[escknx]

Used Burson Conductor v1 or v2 doesn't matter
Exceptionally clean, transparent and powerful device, dead black background
It has USB/Toslink/Coax digitals and rca in + rca dac out, all in one package
Mine with es9018, there is also burr-brown 1793 version available
I use it w hd700 and x00/emu teak currently and its awesome

 

[i luvmusic 2]

I just got my HD 700 few days ago and i'am liking it so far paired with my CRACK and my DIY amp.

 

[dobigstuff]

I am using this setup right now with my HD 700's.

I would suggest upgrading the Cable as the stock HD 700 Cable is not the best for those Headphones.

 

[i luvmusic 2]

Sorry!I just don't believed in cables, believed me i fall to that rabbit hole same goes for Capacitors/Resistors i have used many types of cables for all my builds(amps,interconnects,headphone cables)but none satisfies me.Sorry!

 

[DavidA]

Sorry!I just don't believed in cables, believed me i fall to that rabbit hole same goes for Capacitors/Resistors i have used many types of cables for all my builds(amps,interconnects,headphone cables)but none satisfies me.Sorry!

I would change the cables on the HD700 due to physical problems/issues, its just so "kinky" and nothing I tried helped to straighten them or relax the "kinking" of them. But like you I don't believe in cables making a difference in sound for headphones.

 

[escknx]

Same here, I would believe if I could tell the difference.
Thus that cable sounds the same as stock but much more convenient IMO
Just 1.5m and no more kink
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MT7Y90R/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Marlowe]

Same here, I would believe if I could tell the difference.
Thus that cable sounds the same as stock but much more convenient IMO
Just 1.5m and no more kink
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MT7Y90R/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Since I sit right next to my amp in both locations where I use it, the stock cable was a real pain. By making a coil secured by Velcro strips, I was able to shorten it to about 6 feet, which was still a bit too long for me (couldn't really make it any shorter and have it connect to the ear cups and amp easily) and, as noted, the stock cable is unpleasant to use since it refuses to straighten. I then got the cable from Amazon linked above. It was much more pleasurable to use since it was much shorter and not as kinky, and I really did not notice any difference in sound quality, but it felt a little cheap to me. I ordered a beautiful 4 foot braided cable from a one man operation for about $100; it is the perfect length for me, looked and felt much nicer, and I did feel I could detect a small improvement in SQ, though I am quite willing to concede that it may only be a placebo effect. I liked this cable so much that I placed an order for a similar one for the 6XX I am awaiting from Massdrop. However, just yesterday I noticed that the fabric cable covering parted from the strain relief on the left ear cup connector and exposing an eighth or so of an inch of bare wire, which made me feel much worse than if it happened to a $20 cable. As of now, the cable still works perfectly and I pushed the fabric up as much as I could and wound tape around it to protect any exposed wire. The warranty excludes misuse/mistreatment of the cable; I am very careful with my headphones and do not feel that I have subjected the cable to any abuse other than ordinary wear and tear (I'm retired and do wear it quite a lot), but he may not agree.

 

[DavidA]

@Marlowe, got a picture of the sleeve separating from the strain relief?

 

[Marlowe]

@Marlowe, got a picture of the sleeve separating from the strain relief?

I'll try later. The problem is I wound a lot of tape on it and am unsure if I can get it off without doing further damage.

Actually I was wrong in my earlier post. I did not get the cable linked above, but this one: <a href=https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N8R1JBR/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1></a> They are made by the same company and although my cable is almost twice as expensive, I have no idea if there is any significant difference between them. The seller of my cable emphasizes (incorrectly) that it cannot be used for the Hifiman 400i while the less expensive cable is said to work only on Hifiman cans. I've found compatible cables usually work in both. All three cables I have for the 700 (including stock) work in the 400i, but the stock 400i cable will not work in the 700 (apparently, the 2.5mm connector is too thick to insert far enough in the 700's semi-proprietary jack).

 

[DavidA]

Don't take off the tape, wouldn't want to cause anymore damage to your cable.

