[LikeABell]

Hey guys,
 
Just purchased a used pair on amazon for ~$350, hope they're in good condition.
Other than that, can't wait to try them out!
 
Anyone here pairs the HD700s with Objective 2? What do you think about this combination?

 

[Rado2]

  Hey guys,
 
Just purchased a used pair on amazon for ~$350, hope they're in good condition.
Other than that, can't wait to try them out!
 
Anyone here pairs the HD700s with Objective 2? What do you think about this combination?

 
I do use it with O2 (+ODAC) and I can say that I like it very much. And the more I listen, the more I like it. Some people find too much treble this way, btw. Probably it also depends on the type of music and the volume knob. My styles are Electronic, Jazz, Classical, Vocals and etc. (no metal or rock though) and I rarely pass the half of the volume knob on x1 gain. Of course, the best is that you try, but try for more time - not 10 minutes. The bass some people find low, but I think it is just right. Having been used to low-cost bass cans, this (HD700+O2/ODAC) combo was ear opener.

 

[LikeABell]

   
I do use it with O2 (+ODAC) and I can say that I like it very much. And the more I listen, the more I like it. Some people find too much treble this way, btw. Probably it also depends on the type of music and the volume knob. My styles are Electronic, Jazz, Classical, Vocals and etc. (no metal or rock though) and I rarely pass the half of the volume knob on x1 gain. Of course, the best is that you try, but try for more time - not 10 minutes. The bass some people find low, but I think it is just right. Having been used to low-cost bass cans, this (HD700+O2/ODAC) combo was ear opener.

Thanks for the reply. I am not the most treble sensitive person, also own the Noble 3Us which have a very extended top end.
I had very briefly auditioned these some time ago at a Sennheiser store and had liked what I had heard. 

 

[Jason Orlando]

I purchased a HD700 a few months ago.  After struggling a bit with sibliance and fatigued listening even after eq'ing, I finally got a bottlehead crack purchased and built.
 
If you haven't heard the HD700 with a bottlehead crack then you haven't heard the HD700.
 
Prior i was using the O2 and it was basically agony.  I've tried them on a schiit stack and it was more tolerable than on the O2 but i didn't do a long audition on those so i'm not sure how soon fatigue might really set in.  Still, it wasnt until listened to these on the crack that i really heard the soundstage open up properly and the bottom end fill in, it's just beautiful.
 
I starting to think the HD700 may be very amp dependent just like the HD800.  (they certainly seem to share many other characteristics)

 

[DavidA]

  I purchased a HD700 a few months ago.  After struggling a bit with sibliance and fatigued listening even after eq'ing, I finally got a bottlehead crack purchased and built.
 
If you haven't heard the HD700 with a bottlehead crack then you haven't heard the HD700.
 
Prior i was using the O2 and it was basically agony.  I've tried them on a schiit stack and it was more tolerable than on the O2 but i didn't do a long audition on those so i'm not sure how soon fatigue might really set in.  Still, it wasnt until listened to these on the crack that i really heard the soundstage open up properly and the bottom end fill in, it's just beautiful.
 
I starting to think the HD700 may be very amp dependent just like the HD800.  (they certainly seem to share many other characteristics)

Agree with you 100%, the HD-700 are amp dependent but not quite as much as the HD-800.  I switch between the BH Crack and Ember for the HD-700 while my GF uses her HD-700 with a Fiio X3 when she walks our dog, sometimes she will take her pink Momentum on-ears

 

[joespride]

  I purchased a HD700 a few months ago.  After struggling a bit with sibliance and fatigued listening even after eq'ing, I finally got a bottlehead crack purchased and built.
 
If you haven't heard the HD700 with a bottlehead crack then you haven't heard the HD700.
 
Prior i was using the O2 and it was basically agony.  I've tried them on a schiit stack and it was more tolerable than on the O2 but i didn't do a long audition on those so i'm not sure how soon fatigue might really set in.  Still, it wasnt until listened to these on the crack that i really heard the soundstage open up properly and the bottom end fill in, it's just beautiful.
 
I starting to think the HD700 may be very amp dependent just like the HD800.  (they certainly seem to share many other characteristics)

+2, Agree chain and Source are of substantial importance (with pretty much any headphone) but the Sennheiser big boys are REALLY  dependant they can sound glorious or like CRAP.....................When I had the Crack with HD650 it was a match made perfect. I never got the chance to hear crack with 700 or 800.
 
Did you build and install speedball as well ?

 

[Jason Orlando]

...

Did you build and install speedball as well ?

