[Merdril]

"Forces" by Susumu Hirasawa sounds simply amazing on these headphones. The bass is so strong, yet not distorted. I don't know how these headphones do it, but the treble and highs are still present and perfectly audible.

"Ignited" by T.M. Revolution, as brickwalled a song that it is, is handled well by these headphones (as a side note, "Forces" is not brickwalled). The soundstage is impressive; I can see the lead singer right in front of me, the guitarist is somewhere to the left, and the bass is just encompassing. I don't think that some of the bass is produced by an actual instrument.

 

[Merdril]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elvis87 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well im not really an expert on headphones but first look at your source which is a integrated Conexant HD and a cell phone?...are you kidding me? no wonder the headphones sound like crap.

I'll have to by an amp some day, but I needed good headphones to start off with

. The SRH440 are not what I'm looking for, even if I had an amp. I'll have to buy one now that I've found the XB700. I'll write a review on these in about a weeks time.

 

[Elvis87]

Im just saying you're not using the headphones at their full potential with your sources even with an amp....i would upgrade to a soundcard from at least Creative or go with Auzentech before wanting to review headphones....you will hear worlds of difference compared to integrated audio.

 

[Merdril]

Oh, I do have an Sony Digital AV system, and the SRH440 still lacked bass when driven from them. However, the highs weren't as piercing and the trebles were clearer.

 

[xnor]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elvis87 /img/forum/go_quote.gif ...you will hear worlds of difference compared to integrated audio.

Worlds of difference? Doubt it.
Doesn't matter which source you use if the HP has rolled-off and recessed bass...

 

[Elvis87]

Quote:

Originally Posted by xnor /img/forum/go_quote.gif Worlds of difference? Doubt it. Doesn't matter which source you use if the HP has rolled-off and recessed bass...

i kinda agree with you but still going from integrated to a dedicated sound card WILL make a difference trust me.

 

[Merdril]

So, Sony says that these are closed headphones right? Well, that's not entirely true. Behind the headband covering the top part of the left and right speakers, you will see three slits.

What lead me to this discovery is that one of my friends tried these headphones and there was a lot of sound leakage at a relatively low volume. They are also nowhere as isolating as the Shure SRH440 (I knew that buying it, so that's not a minus) and certainly leak more sound than the SRH440.
At first, I thought it that the big plushy earpads are more air than plush, but when I looked closely at headphones, I noticed those slits behind the headbands.

So in a quick experiment, I covered the three slits on each speaker with my index finger (I have big hands, mind you) and pushed the earpads together so that they were closed. And, not to my surprise, the Sony's didn't leak anymore than the SRH440. With big, encapsulating earpads like that, it's hard to imagine leak sound.

I don't know how the slits affect the sound quality, but my understanding of open headphones is that they allow more fidelity and ambience in the music by virtue of their design when compared to similar closed headphones. These aren't semi-open, more like quarter-open headphones. I would imagine this is how the XB700 is able to have acceptable trebles and highs despite its heavy emphasis on bass.

If I can find a way to cover those three slits while listening to music, I'll respond with the sound quality. So far, no noticeable change with some burn-in.

 

[pasoleati]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jp_zer0 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Racism is allowed now?

Sir, I am probably more pro-Japan (especially Imperial Japan) than you, so the premise is not true to the fact. I am Finnish so I add that "audiophile" and "Finnish pop" do not belong to the same sentence.

 

[Merdril]

So far, the SRH440 beat the XB700 in highs, as is expected. The XB700's highs are harsher (with more listening, the SRH440 are more clear than they are harsh). Cymbals sound grainy, alto saxophones sound muted when they hit high notes, but sibilance is much better controlled on the XB700 (probably because they can't extend as far into the highs). As far as it bass extension, I can't hear anything below 15 Hz (or the headphones may not be able to produce anything below 15 Hz, but the range of human hearing is supposed to be from 20 to 20,000 Hz on average. The headphones make a brief sound at the start and the end of a 10 Hz loop, but I'm not sure if that means the headphones are actually making a sound or if it just tried to reproduce 10 Hz and gave up). But for what I can hear, the XB700 delivers clearly and without distortion.

