This is an outstanding piece of sound engineering. The soundstage when paired with a decent amp will blow your mind. It has punchy bass, flat mid's and a very energetic treble. The sound separation is brilliant. They are very lightweight and are easily the most comfortable headphones I have ever used. But please keep in mind that to bring out the best in them you will need a decent amp. So that is one more investment you will have to consider when you buy these beauties. I got them at a very special price from Flipkart and I would like to thank them for the excellent deal.

[b]HD 700 vs HD 650[/b] After some more listening, I have come to realise that the HD 700 is a clear and very significant step up. And not only in terms of comfort. The HD 700 is a lot cleaner, clearer, tighter, more articulate, faster and just gets the vocals a lot more right. The HD 650 is still better for extended listening as the HD 700 does fatigue you after a while. But I've become used to HD 700's treble in under 72 hrs (and less than 2 hrs of use). It is not really fatiguing. But definitely a bit for extended listening. Unlike the HD 650. Everything else goes in favour of the HD 700. You can hear a lot more detail. And the transients are a lot crisper as well. The HD 650 does sound musical and lush. But vocals are relatively frighteningly real with the HD 700. Honestly, I can't see much reason to choose the HD 650 over the HD 700 except for the smoother treble and better suitability for extended listening. The HD 700 is difficult to use for over 20-40 minutes tops at a time. Unlike the HD 650. But that could be very personal. I couldn't listen to Soundmagic E80s for over 5 minutes tops. So maybe I'm just used to the less treble energetic HD 650. Also, do note that most of these comparisons have been done while using the HD 650 with Sonarworks. So the HD 650 was dot neutral. In its stock form it is a bit too laid back for my tastes. And just can't compete with the HD 700. Stuff like breath and air movements are something that really make the HD 700 shine. The HD 650 is okay here. But not in the same playing field. The Fiio E12 does a good job with both the HD 700 and HD 650. But. I don't know why. I preferred the Asus Essence One Muses Edition with both the headphones.

WS Retail, Flipkart's sister concern, sells products for a low attractive price. What they do not tell you is that they sell only clearance stock at that price. Flipkart only has a replacement policy and not a refund policy. So rest assured, you are scammed of your money. This is a modern e-cart scam. Lol. I do not care if you post this review or not but I will surely be spreading the word using all the media platforms available to me.

Sennheiser HD700 was launched in 2011, supposedly to fill the gap between yesteryear's flagship HD650 and the current flagship HD800. It has a maximum retail price of USD 1K but they can be found for a discounted prices that could go south of USD 600.ImpressionsThe Sennheiser HD700 premium headphones come in a black easy-to-open cardboard box akin to the HD650's box. I'm a little surprised that for a product that costs USD 1000 this packing is not only non-premium they are impractical too. The packing is non-premium as there is no way one could determine if the specimen has been used previously or not and the packing is impractical as I would never store these headphones in such a large cardboard box and waste rack space. I found that the Slappa Full Sized Hard Body Pro Headphone Case holds the Sennheiser HD700 perfectly well and allows for easy portability. For comparison, the Oppo PM-1 Planar Magnetic headphones, that fall under this price range, offers their premium headphones in a beautiful piano gloss wooden box and they also include a smaller selvedge denim case for storage and portability.Even though the Sennheiser HD700 is aimed for portable devices there are no accessories included. The only thing you get is a 3m long cable with proprietary connectors on the headphone side and a 6.3mm TRS jack on the other end. For comparison, the Oppo PM-1 Planar Magnetic headphones includes a longer cable with a 6.3mm TRS jack and a shorter cable with a 3.5mm TRS jack.The Sennheiser HD700 comes with velour ear pads. They are very soft and extremely comfortable. Unfortunately, they are unfit for countries with tropical climate. These ear pads are sweat guzzlers and skin/hair debris magnet. This leads to regular maintenance. Improper use will lead to foul smelling and deteriorating ear pads over a short period of time. A pair of additional Sennheiser leather or artificial leather ear pads could have been a better alternative for tropical countries. For comparison, the Oppo PM-1 Planar Magnetic headphones includes a pair of velour ear pads and a pair of lambskin leather ear pads.I feel Sennheiser is not up to speed, with the times, especially with accessories that could add value and practicality.PerformanceThe first thing that I noticed about the Sennheiser HD700 headphones is their flawless build quality. The meticulously engineered product is a clever use of plastic and minimal amount of metal for optimized strength to weight ratio. This results in a