[Krutsch]

Finally purchased mine today. Really like them, so far. Won't replace my 650s, but for intimate classical (chamber, quartets, string soloist, et al.), I am super pleased. Superb detail and imaging; violins are absolutely life-like. These cans were made for classical music and I got exactly what I wanted out of my 650-complimentary cans.
 
Should't need to worry about sibilance or treble spikes with aforementioned music selections; for much else, its still the HD-650.
 
I tried listening to some classic guitar rock (Cream, among others) and I had an instant headache - I wish I was kidding, but I can appreciate the love/hate relationship people have with these 'phones.

 

[Krutsch]

^^ Now, on to jazz.... John Coltrane "Giant Steps" sounds really nice with these headphones.
 
Jazz vocals? Listening to Betty Carter's "Social Call" is listenable, but not as engaging as with the HD-650s. The detail, again, is great and fun to listen to, but Betty's vocals are missing the warmth I am used to.
 
A long way to go, evaluating these 'phones.

 

[caracara08]

Great impressions. I felt the same at first but over time, I felt the 650 was outmatched In imaging and separation. I love the 700 now and waiting to go head to head with the el8. Only one can stay.

 

[xSwifty]

This question has probably been asked before, but how does the HD650 stack up to the HD700? My mate is looking at buying a pair of either to use with a Bottlehead Crack + Speed Ball. 

 

[CyberAthlete]

They're different headphones. Honestly after reading and hearing about how the HD 700 stacks between HD 800 and the HD 650 is both true and false. As people suggest, buy them from an authorized dealer with a good return policy. This is one of those headphones that best be demoed. It's polarizing and only you can judge for yourself whether you'll like them. My expectations were this would be a natural upgrade to the  HD 650 but I feel like it's not. There are areas where it excels (sound stage, imaging) and then areas that catch you off guard (and not always in a good way - sibilant, bright). I can deal with treble peaks and a bright headphone, but every time a singer pronounces a word with 'S' in it and it comes off a little lispy just drives me insane. #FirstWorldProblem
 
 
I haven't spent enough time with them to adjust to them but looking to spend 15-20 more hours with them over the next 2 weeks and test them out thoroughly and just let my ears adjust.
 
My situation is different though, if I decide to keep them it's because of all their strengths and for genres where the weaknesses are apparent, I'll switch to the Shure SRH1540...

 

[DavidA]

Great impressions. I felt the same at first but over time, I felt the 650 was outmatched In imaging and separation. I love the 700 now and waiting to go head to head with the el8. Only one can stay.

Just got my EL8 open-back today and its sound is close to my LCD-2f.  Its a lot easier to drive, works pretty good with my X3, m/m stack even computer headphone output.  Trying my various DAC/AMPs with the HD-650 and EL8, like the HD-650 best with bifrost/Lyr2 or Project Ember while the EL8 sound better with bifrost/Asgard2 or from my Xonar DG sound card.  The EL8 has better low end but the HD-650 is better in the mids, highs about the same but depends on with dac/amp is used.

 

[caracara08]

Just got my EL8 open-back today and its sound is close to my LCD-2f.  Its a lot easier to drive, works pretty good with my X3, m/m stack even computer headphone output.  Trying my various DAC/AMPs with the HD-650 and EL8, like the HD-650 best with bifrost/Lyr2 or Project Ember while the EL8 sound better with bifrost/Asgard2 or from my Xonar DG sound card.  The EL8 has better low end but the HD-650 is better in the mids, highs about the same but depends on with dac/amp is used.

Interesting, thank you for your thoughts. I hope to have mine by weds next week!

 

[Krutsch]

Great impressions. I felt the same at first but over time, I felt the 650 was outmatched In imaging and separation. I love the 700 now and waiting to go head to head with the el8. Only one can stay.

 
Yeah, that was obvious to me, right out of the box. I could see acclimating to these 'phones for everything, over time. I mean, I still listen to Grados, so I can get used to anything, right? 

 
I hate to sound like a noob with a new toy, but I really was blown away by the detail - I heard background sounds in familiar recordings that I've never heard before.

 

[caracara08]

   
Yeah, that was obvious to me, right out of the box. I could see acclimating to these 'phones for everything, over time. I mean, I still listen to Grados, so I can get used to anything, right? 

 
I hate to sound like a noob with a new toy, but I really was blown away by the detail - I heard background sounds in familiar recordings that I've never heard before.

 
For me, this was more of the sound being presented in a different way than I was used to. Even when I had the T1, HD650 and may other headphones up and down the price spectrum, the HD700 presents the music differently.  It took me almost a month to get used to it. I almost sold them during that time but now, its a joy listening to them.  When the EL8 was announced, I was sure it was going to blow the HD700 out of the water and I would be done upgrading, but since I upgraded my tube, the HD700 have taken on new life... the 3D-ness of the sound is just wonderful.  

 

[Krutsch]

   
For me, this was more of the sound being presented in a different way than I was used to. Even when I had the T1, HD650 and may other headphones up and down the price spectrum, the HD700 presents the music differently.  It took me almost a month to get used to it. I almost sold them during that time but now, its a joy listening to them.  When the EL8 was announced, I was sure it was going to blow the HD700 out of the water and I would be done upgrading, but since I upgraded my tube, the HD700 have taken on new life... the 3D-ness of the sound is just wonderful.  

 
Which tube?

 

[caracara08]

   
Which tube?

 
Project Ember > 6SN7 adapter > JAN brown base 6SN7.

 

[DavidA]

   
For me, this was more of the sound being presented in a different way than I was used to. Even when I had the T1, HD650 and may other headphones up and down the price spectrum, the HD700 presents the music differently.  It took me almost a month to get used to it. I almost sold them during that time but now, its a joy listening to them.  When the EL8 was announced, I was sure it was going to blow the HD700 out of the water and I would be done upgrading, but since I upgraded my tube, the HD700 have taken on new life... the 3D-ness of the sound is just wonderful.  

Got my EL8 open-back yesterday and its much like my LCD-2f, the HD-700 is still a really different sound, to my ears the EL8 sounds like a cross between a HD-650 with a little better low end and not quite the highs of my HE-560.  I still keeping the HD-700

 

[lawrywild]

For me it's the details as mentioned, but also the instrument separation. It doesn't feel like I'm just listening to a recording where everything is one analogue signal, it feels like I'm listening to a load of separate instruments playing together, very cool.

 

[caracara08]

  For me it's the details as mentioned, but also the instrument separation. It doesn't feel like I'm just listening to a recording where everything is one analogue signal, it feels like I'm listening to a load of separate instruments playing together, very cool.

 
well put. I agree.

 

[lazure]

I absolutely concur as well.  The detail retrieval was superior in the Hifiman HE-560 I tried for a while but the soundstage and separation are way better with the HD-700.  I am quite impressed with it so far, it's a very fun listen yet fairly neutral as well.  And my ears have yet to be offended by the supposed treble peak.  So far so good...