[Metrops]

  If you can swing the Bifrost Multibit that would be better than the Modi.  (I have the standard Bifrost)

 
No, that is too far out my price range

 

[LugBug1]

  When it comes to DAC, audition is a must ! This is where things go long way on your journey. Sensitive headphone like HD800 or 700 is excellent to detect if there's any harshness and discrepancies on all spectrum, turn it out loud as much as you can handle and listen for peakiness, distortions and how clean everything is especially the low end region. You shouldn't cringe, shouldn't get fatigue or headache you should at this point shake your head and jump off your feet haha. If something doesn't feel right then it's not right. If you're happy then everything else is gravy 

 

 

While I agree with your point of using your ears to detect anything that may be conceived as detrimental...
 
Do NOT turn it up as loud as you can handle!! For obvious reasons.  
 
Also, IMO there's not many dacs (beyond the cheapest of the cheap) these days that would exhibit discrepancies causing obvious harshness beyond the recording itself. And even headphones such as the HD800 and HD700 are not perfect tools for the job. These headphones are tuned with peaks and troughs themselves. A less than perfect recording may sound harsh up top or bloated below regardless of the DAC - amp. The best measured dac in the world may be the only one to exhibit harshness in a recording. Because it was there all along, only the lesser dacs dulled it.   
 
Use your ears sensibly (you only get one set) and if it sounds good - then it sounds good - happy days     

 

[gibosi]

  No, that is too far out my price range

 
As before, when I suggested getting an inexpensive LD MKII or MKII, given that you are just getting started, I would suggest you begin with an inexpensive DAC.
 
Something like a HiFimeDIY Sabre DAC for only $42 would be a very good place to start:
 
 http://hifimediy.com/sabre-dac-uae23
 
It surprisingly good for the price, and coupled with an inexpensive tube amp like a Little Dot, gets you up and running for not much money.
 
Cheers

 

[Metrops]

   
As before, when I suggested getting an inexpensive LD MKII or MKII, given that you are just getting started, I would suggest you begin with an inexpensive DAC.
 
Something like a HiFimeDIY Sabre DAC for only $42 would be a very good place to start:
 
 http://hifimediy.com/sabre-dac-uae23
 
It surprisingly good for the price, and coupled with an inexpensive tube amp like a Little Dot, gets you up and running for not much money.
 
Cheers

 
Although I your advice is helpful. I decided on the Schiit Modi 2 Multibit and Valhalla 2. I will not be replacing them, so I wanted to get a higher end version

 

[gibosi]

   
Although I your advice is helpful. I decided on the Schiit Modi 2 Multibit and Valhalla 2. I will not be replacing them, so I wanted to get a higher end version

 
Good luck with that!

 

[Metrops]

   
Good luck with that!

 
Haha, I do not have the money to replace them. Only work two days a week

 

[buke9]

Although I your advice is helpful. I decided on the Schiit Modi 2 Multibit and Valhalla 2. I will not be replacing them, so I wanted to get a higher end version

The multibit is a good choice but the Valhalla 2 can be a bit bright with the 700's. Tons of power but to me very Solid State sounding with the stock tubes. You might want to go to the tube rolling thread and find some warmer sounding tubes if that is the case for you also but give it a try first who knows it might be right for you.

 

[Metrops]

The multibit is a good choice but the Valhalla 2 can be a bit bright with the 700's. Tons of power but to me very Solid State sounding with the stock tubes. You might want to go to the tube rolling thread and find some warmer sounding tubes if that is the case for you also but give it a try first who knows it might be right for you.

 
Yeah, I will get some warmer tubes. Currently using onboard so SS, I doubt it will be any more bright than it is now though?

 

[Signs23]

Sorry off topic not sure how to post correctly as I'm a noob.

Hi Everyone I have come here for advice, as I am by no means educated on audio. If anyone can help me I would be so greatful. This is in regards to my gaming headset on PS4 Pro.

