[SilverEars]

Closed back Hifiman at $149

Why wasn't this posted? Is this not the forum for headphones? It was posted on Reddit 6 days ago.

https://drop.com/buy/drop-hifiman-he-r7dx-closed-back-headphones/talk?mode=shop_open&referer=XL4A98

 

[Bill-P]

Oh... thanks for creating the thread!

I was going to create one myself. Drop reached out and loaned me one. I received it about 3 days ago and have listened to it for a while. I also just wrote up a review on it:
https://drop.com/buy/drop-hifiman-he-r7dx-closed-back-headphones/talk/2870866

If you guys need anything, please feel free to ask.

TL;DR: it's a budget reference headphone along the lines of HD600/650 in closed-back form. I don't want to hype it up too much but you can see my measurements and draw your own conclusions from there.

 

[Reputator]

Resolve doesn't seem too impressed.

 

[Malevolent]

Oh... thanks for creating the thread!

I was going to create one myself. Drop reached out and loaned me one. I received it about 3 days ago and have listened to it for a while. I also just wrote up a review on it:
https://drop.com/buy/drop-hifiman-he-r7dx-closed-back-headphones/talk/2870866

If you guys need anything, please feel free to ask.

TL;DR: it's a budget reference headphone along the lines of HD600/650 in closed-back form. I don't want to hype it up too much but you can see my measurements and draw your own conclusions from there.

Thanks for the review. It was an interesting read, indeed; even more so, when you consider the competition that you've pitted the HE-R7DX against - the ZMF Eikon, for one.

It would be nice to see a comparison of this headphone against the stalwarts of the sub-$300 world - the ATH-M40x, the ATH-M70x, the K371, and the DT 770 PRO (and the new DT 700 PRO X), for example.

Looks wise, I think the HE-R7DX is... rather unappealing?

 

[Beagle]

Not a planar so what's the point? Just another $150 Amazon cheap no name dynamic.

 

[Bill-P]

Thanks for the review. It was an interesting read, indeed; even more so when you consider the competition that you've pitted the HE-R7DX against - the ZMF Eikon, for one.

It would be nice to see a comparison of this headphone against the stalwarts of the sub-$300 world - the ATH-M40x, the ATH-M70x, the K371, and the DT 770 PRO (and the new DT 700 PRO X), for example.

Looks wise, I think the HE-R7DX is... rather unappealing?

Yeah, thanks! I tried to give as much information as possible... and I really tried to not let my personal preference get in the way. This is basically the opposite direction of what I generally like. But then again, I don't think people realize just how bass-light the original Sony MDR-R10 was. I've heard 2 R10 headphones and the most bass heavy of the 2 is nowhere near this bassy. Also if people are used to e-stats, Stax, etc... then this is in line with that sound. There's... that side of the hobby that really want something like this: mid-centric, good high, just about enough bass. It's not a tuning that's "for everyone" like the HD650, but it is tastefully done.

I do have ATH-M50 but I need to assemble it... (I disassembled the headphone a while ago and never re-assembled it). I would say... if you want a bit more clarity, this easily beats out the M50. And actually, you know what, let me assemble M50 later today and see how it does. I just have to resolder the drivers.

And yeah, it doesn't look... good, but then again, I don't think the M50 "looks good" either. If we're talking about "looking good", ZMF headphones are pretty high on the list.

 

[Bill-P]

Not a planar so what's the point? Just another $150 Amazon cheap no name dynamic.

I don't have Drop x DCA Ether CX anymore to directly compare but... I do happen to have measurements. Here you go:

From memory, I would say... they are not too far off from one another.

 

[tinyman392]

Not a planar so what's the point? Just another $150 Amazon cheap no name dynamic.

The driver type isn't always what makes the headphone Though HiFiMan is historically more on the planar side, they have done dynamic drivers before.

 

[Bill-P]

So... it really bothered me how the headband just couldn't clamp right on my head. I took the screws off, took the cups out, and bent just the headband part by itself. Now that that's done, I can confirm that:
1. The headband can bend pretty far...
2. It is not possible to swap any of the other spare headband parts that HiFiMAN is selling onto this one. It seems the headband hinge part has slot shaped specifically for this headphone. Refer to the photo below:

With that said, here's updated measurements with slightly higher clamping force:

Difference between low and high clamping force is not subtle:

Obligatory comparisons against HD650 and Eikon as above:

I also enabled the range view in my graphs so people can tell which range is which.

Anyway, I'll post updated impressions with higher clamping force later once I have had a few more hours to listen and compare. I took measurements mostly as a curiosity thing because I realized higher clamping force could make quite a difference. And it did.

 

[Beagle]

The driver type isn't always what makes the headphone Though HiFiMan is historically more on the planar side, they have done dynamic drivers before.

Audeze has done a few. What is taking HiFiman so long to do a closed planar?

 

[helloh3adfi]

2. It is not possible to swap any of the other spare headband parts that HiFiMAN is selling onto this one. It seems the headband hinge part has slot shaped specifically for this headphone.

If it doesn't fit, use a bigger hammer.

 

[Malevolent]

Yeah, thanks! I tried to give as much information as possible... and I really tried to not let my personal preference get in the way. This is basically the opposite direction of what I generally like. But then again, I don't think people realize just how bass-light the original Sony MDR-R10 was. I've heard 2 R10 headphones and the most bass heavy of the 2 is nowhere near this bassy. Also if people are used to e-stats, Stax, etc... then this is in line with that sound. There's... that side of the hobby that really want something like this: mid-centric, good high, just about enough bass. It's not a tuning that's "for everyone" like the HD650, but it is tastefully done.

I do have ATH-M50 but I need to assemble it... (I disassembled the headphone a while ago and never re-assembled it). I would say... if you want a bit more clarity, this easily beats out the M50. And actually, you know what, let me assemble M50 later today and see how it does. I just have to resolder the drivers.

And yeah, it doesn't look... good, but then again, I don't think the M50 "looks good" either. If we're talking about "looking good", ZMF headphones are pretty high on the list.

I don't think that the ATH-M50x are particularly difficult to trump in terms of clarity; It's more of a "fun" and exciting headphone, thanks to its "v-shaped" tuning.

Looks are certainly subjective, and it's a topic that's often divisive. Still, I think we can both agree that the HE-R7DX are particularly non-assuming and boring in terms of aesthetics.

Probably the litmus test for this headphone's worth is this - is it good enough that you'd buy one? Thanks.

 

[tinyman392]

Audeze has done a few. What is taking HiFiman so long to do a closed planar?

HiFiMan does have a closed planar. It’s well outside my price range though. It would be nice for them to do, but to discount this headphone simply because it has a dynamic driver is kind of absurd.

 

[Beagle]

HiFiMan does have a closed planar. It’s well outside my price range though. It would be nice for them to do, but to discount this headphone simply because it has a dynamic driver is kind of absurd.

I realize that (R10P) but I'm talking about a closed version of a 400 or Sundara, a la the LCD-2.

 

[Philimon]

SBAF thread impressions are so-so. I would link but dont want to get banned.