 

[Merdril]

I never really liked the guitar in "Final Destination II"...

 

[Merdril]

The XB700 do produce 5 Hz, there was too much environment noise for me to hear it. Although, sound down to that level is meant to be felt, rather than heard. Some skullcrushers would win in this arena, but I prefer sound.

 

[jonhapimp]

alot of dicks on this thread
he said on his first page that he's an amateur in terms of being an audiophile, give him a break and give him pointers instead of just bashing also taste of music is "very" subjective

 

[12345142]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merdril /img/forum/go_quote.gif So far, the SRH440 beat the XB700 in highs, as is expected. The XB700's highs are harsher (with more listening, the SRH440 are more clear than they are harsh). Cymbals sound grainy, alto saxophones sound muted when they hit high notes, but sibilance is much better controlled on the XB700 (probably because they can't extend as far into the highs). As far as it bass extension, I can't hear anything below 15 Hz (or the headphones may not be able to produce anything below 15 Hz, but the range of human hearing is supposed to be from 20 to 20,000 Hz on average. The headphones make a brief sound at the start and the end of a 10 Hz loop, but I'm not sure if that means the headphones are actually making a sound or if it just tried to reproduce 10 Hz and gave up). But for what I can hear, the XB700 delivers clearly and without distortion.

Well, I got the SRH440 and honestly, I think you're just a basshead. Not like that's a bad thing, it's just your personal preference. After less than 20 hours of burn-in, I think they sound great. My source is an unamped Samsung Z5, a player that sounds miles better than my iPod touch.

Treble is crisp and well-defined, probably in part due to the SRH440's 10kHz peak, but it sounds very natural and rarely is harsh. Mids are quite forward, but slight less 'smooth' sounding as my PX100s; the highs more than make up for it, though. Instrument separation is great too.

As for the 'lack of' bass, I have a feeling it might have a bit to do with the physical properties of the headphone itself. By pressing the earcups closer to my head, the bass becomes far more prominent and enveloping. However, Shure definitely didn't design them for this use, as what results is a wall of sound that becomes very fatiguing to listen to. More so than 'enveloping,' the bass becomes overpowering, with forceful response that overshadows the midrange.

Overall, I'm quite pleased with the SRH440s. I think they harbor a philosophy of 'quality over quantity' in terms of bass, but bass is definitely not the focus of this headphone. For me, though, who likes his Etymotic ER6s very much, they're a great headphone.

I've heard the XB700s before and remember being quite impressed by them, especially after I EQed up the treble and they delivered nonetheless. I think I like the 440s better, though, for their overall clarity. Also, the XB700s feel much frailer and don't collapse into a ball like the Shures do. But from the looks of it, you'll probably prefer the sound of the former.

I'll make sure to post again regarding how the SRH440s behave when connected to an amp/DAC, as my NuForce Icon Mobile will be arriving in the new year. Yes, it's an entry-level amp and the first that I'll have ever owned, but an amp nonetheless.

 

[Merdril]

I have to agree with you, both in me being a basshead rather than an audiophile and your judgment of the SRH440. In my review of the SRH440, I mistook "harshness" for clarity because of a lack of experience. And in comparing the two headphones, it's easier to see the difference in harshness and clarity since the two headphones are targeted for two different sound types. However, the XB700 has just the bass I'm looking for (could be more

) but lacks fidelity in the upper range. The treble and highs are certainly there if you tone back the bass a bit, but they aren't as defined as the SRH440 and the B700 becomes harsher faster than it becomes clearer. I would guess my ideal headphone would be a mix between the XB700 and the SRH440 without any sacrifices between the two and just a bit more bass (a serious boost around 100-200 Hz and less distortion below). I can't really enjoy listening to the SRH440's anymore but I am reminded in some songs (especially techno songs with vocals or some electropo) that this would sound crisper and clearer on the SRH440.

 

[Zathan]

Just my 2 cents but the Shure SRH440 are the best headphones (overall) that I've ever used and they aren't burned in at all.
I haven't tried that much but check my sig to get an idea.