[CaveManta]

Yeahh, the increase in bass does affect the quality of the other frequencies. But with the plastic wrap mod, I don't perceive that they are messed up too badly. I mostly hear more, lower quality bass. And the stock AD700 bass did go low, yeah, but it was just so quiet. There was no rumble at all to me.

 
Hehe, I do have two AD700s. I bought one from MrScotchGuy a few months ago^^. It's even comfier than my previous one because its ear pads are more broken in, and he bent the headband a bit for more clamping force.
Sorry, you can't have 'em. They're mine!

All mine!

 

[TheGiantHogweed]

  Yeahh, the increase in bass does affect the quality of the other frequencies. But with the plastic wrap mod, I don't perceive that they are messed up too badly. I mostly hear more, lower quality bass. And the stock AD700 bass did go low, yeah, but it was just so quiet. There was no rumble at all to me.

 
Hehe, I do have two AD700s. I bought one from MrScotchGuy a few months ago^^. It's even comfier than my previous one because its ear pads are more broken in, and he bent the headband a bit for more clamping force.
Sorry, you can't have 'em. They're mine!

All mine!

You are lucky to have 2 pairs of the original AD700s. The New AD700X's just don't look to have good build quality from what I have read and their sound isn't much improved either. These have such a good quality cable and the overall build is pretty good too.
 
If you have listened to beats as your avatar sort of indicates, then of course you will hardly notice the rumbling bass on these.

Even with no bass added, I can hear right down to just below 25hz and I can also just about hear the really deep notes it in the music too. Like you say, you maybe don't feel it but I can feel it a little bit. When I add the E11's bass, you start to get that little bit more rumble and power to the bass.

 

[CaveManta]

   The AD700 is a beauty in many ways. Well, maybe some wouldn't prefer the color choices. But I think they're very distinctive. I'm going to color a car in 'Grand Theft Auto 5' to match it^^. To be honest, I don't mind the all-black look of the AD700X either.
   They're also beautiful in their build quality. They're so light, yet so solid. And that cable, my gosh, it is great. It even has its own name, 'Titan.'
Hmm..I can say that the AD900X feels more solid than the AD700 though. I haven't seen an AD700X in person, so I don't know what it's like. But if it's like the AD900X, it's gotta be good. No creaking at all. Oh, but the AD900X cable..I could bash it forever D=.
 
   Heyy, I haven't listened to Beats! My avatar is meant to make fun of them, haha =P. Or is it making fun of Tyll? I don't know.
I just don't really hear that rumble o.O. Maybe I am used to more bassy cans(or my ridiculous loudspeaker setup.) I should listen to some sine waves with an AD700 to make sure.
 
I did buy my second AD700 just to make sure I have one forever =3. The AD700 is so special, it's a shame it's going to disappear someday.

 

[TheGiantHogweed]

     The AD700 is a beauty in many ways. Well, maybe some wouldn't prefer the color choices. But I think they're very distinctive. I'm going to color a car in 'Grand Theft Auto 5' to match it^^. To be honest, I don't mind the all-black look of the AD700X either.
   They're also beautiful in their build quality. They're so light, yet so solid. And that cable, my gosh, it is great. It even has its own name, 'Titan.'
Hmm..I can say that the AD900X feels more solid than the AD700 though. I haven't seen an AD700X in person, so I don't know what it's like. But if it's like the AD900X, it's gotta be good. No creaking at all. Oh, but the AD900X cable..I could bash it forever D=.
 
   Heyy, I haven't listened to Beats! My avatar is meant to make fun of them, haha =P. Or is it making fun of Tyll? I don't know.
I just don't really hear that rumble o.O. Maybe I am used to more bassy cans(or my ridiculous loudspeaker setup.) I should listen to some sine waves with an AD700 to make sure.
 
I did buy my second AD700 just to make sure I have one forever =3. The AD700 is so special, it's a shame it's going to disappear someday.

Well I do have a subwoofer in my room and I do know what bass is. (I can feel it shaking my room at times) I don't have anything that has a huge amount though. Maybe that it why I can quite easily still hear it on the AD700s.
 
