[DavidA]

 
That's funny... 

 
Kidding aside, I have re-learned to love my Grados after spending a lot of time with the HD-700s. There *is* the treble spike, but Grados have other qualities, depending on the music to which you listen. I am finding as I learn / experience more gear, that I best enjoy listening with cans matched to the music, with respect to my own tastes.

I find I get a mood where only a Grado can satisfy and as you noted, only with the music that matches.

 

[dazzerfong]

 
try a grado if you miss the spike

Yeah, but then the bass would be completely sucked out. I'll be fine sticking with these for now. At least, that's what my wallet's telling.

 

[Mechans1]

The HD 700 sounds great to me using a large desktop amp (SinglePower Extreme with good tubes).  I found it very hard to hear this treble spike.  I then bought a small amp, a Bravo 2, and even with a 10M Mullard 12AU7 in it, it  sounded much less full and more etched etc.  I still am not sure the term spike is appropriate, that would indicate a pronounced narrow band of high frequency that is heard only when present.  I think there is probably a better way of saying excessive  treble which is out of balance with the mids and bass.
So yes there is amp dependency in my experience
I must have a "good" pair of 700s  because even with the Bravo it is not terrible. BTW I have the AKG 7XXs which are better suited to the small amp but not as much as one might have thought. 
.

 

[T.R.A.N.C.E.]

 
I must have a "good" pair of HD700s  because even with the Bravo it is not terrible. BTW I have the AKG 7XXs which are better suited to the small amp but not as much as one might have thought. 

 
Whats your verdict, are the HD700 worth their 2-3x cost compared to K7XX?

 

[Music Alchemist]

  Whats your verdict, are the HD700 worth their 2-3x cost compared to K7XX?

 
If you can describe what you are looking for in aspects of sound reproduction, I can tell you how I feel the HD 700 performs in each area. It would only be worth it if you are looking for what it excels at and don't mind missing the things it lacks.

 

[CyberAthlete]

Where do you think it excels and lacks Thanks Music Alchemist
 
Just want your two cents

 

[Music Alchemist]

  Where do you think it excels and lacks Thanks Music Alchemist
 
Just want your two cents

 
I'm only going to answer specific questions. Otherwise, I would have so much to say that I wouldn't bother saying anything at all. Sorry it has to be this way.

 

[CyberAthlete]

I was looking for specific answers: just genres without going into any detail
Eg
 
Exellent:
Symphony
Electronic

Good:
Vocal
 
Bad:
Rock
Metal

 

[Music Alchemist]

  I was looking for specific answers: just genres without going into any detail
Eg
 
Exellent:
Symphony
Electronic

Good:
Vocal
 
Bad:
Rock
Metal

 
The weird thing about that is it sounds excellent with some songs, and not so good with others. And that goes for all genres, except it does sound pretty great almost all the time with most acoustic music. So if that's all you're asking about, you'll need to ask a more detailed question to get a more detailed answer. It's not the type of headphone that I would simply say is good or bad with a genre. It's far more confusing than that. lol
 
I will say that I was surprised how good the HD 700's voice/vocal reproduction is most of the time.
 
Are you asking because the HD 700 you ordered hasn't come in yet? Or are you just looking for other perspectives?

 

[Click]

   
The weird thing about that is it sounds excellent with some songs, and not so good with others. And that goes for all genres, except it does sound pretty great almost all the time with most acoustic music. So if that's all you're asking about, you'll need to ask a more detailed question to get a more detailed answer. It's not the type of headphone that I would simply say is good or bad with a genre. It's far more confusing than that. lol
 
I will say that I was surprised how good the HD 700's voice/vocal reproduction is most of the time.
 
Are you asking because the HD 700 you ordered hasn't come in yet? Or are you just looking for other perspectives?

I and several others have said this multiple times in this thread before: HD700 brings out the best and worst in recordings. A well-recorded, well-produced, uncompressed music file will sound amazing with the HD700, regardless of genre (although electronic music with tons of high frequency might sound bad). The opposite is also true. HD700 is very revealing of your entire chain, from the quality of music file, to your DAC, to your amp.
 
I can't stand listening to Red Hot Chili Pepper albums with HD700, even though I have ripped them to FLAC format from my CDs. I love RHCP but they're notorious for having terrible recordings. However with my other headphones and IEMs, I could listen to RHCP just fine. Most other FLAC files I own sound great with HD700, but my .mp3 collection and Google Music Play streaming doesn't sound nearly as good. Some songs even sound terrible due to the compression and quality of the recording.
 
I mostly use HD700 to listen to FLAC, movies / TV shows, and for gaming. My other headphones and IEMs are better suited for .mp3s and streaming music. 

 

[CyberAthlete]

I'm looking for other perspectives. I've had mine for 1 1/2 weeks. I agree with you 100% on that. It doesn't sound amazing for one genre across the board.
 
I listen to Bollywood as well (and will share some tracks that sound amazing) but then there are others within Bollywood that disengage you from the experience. The more laid back tracks are gold but the up beat ones don't fare well.

