[Sonido]

This one here?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1VLaXoRRdk

Started to play it in my shop through the speakers but  35 seconds in had to turn it down, so yes I could see this being fairly fatiguing on the 700s or maybe any headphone?

Sounds fine on Shure SRH1540

Of course these are like closed back versions of the HD650 with recessed treble.

 

[migasson]

I agree with the sentiment here, but I absolutely did not experience this with the HD700.  Something about the odd sound kept pulling me out of the music.  It doesn't help that I got them at the same time as the HD650.  With the HD650 more than any headphone I've owned, I felt that "just one more song" enjoyment with pretty much anything I put on.

I'm looking forward to reading @Evshrug
 's impressions of the HD700.  Except for one or two outliers, it seems like the folks who really love the HD700 are ones who haven't heard a lot of mid- or summit-fi cans to compare it to.  Again, I want to be clear that I'm not dissing the HD700 when I say things like that.  I just don't get why they're so expensive when Sennheiser has the HD650 that I find pretty superior subjectively and other companies have cheaper headphones that sound better as well (e.g. HiFiMAN).  Even if you don't agree that those other headphones ARE better, having that basis of comparison will surely highlight the HD700's weaknesses.

EDIT - Morning spelling

I'll state one thing where you've made an assumption. - phones I've had - Audeze LCD-2 and X, T90, AKG K712, various Fischers, K702, DT770, DT880 600 ohm, various IEM's.. Phones I've auditioned at length and didn't buy, HD650, T1, HD800, Mad Dogs (all), Grado GS1000i, Pandora Hope VI, DT990, and many, many more.

Amps I've owned. Woo WA22, fully balanced, with extra expense on tubes, Burson Soloist, Schiit Valhalla Lyr, various portables. Audio GD 15.32. Listened to.. Pretty much all the Woos, Conductors, Violectrics, etc.

So, I've had very good exposure to the high end. Even listened to an Abyss. I don't mind at all when people disagree with me. But I'm not wrong as this is a subjective hobby, and my ears are connected to my brain, so it's how the music is interpreted by me. Sure the details on my profile aren't listed,

No phone is perfect. That's impossible. Otherwise I wouldn't have spent so much bleeding money! As for the HD650, without sounding OTT, is a piece of garbage to my ears. Hate it! It's like having two pillows over my head. Muffled, and sluggish. I've heard the 650's hooked up to top end amplification, before you ask, and I prefer the 700's hands down. The LCD-2, if I could cope with the weight, is superior to the HD650 to my ears.

 

[Stillhart]

I'll state one thing where you've made an assumption. - phones I've had - Audeze LCD-2 and X, T90, AKG K712, various Fischers, K702, DT770, DT880 600 ohm, various IEM's.. Phones I've auditioned at length and didn't buy, HD650, T1, HD800, Mad Dogs (all), Grado GS1000i, Pandora Hope VI, DT990, and many, many more.

Amps I've owned. Woo WA22, fully balanced, with extra expense on tubes, Burson Soloist, Schiit Valhalla Lyr, various portables. Audio GD 15.32. Listened to.. Pretty much all the Woos, Conductors, Violectrics, etc.

So, I've had very good exposure to the high end. Even listened to an Abyss. I don't mind at all when people disagree with me. But I'm not wrong as this is a subjective hobby, and my ears are connected to my brain, so it's how the music is interpreted by me. Sure the details on my profile aren't listed,

No phone is perfect. That's impossible. Otherwise I wouldn't have spent so much bleeding money! As for the HD650, without sounding OTT, is a piece of garbage to my ears. Hate it! It's like having two pillows over my head. Muffled, and sluggish. I've heard the 650's hooked up to top end amplification, before you ask, and I prefer the 700's hands down. The LCD-2, if I could cope with the weight, is superior to the HD650 to my ears.

 
Thanks, I'm glad to see another person with a pretty extensive history who likes the HD700.  I certainly never meant to imply that anyone was "wrong" for liking the HD700.  I just thought I recognized a trend with who liked them vs who didn't.  You're definitely an outlier too and with enough outliers, it's no longer a trend.  lol
 
My apologies if I came across as dismissive or condescending.

 

[migasson]

Thanks, I'm glad to see another person with a pretty extensive history who likes the HD700.  I certainly never meant to imply that anyone was "wrong" for liking the HD700.  I just thought I recognized a trend with who liked them vs who didn't.  You're definitely an outlier too and with enough outliers, it's no longer a trend.  lol

My apologies if I came across as dismissive or condescending.

No, that's cool! All cleared up

 

[caracara08]

No phone is perfect. That's impossible. Otherwise I wouldn't have spent so much bleeding money! As for the HD650, without sounding OTT, is a piece of garbage to my ears. Hate it! It's like having two pillows over my head. Muffled, and sluggish. I've heard the 650's hooked up to top end amplification, before you ask, and I prefer the 700's hands down. The LCD-2, if I could cope with the weight, is superior to the HD650 to my ears.

