[OMGLadyGaga]

Whoa i agree completely with Guttenberg, which now makes me question myself. But yeah i bought and returned NAD because it didnt match up to the Sony. The Shure i did keep because of comfort, warmer sound, that extra bass "oomph" is pretty fun combined with the larger soundstage.

I did try the Focal Pro, and i thought it might have been at least equal to or even a little better than the Sony but build quality and comfort was a blowout in 7520's favor. Other than that i really do think the Sonys are probably the best closed headphone under whatever arbitrary figure you wanna insert. Beyer pads are out for delivery so will see how they vibe.

 

[Stereodude]

  Haha, it's not like they're contraband or anything. "Sir, you have headphones? Would you please step over to that far lane at the end of customs and submit to our power handling screening?"

So they're not treated like Kinder Eggs at the US border?

 

[AustinValentine]

Just got in the B&H used deal...and I think I can say with confidence...
 
Holy **** Snacks! This MDR-7520 isn't hot in the sibilance region! Other than that, the lower midrange seems more forward than I recall as well. 
 
I'll definitely be reviewing these within the next month. 
 
(Also, for those that were wondering, their "Condition: 9" was just an unused open box return. It was clear that someone fought with the clear packaging to get everything back in...but otherwise they seemed completely unused.)

 

[Mike F]

  Just got in the B&H used deal...and I think I can say with confidence...
 
Holy **** Snacks! This MDR-7520 isn't hot in the sibilance region! Other than that, the lower midrange seems more forward than I recall as well. 
 
I'll definitely be reviewing these within the next month. 
 
(Also, for those that were wondering, their "Condition: 9" was just an unused open box return. It was clear that someone fought with the clear packaging to get everything back in...but otherwise they seemed completely unused.)

 
Great!

  Looking forward to the review!

 

[starfly]

   
Great!

  Looking forward to the review!

+1
 
Also, mine isn't hot in the sibilance region anymore either. It used to be when it was new, but perhaps it's softened up over time or something, I dunno. 

 

[farstar]

I have had this set for a week now and have read most of this thread. I love this set but I wish it has a little less bass emphasis and am thinking of returning them for another closed set in the same price range
 
I have already tried
NAD HP50 (didn't like, too warm nowhere near analytic, also uncomfortable as all hell )
KRK KNS 8400. No musicality.
 
What I love about the 7520s
 
Comfort.
VERY Detailed/revealing - This is what makes returning them such a hard choice I hear everything. I can hear pages being turned by the orchestra.  I can tell what the singer had for breakfast.
Driveability. I can use these without an amp.
Comfort. The pads are just large enough for my ears
Portability. These cans don't draw attention to ones self if used in public compared to say the Brainwavz HM5
 
What I don't like.
 
Just a bit too much bass emphasis. 
Soundstage could be better, but this is not a major complaint since these are closed. 
Ear cups are a bit shallow but i can live with them.

 

[groovyd]

  I have had this set for a week now and have read most of this thread. I love this set but I wish it has a little less bass emphasis and am thinking of returning them for another closed set in the same price range
 
I have already tried
NAD HP50 (didn't like, too warm nowhere near analytic, also uncomfortable as all hell )
KRK KNS 8400. No musicality.
 
What I love about the 7520s
 
Comfort.
VERY Detailed/revealing - This is what makes returning them such a hard choice I hear everything. I can hear pages being turned by the orchestra.  I can tell what the singer had for breakfast.
Driveability. I can use these without an amp.
Comfort. The pads are just large enough for my ears
Portability. These cans don't draw attention to ones self if used in public compared to say the Brainwavz HM5
 
What I don't like.
 
Just a bit too much bass emphasis. 
Soundstage could be better, but this is not a major complaint since these are closed. 
Ear cups are a bit shallow but i can live with them.

Try the Beyer pads before you give up on them.

 

[waynes world]

  I have had this set for a week now and have read most of this thread. I love this set but I wish it has a little less bass emphasis and am thinking of returning them for another closed set in the same price range

 
Please sell me your pair for a really good price 

 

 

[Mike F]

  I have had this set for a week now and have read most of this thread. I love this set but I wish it has a little less bass emphasis and am thinking of returning them for another closed set in the same price range
 
I have already tried
NAD HP50 (didn't like, too warm nowhere near analytic, also uncomfortable as all hell )
KRK KNS 8400. No musicality.
 
What I love about the 7520s
 
Comfort.
VERY Detailed/revealing - This is what makes returning them such a hard choice I hear everything. I can hear pages being turned by the orchestra.  I can tell what the singer had for breakfast.
Driveability. I can use these without an amp.
Comfort. The pads are just large enough for my ears
Portability. These cans don't draw attention to ones self if used in public compared to say the Brainwavz HM5
 
What I don't like.
 
