Ok, so I've spent more than an hour sifting through this thread for posts comparing the HD700s to the HD800s, and I'm not sure I've ever seen such divergent reports on a pair of headphones. Even so, I gotta ask the assembled brain trust here (again) about microdetail, imaging, and transient response between the 700 and 800. The context below is important for understanding what info I'm hoping to get...
I didn't consider the HD700s when I was recently upgrading from my HD600s, because there was so much curfuffle about them back in 2013/2014 when I bought the 600s. So, first, I auditioned and tossed back the LCD-Xs (too dark in the upper mids, like a smudge. Loved them otherwise, but I wasn't going to get used to its signature).
I got the HD800 and the treble was like battery acid poured directly into my ears onto my brain. However, after a mere 6 hours jockeying an equalizer, they sound awe-inspiring and addictive. I like the leanness that remains after I successfully tone-matched them to the HD600s and my Dynaudio speakers. Nothing is EQed more than 3dB down, but I was having to tweak down to 0.1 dB increments by the end of it with significantly audible results. So, I'm apparently very sensitive to tonality, with the HD600s being "correct" to me. I always hate relying on EQ, though.
So I got the Focal Clear. Mind you, I'm now living in a refrigerator box after blowing through this much cash, but it was worth it. You can read my review. Short of it is these aren't going anywhere, regardless of what else happens. Goldie Locks has her cans, and she's telling the bears they can all go crap in the woods.
What bugs me is that the 700s are less than half what I paid for the HD800s on EBay (open box). SOOOO, finally, my questions. (a) Given that I would never...ever...choose to listen to the HD800s straight, because I needed to not only kill the 6kHz spike, but also bring up the bass, and recess 200-800Hz a trifle (200-800Hz), what would my reaction likely be to the HD700s? Still need EQ, I suspect. (b) Given that I love, love, love the imaging, lightning transient response, and detail of the HD800s, so that they're like audio crack compared to the wonderful but non-addictive Clears, will I feel like I'm losing out if I return the HD800s and buy HD700s?
My headphone amp is weighty but neutral SS, a TEAC HA-501, and TEAC UD-501 feeding it (dual mono, 6 bits "ladder" plus 18 bits sigma-delta). Sorry for the long post, but I look forward to y'all's insights.