I once heard a pair of the original Beats Solo HDs and they cost £169 on Amazon.co.uk at the time compared to my £87 AD700s and the Beats simply sounded awful. Hardly any decent midrange, muddy treble and also very boomy bass. The bass was much cleaner on the AD700s. A few months before I bought my AD700s, they were as low as £65.
They may have been even better value on amazon.com maybe. The beats did go down to about £99 but they actually didn't sound a huge better than my £19 Sennheiser HD201s. More bass but that was about it. the HD201 have quite a balanced sound and considering the price difference, my HD201s were much better value for money.
Beats are just too overpriced.
It is a bit unfair comparing closed and open back headphones but I have the AKG K550s and they are now about £99 and they sound way more detailed then beats and actually quite similar to my AD700s every now an then. They have a very bright top end.

 

[CaveManta]

Not fair comparing closed and open-back headphones? How about not fair comparing headphones to the Beats? Oh, snap! Just kidding. =P
   I've heard that the K550 is almost like a closed-back K701 with more peaky mids. What do you think of the bass quality of closed cans? I mean, they've already got quantity taken care of for sure.
   I say that the bass of open opens is on a whole new level compared to closed cans- even though it may not be as linear. I just love speedy bass! And man, the AD700's bass is fast..but not as fast as the Q701. The Q701's bass is fast, yet rumbly and punchy..it almost sounds warm. It's really strange.
   But I guess this is the AD700 discussion thread, so I should discuss it more specifically. It..rules!

 

[TheGiantHogweed]

  Not fair comparing closed and open-back headphones? How about not fair comparing headphones to the Beats? Oh, snap! Just kidding. =P
   I've heard that the K550 is almost like a closed-back K701 with more peaky mids. What do you think of the bass quality of closed cans? I mean, they've already got quantity taken care of for sure.
   I say that the bass of open opens is on a whole new level compared to closed cans- even though it may not be as linear. I just love speedy bass! And man, the AD700's bass is fast..but not as fast as the Q701. The Q701's bass is fast, yet rumbly and punchy..it almost sounds warm. It's really strange.
   But I guess this is the AD700 discussion thread, so I should discuss it more specifically. It..rules!

Look what I happened to have said in this thread just a bit earlier

http://www.head-fi.org/t/772371/which-akg-will-not-break#post_11711114
 
I also thought the K550s were in a way, a closed back version of the Q701 but it looks like I got told that they are very different.
 
About the quality of bass in open and closed back cans, my K550s have excellent bass quality. It is really deep and rumbly but just not very loud. It is very well controlled. One thing is though is that the AD700s cope with me adding bass way better than my AKG K550s do. With my FiiO X3 on bass boost 8, With certain types of music, The drivers on the K550s rattle and distort a little. However the AD700s can handle the X3's bass boost as high as it goes without distortion.
 
When listening to them both directly though, the AD700 had weak and quiet bass and the K550s bass actually sounds more natural to listen to. The bass is one of the best things about the K550s. Everything else though is beaten by a long way by the AD700s. It is an unfair comparison though even though the K550s cost me £42 more. The AD700s have warmer sounding midrange, not that extremely thin sounding midrange you get on the K550s. Even though the AD700s do emphasize the treble a little, it still sounds quite a lot more realistic than the K550s but that will all be to do with their effective open backed design.

 

[TheGiantHogweed]

     The AD700 is a beauty in many ways. Well, maybe some wouldn't prefer the color choices. But I think they're very distinctive. I'm going to color a car in 'Grand Theft Auto 5' to match it^^. To be honest, I don't mind the all-black look of the AD700X either.
   They're also beautiful in their build quality. They're so light, yet so solid. And that cable, my gosh, it is great. It even has its own name, 'Titan.'
Hmm..I can say that the AD900X feels more solid than the AD700 though. I haven't seen an AD700X in person, so I don't know what it's like. But if it's like the AD900X, it's gotta be good. No creaking at all. Oh, but the AD900X cable..I could bash it forever D=.
 
   Heyy, I haven't listened to Beats! My avatar is meant to make fun of them, haha =P. Or is it making fun of Tyll? I don't know.
I just don't really hear that rumble o.O. Maybe I am used to more bassy cans(or my ridiculous loudspeaker setup.) I should listen to some sine waves with an AD700 to make sure.
 
I did buy my second AD700 just to make sure I have one forever =3. The AD700 is so special, it's a shame it's going to disappear someday.