I'm using the Sennheiser Game One headset, combined with the Astro pro mixamp Tr, on my PS4 PRO.
I hear in game audio through the headset, but my Headset MIC does not work at all! The PS4 does not even recognize a mic. This is so troubling, because the same exact setup and settings work perfectly on my regular PS4. Mic works! but not on my PS4 PRO!!! The sennheiser mic when not connected with the mixamp works just fine on THE PS4 Pro. it leads me to believe my mixamp for whatever reason is not working correctly on the PS4 pro. I contacted Astro and they are completely useless. No support at all. I have dl the latest firmware update for the mixamp, as well as changed the mode to streaming. But mic does not work.

So basically can anyone here confirm that this headset amp works on specifically the PS4 Pro? If it does sure I should return and get a new one. Or Is there a different Mixamp other than the Astro that will work, and give me as good or better sound boost than the Astro amp. Specifically which other amp would u guys recommend

Once again I really appreciate some help here guys thank you.

 

[buke9]

Yeah, I will get some warmer tubes. Currently using onboard so SS, I doubt it will be any more bright than it is now though?

I think it will the gain is a lot higher on the V2 but you'll have to decide when you get. Very good amp though leaps and bounds over onboard you will hear things in songs you haven't heard before with the amp and multibit dac.

 

[Malfunkt]

Okay just got a used set of these a couple hours ago. in amazing condition thanks to a fellow head-fi enthusiast (thank you~!). 
 
Just now getting to listen to them so here are my very initial impressions. We'll see how accurate my immediate impressions are in the long run. 

I'm not new to the game, and have listened to many sets, so I feel I can make a pretty good immediate assessment.
 
TL;DR - The HD700 has a baroque character filtered through a futuristic presentation of sound. Slight unnaturalness offset by supreme technicalities. Not an all-rounder, needs to be fed with the best music of the highest recorded fidelity (I'm talking about the recording process and performances, redbook format is fine here). Sounds very good with classical recordings. 


 
Live Assessment 
 
Musical piece: Mozart - Sinfonia Concertante, Concerto for Violin & Piano - Midori, Imai, NDRSO, Eschenbach (2001) [FLAC] 


Right off the bat, I can tell already the sharpness that could make these averse to people. Somehow, these feel like Sennheiser merged consumer sensibility (HD598) with HD800 technology. They are both accessible yet niche. 
 
I've owned the HD650 twice, and I think I'll look into getting an HD600 someday. The HD650, from my memory manages to present itself more natural while at the same time being relatively muted. Same goes for the LCD2 and I feel the HD650 / LCD2.1 trade off in their realism of presentation within certain frequency ranges.  
 
It seems that the HD700 is a bit too 'immediate', really quite borderline. At the same time, you can hear the brilliance of the expression without inhibition. 
 
They are bright like my Denon D2000, while being more tonally coherent and of course, more spacious. 
 
Musical piece: Liszt & Dohnanyi - Works for Piano & Orchestra - Kocsis, BFO, Fischer (1989) [FLAC] (Philips 422 380-2)
 
Deciding to stick with classical for a bit, this time with a piece that has more representation from the piano. This is such a good change from the rest of my kit. Sennheiser's lower range cans (HD555, 598, etc) are left in the dust. I think they are great cans, but they have nowhere near this level of transparency, detail, and separation. In fact, I'll say right now that this has much better separation than what was experienced with the HD650. This piece is very demanding, and every resonant strike of the piano is kept fully intact with the rest of the orchestra. 
 
The HD700 is like listening to glass. There is none of the grain that is present in the 650. 
 
Musical piece: Squarepusher - Damogen Furies
 
Okay, I know this is going to be rough. That's why I chose this album. And yeah, no way around it. There is nothing 'smooth' about the HD700. This is no easy-listening kick back listening device. They are more tilted towards being ear scalpals. Ouch! 
 
Give me my LCD2 and D2000s please. Lol. 
 