headphone that is extremely light on the head and is ideal for long listening sessions. Despite the abundance of plastic they do not look cheap, they look more sci-fi than hi-fi.The HD700 headphones are rated at 150 Ohms and are more easily powered by portable devices than both the 300 Ohms rated HD650 and HD800 headphones. This also means that the HD700 gets fairly loud, very early in the volume dial. With most amps, I could barely get past the 10 O'clock position.The spectral balance is tipped towards the treble or so it appeared to my sensitive ears when I first tried them. There is more treble detail, energy and extension than the HD650. The HD700 headphones need a good amount of burn-in before they open up to optimum performance. My first impressions were that these headphones have a brighter treble and lighter bass. Post burn-in, I could feel the bass impact bloom, vocals more natural, treble less edgy and the soundstage become more expansive.The key strength of the Sennheiser HD700 is their soundstage. It is wide enough to make you think that you are not listening to headphones. They were almost like listening to a desktop audio monitoring system. Instruments are well placed and separated within the soundstage created. This is quiet a feat and a treat from a pair of headphones.Another key strength of the Sennheiser HD700 is the midrange. It sounds natural and as such these headphones are best suited for songs that are predominantly vocal. The vocals on the HD700 are more cut out and that makes them a tad more real than the HD650. I especially enjoyed the song Black Sheep by Natalie Merchant from her self-titled album in hi-res 24bit/88.2kHz FLACs.The bass impact is a hit and miss affair. There are recordings were the bass drums sound very real and compliment the rest of the upper frequencies very cohesively, and then there are recordings where the synthesized bass sounds very papery and delicate which ruins the overall presentation. The HD650, on the other hand, though a tad muddy, sounds more consistent, there is more quantity/impact, is more effortless and enjoyable. I did not enjoy the hi-res 24bit/88.2kHz album Random Access Memories by Daft Punk with the HD700 as much as I enjoy listening to them with the HD650.For a pair of dynamic headphones, the HD700 has a very fast and very dynamic presentation. The attack and decay of instruments are faster on the HD700 than the HD650. In songs where the passages start out very low in volume and then eventually get very complex, I could never gauge when the HD700 got really loud. Keeping the volume on the conservative side and adjusting it from time to time, depending on the music being played, really helps.The timbre and tone qualities of the HD700 comes across as neutral and blunt when compared to HD650's captivating timbre and beautifully lush tone. Surprisingly, the HD700 is very clear and legible as a bell, but it does not have the level of detail and transparency of the HD650. For comparison, the Fostex T50RP planar magnetic headphones and the Brainwavz HM5 dynamic headphones both beat the Sennheiser counterparts in transparency.I used the Sennheiser HD700 headphones with solid state amp, vacuum tube amp, desktop DACs and a reference portable player. The HD700 is highly source dependent and can be very unforgiving of the source and the quality of music being played. To my sensitive ears, the HD700 sounded their best with pristine 24bit and 16bit FLACs and of course playing it with vacuum tube amps sweetened them a bit. With older 16bit music they not only highlighted the flaws I have never experienced before, they also became sibilant with quiet a few old non-pristine recordings.ComparisonThe headphones that I would like to compare the HD700 is with the HD650. I've already been comparing the two, from the start of this review, but I would like to take it a step further here.I have been using the HD650, tweaked with a DIY headphone cable, for quiet sometime now, they have served me really well and my sensitive ears absolutely love the HD650's warm sound signature. The HD650 has a dark and slow presentation compared to the HD700's well-lit and fast presentation.I'll have to give an analogy to better explain this. The HD650 is a like a high performance Plasma HDTV. It has beautiful black backgrounds, unmatched contrast and the most realistic skin tones. Even though the overall picture may appear a tad dark, they are easier on the eyes for the long run and very forgiving of imperfect videos. The HD700, on the other hand, is like a high performance LED HDTV. It has beautifully vibrant colors, almost bordering on over saturation and picture that is sharp (but not necessarily transparent). Even though the overall picture quality may appear to be well lit, they may not be easier on the eyes in the long run and may not be forgiving of imperfect videos.When I switch back to the HD650 I don't really miss the HD700. Even though the HD650 lacks the details, the speed, the dynamics and the soundstage of the HD700, I completely get immersed in the euphoric and musical presentation of the HD650. The HD650 is more of an all-rounder than the HD700 which is very finicky about the