[Austin Morrow]

Quote:

so are they good or are they crap?

Dubstep Girl, did you read Jude's impressions? He says they're a click under the HD800 at their best, but sound better than the HD800 if played through a good amp, as the HD800 only sounds really good through an amazing system. 

 

[logwed]

Quote:

They're gar/re badge regardless. ^^ They're traditional dynamics, no ring driver, and 40mm elements. "Wake up mamma! 'Cause they want $1,000 from you!"
 
In the worst way, Sennheiser is crazy. There's a distinct lack of interest for you and I. (*Well business aren't supposed to worry about the customer** the naysayers will squeal.
 
The business is supposed to serve the customer, otherwise we don't buy from them.
 
HD 700 is LOLTastic failblog. I cannot believe Sennheiser. They've done it with every single product except for HD 600/6XX.
 
Orpheus, - - create a market for $10,000 headphones. HD 800, quickly create a market for 1,000 dollar headphones. Oops, did I say 1,000? I'm sorry. I meant $1500!

 
HD 700.

The worst of all of them. There's no trickle down of technology. And shoves HD 600 drivers in an HD 800 'cup.' LOL(,) and they want 1,000 from you. Ha! And people might actually pay for it! Luuuuuuuuuuuuuuuulk Sennheiser. Thanks for producing (this time) a garbage product not worth it's weight in tin.

So your audition of them wasn't very good, I take it? 

 

 

[khaos974]

Quote:

so are they good or are they crap?

They're good Schiit.

 
 

 

[Dubstep Girl]

Quote:

Dubstep Girl, did you read Jude's impressions? He says they're a click under the HD800 at their best, but sound better than the HD800 if played through a good amp, as the HD800 only sounds really good through an amazing system. 

 
where do my WA6SE /WA2 fall under?
 
 
i know both are very good amps but not considered top tier.
 
is it worthy of the mighty HD 800?

 

[shipsupt]

You could try asking in the HD800 thread...
Quote:

 
where do my WA6SE /WA2 fall under?
 
 
i know both are very good amps but not considered top tier.
 
is it worthy of the mighty HD 800?

 
 

 

[dleblanc343]

Woot, I can get some free HD700 hopefully. Otherwise an HD650 and a pair of 598's instead

 

[music_man]

i think it is a sign of the economy that companies are releasing lower products rather than flagship products. i was hoping to see the hd1000!

 

[idletime1213]

Quote:

i think it is a sign of the economy that companies are releasing lower products rather than flagship products. i was hoping to see the hd1000!

You mean this?
 

 

[project86]

As I read through this thread, I see a lot of.... interesting speculation and conclusions. I'm not gonna get involved in all that - I'll simply say that I really like the HD-700 and I think it competes well with similarly priced headphones. No, it isn't a giant killer that slays all planar models and everything else under $2k. But it has a lot going for it and some people will absolutely love it. Other people, not so much. But doesn't that also describe the LCD-2, HE500, T1, etc? 
 
Since most people in this thread will skim over my comments and probably miss the point, I'll give you something better - something this thread has been lacking. Keep in mind that this is a prototype so things could change before the final release.
 
 

 
 
 

40mm Duofoil transducer mounted on a high-precision gauze made of stainless steel. This is a totally new driver, not a tweaked HD600/HD650 driver. 
 
 

 
 
 

 
 
 

Pardon the lint - apparently the camera brings it out. Super comfy Alcantara pads, highly angled drivers.
 
 

Cable has a braided sheath up to the Y-split, then rubber from there up. I like it but it tangles too easily. 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

Guess which one I like more?
 
 

I tried to capture the jack, which has a little "notch" in it so it fits a certain way.
 
 

This could make it tough for aftermarket cable builders. 
 
 

 
 
 
I don't want to seem like a Sennheiser apologist - I'll be the first to say that this isn't the perfect headphone for everyone. But I think it is a better fit than the HD800 for a lot of people, on a lot of systems. I would have loved to see it come out at half the price, or with LCD-2 like bass, or any number of other improvements.... but back here in the real world, this is still a very good headphone in my opinion. 
 

 

[khaos974]

Nice pictures, how does the plastic of the headband feel?

 

[Dubstep Girl]

judging from the picture, looks like some pleathery/plastic material. doesn't seem very good...of  course its probably better irl.

 

[The Monkey]

Thanks for the impressions so far, folks. They're much appreciated. 
 
There are several people who seem very confident that these will be retailing new for a few hundred dollars less than list.  To those people, what is the basis for your confidence, especially in light of Senn's pricing strategy for the 800 (i.e. resale price maintenance)?
 
I share the sentiments of several in this thread who were hoping for a slightly better 650, not a slightly worse 800.  And the $1k price tag, coupled with the (increased!) price increase of the flagship that Senn is perfectly content to ram down its dealers and end users' throats, results in a nice big gas face from me to Sennheiser.  Of course, I'll give them a chance and actually listen to the darn things, but this trend is disappointing. Poorly done. 

 

[Dubstep Girl]

Quote:

Thanks for the impressions so far, folks. They're much appreciated. 
 
There are several people who seem very confident that these will be retailing new for a few hundred dollars less than list.  To those people, what is the basis for your confidence, especially in light of Senn's pricing strategy for the 800 (i.e. resale price maintenance)?
 
I share the sentiments of several in this thread who were hoping for a slightly better 650, not a slightly worse 800.  And the $1k price tag, coupled with the (increased!) price increase of the flagship that Senn is perfectly content to ram down its dealers and end users' throats, results in a nice big gas face from me to Sennheiser.  Of course, I'll give them a chance and actually listen to the darn things, but this trend is disappointing. Poorly done. 

agree...
 
 
guess its better to pass this one by and just get a hd 800 when the time is right...
 
 
for a slightly worse hd 800, i got my k 701s and they're 4 times cheaper than this ****...
 

 

[The Monkey]

I will admit to looking forward to the gnashing of teeth, pulling of hair, and general wetting of pants soon to come in the inevitable HD 700 v. LCD-2 rev 2.316 thread. 

 

[Dubstep Girl]

Quote:

I will admit to looking forward to the gnashing of teeth, pulling of hair, and general wetting of pants soon to come in the inevitable HD 700 v. LCD-2 rev 2.316 thread. 

well as long as the T1 > HD 700, then LCD-2 will be > HD 700