It's like having an IEM jammed into your ear. The thing is, you can try rolling off the upper frequency range, and it will sound more like a consumer tuning. 
 
Not enjoyable, but is it the recording itself?  It is a very squelchy, resonant composition. It also may not have the dynamic range, or is rather too constant in the ranges its electronic instruments present themselves, becoming grating. But it is Squarepusher afterall.

Musical piece: BT - Artifacture / Indivism
 
Incredibly well produced for an electronic piece. BT is going to bring his impeccable production style for certain. And, it sounds absolutely sublime.
 
For a short bit, I'm going to turn it up on Indivism. The O2/ODAC feeds this perfectly. Solid and unfettered. Power wise, these appear to have the same requirements as my LCD2.
 
Musical piece: Prokofiev - Romeo and Juliet - RCO, Myung-Whun Chung
 
Back to classical, these seem better suited. They can be brash, bombastic when timpani is called for. Really great rendition of the Montagues and the Capulets. There is a slight unaturalness to the HD700, a bit of artificiality. Yet they are balanced by very good technicalities. Even if the tonality is not perfect, it nails speed, resoltuion, and has plenty of dynamic. 
 
Bass is perfect, details are present without overwhelming. Plenty of depth.
 
This is really an incredible listen. It is these moments that sells the HD700. So far, the most dynamic music has played well with it. 
 
Completely sold on these headphones for just these experiences alone. Manages to be both intimate and grand at the same time. Weird. 
 
Musical piece: Handel - Neun Deutsche Arien - Emma Kirkby, London Baroque
 
We are getting into vocal territory of the highest quality. In this recording, there is no trace of some of the HD700 perhaps 'problematic' presentation. Dial up the sound if you wish. It will just put you right in the front row listening to an exquisite performance. 
 
For this piece and similar HD700>LCD2>HD650

I'm very well acquainted with this recording and performance. This is audiophile grade sound right here. 
 
Musical pieces:

Erno Dohnányi - Chamber Music - Kocian Quartet, Beethoven String Trio 
Rimsky-Korsakov - Great Orchestral Works - Rotterdam PO, Zinman 
Mendelssohn - Symphonies, Dohnanyi, Wiener Philharmoniker (2010)
 
Umh. Wow. If you only used the HD700 for popular music (ie. music made for radio that uses a sometimes unhealthy amount of  dynamic compression) you would be missing out on what these headphones are about.

Would I like the HD800 more? Probably. I've listened to them a couple times. I loved them. I think I'll be fine with these for a while. 
 
Musical piece: Solar Bears - Advancement
 
I do listen to quite a bit of electronic pieces. HD700 will do great with the best of them. I'd say anything that has a lot of dynamic compression used, typically for rhythm sections, just turn the HD700 down a bit. Some people want to have a can where they can crank it a bit, get some of that punch from the drums. This is not the can for you. I'll have a $33 pair of Logitech UE6000s coming and honestly, they are very good, and will be more 'fun' for certain genres. 
 
Turning down the HD700, the bass is till very audible, nicely balanced. Details are present. If you want to relax a bit, I think low volume is the key here. Not so with classical, as where you can turn it up for a short duration should you want. Actually, classical pieces demand that, as in live performances, there are brief moments of loud dynamic range. 
 
Musical Piece: Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly
 
To my ears, this is next-level hip-hop. Production wise, it is part raw jazz recording, with a slightly hotter mix mix to come through on consumer devices. This one will sound better on speakers, and becomes a bit too cluttered on headphones. 'King Kunta' just rolls with this though. Foot tapping, but not street cruising if that makes sense.
 
Gary Willis: Larger than Life
 
Gary is an incredible bassist. Crispy, and on point with the HD700. bass guitar is quite upfront, and very realistic. Definitely a sweet spot for the HD700.
 
Bill Evans Trio - Explorations
 
I lost most of my jazz music a while back and will need to start recovering that library. As like classical, these performances are immaculate. Goose bump good. 
 