quality and genre of music being played. With imperfect recordings the HD700 can get sterile and edgy, they shine mostly with pristine quality recordings only. The HD650 focuses on what's left in a recording and connects me to the music, whereas, the HD700 focuses on what's missing in a recording and highlights the possible flaws therein.I'm happy to have both the HD650 and the HD700 in my headphones collection, as they both approach the sound very differently. But if I had to pick just one, that is an all-rounder and easy to live with, then it is going to be the HD650. The HD650 improves a lot and opens up with a good after-market headphone cable upgrade. Between the two, it really comes down to a matter of preference, whether you like the sound to be sweet and dishonest (colored for musicality) or if you like the sound to be rude and honest (true to source).Wrap-upThe Sennheiser HD700 is a pair of hi-fi headphones and they deserve a hi-fi source and hi-res formats to help them reach their optimum performance. I found that source in the Lotoo Paw Gold DAP (Digital Audio Player). Together they are north of USD 3K, they look like they are made for each other in their grey color accents and matching looks. They make for a highly recommended Class-A portable audio system.Those wanting to try a good pair of easy-going audiophile headphones from Sennheiser should start their journey with the timeless classic'HD650. Those who already own and appreciate the Sennheiser HD650, the HD 700 will offer high definition performance with good quality recordings and will compliment the headphones collection.AddendumI've spent 100s of more hours with both the Sennheiser HD700 and HD650 headphones. My impressions have not changed much from the original review but I'm now able to appreciate their strengths and differences better.The old school Sennheiser HD650 headphones focuses on what is left of any recording and thus they make for euphonic listening experience with older 16 bit/poorly mastered recordings. The new school Sennheiser HD700 headphones focuses on what's missing in a recording and thus makes for a precise listening experience with newer 24bit/perfectly mastered recordings. Songs such as Creep by Radiohead and Billie Jean by MJ that sounds trashy with the HD700 sounds more bearable and enjoyable with the HD650.With movies, the Sennheiser HD650 headphones' dark, polite and laidback presentation, with decent soundstage, makes for an unengaging experience. Whereas, the Sennheiser HD700 headphones' well-lit, dynamic and articulate presentation, with a wider soundstage, takes you right to the middle of the story. The HD700 is able to resolve background/ambient information better and is also the better headphones for enjoying movies/videos online.There is no clear winner here. The Sennheiser HD650 and HD700 headphones have very little in common, their presentation and the way they approach sound is very different from each other. They do not compete, they complement each other. They currently sell for USD 300 and USD 450 respectively. For these heavily discounted prices they are a great bargain. Together they make for a worthy set of headphones to collect and they have you covered in more ways than any single pair of headphones can.Pros' High-end headphones that shine with hi-fi source and hi-res music.' Class leading details, speed, dynamics and soundstage.' Exemplary build and finish.' Full-sized headphones that are light and very comfortable.Cons' With imperfect sources they can sounds sterile, edgy and sibilant.' Open-back headphones for solitary listening only.' Lacks basic accessories to make them practical to use.' The long 3m cables are a mess to handle for everyday listening.

Sennheiser HD 700 - Sennheiser's Queen In 2016Sennheiser was kind enough to lend me their HD 700 for a home demo. And as you know, I already own the HD 650 (silver drivers) to compare them to. And thankfully, Sennheiser has also agreed to lend me their HD 800 in a few days, for a more thorough side by side comparison. But that is best left to another review.I'm not sure whether these HD 700 headphones have been burned in or not. But. Neither do I care. Because I'm not a big believer in burn in making a radical difference to the sound. At least in the majority of cases. Anyway, just mentioned this to explicitly state that I've no idea.How much time have I spent with Sennheiser's HD 700 so far?Not much. Less than 24 hrs in fact. But. I've already listened to a few songs I'm reasonably familiar with.So. This isn't a review done after extensive testing. But. I've tried to be as accurate as possible.How much time have I spent with the HD 650 and the rest of my setup?At least over 2 years or so. Maybe longer. So that shouldn't hinder this review.The SetupHeadphones: HD 700 (2012), HD 650 (silver drivers)Headphone Amplifier: Project Ember v1.0 (just tried a single tube, Marconi 6dj8 is what I recall from memory)DAC: Asus Essence One Muses EditionTransport: Asus Essence STX SPDIF to the PCThe HD 650 was tested with and without Sonarworks. Sonarworks is a VST plugin that neutralises the tonality of supported headphones. Sonarworks doesn't support the HD 700 