[BobFiggins]

You just missed a sale on newegg for 499.

 
Decent price for a new pair, if you don't already have something good, imo. I was thinking more like those Sennheiser flash deals kind of sales. Like $380. I bought my HD 700 used in mint condition for $480, I don't feel the need to ever spend more than that.

 

[Xerber]

I purchased the HD700 last weekend. I have already developed a love-hate relationship with the 'kinky' cable, but so far I'm really happy with the headphones.
 
I was looking for something that would fit in nicely between my HD650's and my Grado's. However, I was initially very disappointed with the HD-700's. The sound seemed to have an extreme V shape with hardly any mids. But roughly 20 hours of burn-in time with pink noise later, the mids had improved quite a lot. Gone were the recessed mids and harsh highs.
 
Unfortunately I haven't had the time to do much testing and tube rolling at home, but I did play around with the tubes of my Aune T1mk2 at the office.
I initially had a Mullard PCC189 tube installed that worked well with all my headphones from Grado to HD650 to HE400, but not with the HD700's. After doing some quick tube rolling, I ended up with a gold pin Spezial (an off-brand Tesla, I think) ECC88 that countered the 8kHz peak and made the 700's a bit more laid back for long listening sessions on long workdays. Unfortunately, this went at the cost of imaging and soundstage.
 
I probably have to do some more tube rolling to find a good match, but it has become clear to me that, to my ears, the HD700's have different needs than my other headphones.
 
Now all I need to do is get / make a replacement for that **** cable.

 

 

[Mechans1]

The first tube upgrade you might want to take is to use E88CCs or 6922s.  As a very wide rule they are considerably better in most any criteria you may be looking at.  My favorite is treble bright to despite it's being manufactured by Mullard it's not going to help you there.  The tube I like is a Mullard 2493.  There is a Mullard 2492 which may suit you better but I can't say as I have not used it. 
I was able to buy an  aftermarket cable from eBay but found despite it's ergonomic benefit it had mediocre sonics and I went back to the stock cable.  Different, does not mean better in all cases .  I throw this in because of the idea that anything but stock is somehow always better.  IME it really does not, but if you search eBay you'll find it and others.

 

[Rob80b]

  I purchased the HD700 last weekend. .....................
I was initially very disappointed with the HD-700's. The sound seemed to have an extreme V shape with hardly any mids. But roughly 20 hours of burn-in time with pink noise later, the mids had improved quite a lot. Gone were the recessed mids and harsh highs.
 
............................... Now all I need to do is get / make a replacement for that **** cable.

 

Many dispute break-in but more than any headphone that I’ve owned the HD700s IMHO did dramatically change for the better after a day or two of use, new out of the box I was indeed suffering a bit of buyers remorse but a year and a half into ownership all my other phones have been sold and the HD700 continue to impress.
 
And yes the cable still continues to annoy me at times.

 

[rogerthatmand]

IMHO, I find the HD700 really underrated.
 
My first truly audiophile high-end headphone was the HD700. I remember when I first listened to them, how shocked I was.
The sound was fantastic - the bass is amazing, really precise and clear and tight in the exact amount, the mids are absolutely perfect.
Then comes the treble - I remember that the treble was an issue for me. I remember exactly how I loved every little thing with the HD700 (I didn't even mention how comfortable they were for me) but the treble annoyed me.
 
Trying to configure the EQ did the job for me. It really tamed the treble as I wanted it to be, but I felt like I'm somehow "cheating" the sound.
Eventually I sold my HD700 and tried a lot more other headphones. Nothing was on spot for me and nothing really combined everything from the HD700 but with warmer sound.
I decided to be spontaneous and order the HD650. It was great and all.. but still.. it just wasn't the HD700! 
The bass was really muddy for me, uncontrolled..
 
At the end I missed the HD700 too much, I sold the HD650, went full power and ordered the HD800 and now I'm happy. I don't feel bad anymore tweaking a little bit the EQ to reduce the 6khz treble peak.
The sound signature of the HD700 is pretty much close to the HD800. 

 

[donlin]

  .......
Now all I need to do is get / make a replacement for that **** cable.

 

If your not an anti-cable person, this one is quite an improvement sonically and aesthetically.
 
http://r.ebay.com/DBLNEU

 

[donlin]

 
Same here.  I check the 650's now and then but don't stick with them any more.  Recently tried the Oppo PM-1's in my system and prefer the 700's quite a bit.  I have to admit though that I just got a pair of Grado PS500e's that are sounding fantastic.