 
Last little test. A bit of an unusual one, but important for myself.

Binaural test: using Naturespace app for iOS.  It's weird because there are parts of the frequency range where the HD650 just excels at binaural reproduction of sound. To me, it is a testament to the naturalness of presentation of the HD650. With the HD700, I'm getting a bit of sense that some of the top end is scooped in such a way, that the white noise generated by rain, for example, doesn't sound as authentic and realistic as what it does opn the 650. To my memory. At the same time, lower frequency sounds, say that of wind rushing through a valley, is far more open and detailed. Bass was well done on the 650, and thunder was realistic if not a tiny bit distorted. 
 
It's hard, actually the more I listen, the more holographic the HD700 becomes. I would really need to go head-to-head against the HD6xx series to make a proper comparison, as I'm just doing this off my memory and impressions. The HD700, does seem overall better, however. Thunder sounds have their characteristic timpani, and actually sound like they are coming from the clouds above you, rather than from a slightly distorted driver by your ear. Rain is starting to sound better overall as well. This is great, because I really miss my HD650s for their ability to render binaural sound. The LCD2, while having amazing technicality, just don't quite pull of the holographic magic and I think a larger part of this is where the drivers are in relation to the ear. Insect sounds, and again, wind, of all things, are excellent with the HD700. It get those very high-pitches of crickets and other bugs perfectly. It is a useful test, because we all know what these sounds actually sound like. Bird sounds and chirps, just a slight sharpness. I think I need to hear these against the HD800S too.
 
20minutes later of listening to nature sounds. Again, just a tad sharp up top. Wish I could almost mix it with 650 a bit. Overall, very immersive. 
 
 
Comfort: on the same level as my past HD650s (once the steel band is flexed a bit). Right now, there is a bit of clamp. My head is largely more obtuse than the previous owner, so we'll see. 
 
Isolation: Yes, I know they are open. But these is some important acoustic isolation that is happening. When you put on the headphones You almost get a slight 'sea shell' or "Bose' effect. All outside noises, and for that matter the sounds coming from the driver get dialed in to what Sennheiser has specially designed. Ear pads and cup shape are impressive. Overall construction feels high-quality plastic. For the $400-500 USD mark is very very good. The plastic is practical, but may not feel as premium. It is high-quality for certain. What feels most luxury about it is the design and how it all comes together. 
 
 
Early conclusion: Very impressed. On the same level of my LCD2 for different reasons. I'd have to do a real in-depth comparison against the LCD2, but it would come down to preference. Really, all the pieces I like on the HD700 can absolutely be enjoyed on the LCD2, probably to a similar extent. The LCD2, is an overall better all-rounder and largely inoffensive. 
 
One thing that the LCD2 has, and even more so the 650, is they are just a bit sleepy up top. Even my D2000 gave a bit of sparkle to the top end that really helped. The HD700 does this even better while remaining stunningly clear. Still, the LCd2 has plenty of top-end detail. But it could use a bit of the HD700s excitement. 
 
Strange headphone in a good way. It has a bit of dark tilt, with a brighter, sometimes resonant presentation. 

 

[Metrops]

Well I would have just bought the Valhalla 2 if it did not just go out of stock after adding it to my basket like an hour ago

 

[TK16]

  Well I would have just bought the Valhalla 2 if it did not just go out of stock after adding it to my basket like an hour ago

Have you considered the Lyr 2? The HD700 sounds fantastic with it and it has the juice to run inefficient  low impedance cans like planars.

 

[Sennheiser]

Thanks for your impressions, @Malfunkt!

 

[Metrops]

Yeah, I have looked at it, however I am nt sure which I would prefer. Also, if I was to get the Lyr 2, then I would have to get the Modi 2 Uber and not the Multibit version.

I think both will sound really similar though correct?

So Valhalla 2 and Modi 2 Multibit or Lyr 2 and Modi 2 Uber. Not sure which would sound better for gaming and music