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$14984% would recommend to a friend 
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PREFACE (skip this part if you're too lazy) Drop has made many really good collaboration at very good price. For example if anyone want open backed headphone to start their audiophile journey it's very easy to recommend HE4XX, HD6XX, HD58X.....etc. They're all cheap and good. Especially since HD650 (basically HD6XX) can be considered as end game for most. But Drop never had any good "cheap and good" closed back that's comparable to HD6XX. I mean yes TH-X00 was very good but it's at a higher price point ($400). So when they announced Hifiman HE-R7DX I was quite excited. But to be honest Hifiman is not known for their dynamic driver so while I'm excited I was expecting it to suck LOL. After reading many review that it's too loose of a clamp and too big, I was excited because I have a big head so everything I ever tried is generally too small for me. Finally headphone for big head! So my expectation was that even if it sucks at least it should be comfortable right? Been looking for a comfortable headphone for a while. While Denon D5200 (current daily driver) sounds very good its comfort is just okay. Though I've tried very hard to replace my D5200 for a while but everything else I've tried has been either side grade or worse. So I was still a bit hesitant. Until one day I asked my wife for opinion she's like "just get it, it's cheap so why not" LOL. I then impulse bought it then regret it after, but it's been shipped already so I can't cancel it LOL. Until it arrives...... ACTUAL REVIEW Day 1, have to say it sounds "okay" it's a bit echoey and ear pad's very warm and sweaty. Overall sound is not bad but kind of not that clear. I was expecting it to be super comfortable but it was just "okay". Like the clamp was still a bit tight (I'm officially the big head king now). I was thinking okay I'll try it for 2-3 days at least (I have the tendency to judge headphone too early), and I'm glad I did. After several hours of burn in the sound improved quite a bit. The echoey sound went away. And in general the clarity got a lot better. The hot and sweaty earpad somehow doesn't feel too warm anymore (not sure why). It's hybrid pad so the inside is fabric so it should breathable ish. Overall comfort got a lot better too. At this point to nitpick, I'd say vocal could be a bit more forward. I think they could've used a softer and shallower pad which would bring the driver closer to ear making vocal pop out more. But otherwise it has VERY GOOD imaging (better than my D5200) and good soundstage. It sounds very open for a closed headphone, more so than my D2000 which was semi-open. It also has this warm and fun sound that's very exciting to listen, I'd call it balanced but fun sound with slight mid bass boost. At this point I even wonder if I could switch over this to be my new daily driver (previously D5200). It's like yes it doesn't have the Denon/Fostex sub bass, but the bass is still really good so you don't think about it. Consider this headphone MSRP for $150 and D5200 is $700, I think this is an insane deal. I'm still not sure which I like better but it's leaning more and more towards the R7DX to become my new daily driver. This got me thinking, man all the budget headphones are getting VERY GOOD. At this point is there reason to spend more (I've previously tried TH900 and D9200 and sold them for different reasons)? Drop currently also has the SIVGA SV021 which is also said to be very good. I was originally planning to buy Elegia next but at this point I'm like do I just get another good budget headphone? Anyway, I should wrap up this review. In short, if you're ok with bending the headband (based on Zeos review) to make it fit your head or if you have giant head like me then you don't need to do anything. Then I'd highly recommend this headphone. I only drive it with Dragonfly Red and it already sound very good. If you have higher dac/amp I'd imagine it would sound even better. Otherwise it sounds like Blon B60, SIVGA SV021, and Rode NTH-100 are also very good in the same price point. So if you don't think you'll get this then definitely check out the other ones. Let me know if you have any questions, thanks! EDIT: Find coupon from Zeos then you can save $50. I bought mine before I found out. :( EDIT2: They make it permanently -$50 now so I'm guessing you don't even need coupon code anymore. EDIT3: Nope nevermind it's not permanent. But the -$50 sale do happen quite frequent so definite buy it when it's on sale. Don't buy it at full price, since as I said the sale happens quite often.
Drop + HIFIMAN HE-R7DX Closed-Back Headphones
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Drop + HIFIMAN HE-R7DX Closed-Back Headphones
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keyboard_arrow_downmattris
1266
Keyboard Club Member
Jan 23, 2022
As a general rule, perforated pads should not be used with closed-back headphones... unless the pads' outer perorations are completely covered in some way: cloth, tape, or a band of some kind. The more solid the material and/or tighter seal of the perorations, the more the bass will be contained.