As I'm getting more time on the PS500e's, it's becoming more and more obvious that the HD700 is clearly superior.  The Grado comes closer than all the others I've put up against it, but lacks refinement and falls short in the critical midrange which the 700 is so amazing at.  And of course the comfort is night and day.

 

[Rob80b]

  IMHO, I find the HD700 really underrated.
 
............ At the end I missed the HD700 too much, I sold the HD650, went full power and ordered the HD800 and now I'm happy. I don't feel bad anymore tweaking a little bit the EQ to reduce the 6khz treble peak.
The sound signature of the HD700 is pretty much close to the HD800. 

That they are...somewhat.
 
I've recently been thinking of picking another pair of HD800s..…. especially with some of the pricing popping up …..the 700s will get more playing but still nice to have a pair of 800s on hand.
 
Had these ones in my basket the other day..but a no ship to Canada..and sat on the fence too long with another pair at checkout from the Canadian Amazon warehouse deals for $833 Can ($665. US)..hard to justify full retail at this point. : )

 

[Mechans1]

  If your not an anti-cable person, this one is quite an improvement sonically and aesthetically.
 
http://r.ebay.com/DBLNEU

I am a believer in cables.  I use Cardas Gold Refs among other Cardas interconnects, as well as Audience and so on.  The HD 700 cable I bought early on was not made with the ingredients this guy is using in particular the Cardas solder and terminations.  My only difference is that I am not into carbon fiber just for aesthetics and would opt for less expensive but mostly Cardas copper  connectors.  He seems to make cables I would like but wonder if there shouldn't be heavier gauge wire in them. It is possible that heavy gauge wire can create a problem set all of its own.

 

[Rob80b]

 
As I'm getting more time on the PS500e's, it's becoming more and more obvious that the HD700 is clearly superior.  The Grado comes closer than all the others I've put up against it, but lacks refinement and falls short in the critical midrange which the 700 is so amazing at.  And of course the comfort is night and day.

Thanks..think I'll pass on the 500es.
Funny thing though.....always thought Grados had a crisper sound but my SR325is actually were obviously grainy sounding next to the 700s.

 

[donlin]

  Thanks..think I'll pass on the 500es.
Funny thing though.....always thought Grados had a crisper sound but my SR325is actually were obviously grainy sounding next to the 700s.

I've listened to a lot of grados over the years, the HP1000  is what originally got me into high end headphones back in the early nineties.  The PS500e's are the closest they've come to that original Joseph Grado sound and they are really excellent for plugging directly into an iphone, etc.  But when it comes to careful listening at home, the 700's are quite a bit better.

 

[donlin]

 
I am a believer in cables.  I use Cardas Gold Refs among other Cardas interconnects, as well as Audience and so on.  The HD 700 cable I bought early on was not made with the ingredients this guy is using in particular the Cardas solder and terminations.  My only difference is that I am not into carbon fiber just for aesthetics and would opt for less expensive but mostly Cardas copper  connectors.  He seems to make cables I would like but wonder if there shouldn't be heavier gauge wire in them. It is possible that heavy gauge wire can create a problem set all of its own.

I know he will custom make cables with different connectors if you don't like the one shown.  I had him make me the same cable but with a 4-pin balanced connection and he sent it in 3 days.  I think heavier gage doesn't provide any benefit since the signal going to the phones is so small.  Also, if the cable was any heavier, the weight would start to become an issue. 

 

[Mechans1]

 
I know he will custom make cables with different connectors if you don't like the one shown.  I had him make me the same cable but with a 4-pin balanced connection and he sent it in 3 days.  I think heavier gage doesn't provide any benefit since the signal going to the phones is so small.  Also, if the cable was any heavier, the weight would start to become an issue. 

I think you made a cogent argument for headphone use, your  points well taken  .  Most of my experience is with an elaborate speaker based system.

 

[donlin]

This amp is unbelievable with the HD700's! I feel like I've never really heard them before.

 

[preproman]

Do you guys feel the 700s are an upgrade in SQ over the 600s?  If so in what ways?  Tonal balance, instrument timbre, midrange vocals, high hat crashes and of course that BASS?