I have just remembered another mod I once tried with the AD700s at one point. You could maybe try it out some time. Totally cover the purple grills with electrical tape. It added more impact to the bass and but also ruined the treble. If you wanted even more of a bass monster, try your plastic wrap as well as electrical tape on the grills. That with a 53 mm driver will probably sound really bass heavy. It will ruin the sound though.
 
 
At the moment, I have both ear pads cut open in the middle. I have put a loop of thick cable in them that is tied together with duct tape. It hasn't changed the sound much. Maybe ever so slightly clearer. I did this mod because I couldn't stand my ear  resting against the pads the whole time. If it wasn't for the fact that these headphones had angles drivers, I wouldn't have even attempted doing this.
 
They are quite a lot more comfortable for me now. My ears don't touch anything and I always forget I am wearing them. They are so lightweight.

 

[fjrabon]

I've never seen a mod for the AD700, other than adjustments to the clamping force, that didn't completely ruin the reasons why people liked this headphone in the first place, ie its detail, silky midrange and soundstage.

 

[exiva]

Does anyone have a pinout on these? I went to recable mine and must've accidentally thrown away the paper i noted the wires down on.

 

[TheGiantHogweed]

Does anyone have a pinout on these? I went to recable mine and must've accidentally thrown away the paper i noted the wires down on.

Sorry, I don't know about this. I am interested in why you need to replace it though. Did it get damaged? I find the these AD700s have the best quality 3.5mm cable I have come accross. even better than some QED 3.5mm cable I have that was very expensive. The metal on the jackat the end it really solid, heavy and well made yet not too bulky. The cable is very flexible at the same time as being thick and very tough.
I wish you could buy audio cables like this at areasonable price. Shurely they can't be that hard to make.

The only 3.5mm cable I wired up had a black, red and white wires in it.

 

[Yazen]

Sorry, I don't know about this. I am interested in why you need to replace it though. Did it get damaged? I find the these AD700s have the best quality 3.5mm cable I have come accross. even better than some QED 3.5mm cable I have that was very expensive. The metal on the jackat the end it really solid, heavy and well made yet not too bulky. The cable is very flexible at the same time as being thick and very tough.
I wish you could buy audio cables like this at areasonable price. Shurely they can't be that hard to make.

The only 3.5mm cable I wired up had a black, red and white wires in it.

^ This
Better than the flimsy HD600 lol

 

[titousky]

Hi,
In France The AD700X cost the same as the Sennheiser HD598 (150€),
Which one would you recommend for long sessions of watching series and movies, playing games, listening to various kind of music...
And which will let my ears breath the most? Because it's the main reason why I want to buy open back headphones.
And what about the comfort?
thanks,

 

[Yazen]

  Hi,
In France The AD700X cost the same as the Sennheiser HD598 (150€),
Which one would you recommend for long sessions of watching series and movies, playing games, listening to various kind of music...
And which will let my ears breath the most? Because it's the main reason why I want to buy open back headphones.
And what about the comfort?
thanks,

I like the AD700x for their comfort, one of the most comfortable headphones I have ever owned.  They are very breathable.  The problem (imo) is that they are not as well rounded with music when compared to the HD598.
 
I don't think you could go wrong with either, but I find the AD700x to be more comfortable, and they should last you longer.  Relatively unique sound signature, the "AIR"iest of the ATH-ADX00 line

 

[dkun7944]

How do you guys think the ATH-AD700 compare to the AD2000? I have an ATH-AD2000 and I'm looking to downgrade to something cheaper and I was considering the ATH-AD700. By the way, if anyone is interested in my AD2000(not the AD2000x), send me a PM!

 

[fjrabon]

  How do you guys think the ATH-AD700 compare to the AD2000? I have an ATH-AD2000 and I'm looking to downgrade to something cheaper and I was considering the ATH-AD700. By the way, if anyone is interested in my AD2000(not the AD2000x), send me a PM!

The AD2000 is faster, has more bass, less grainy upper midrange.  The AD2000 also "takes" EQ better, allowing it to be a bit of a chameleon of sorts, while the AD700's detail and clarity tends to fall apart as soon as you try to EQ it at all.  The AD2000 has the same soundstage as the AD700, but the AD2000 sounds more natural in its placement.  Where the weird spikes the AD700 has tend to cause instruments with a wide tonal range to move back and forth as they go up and down their musical range.