[christophrowley]

Quote:

Understood, but isn't it a more sensible approach for Sennheiser to iron out all the production wrinkles, and then start up the PR machine?

It would, unless the changes were unplanned. Say the reception of the pre-production models were lukewarm at best due to peaky treble. Isn't a stretch to imagine. 

 

[GiacomoHoldini]

It would, unless the changes were unplanned. Say the reception of the pre-production models were lukewarm at best due to peaky treble. Isn't a stretch to imagine. 

It's not a stretch, except that is a whole different reason for the delay. That raises an interesting question: is the delay due to difficulties making the production models sound like the prototypes, as John has suggested, or is it due to intentionally changing the sound in the production models due to criticisms of the prototypes?

 

[Nordwestlicht]

Speculating about something nearly no one has had the chance to hear is useless.
 
Let's have a nice cup of tea and wait until the final models of the HD700 are out. 

 

[John Willett]

Quote:

Understood, but isn't it a more sensible approach for Sennheiser to iron out all the production wrinkles, and then start up the PR machine?

Yes and no.
 
CES is only once a year and that is normally where new products are first shown.  So, many manufacturers will show there products that will be in the shops later in the year.
 
If they waited they would have lost a full year.
 
Sometimes it looks all perfect, but problems only show when the first real units come off the line and it may be short or long to fix and some things may take a manufacturer by surprise.
 

 

[John Willett]

Quote:

It's not a stretch, except that is a whole different reason for the delay. That raises an interesting question: is the delay due to difficulties making the production models sound like the prototypes, as John has suggested, or is it due to intentionally changing the sound in the production models due to criticisms of the prototypes?

This may be true - all I know is that the designer was not happy with the sound.
 

 

[Beagle]

Quote:

Understood, but isn't it a more sensible approach for Sennheiser to iron out all the production wrinkles, and then start up the PR machine?

You would think so.
 
Imagine Toyota announcing the 2012 Corolla in the summer/fall of 2011, and in April 2012 they were still not satisfied with it's performance and did not know when it would be available. People would die laughing.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

You would think so.
 
Imagine Toyota announcing the 2012 Corolla in the summer/fall of 2011, and in April 2012 they were still not satisfied with it's performance and did not know when it would be available. People would die laughing.

Aren't headphones way more complicated than a silly car?

 

 

[Anaxilus]

Quote:

 
Imagine Toyota announcing the 2012 Corolla in the summer/fall of 2011, and in April 2012 they were still not satisfied with it's performance and did not know when it would be available. People would die laughing.

It has happened in the car industry many times before, to even Toyota.  The most recent was GM.
 
http://www.carbuzz.com/news/2012/3/8/GM-Halt-Production-and-Delivery-of-2012-Camaro-ZL1-7707719/

 

[Beagle]

 

Aren't headphones way more complicated than a silly car? 

 

 
Could be. And cars do come without drivers. That saves a step.

 

[grokit]

^

 

[John Willett]

Quote:

You would think so.
 
Imagine Toyota announcing the 2012 Corolla in the summer/fall of 2011, and in April 2012 they were still not satisfied with it's performance and did not know when it would be available. People would die laughing.

Don't all car manufacturers do this?
 
They show the car at, for example, the Geneva motor show months before it comes out.
 
They also show cars that may never get put into production.
 
 

 

[Beagle]

Quote:

Don't all car manufacturers do this?
 
They show the car at, for example, the Geneva motor show months before it comes out.
 
They also show cars that may never get put into production.
 
 

Maybe, but not a standard like the Corolla. And the performance/specs of the car have usually been finalized. They are not still trying to make the car work properly.

 

[ocswing]

Quote:

Maybe, but not a standard like the Corolla. And the performance/specs of the car have usually been finalized. They are not still trying to make the car work properly.

A yearly refresh on a car is also not the same thing as a new model headphone coming out.

 

[Magick Man]

A yearly refresh on a car is also not the same thing as a new model headphone coming out.

Unless you're HiFiMAN.

J/K, J/K! Put down the pitchforks!

 

[shimmer n roar]

i'll check in again next month.