No, considering it but I am a bit apprehensive as I havent seen much in the way of impressions on that combo and I know it adds detail. Hoping it doesn't become harsh like the o2

 

[gibosi]

No, considering it but I am a bit apprehensive as I havent seen much in the way of impressions on that combo and I know it adds detail. Hoping it doesn't become harsh like the o2

 
I seriously doubt that speedball would make the sound harsh. As I understand things, speedball is primarily a way to compensate for the fact that a single 6AS7 output tube simply cannot provide as much current as two, that is, one 6AS7 for each channel.
 
In my experience, with a different OTL (two 6AS7, one 6SN7 and one 5U4-type rectifier), harshness, or the lack thereof, is entirely dependent on tube choices. For the HD700, darker and warmer tubes will help to smooth out the 5K peak. RCA and Mullard come to mind, for example.

 

[DavidA]

No, considering it but I am a bit apprehensive as I havent seen much in the way of impressions on that combo and I know it adds detail. Hoping it doesn't become harsh like the o2

I built my BH Crack without the speedball and used it like that for a few months and liked the sound but since I had purchased the speedball I decided to install it anyway.  Only thing that changed was the detail level got a little better, sound stage a little better defined and the bass got a touch better extension.

 

[buke9]

When I bought my 700's I said I wanted to build a Crack and was told it liked 300 ohm or higher headphones. I knew I should have built it anyway. Well now I'm thinking of a Tordepo anyone have heard this with the 700's ? I will hear it next weekend but didn't know if I was going to take my 700's to the meet but I think I will now.

 

[psonoda]

Has anyone tried used or build balanced cables for the HD700. As a DIY. I tried to. build my own. Here are some pics. Waiting for the balanced amp to arrive on Tuesday.

 

[Jason Orlando]

I built my BH Crack without the speedball and used it like that for a few months and liked the sound but since I had purchased the speedball I decided to install it anyway.  Only thing that changed was the detail level got a little better, sound stage a little better defined and the bass got a touch better extension.

This is great feedback.

Do you have any recommendations for a warm power tube? Currently I have an rca 12au7 as my driver, and the ge6080 that came with the crack. Not that I'm unhappy with the GE but just wondering what better sounds like...

 

[DavidA]

  When I bought my 700's I said I wanted to build a Crack and was told it liked 300 ohm or higher headphones. I knew I should have built it anyway. Well now I'm thinking of a Tordepo anyone have heard this with the 700's ? I will hear it next weekend but didn't know if I was going to take my 700's to the meet but I think I will now.

I've been informed from the HD-800 thread that the actual output impedance varies and is dependent on the power tube used.  One of the lowest is a TS-5998.
 
 

This is great feedback.

Do you have any recommendations for a warm power tube? Currently I have an rca 12au7 as my driver, and the ge6080 that came with the crack. Not that I'm unhappy with the GE but just wondering what better sounds like...

The driver tube has more of an effect on the sound.  As for power tube see above.  I'm currently using either Telefunken, Mullard, Bugle Boy, RCA clear top, and a few others for driver, only use TS-5998 for power

 

[gibosi]

  I've been informed from the HD-800 thread that the actual output impedance varies and is dependent on the power tube used.  One of the lowest is a TS-5998.
 

 
All 6AS7/6520/6080 have the same output impedance. So it makes no difference which you use...
 
The 5998, while similar, is electrically different than the 6AS7. Theoretically, the TS-5998 does have a lower impedance. However, in a standard 6AS7 circuit. it is slightly starved for current, so I am not sure... To run this tube optimally, the cathode resistance needs to be reduced in order to increase the plate current.
 
Another difference is that the amplification factor for the 5998 is twice that of a 6AS7 (5 versus 2), and in some amps, especially with higher gain drivers, such as an ECC32, it tends to pickup a bit more transformer hum. As always, YMMV.

 

[DavidA]

   
All 6AS7/6520/6080 have the same output impedance. So it makes no difference which you use...
 
The 5998, while similar, is electrically different than the 6AS7. Theoretically, the TS-5998 does have a lower impedance. However, in a standard 6AS7 circuit. it is slightly starved for current, so I am not sure... To run this tube optimally, the cathode resistance needs to be reduced in order to increase the plate current.
 
Another difference is that the amplification factor for the 5998 is twice that of a 6AS7 (5 versus 2), and in some amps, especially with higher gain drivers, such as an ECC32, it tends to pickup a bit more transformer hum. As always, YMMV.

Thanks for the electrical engineering info as to why the 5998 might be better for the HD-700