[Glenn de Vries]

Hi fellow Head-Fi'ers,
 
I'm new here on the forums, and relatively new to the website. So please bare with me 

.
 
I'm not the most audiophillic person out there (not even remotely close), but have been very interested in the HD 700. Now, I haven't been to any store yet (doesn't look like any store in the Netherlands has them...), however there are some things that I would like to know beforehand. Appreciate any kind of help/answer you guys can give me.
 
First off, I'm interested in buying them for usage on multiple things; including a smartphone, an iPhone to be precise. And I wonder if I'll be able to use them normally on my phone without an amp? I know, that I won't be hearing the most out of the cans. But when I listen to music around the house, I don't wan't to burden myself unnecessarily.
 
Secondly, and actually more importantly, could I just use an '6.3mm to 3.5mm' adapter without any hassle? Or will I lose SQ?
 
Regards,
Glenn

 

[Tangster]

150Ohms, 105dB/V and open, I guess you might, just might be able to listen to them from your iPhone with some semblance of how they should sound. The 9.8ft cable doesn't phase you? Like most headphones, a decent 6.3mm to 3.5mm adaptor will work.
 
If you really, really, really want to use a pair of HD700's as a portable can, with no amp, I guess you could. I won't recommend it though.

 

[MalVeauX]

Heya,
 
Hrm, why the HD700? It's excellent, but it's not low impedance (so it will be best with an amplifier). Not really something to use with an iphone. And if you're not really into audiophilia, why get such an expensive headphone? You can get something within 1~2% quality for significantly less. What sound qualities are you looking for? And what do you listen to mostly?
 
Very best,

 

[Glenn de Vries]

Quote:

Heya,
 
Hrm, why the HD700? It's excellent, but it's not low impedance (so it will be best with an amplifier). Not really something to use with an iphone. And if you're not really into audiophilia, why get such an expensive headphone? You can get something within 1~2% quality for significantly less. What sound qualities are you looking for? And what do you listen to mostly?
 
Very best,

 
The thing is, that I value (more than I should) the way the headphones look like. And the other Sennheiser (or other brands') headphones just don't appeal to me. And I will only be using them with my iPhone if necessary. Most of the time they will be plugged in a computer. (Don't computers have better DAC's?)
 
Also, I read/heard that these cans can deliver an amazing soundstage (and treble), which is the kind of thing I'm looking for in headphones. The music that I listen to most often, are; Sigur Rós, Hammock and This Will Destroy You.
 
Thanks for the quick reply!
 
Glenn

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Forget about the SQ re: adapters; the problem with a 6.3mm plug with a 3.5mm adapter is that it might be too bulky for portable use (which is why some cables come as 3.5mm with a 6.3mm adapter). I've used a Grado before and the adapter not only made it impossible to use with a portable player in my pocket, but my laptop bags needed bigger pockets too.
 
Combined with all the design parameters of the HD700 that might make portable use a bit problematic - open back cups, loooooong cable (with a 6.3mm) - why not look into other cans? Sealed cans not only take care of one other problem, but generally are designed to be more "stylish" around town (and not just in a studio or a home system). Did you already read up on the AKG K550 and the Focal Spirit One? One of them might be great with your music preference.
 
Edit : One more to look into - Ultrasone Edition 8. Amazon price is only about $150 more than the HD700 and the build quality for the relative price can't be beat - you're getting aluminum cups instead of plastic. Plus the quality of the leather headband.

 

[Glenn de Vries]

Forget about the SQ re: adapters; the problem with a 6.3mm plug with a 3.5mm adapter is that it might be too bulky for portable use (which is why some cables come as 3.5mm with a 6.3mm adapter). I've used a Grado before and the adapter not only made it impossible to use with a portable player in my pocket, but my laptop bags needed bigger pockets too.

Combined with all the design parameters of the HD700 that might make portable use a bit problematic - open back cups, loooooong cable (with a 6.3mm) - why not look into other cans? Sealed cans not only take care of one other problem, but generally are designed to be more "stylish" around town (and not just in a studio or a home system). Did you already read up on the AKG K550 and the Focal Spirit One? One of them might be great with your music preference.

Edit : One more to look into - Ultrasone Edition 8. Amazon price is only about $150 more than the HD700 and the build quality for the relative price can't be beat - you're getting aluminum cups instead of plastic. Plus the quality of the leather headband.

Thanks for responding and putting forward alternatives.

I will most definitely check the other cans you posted, however the cost of a headphone isn't really a problem. I just want to make sure that I won't regret purchasing a cheaper one that, in the end, doesn't really satisfy in terms of soundstage.

And about portability, I guess I wasn't really clear with what I meant with 'around the house'.
I just meant that I will be using them when sitting behind my desk or on the couch.

And the way I understand it now, I don't (necessarrily) need an amp to support it? Since the computer I'll be using them on will have probably have a decent DAC?

Glenn

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Quote:

I will most definitely check the other cans you posted, however the cost of a headphone isn't really a problem. I just want to make sure that I won't regret purchasing a cheaper one that, in the end, doesn't really satisfy in terms of soundstage.

 
Check out the Ed 8, I think it also features what their marketing dept calls "S-Logic" but AFAIK for the most part its the same tech as in most serious headphones, which is an angled driver mount.
 
 

And about portability, I guess I wasn't really clear with what I meant with 'around the house'.
I just meant that I will be using them when sitting behind my desk or on the couch.

 
In that case a larger adapter might not be much of a problem, but I'd rather a cable with a 3.5mm then convert it to a larger one, or if vice versa, as much as possible the adapter should be a cable with a socket/female plug on one end and the male plug on another (ie, like the Grado adapter). Depending on what desktop components you use, a large 6.3mm with a simple 3.5mm converter might put too much weight on the socket it's plugged into. On the couch it's not much of a problem since you might have more ways to rest the device it's plugged into to prevent/minimize that strain.
 

And the way I understand it now, I don't (necessarrily) need an amp to support it? Since the computer I'll be using them on will have probably have a decent DAC?

 
Depends - an amp and a DAC are two different things, it's just that most often a lot of head-fi gear integrate the two in one device in order to minimize component count, primarily since a desk tends to consider space more of a premium than whatever space might be between two large speakers in a dedicated room. The speaker system equivalent of a head-fi Amp-DAC is a "receiver," like the Marantz PM75 (stereo) or HT receivers (for surround). Depending on what soundcard you have, it may or may not have a quality headphone amp; but most motherboards nowadays have a DAC for processing and a headphone out in front.
 
Depending on the headphone, that amp and DAC may be enough. BUT an improperly driven headphone can have a congested soundstage, and so too will a headphone that is getting a signal from a badly-designed DAC (ie, too much crosstalk, among others; jitter effect is for the most part debatable) even if it supposedly images and stages well enough. Suffice to say that most native soundcards aren't too bad, but bet to hear it for yourself. Get a headphone that is known for what you want first, as the upstream components will not radically change anything, but simply squeeze more performance out of it. Headphones designed to be more portable tend to be designed to be easier to drive, so amp power/current shouldn't be of immediate concern.