Just a bit too much bass emphasis. 
Soundstage could be better, but this is not a major complaint since these are closed. 
Ear cups are a bit shallow but i can live with them.

 
I sympathize with you about the bass! I also totally agree with your other observations so I understand your dilemma.
 
For me, whilst the bass is still slightly more pronounced than I would need it to be, I noticed that it became tighter and somewhat less as they burned in fully. Also, to some extent, I have become used to it and it very rarely sounds incorrect now.
 
I'd advise you to hold onto them as I expect that you will find the same, and finding another headphone with all the other attributes that the 7520's have at anything like their price point is, in my experience and from all I've read, impossible!

 

[starfly]

   
I sympathize with you about the bass! I also totally agree with your other observations so I understand your dilemma.
 
For me, whilst the bass is still slightly more pronounced than I would need it to be, I noticed that it became tighter and somewhat less as they burned in fully. Also, to some extent, I have become used to it and it very rarely sounds incorrect now.
 
I'd advise you to hold onto them as I expect that you will find the same, and finding another headphone with all the other attributes that the 7520's have at anything like their price point is, in my experience and from all I've read, impossible!

+1
 
Hold on to them a bit longer. The bass will tighten up a bit / you won't notice it as much anymore.

 

[starfly]

So am listening to the DT250 pads right now. First thing I notice, comfort. These are less comfortable than the Shure 840 pads I'm using, because the DT250 pads are significantly smaller that my ears don't fully fit inside. So for those of you with larger ears (greater than 65mm in length), be warned!
 
Otherwise soundwise I need to listen a bit more. I'll eventually go back to my Shure pads though as I find comfort the most important factor. Oh, and the velour is a bit itchy too

 

[farstar]

   
I sympathize with you about the bass! I also totally agree with your other observations so I understand your dilemma.
 
For me, whilst the bass is still slightly more pronounced than I would need it to be, I noticed that it became tighter and somewhat less as they burned in fully. Also, to some extent, I have become used to it and it very rarely sounds incorrect now.
 
I'd advise you to hold onto them as I expect that you will find the same, and finding another headphone with all the other attributes that the 7520's have at anything like their price point is, in my experience and from all I've read, impossible!

This post is titled: How I learned to stop worrying and love the bass.
 
Between the praise my NVX XPT 100s and my HD600s get for being neutral I starting to question what a truly flat set sounds like. I dug up my Yamaha HS8 studio monitors to compare a song that was bothering me with the double basses and the cellos. Yanni's "One Man's Dream" actually had the same balance on the true studio monitors as did my 7520s. The balance between the piano and the lower string was spot on. 
 
I think I've found my keepers now. 

 

[Mike F]

  This post is titled: How I learned to stop worrying and love the bass.
 
Between the praise my NVX XPT 100s and my HD600s get for being neutral I starting to question what a truly flat set sounds like. I dug up my Yamaha HS8 studio monitors to compare a song that was bothering me with the double basses and the cellos. Yanni's "One Man's Dream" actually had the same balance on the true studio monitors as did my 7520s. The balance between the piano and the lower string was spot on. 
 
I think I've found my keepers now. 

 
Great!
 
It's been reported several times, on Gearslutz and also I think here, that mixes done on the 7520's translate extremely well, especially in the bass region, so yes, I think that it is correct.

 

[dudlew]

  I have had this set for a week now and have read most of this thread. I love this set but I wish it has a little less bass emphasis and am thinking of returning them for another closed set in the same price range
 
I have already tried
NAD HP50 (didn't like, too warm nowhere near analytic, also uncomfortable as all hell )
KRK KNS 8400. No musicality.
 
What I love about the 7520s
 
Comfort.
VERY Detailed/revealing - This is what makes returning them such a hard choice I hear everything. I can hear pages being turned by the orchestra.  I can tell what the singer had for breakfast.
Driveability. I can use these without an amp.
Comfort. The pads are just large enough for my ears
Portability. These cans don't draw attention to ones self if used in public compared to say the Brainwavz HM5
 
What I don't like.
 
Just a bit too much bass emphasis. 
Soundstage could be better, but this is not a major complaint since these are closed. 
Ear cups are a bit shallow but i can live with them.

 
 
I did mention this a few posts back, and if you are so interested, you can slightly decrease the bass a touch.... maybe more to your liking with just a wisp of cotton fibre in the cups. Seems a lot of people are afraid to try this, but I really found this to give the impression of just a very slight reduction in bass quantity and a slight increase... at least to me... in speed and texture as well. Use too much and you end up with a mid recessed sounding dry and bass light headphone, but use just a bit and you should be fine.
 
Try it... you might like it....

 

[Kierkes]

Okay, so I've opened the cups up and applied lithium grease to the inside of the gimbals. Thing is, the headphone still squeaks along the other axis, where the cup arms meet the headband. Anyone else have this issue?