[miow]

Have just ordered the DENON HP700. Let's see if this has been the right choice. Was divided by Shure SRH840, M-Audio Studiophile Q40, Denon D2000 and a few others.

 

[miow]

Just got them. I got no words for this headphone.They are detail-monsters with thunderous DEEP bass (amped - Fiio E11 - EQ2/High Gain). So best of both worlds. Never thought this combination of thunderous bass and SQ could be possible on a headphone. It's like hearing 2 way separate speakers for mids and treble with crossover + a subwoofer. 0 coloration on mids caused by the mid-bass. Ultra clean mids with stunning definition/detail. I like the "intimate" soundstage, it's exactly how I like it from a headphone. The best phone I have ever heard, beating top-tier IEMs like the SM3 and the UM3X by quite a large margin concerning definition/detail (and BASS).
 
The only thing that occurs me that reminds me this are my Alesis professional speaker monitors or eventually the Audio Engine 5's.
 
The bass has the definition/detail and texture I've always looked for from a headphone and even several Hi-Fi speakers. It's thunderous, its DEEP (I can feel the drivers shacking as low at 10Hz, so just imagine how the sub-bass is), but its tight and punchy and with outstanding definition. I can hear each bass guitar note as if it was coming from a bass amplifier in the studio. Same sound, same definition, same texture. The same for the kick drums, it's like being playing myself, such is the impact, depth and realism. Mids are forward, crystal clear, there's absolutely NO mid-bass hump coloring the mids. Vocals are lush and sweet, liquid. I wouldn't call them warm, but they're not cold either. They're realistic as they are intended to be from the original recording. Electric guitars are fluid, they vibrate, they are very very faithful to the real thing. The same for violins, saxophones, trumpets, etc. So clean, so pure, so real. Highs are good, with great extension. Instrument separation is VERY good, timber is perfect, imaging is fantastic, everything is just in the right place and you can hear each instrument individually with exceptional distinction.
 
At this price range I don't think one can find any better than this. They easily beat headphones (and IEM's) that cost 2-3x as much. Concerning the comparison with the $1000 D7000, I have never heard those, but it's not difficult to believe that they are almost as good and eventually better on some genres as the OP stated, since I can't imagine anything much better than this, to be quite frank.
 
NOTE: This is a very very detailed phone, it can be as analytical as a RE0, but with much, but MUCH more bass quantity (and quality), without overpowering the rest of the frequency spectrum. This is ideal for studio applications, DJing and audiophiles looking for the lowermost details out of their music collection, along with the best bass I've heard coming from a headphone. Quality and quantity.

 

[Totally Dubbed]

If i ever needed new headphones, these are the ones I guess I would go for
Where did you guys get yours all from?
 
AJ have them.

 

[miow]

What, they cost 170€ from the EU

 
Well, but that's HK, which means expensive shipping cost and customs tax. They will go for the same price at the end, not to mentioning the LONG waiting on customs ; )

 

[miow]

GREAT improvement on treble after some burn-in. It's smoother, sparkly, more refined, almost crystal clear like the mids and bass. Hi hats and cymbals sound very good now. Great job, I'm thrilled by these phones

 
Again, for the ones who haven't heard them yet, they have EXTREME detail/definition since lows, to mids, to highs plus the DEEPEST/impactful bass I've heard, with phenomenal definition. Plus they are low impedance, they don't require an expensive amp like the Fischer Audio FA-011's and HD650's do, for eg. (and I prefer these to the FA-011 and HD650). A 50€ FiiO E11 is more than sufficient to make them shine. More definition than this and you'll get deaf
 
Would love to share experience with more HP700's owners. These phones deserve much much more attention from head-fi'ers. They are the best cans I've heard so far. I still can't believe I've paid 400€ for a Earsonics SM3 that sounds muddy and dull compared to these. Wish I have found these phones earlier.

 

[Malevolent]

I am looking to get this pair of cans are my next purchase. I've briefly auditioned it before, when I bought my PRO700MK2s. I remember thinking that it delivered very clean bass, but I can't remember much else. I'm torn between the HP700, Shure SRH750 DJ and the Audio-Technica WS55. Will be trying them all out sometime this/next week. Will be checking in with my impressions again then.

 

[miow]

Hi Malevolent. That will be nice. Let us know ; )

 

[drawingbreath]

I'll be sure to recommend these to others when they say how much they like my AH-D7000's, but think the price is mental. I'm sure most would think £100 is still too much though. I do think it's crazy that virtually everyone in the office wears headphones for at least 30% of their day, but they are happy just having any of sound pumped into their head.
 
It would be pretty cool if I started a trend of headphone appreciation though.
 

 

[Raines]

how about the 700 vs the hp 1000?
 

 

[Roller]

 
Quote:

how about the 700 vs the hp 1000?
 

 
 
Haven't had much listening time with the DN-HP700, but they certainly have a more emphasized bass when compared to the DN-HP1000, which has less bass but what it does, it does with a reasonable definition when taking in account the going price.
 
It should be noted that while the DN-HP700 have Denon drivers, the DN-HP1000 have non-Denon custom drivers.

 

[miow]

The OP said in another thread that he prefers the HP700. Thats why I haven't got the HP1000's and I'm glad I didn't ; )
 

 

[Roller]

I've seen a recent price hike on the DN-HP1000, up to the point where more valid alternatives can be had for such price, so the DN-HP700 would be a better option due to current price differences.

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

I wonder how the DN HP700 compares to M-Audio Q40... almost tempted to find out, they are both similarly priced, appearently good sounding for the price, they both look similar with even similar cup design and they both fold. 
 
The description you gave fits very well for Q40 too... I'm thinking if this is possibly another Denon D1001 vs Creative Aurvana Live case but in this case just slightly different design.
 
How do you find those Denons responding to amping, I find Q40 to improve quite a lot with amping, they get punchier in the bass and it sounds as if dynamic range would be improved from somewhat unexciting without amp (rather flat and not so much dynamics to it) to very exciting sounding pair of headphones with amp.

 

[Malevolent]

I auditioned the HP700s today, and boy, were they a solid performer. I A/Bed the Denons with the Pioneer HDJ2000, and suprisingly, the HP700 could hold its own against the Pioneers with very clean but punchy bass lines. Unfortunately, they were out of stock or I would have got one then and there.

 

[miow]

My M-Audio Q40's just arrived. If you tell me that they change dramatically after burn-in, they might have a chance to touch the heels of the Denons. Just the heels, they won't gain this definition/detail/clarity, I'm pretty sure, unless burn-in does a miracle ; )

The Denons are the most detailed phones I have ever heard (with outstanding micro-detail) and the bass is VERY powerful (not as much as the M-Audios, but what for?) and with exceptional definition. The M-Audio's are good, but the Denons seem to be other league. It's kind of a shock when you A/B them. Where's the sparkle, the micro-detail? Indeed a noticeable difference. You gain more bass with the M-Audio's (XB500 like mid-bass quantity - yet better), at the expense of some clarity, detail, transparency and treble sparkle.

I'm not saying the M-Audios are not detailed, they have great definition, but definitely not on pair with the HP700. Even instrument separation. The HP700 are much more clinical. They perfom like a very high-end phone, thats why I said I had no doubts about the comparison to the D7000's. Definitely more people have to try these phones. At this price they are a steal. I'm pretty sure they compete very well with the D5000's and will probably outperform the D2000's. I still have to get a pair of D2000's just for testing purposes. At least we have one more person stating that they compete with the 300€ Pioneer HDJ-2000 (which I already knew).