Same with Rock. I love Pearl Jam but their heavier tracks don't sound great where as their mellow stuff is sublime. Sigh.
 
I have a love-hate relationship with this but since I have the Shure SRH1540 to cover all the weaknesses of the HD 700 it just sucks Sennheiser built such a polarizing headphone. Excels at certain things then falls short on others. I don't want to switch headphones when I want to listen to different tracks from the same band. What!
 
PS everything I listen to is either WAV 44khz/16-bit (80% of my collection) or 320kbps for tracks I wasn't able to get CDs for. 320kbps is electronic or bollywood since CDs for those are hard to find or too expensive given the limited market.

 

[Music Alchemist]

  I and several others have said this multiple times in this thread before: HD700 brings out the best and worst in recordings. A well-recorded, well-produced, uncompressed music file will sound amazing with the HD700, regardless of genre (although electronic music with tons of high frequency might sound bad). The opposite is also true. HD700 is very revealing of your entire chain, from the quality of music file, to your DAC, to your amp.
 
I can't stand listening to Red Hot Chili Pepper albums with HD700, even though I have ripped them to FLAC format from my CDs. I love RHCP but they're notorious for having terrible recordings. However with my other headphones and IEMs, I could listen to RHCP just fine. Most other FLAC files I own sound great with HD700, but my .mp3 collection and Google Music Play streaming doesn't sound nearly as good. Some songs even sound terrible due to the compression and quality of the recording.
 
I mostly use HD700 to listen to FLAC, movies / TV shows, and for gaming. My other headphones and IEMs are better suited for .mp3s and streaming music. 

 
That's not quite what I meant. The HD 700 is not even remotely close to accurate in some ways. It still has the Sennheiser veil, making things sound muffled and dull at times when they are actually anything but in the recording itself. Its bass is disgustingly weak, and I know what accurate bass sounds like. Those are just two random examples out of a collection of flaws. Unlike others, I do not find it to be bright at all. It's mostly mellow and laid-back, but at least more energetic than many other Sennheisers.

 

[Click]

   
That's not quite what I meant. The HD 700 is not even remotely close to accurate in some ways. It still has the Sennheiser veil, making things sound muffled and dull at times when they are actually anything but in the recording itself. Its bass is disgustingly weak, and I know what accurate bass sounds like. Those are just two random examples out of a collection of flaws. Unlike others, I do not find it to be bright at all. It's mostly mellow and laid-back, but at least more energetic than many other Sennheisers.

I've read about all the "flaws" of HD700 and I've never seen anyone complain about HD700 being veiled or having "disgustingly weak" bass. Even the HD700 haters agree that HD700 is very revealing and accurate, along with having good bass (for an open back headphone). I'm not going to accuse you of having bad hearing, but your opinion of the HD700 differs greatly (basically opposite) from the majority of HD700 owners or people who've auditioned them. Maybe it's your DAC/amp. Who knows...

 

[Focker]

   
. It still has the Sennheiser veil, making things sound muffled and dull at times when they are actually anything but in the recording itself. Its bass is disgustingly weak, and I know what accurate bass sounds like. 

We're hearing exactly the same things. 

 

[Barra]

  I was looking for specific answers: just genres without going into any detail
Eg
 
Exellent:
Symphony
Electronic

Good:
Vocal
 
Bad:
Rock
Metal

Leaving consumer and going into top tier HPs, it is difficult to discuss the specifics of the HP signature without providing prospective into the sound chain to understand pairing. With the top tier level of performance and transparency, the equipment pairing does make a difference. My HD700 or my LCD2.2 can be annoying paired with the wrong equipment or sound like angles singing in my ear with the right equipment. I primarily listen to my HD700 with my Geek Out 720 that has a tube like nature smoothing out the highs and thickening the sound - fantastic pairing. Even better is the BH Crack tube amp for only $300 and even better is any of the Eddie Current tube amp lineup. I bought the HD700 on my way to getting the HD800 finding that in exchange for slightly less sound stage, I gained some bass emphasis and the mids came forward giving me a more musical toe tapping signature that was fun to listen to and would work well with lessor equipment. With the HD800, to get the awe ha moments, you need to start with Eddie Current level tube equipment or better and weigh all levels of the musical chain which can become an obsession overtaking musical enjoyment.
 
Bottom line, the HD700 is easier to drive and more fun to listen to with most sources than it more sterol big brother. I also consider the HE500/560 to be somewhat sterol for perspective. The HD700 brings mids forward for very dynamic vocals and has excellent base for its somewhat analytical signature. I tend to think of it as a colored fun version of the HD800. BTW, it is the most comfortable HP that I have ever worn including the HD800 and I have tried most top tier HPs.
 
BTW, while I consider the HD700 to be more refined and better technically than your HD650, it is not a replacement as it is very different in signature. The HD650 is warm and smoothed that works well with rock and metal that may be glaring in some cases with the HD700 where on the other hand, I find the HD650's too smoothed for some electronic music or classical. They are complementary signatures in your inventory to provide you choice. If you are looking to replace the HD650, then the LCD2 is more similar in use case and signature that beat the HD650 in every way possible - but should at the cost difference.