yet.MusicBollywood (Arijit Singh etc)Mozart (very little)I'd like to sum up the basic advantages of each headphone over the other, before I proceed to a more detailed review. So those in a hurry can still quickly get to know the overall gist in brief.Advantages of the HD 700 over the HD 650Way more comfortable. In fact, the HD 700 is so comfortable that that alone justifies twice the price over the HD 650 if you consider them equals otherwise.More or less better all around when it comes to technical prowess.Clearer, cleaner, more articulate, crisper transients and better speed.The overall sound is very tight and coherent.The bass is a lot tighter.Much better resolution; more detailed.Reasonably improved soundstage and imaging.More open and slightly more speaker like.More detailed and believable vocals.Basically, the difference in going from a mid range to a high-end can.Disadvantages of the HD 700 over the HD 650Additional treble that makes it unnaturally bright (not ear piercing though).Fatiguing and not as polite for extended listening sessions.There is something that makes them sound less natural and less musical.The tonality isn't as neutral; the vocals are a bit upfront as compared to the rest.Advantages of the HD 650 over the HD 700 (Many of these advantages may be audible only if you have Sonarworks, as that takes the experience to another level.)More musical, lush, smoother and sweet overall.The bass isn't as tight but perhaps more natural and with greater punch.The treble isn't as sharp; it is smoother.More suitable for extended listening.It has most of the pros of the HD 700 but not quite to the same level. In terms of technical prowess, it is what it is. An outdated flagship.Now.You're probably waiting for a more in-depth comparison between the two. And that is exactly what I'm coming to now.HD 700 v/s HD 650 (with Sonarworks) - One on oneSound signatureHD 700The HD 700 isn't as connect in tonality. But it is a very enjoyable sound signature nevertheless. The bass is super tight. The treble is lively and slightly Brit. The vocals are upfront. The sound is very tight overall. Everything is very tight.HD 650More neutral and balanced. Sounds smoother and sweeter, more musical. Nothing stands out even though the vocals are delicious.Soundstage & ImagingHD 700 > HD 650The difference isn't huge. But is still significant. And easily audible. Can be a deal breaker for many once they get used to the HD 700.I'm not too certain about the imaging. But. I think the HD 700 has an edge there as well.VocalsHD 700More articulate and realistic. They have better resolution and are more detailed. Also more upfront. Crisper.HD 650More musical, rounded and smoother. But not quite of the same stature.BassHD 700A lot tighter. Perhaps artificially tight. Not sure though.HD 650Far more hollow and rounded. But a tad more natural. Smoother. And with more punch.TrebleHD 650 > HD 700HD 650's treble is just right with Sonarworks. HD 700 is a bit peaky and that takes time to adjust to. Note, the HD 700 isn't very bright. But the 650 is just more natural and balanced.Transients, speed, articulationHD 700 > HD 650Not even a contest. There are really far apart here. The HD 650 is very good in its own right. But not of the same pedigree.Timbre and tonalityHD 650 is a bit better than the HD 700 here.ComfortDon't get me wrong. The HD 650 is pretty comfortable on its own. However, although its sound is suitable for extended listening, it's comfort isn't exemplary. It is just good.The HD 700 is probably the most comfortable headphone ever. More comfortable than the HD 800 I think. (I have tried the HD 800 twice.)It is like going from average to superlative in terms of comfort. That alone justifies 2x the price for the HD 700.Finally. Is the HD 700 a true upgrade to the HD 650?Technically, yes. Definitely.However, since the sound signature isn't exactly the same, subjective preferences may differ. Some may take one over the other.But as far as technical prowess is concerned, the 700 definitely has an edge. And a definite one at that. And combined with the much better comfort, its price is justified. Without doubt.Yes. I recommend the HD 700 over the HD 650 even at twice the price. But only if you feel the need for something that the HD 650 is unable to deliver. And ideally, you should try to audition before you buy it.Update to Sennheiser HD 700's reviewI have had a chance to listen to the HD 700 with two more setups:Asus Essence One Muses DAC/AmpiPad Mini 2 -> FiiO E12I also compared it to the HD 650 with both setups.The Fiio E12 setup sounds pretty good. With both cans. But not quite at the level of my previous setup or even the Asus E1 Muses.I didn't do an AB test or DBT, so I can't be sure. And being an objectivist, I'm not sure why or whether there should be this kind of difference. But for some reason, the Asus setup sounds cleaner, clearer and less muffled.The FiiO E12 is very good in its own right. And even with low gain I'm at about 12 o clock to get reasonably loud volume with either headphone.HD 700 vs HD 650After some more listening, I have come to realise that the HD 700 is a clear and very significant step up. And not only in terms of comfort.The