[jjmai]

 
TDK ST-700 is TDK/Imation's attempt to capture Beats Solo's form factor.
It looks nice with a rubber-coated matte finish, feel somewhat solid (so far).  Only time will tell if it suffers from the cracking headbands that plagued the Beats headphones.
 
If you have a big head, you can stop reading now.
These things clamp hard!  Big noggins need not apply here. I can barely pull it wide enough to fit over my head. The supra-aural earpads press really tight on my ears, I can't wear them for too long before hurting.  But on the plus side, it does isolate pretty well.
 
Packaging, though simple, does feel somewhat classy.  The all-black hollow plastic form-fitting backing is coated with felt-like material.
Accessories are limited: a cloth pouch, 1/4" adapter, and a 34" extension cord.
 
ST700's cords, unlike Beats, are non-detachable and split to both left and right sides.  The cords are thick and stiff, and extremely short at 2 feet, so the extension cord has to be used all the time.  And because the cords are non-detachable, one always rubs by the other earpad when you fold the headphone.
 
Sound-wise, I have not had time to burn in.  But out of the box bass is very boomy.  Mid-bass hump does mask mids. Highs doesn't have much sparkle.  I am pretty sure it's closed back, haven't found any vents yet.  Sound signature is warm and fun, but sometimes a little too bassy even for me (a self-proclaimed basshead).  When listening to some Deadmau5 and Skrillex tracks, I find myself blinking to some of the mid-bass-heavy beats.
 
Both Sony XB700 and Klipsch Image One sound more open, and have better highs than the ST700.  I want to say ST700's low end is even less controlled than Image One, but I need to do more burn-in and A/B'ing.  I don't know how it compares with Beats Solo or Studio.  Hopefully someone can chime in later.
 
ST700's MSRP is US$149.99, but can be found at many places at under $70 (November 2011). (Price seems to have jumped up after the Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales.)
 

 

[jjmai]

Update:
After leaving the headphone stretched over night, the clamping is not as extreme as before, but still pretty tight.  The tight force and warm closed sound does feel a little claustrophobic though.
Sound hasn't changed too much with 20hr burn-in.  Bass is slightly better controlled now, but still got a strong mid-bass.
This is definitely meant to be a fun phone with a "clubbing" sound.  You can feel every single beat.
However, if you want to enjoy the vocal frequency, it does get drowned out a bit.  When I compared it with Senn HD555, where vocal was heard clearly in songs, ST700's vocal felt like was competing with the heavier beats.
ST700 does fine on portable DAC, probably even better on a colder device, no need for amp.
 
Here are some official info from TDK:
http://www.tdkperformance.com/en-us/Headphones/High-Fidelity-Headphones/ST700/
http://www.tdk-media.jp/tjbbe01/bbe28400.html
 

 

[ClieOS]

I am inclined to call ST700 the 'poor man's TMA-1'. They share a sort of warm and dark'ish fun sound that is heavy on the bass, which I particularly enjoy on portable cans

 

[Lorspeaker]

 
thanks for the review, for a while i tot this street-can will be overlooked
who is TDK..or rather wats TDK doing in HEADFI.. 

 
 
yes it clampssss, and the isolation is GREAT,
i gotten used to the clamp, maybe my head has gotten smaller since..
or the other way round. 
 
On my samsung fone it sounded bassy like the other portable cans i had...
including the k450, klipschONE...all these are tuned more bassy than "standard/home " , my own term
( my theory is that its done to drown out the taxi/bus noise, so that the music will come thru..)
so i EQ it to CLASSICAL or CLARITY...and its been very palatable to my ears since.
 
ST-700 also sounded SPACE-y to my ears, which i actually LIKE...
cos i wanna SPACE OUT after a hard day pounding the keyboards,
or hammering other board members in my 5-men toiletcleaning team.
 
I like the LOOK of this can, its BLACK..it looks modern executive, its not TOO BIG/BEATS,
but it hints of a BEAT...and the cables..nice and strong, short enough to put into my breastpocket..
and extended if i slip on my 10year old jeans.
 
and its a STEAL, look at the price in amazon, vs a BEAT...my nephew has been hankering for those,,
what does he KNOWWWWWW....he is just kid...lolz...but i suspect he will get his BEATs somehow..hmmmm.
 
ps: i will only use this outside my home...NOT inside...i dun do EQ-ing at home...its sacrilegeous...right spelling??

 
ps : thats not ME in the foto....wish i look that youthful...sighhhh.. i need to buy BEATS!!!!!
 