The HD700 jacks have a key on the barrel and it also makes them a bit stronger IMO. You are correct that all HD700 plugs will work with the HE400i since there is no key area and the jack is not recessed. If you want to use HE400i 2.5mm jacks then they need to have the extended barrel like these:

second from the right, the far right are HD700 jacks where you can see the key (flat area)

 

[Thesonofkrypton]

Hi all - what 4.4mm balanced cable would you recommend to go with these that doesn't break the bank? Anyone with any experience?

 

[DavidA]

Hi all - what 4.4mm balanced cable would you recommend to go with these that doesn't break the bank? Anyone with any experience?

I haven't seen many 4.4mm jacks much less cables so I think you might have to go the custom made route. I did build a cable for a friend but the 4.4mm Eidolic jack that i got was pricy along with the HD800 connectors so I'd expect any cable made with them would be at a minimum $150

 

[terry parr]

The mids are definitely recessed a bit, but I think they make up for it with the far, FAR better bass and the much bigger soundstage.

I have been researching the HD700, thinking that it might sonically fill-in the missing mid-section of the T90, (that I've just recently bought) while at the same time, hoping that that the HD700 would be an overall improvement to the AKG K701-2. (When I bought the T90 about two months ago, I was hoping for an across-the-board improvement for the K701 and K702). The T90 does give you a more satisfying and more impactful bass presentation, but coming from the AKG phones mentioned above, and then listening to the T90, it's apparent "what's missing" in the T90's. (Subtle details in the mids and upper midrange section that you can hear in a 701 or 702 simply aren't there in the T90). Or, if they are, you have to concentrate and focus to hear them. During the past couple of months, when listening to the T90's with some music that I'm very familiar with, I've often thought "If I were listening to this tune for the first time with only these headphones, I probably would've missed this detail or that detail, If you didn't already know that certain sound elements were there, you would've probably completely missed them"

Once I started researching the 700 here in this thread, I was beginning to think that the 700 would check all the boxes. Now, after reading some impressions from others giving their reports of a recessed midrange, I'm not so sure.

I listen mainly to small ensembles with acoustic instruments. (Acoustic trio jazz, small group indie folk/pop). So, if there is a midrange recession in the 700, I'll probably hear it, (or, not hear it, as the case may be ), as the midrange is where a lot of the musical details that I like to focus on sits, in the sound spectrum. Even though the bass extension and bass presence and low-note texture of the T90 is enjoyable, (this is what's missing with the 701's or 702's), what takes away from enjoying this aspect is knowing what you're missing in the mids.

Someone just above this post said something like "...there's definitely a tradeoff taking place (talking about the recessed mids of the 700), but the bass is livelier and the highs sound fuller..." Well, that's about what I have now, with the T90. I was hoping that the 700 would fill-in the missing gaps of the T90 (while still retaining most of the low-end extension, and keeping the high-frequency extension, but at the same time "filling-in" the middle). Now I'm thinking the 700 would simply be more of a side-grade (with probably a slightly different sound signature, overall) to the T90.

 

[DavidA]

@terry parr, the HD700 has recessed mids, but I'd call it "slightly" recessed and not bad in comparison to other headphones with even more recessed mids like the HE400 and TH-X00. I still have my HD700 and like it a lot but I think you might want to try a Grado or one of the alternative driver (Ypsilon, Nhoord, Magnum) builds if you are looking for a headphone that does acoustic jazz, indie folk and pop quite well and are very easy to drive.

 

[Guidostrunk]

So.... I'm returning to the 700's for the 4th time. Lol.

I spent the last year with the HE560's and I think it's a fantastic can. The thing that started bothering me in the last couple of months was it's lack of dynamics, space and, air. There's certain music in my collection that I would skip over because it lacked engagement and was just down right boring with the 560's.

Every move I make switching to different cans, I always seem to want to come back to the 700's over time. I still find it interesting on how many people trashed the 700's over the years. Me personally, haven't found a can to permanently replace it. I considered the Elear a month or so back to try something new. Then the mass exodus happened and is still happening. Even the utopia is being abandoned at a rapid rate. So I'm sticking with tried and true. Unless I have the cash to try other cans while owning the 700's. I won't be leaving again. Lol. It truly is a phenomenal headphone.