the box sound may be what you're looking for. Anyone else should be sure you have the equipment to properly adjust the sound coming out of these...bass boost turns these into a well rounded set of cans.
Highs:
Treble is one of the highlights of these headphones. It produces a bright, airy sound without being harsh. One review I read complained of harshness and sibilance, I haven't found any of that. Instead, I've found a crisp sound with a fair amount of detail that make the high end perfect for genres such as classical and j-pop. While, it could be more detailed, its extremely clear--especially for the price.
Bass:
There is good news and bad news on the bass front. Bad news first--as previously mentioned, bass is very thin out of the box. Its an accurate bass (as opposed to the bloated, muddy bass of the HD555), but it carries no presence, and has no punch. The good news is that if you have bass boost capability (or an EQ), you can compensate for this issue. Better yet, the boosted bass retains most of its accuracy--adding maybe a touch of muddiness. Don't expect the punch you need for genres such as hip-hop out of these, even with bass boost, but you do get a well-rounded bass for most genres. The bass blends, well with the rest of the sound, as opposed to obfuscating the mid-range the way lower end Sennheisers like the PX100 and the HD555 do.
Mid range:
Technically, I would call the mid range very slightly recessed. However, the lack of punch and clear separation from the lower end allows it to shine--and shine it does. Female vocalists sound silky smooth, and I found myself combing my collection for artists like Alison Krauss, Aimee Mann, and Nora Jones. Male vocals still come off crisp and clear, but somehow aren't given quite the same treatment...it just seems more tuned to the female vocal range.
Sound-stage:
This is the context that you hear the most about these headphones, and while its true that it has an enormous sound stage, its a shame that the headphone has been pigeon holed as a headphone you only buy for sound stage. Its led to recommendations that these are great gaming headphones, but not something you buy for music. Nothing could be further from the truth...these are music headphones first and foremost. The fact that you can use these in on-line shooters to pinpoint an enemy only goes to show how great the sound stage is, its not the reason these cans exist. In fact, the thinness of the bass actually detracts from the immersion in the game, making these more of a gaming tool than an ideal gaming sound signature (bass boost helps a bit, but it still lacks the punch you want when gaming). While I plan to use these for gaming at the moment, they will probably be replaced in my next upgrade.
In music, the sound stage is ideal for classical and live music, where you can locate each instrument being played. It sets up a slightly weird dichotomy in jazz, however, when the drums are very recessed and the symbols are very forward. It doesn't really detract from the music once you get used to it though.
Edit: One thing...I had the bass cutoff set way too high in gaming mode...so the bass response in games isn't as bad as I made out...it could be better, but its very usable.
Source (X-fi Titanium HD):
While it may be ideal to use a higher-end set of cans with a sound card such as the Ti HD, there is an undeniable synergy between the AD700 and the Ti HD. Firstly, the clarity of the source is apparent when listening to the headphones. They may not be the most high-end cans, but you can tell the difference between the sound card and a portable unit right off. Also, the sound card seems to limit any potential fatigue by rolling the highs very slightly (in my opinion). This is apparent when you compare the entertainment mode with audio creation mode. While creation mode still sounds very good, it brightens the highs very slightly, which could be fatiguing over time. Still the option is there if you like your highs bright (keep in mind this is still has bright highs, either way.)
The card also has several ways to improve the bass output of these headphones. The THX "enable speaker" mode gave the bass the presence it was initially lacking (plus I tweaked the bass knob just a bit). In game mode, you have the option of boosting the bass by the decibel, which really add some of that lower effect back in. The bass boost on my Cowon X5L really helps, as well. Again, though, I want to reiterate, bass boost isn't adding punch, its adding a smooth, nicely blended bass.
Conclusion:
I really like these headphones. They are comfortable (mostly), the frequency bands are well blended, and they have a good amount of detail. They are also very clear and accurate. They do lack some sparkle and detail in the high end, and need a boost to overcome their one major handicap in the bass, but if you can live with these issues, they offer great sound at a great price. I'm currently saving up for some DT990s (decidedly more high-end), but I suspect that even when I buy those, the AD700 will still have a place in my collection.
Comfort:
There is almost no clamp force due to the unique 3D wing system that Audio-Technica includes on this series of headphones. Potentially, these could be extremely comfortable, but there are two issues worth mentioning. Both seem to be getting better with use, though. First, the felt ear pads are soft to the touch, but are initially itchy on the side of your head. Second, the pads themselves put a weird pressure on the front of your jaw, despite having almost no clamp force. I'm expecting both of these to be break-in issues as they seem to be improving and will follow-up in a later post. Also worth noting, I have a big head, so these fit well. People with smaller heads may have trouble.