 
 

 

[jjmai]

Quote:

who is TDK..or rather wats TDK doing in HEADFI.. 

 
TDK Life On Record is actually owned by Imation since 2007, who also owns Memorex.
The original TDK from decades ago is still there, but different from TDK Life On Record brand.
http://www.imation.com/en-us/our-brands/#TDKLifeonRecord
http://www.tdk.com/media.php
 
I probably still have a TDK cassette somewhere in the drawer...
Which reminds me, if you understand the significance of this picture, then you are old:

 

[Lorspeaker]

THAT P...E...N...C....I.....L  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
cant live without those..
 
also an indictment on my age..zzzzz
 
 

 

[Sylafari]

I'm in college and even I know how useful a pencil is useful to a cassette when its in a jam

 

[Lorspeaker]

U have the knowledge..But people my age....R practitioners...

 

[Swimsonny]

I have just received a pair of these, the ST800 and EB950 which will been i have owned the whole hi-fi line of TDK as i have already reviewed the BA100 and BA200. SO far with my little un-burned in listening i agree with most of the impression, mainly including the closed sound, veiled mids and mid-bass hump but these definitely sound better than beats already and look so much better and classier. These also do not sound as dark as the BA100.
 
My unboxing video will be coming up soon.

 

[jjmai]

Quote:

I have just received a pair of these, the ST800 and EB950 which will been i have owned the whole hi-fi line of TDK as i have already reviewed the BA100 and BA200. SO far with my little un-burned in listening i agree with most of the impression, mainly including the closed sound, veiled mids and mid-bass hump but these definitely sound better than beats already and look so much better and classier. These also do not sound as dark as the BA100.
 
My unboxing video will be coming up soon.

 
I am surprised how a balanced armature BA100 can sound that dark, more than ST700.
With your TDK experience, you may be interested in knowing TDK's next IEM BA700.  One of the weirdest looking IEMs yet.
http://www.stereo.com.sg/store/product.php?products_id=1841

 

[Swimsonny]

So was I. In fact if someone told me it was a dynamic IEM I would believe them. It has no BA properties. Anyway I Have put the st700s on burn in and had no more listening hours. Here's unboxing:

[VIDEO]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5_NebJtoEA&feature=plcp[/VIDEO]

As for the BA700, I doubt it's a new item but more a left over IEM from their previous line seeing as it does no follow packaging scheme. They also had another single BA iem. I think it may be caled the BA220. That does have a unique design though with while fitting thing.

 

[sky777]

If i may revive this thread can anyone tell me if this is a great purchase $50. Or should i go for the new hyped jvc has500? I like the sound of the xb700 and i think someone mention it sounds like it too 

 

[jjmai]

The st700 doesn't sound like xb700 to me. St700 was darker.
St700 folds, but cannot fold flat like has500. Though I have never heard has500, but I bet it has better highs than st700 based on what I have read.

 

[Mark K]

I have been quite impressed with WR700, a wireless version of ST700. Though far less impressive than the big brother ST800, this is a pair to go out with my phone / DAP. Maybe the powered ST750 is better

 

[imrazor]

Just picked a pair of these up on deep discount. I mostly agree with the original poster's impressions. I've tried these with a number of devices (Soundblaster Z, X-Fi Surround 5.1 USB, iPhone 5S, and Dell Venue 8 Pro) and can confirm that these have strong bass. Mid-range is somewhat veiled. Country and rock vocals sound hollow. However, these things sound awesome with EDM. Artists like Daft Punk, Pretty Lights, Morgan Page and Nadia Ali really shine with these. Unlike some other folks, I've not had a problem with the treble range, and I usually like a nice +7db spike at 9khz. I will admit, though, they don't sparkle like my Sennheiser HD 280s do, or even my ST800s.
 
As for comfort, I've not had problems with wearing them for a couple of hours at a time. I did bend the headband a bit to reduce the clamping force. It should be noted, though, that I have a high tolerance for uncomfortable phones.
 
The short cable, low impedance and foldable design seem like a perfect fit for mobile applications, and I anticipate taking them with me on the road for use with my phone and tablet. Isolation seems good, with my partner being unable to hear anything with the volume cranked to 90%.
 
Actually, that's one complaint I have about these. While the volume does go fairly high, I can't quite crank them as high as I would like. Of course, I'm using low power equipment, but I can usually get more response from my HD280s.