HD 700 is a lot cleaner, clearer, tighter, more articulate, faster and just gets the vocals a lot more right.The HD 650 is still better for extended listening as the HD 700 does fatigue you after a while. But I've become used to HD 700's treble in under 72 hrs (and less than 2 hrs of use). It is not really fatiguing. But definitely a bit for extended listening. Unlike the HD 650.Everything else goes in favour of the HD 700. You can hear a lot more detail. And the transients are a lot crisper as well.The HD 650 does sound musical and lush. But vocals are relatively frighteningly real with the HD 700.Honestly, I can't see much reason to choose the HD 650 over the HD 700 except for the smoother treble and better suitability for extended listening.The HD 700 is difficult to use for over 20-40 minutes tops at a time. Unlike the HD 650. But that could be very personal. I couldn't listen to Soundmagic E80s for over 5 minutes tops. So maybe I'm just used to the less treble energetic HD 650.Also, do note that most of these comparisons have been done while using the HD 650 with Sonarworks. So the HD 650 was dot neutral. In its stock form it is a bit too laid back for my tastes. And just can't compete with the HD 700.Stuff like breath and air movements are something that really make the HD 700 shine. The HD 650 is okay here. But not in the same playing field.The Fiio E12 does a good job with both the HD 700 and HD 650. But. I don't know why. I preferred the Asus Essence One Muses Edition with both the headphones.Solid State vs TubeFor some reason, I always felt the HD 650 felt dead and cold with the Asus Essence One Muses edition. It felt lifeless. Like something was lacking.However, the HD 700 also fares really well with this solid state amp. In fact, I preferred it with the Asus over my hybrid tube amp Project Ember, I think. I'm not sure though.But. With the HD 650 I always chose Project Ember instead.Now I'm really not sure why this is happening. I may have gone mad and maybe this is all placebo. But these are my findings so far...P.S. Honestly, after listening to the HD 700 for a while, the HD 650 sounds like a distorted and muffled mess. The difference is at least as big if not bigger than moving from a HD 598 to a HD 650. The jump is probably a lot bigger in fact.The HD 700 does better most of the stuff the HD 650 does well, and much better at that. But it is definitely a different presentation. And it is best to audition before you buy either!

This is an outstanding piece of sound engineering. The soundstage when paired with a decent amp will blow your mind. It has punchy bass, flat mid's and a very energetic treble. The sound separation is brilliant. They are very lightweight and are easily the most comfortable headphones I have ever used. But please keep in mind that to bring out the best in them you will need a decent amp. So that is one more investment you will have to consider when you buy these beauties. I got them at a very special price from Flipkart and I would like to thank them for the excellent deal.

[b]HD 700 vs HD 650[/b] After some more listening, I have come to realise that the HD 700 is a clear and very significant step up. And not only in terms of comfort. The HD 700 is a lot cleaner, clearer, tighter, more articulate, faster and just gets the vocals a lot more right. The HD 650 is still better for extended listening as the HD 700 does fatigue you after a while. But I've become used to HD 700's treble in under 72 hrs (and less than 2 hrs of use). It is not really fatiguing. But definitely a bit for extended listening. Unlike the HD 650. Everything else goes in favour of the HD 700. You can hear a lot more detail. And the transients are a lot crisper as well. The HD 650 does sound musical and lush. But vocals are relatively frighteningly real with the HD 700. Honestly, I can't see much reason to choose the HD 650 over the HD 700 except for the smoother treble and better suitability for extended listening. The HD 700 is difficult to use for over 20-40 minutes tops at a time. Unlike the HD 650. But that could be very personal. I couldn't listen to Soundmagic E80s for over 5 minutes tops. So maybe I'm just used to the less treble energetic HD 650. Also, do note that most of these comparisons have been done while using the HD 650 with Sonarworks. So the HD 650 was dot neutral. In its stock form it is a bit too laid back for my tastes. And just can't compete with the HD 700. Stuff like breath and air movements are something that really make the HD 700 shine. The HD 650 is okay here. But not in the same playing field. The Fiio E12 does a good job with both the HD 700 and HD 650. But. I don't know why. I preferred the Asus Essence One Muses Edition with both the headphones.

WS Retail, Flipkart's sister concern, sells products for a low attractive price. What they do not tell you is that they sell only clearance stock at that price. Flipkart only has a replacement policy and not a refund policy. So rest assured, you are scammed of your money. This is a modern e-cart scam. Lol. I do not care if you post this review or not but I will surely be spreading the word using all the media platforms available to me.