Audiophiles were excited to see a new, second-from-top-of-the-line set of over-ear headphones from Sennheiser, whose HD800 is revered as one of the world’s finest headphones. The new HD700 (shown in the photo at far left) is more conventional than the HD800, which places its drivers at a distance from the ears in order to sound more like real speakers. I thought the HD700 was the best-sounding new headphone I heard at CES, and truth be told, in my brief listen I liked it better than the HD800.
Sennheiser also showed what a company rep called a “jazzed up” version of the company’s classic HD25 Amperior, a compact headphone that’s been popular among audio pros for years. The $349 on-ear ’phone is available in blue or aluminum finishes. It’s one of the most adjustable headphones on the market — you can separate the two halves for more secure fit, flip the earpieces up, and adjust the earpieces’ vertical positions.