 
I agree and I loved the HD650.  I may still love but if I listen to the HD650 after the HD700, its disgusting... as you stated its like having two pillows over my head.  The roll off is apparent the separation is nothing like the HD700, etc.  But yesterday I just listened to the HD650 for an hour or so and I remembered why I loved them.  The imaging, separation and soundstage, at least in my opinon, is more "realistic" as if it was live music at a jazz club or something.  It feels intimate.  I dont mean its small either, it feels right, just in a different venue than say the HD700 or the exaggerated HD800/K70X.  
 
But today, if I go home and only listen to the HD700, I will appreciate the laser focus of the instrument separation, imaging, and soundstage because it is beautifully done in the HD700.  
 
I equate it to a small live performance vs studio recording.   
 
Again my personal opinions - I am not wrong, you are not wrong, this is what I hear.

 

[Stillhart]

Now I want to try the LCD-2... Maybe at the CanJam.

 

[Evshrug]

Nah, you should just buy one. Tell your wife that it's okay because it's just filling the place of one you recently sold

 

[Xcellere]

Two questions for everyone regarding the 700:

1. I'm looking for a cheap and short cable for the 700. Would this one or this one work without degrading the audio quality?
2. What equalizer tweaks would work well with the 700?

 

[Mr Makarov]

1. The second cable is the good one (1st and the compatible sennheiser cable hd212/477/487 will shrink the soundstage like 20%, make highs sound dry and will make bass noticeably less punchy).
2. "Warm" equalizer tweaks will work wonders IMO. Something like: 31hz - 3db, 62hz-6db. And I personally like the sound with 8k at 6db and 16k at 3.
Side note: actually they sound considerably better/cleanier/punchier/livelier out of Walkman F using Poweramp app than from Fiio X5 (that was kind of shocking because I was sure X5 was superior until I compared them, and X5's equalizer changes nothing).
Just my opinion

 

[mahelun]

  1. The second cable is the good one (1st and the compatible sennheiser cable hd212/477/487 will shrink the soundstage like 20%, make highs sound dry and will make bass noticeably less punchy).
2. "Warm" equalizer tweaks will work wonders IMO. Something like: 31hz - 3db, 62hz-6db. And I personally like the sound with 8k at 6db and 16k at 3.
Side note: actually they sound considerably better/cleanier/punchier/livelier out of Walkman F using Poweramp app than from Fiio X5 (that was kind of shocking because I was sure X5 was superior until I compared them, and X5's equalizer changes nothing).
Just my opinion

you meant at 8k (-6db) and 16k (-3db), right? lol

 

[Mr Makarov]

Lol actually nope. I really like 8k at +6db and the other one at +3 or 4. Probably my Hd700 are somewhat "deffective" or/and I´m highly tolerant or immune to the treble spike lol. Anyways all eq settings flat - there is not enough brightness for my taste.

 

[mahelun]

  Lol actually nope. I really like 8k at +6db and the other one at +3 or 4. Probably my Hd700 are somewhat "deffective" or/and I´m highly tolerant or immune to the treble spike lol. Anyways all eq settings flat - there is not enough brightness for my taste.

i have mine at 31.5 3db, 50 3db, 2.5k 4db, 6.3k -6db lol, but i put +3 at 8k found it is much different lol
i m able to hear something i couldnt and i have no idea how. It is like suddenly reveal something that used to be burried.
 
so i m better now lol

 

[Xcellere]

Thank you for the tips gents!

 

[Evshrug]

^interesting EQ settings. I'm probably going to try boosting mids a little at some point, but tonight I played 3 hours of destiny with no fatigue, wearing or ear. Quite nice.

Kinda hard to get a read on how it's different sounding from what I had, I mean three hours but I got used to it really quick (and my attention span is really short when I'm tired... And I've been super sleepy most of the times I've posted on this thread so far. It's got that dynamic headphone punch, smooth but like smooth marble instead of gooey... I can tell this'll be a fun headphone to tube roll with. I can definitely live with the pads... Sennheiser's ergo team in general should be proud (and copied by everyone!).

 

[Rob80b]

.................
Kinda hard to get a read on how it's different sounding from what I had, ...............................................

I can definitely live with the pads... Sennheiser's ergo team in general should be proud (and copied by everyone!).

Hi Evsshrug
 
Once you get a handle on them (and some sleep) I’d be curious on your K712/HD700 take.
After I picked up the 700’s my prior roster consisting of the AKG 701s (with bass port mod), K501, Grado SR325is and HD580/600s hit the chopping block.

 
The HD580/600s were the last to go but only after I acquired the K712s, which I felt were closest to them but with more extended base and a larger better layered sound field.

 
Then it came down to deciding if I really needed more than one phone so there was at one point a toss up between the 700s and the 712s, extended listening continually proved the 700s have much better micro detail retrieval and air but still richer (not warmer) overall than the AKGs and then there is the 700s damn comfort factor so the theK712s went up for sale, twice.
Still there is something about the 712s, or maybe it’s just me being sentimental as I’ve always have had AKGs around for the last thirty years or more, at home and in the studio.
Suffice to say I now alternate between them and the 700s, now just to do a bit of surgery to get them configured for a balanced connection  like my 700s.

 
Then......... come the new year I really need to try some planars from Audeze and HiFiMAN,........who am I fooling when I say we only need one pair of phones.