Out of the box performance:
Initially, I found the performance of this headphone a little disappointing. The general recommendation is that a standalone amp is not needed to power these headphones. While this may be technically true, I've found that bass boost is a must. If your a fan of classical and acoustic music, the out of the box sound may be what you're looking for. Anyone else should be sure you have the equipment to properly adjust the sound coming out of these...bass boost turns these into a well rounded set of cans.
Highs:
Treble is one of the highlights of these headphones. It produces a bright, airy sound without being harsh. One review I read complained of harshness and sibilance, I haven't found any of that. Instead, I've found a crisp sound with a fair amount of detail that make the high end perfect for genres such as classical and j-pop. While, it could be more detailed, its extremely clear--especially for the price.
Bass:
There is good news and bad news on the bass front. Bad news first--as previously mentioned, bass is very thin out of the box. Its an accurate bass (as opposed to the bloated, muddy bass of the HD555), but it carries no presence, and has no punch. The good news is that if you have bass boost capability (or an EQ), you can compensate for this issue. Better yet, the boosted bass retains most of its accuracy--adding maybe a touch of muddiness. Don't expect the punch you need for genres such as hip-hop out of these, even with bass boost, but you do get a well-rounded bass for most genres. The bass blends, well with the rest of the sound, as opposed to obfuscating the mid-range the way lower end Sennheisers like the PX100 and the HD555 do.
Mid range:
Technically, I would call the mid range very slightly recessed. However, the lack of punch and clear separation from the lower end allows it to shine--and shine it does. Female vocalists sound silky smooth, and I found myself combing my collection for artists like Alison Krauss, Aimee Mann, and Nora Jones. Male vocals still come off crisp and clear, but somehow aren't given quite the same treatment...it just seems more tuned to the female vocal range.
Sound-stage:
This is the context that you hear the most about these headphones, and while its true that it has an enormous sound stage, its a shame that the headphone has been pigeon holed as a headphone you only buy for sound stage. Its led to recommendations that these are great gaming headphones, but not something you buy for music. Nothing could be further from the truth...these are music headphones first and foremost. The fact that you can use these in on-line shooters to pinpoint an enemy only goes to show how great the sound stage is, its not the reason these cans exist. In fact, the thinness of the bass actually detracts from the immersion in the game, making these more of a gaming tool than an ideal gaming sound signature (bass boost helps a bit, but it still lacks the punch you want when gaming). While I plan to use these for gaming at the moment, they will probably be replaced in my next upgrade.
In music, the sound stage is ideal for classical and live music, where you can locate each instrument being played. It sets up a slightly weird dichotomy in jazz, however, when the drums are very recessed and the symbols are very forward. It doesn't really detract from the music once you get used to it though.
Edit: One thing...I had the bass cutoff set way too high in gaming mode...so the bass response in games isn't as bad as I made out...it could be better, but its very usable.
Source (X-fi Titanium HD):
While it may be ideal to use a higher-end set of cans with a sound card such as the Ti HD, there is an undeniable synergy between the AD700 and the Ti HD. Firstly, the clarity of the source is apparent when listening to the headphones. They may not be the most high-end cans, but you can tell the difference between the sound card and a portable unit right off. Also, the sound card seems to limit any potential fatigue by rolling the highs very slightly (in my opinion). This is apparent when you compare the entertainment mode with audio creation mode. While creation mode still sounds very good, it brightens the highs very slightly, which could be fatiguing over time. Still the option is there if you like your highs bright (keep in mind this is still has bright highs, either way.)
The card also has several ways to improve the bass output of these headphones. The THX "enable speaker" mode gave the bass the presence it was initially lacking (plus I tweaked the bass knob just a bit). In game mode, you have the option of boosting the bass by the decibel, which really add some of that lower effect back in. The bass boost on my Cowon X5L really helps, as well. Again, though, I want to reiterate, bass boost isn't adding punch, its adding a smooth, nicely blended bass.
Conclusion:
I really like these headphones. They are comfortable (mostly), the frequency bands are well blended, and they have a good amount of detail. They are also very clear and accurate. They do lack some sparkle and detail in the high end, and need a boost to overcome their one major handicap in the bass, but if you can live with these issues, they offer great sound at a great price. I'm currently saving up for some DT990s (decidedly more high-end), but I suspect that even when I buy those, the AD700 will still have a place in my collection.
