[DeadMan]

My ZX700's are giving me grief. I hate my ears touching the netting/drivers as they get sore after a while so I went looking for some replacement ear pads. It was suggested I get the Brainwavz and I have just received them. After fitting them the cans were much more pleasurable to wear. However. They sound TERRIBLE. Much of the bass has gone from them and they sound very unrealistic. The only way to get any bass back is to press the cans closer to my ears which is what I was trying to get away from.
 
These cans don't have a great deal of bass to begin with. I've actually switched the ear pads back and noticed that if I press the cans onto my head I can increase the bass still further. To me this is very frustrating. I want cans to rest on my head and not press on my ears. I did not realize cans could act this way but since you need a good seal on IEM's the same must be true of circumaural cans.
 
I have also noticed the ZX700's are VERY in your face in the middle ranges and when those frequencies are playing the bass frequencies become masked. Now because I have hearing issues I find this unpleasant to listen to for any length of time. I have a pair of Sennheiser OCX 680i's that I find more pleasurable to listen to. There is plenty of bass with a good seal and they actually sound more open and 'real' to my ears. I thought full sized cans would sound better not worse.
 
I am seriously considering 'upgrading' the ZX700's to something better. Would it be worth looking into the Philips Fidelio X1's (Also how easy are they to drive off portable devices?)? Do they give enough room on the ears (not pushing your ears onto the drivers) whilst retaining a good overall sound?

 

[Mad Max]

  My ZX700's are giving me grief. I hate my ears touching the netting/drivers as they get sore after a while so I went looking for some replacement ear pads. It was suggested I get the Brainwavz and I have just received them. After fitting them the cans were much more pleasurable to wear. However. They sound TERRIBLE. Much of the bass has gone from them and they sound very unrealistic. The only way to get any bass back is to press the cans closer to my ears which is what I was trying to get away from.
 
... I am seriously considering 'upgrading' the ZX700's to something better. Would it be worth looking into the Philips Fidelio X1's (Also how easy are they to drive off portable devices?)? Do they give enough room on the ears (not pushing your ears onto the drivers) whilst retaining a good overall sound?

 
Probably.  The X1's pads appear to be really thick and may alleviate your problem.
 
 

... the same must be true of circumaural cans...

 
Not "must", "IS", as far as closed-back circumaural cans.