AD700 vs. DT770 vs. D1001

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freecom2

Member
That's:

Audio-Technica ATH-AD700
Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro (likely to be 80ohm version)
Denon D1001

Don't worry about preference for open/closed. The headphones must (obviously) sound good and be very comfortable for hours on end. We'll assume the price (GBP) difference is minimal. I've seen a lot of recommendations and reviews which say all three of these headphones respectively are very good, but very few subjective comparisons.

If it matters, would be a step up from a pair of Sennheiser PX100s, I like the sound although I'd also like a bit more 'oomph' from the lower frequencies at times (less eloquently, I quite like bass! :D).
 
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I listen to bass heavy music and LOVE my dt-770s. Super comfy, nice wide soundstage, and lots and lots of bass! What will you be powering them with? I'm not too sure that an ipod or a laptop has enough power to make them sound as they should. A nice soundcard will sound better, but a headphone amp or a vintage receiver will make them sound their best.
That being said, I have never heard an Audio-Technica. Recently I attended the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest and there was a room for headphone vendors. I listened to three different Denon cans and I didn't really care for their sound. It wasn't bad, it was just different and I didn't really like them compared to the Beyers I listened too.
 
It would be a rubbish on board sound card for now I think, although the Asus Xonar (the 1st one) has come down in price a lot and could be a candidate.

I'd like a reasonably bassy headphone, but nothing too overwhelming.
 
Audio Technica ATH-AD700

I have not auditioned the others but I have a pair of ATH-AD700's and I can vouch for their effectiveness.

They're simply amazing.

Stereophile Class "A" rating no less and available for less than $100.00 delivered.

Seems like a no brainer to me, but to be fair, like I said, I have not auditioned the others.

Cheers
 
I'm also considering MS1s, they seem to also fit the bill quite well and there are quite a lot of comparisons between the Audio Technicas and the Alessandro's which makes it easier (or more tricky!).
 
The ms-1s are my other pair with the dt-770s. The ms-1s definitely have an airy sort of sound to them and are very fast. I mainly use them for acoustic music and rock. They aren't the most comfortable things in the world either. The bass on them is good, but nowhere near as nice as on the Beyers. Also, grados are prone to "Grattle" which is when hair gets into the driver and rattles against the diaphragm or the wire inside the driver rattles. The build quality leaves something to be desired as well. The beyers however are the most comfortable headphone I've ever worn.

Again, I've never heard the audio-technica but I know it gets good reviews as does the ms1 and the dt700.

Choices choices!!!
 
I picked up a pair of Beyer DT-990's back around 1987 and they are still the best cans I have ever used. I haven't tried the more recent models, but from what I have heard, Beyer still understands the secret art of making headphones sound detailed and always musical. Some cans just sound clinical to me: they are fun for about ten minutes, and then you are thinking "hmmm...doesn't sound real". As Dankman noted, they also get high marks for long term listening comfort: I just forget they are there.
 
lasminit2 said:
I picked up a pair of Beyer DT-990's back around 1987 and they are still the best cans I have ever used. I haven't tried the more recent models, but from what I have heard, Beyer still understands the secret art of making headphones sound detailed and always musical. Some cans just sound clinical to me: they are fun for about ten minutes, and then you are thinking "hmmm...doesn't sound real". As Dankman noted, they also get high marks for long term listening comfort: I just forget they are there.
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I concur. I picked up a pair of Beyer's DT-990Pro's around 1989 and have yet to hear anything better. I listened to everything Stax had to offer at the time and liked the DT-990Pro's better.

I don't know the difference between the standard DT-990's and the DT-990Pro's.

FWIW, I had a chance to listen to to the uber-expensive new Sennheiser HD800's at home and I still liked my Beyer DT-990Pro's better.

My second favourite headphone is the Audio-Technica ATH-AD700's everyone seems to like so much. The sound from the ATH-AD700's seems to be more "outside" the headphone, but I think the DT-990Pro's are a bit more accurate than the ATH-AD700's. As always, YMMV. :cool:
 
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