On my Elegia, I have done this. Later on, I will reveal the pads I use.
If Dekoni's perforated leather pads (for Focal headphones) were installed on the Elegia - and all the pads' outer perorations were covered - I imagine the sound would be rather spacious, detailed, and lean. But considering that you want to increase the base and still keep the detail, I think Dekoni's solid leather pads would be ideal for you.
Hyde
1119
Mar 25, 2022
mattrishttps://dekoniaudio.com/product/dekoni-audio-custom-series-replacement-ear-pads-for-focal-headphones/
Oh in case you're interested, the limited Stellia pad is back being a permanent item now. It's exactly the same as before only difference is that it's not a limited run anymore.
And no I still haven't bought any headphones yet, dancing on the fence forever LOL.
Fayne
2586
Jan 25, 2022
checkVerified Buyer
Initial impression is that these are good bang for the buck
These just arrived today. Fresh out of the package I've been taking them through my testing playlist using a super cheap BRZHiFi/Weiliang E600 balanced amp loaded with Burson V6 Classic opamps, fed by a Zen DAC, and driven via Roon.
Comfort is nothing different from the other recent Drop + HiFiMan cans. Head clamp force is a bit lighter than I prefer, but not enough to put me off. It comes with similar fuzzy abomination pads as used in all of the other Drop + HiFiMan cans, they work, but gods I hate the feel. Dekoni replacements have been ordered and arrive by end of the week. Assuming they are using the same pad mounts as the HE-5xx/Deva, by the end of the week I will have fenestrated leather installed.
Sound wise? Yeah, these are a very nice balanced neutral, with just a bit of grunt in the bass. There is very minimal noticeable sibilance. During my initial zero break-in testing, I found they pair surprisingly well with EDM, Electronica, Classic Rock, Rock, Punk Revival, and Classical. Sound stage feels like it is centered inside my head.
The sound leakage is extremely small, as expected with closed back.
For $150 these are an absolute steal.
Edit: Looks like a unique earpad mounting structure, but I'll be sure when the Dekoni stuff shows up.
Day 2:
I've spent a good portion of the day trying these cans out with a few of my amplifiers.
- Solid State
- Schiit Ragnarok 2 - Works like a bloody champ, just gotta remember to go on the low gain side or risk popping the cute little drivers with the full output power of the amp.
- Drop THX789 - Works exactly as expected, extremely able to push all the juice the cans need... which isn't much as they're about as sensitive as IEM. The pair keeps the mostly neutral sound signature intact too.
- Drop LCX - Also works about as expected. The slight hint of darkness from the amp gives the cans a nice bit of extra kick when doing bass heavy cotent.
- BRZHiFi/Weiliang E600 - Also does an admirable job at making the cans sing, especially considering it is a $90 balanced amplifier built using recycled components, and using a TI output chipset known for having slightly higher than optimal output impedance. Mind, I did swap out the JRC opamps with Burson.
- Hybrid
- xDuoo TA-20 - Handles the cans very nicely. With a ~6vrms balanced signal, I had the volume at ~65 on the amp and enjoyed some very nice tube flavored sound. The combination works rather well.
- LittleDot 1+ - Depending on your unit, the noise or interference might be a problem. My Dot has a habit of picking up cel beacons. Other than that, it sounded rather fine. Not as good as the TA-20, but good enouh.
- Drop CTH - Also works well, but the inherent gain of the amplifier makes for having the volume dial turned down kinda far with these cans if you don't have a preamp you can cool down the signal with. Overall, very nice tube flavor and works well with the cans.
- OTL
- XiangSheng 708B - NOPE.
- xDuoo TA-03S - NOPE NOPE.
- xDuoo TA-26 - Even more nope.
- Spartan Music Helot x2 - God nope.
- Schiit Valhalla 2 - Pretty nope.
- DarkVoice - NOPENOPENOPENOPENOPENOPENOPENOPENOPENOPENOPENOPENOPE
- Transformer Coupled Tube
- Muzishare i3 - I worried about this one as it is a 12w tube amp, and easily able to deliver ~6w into a 16Ω load. So far, no driver explosions, and the R7DX sound absolutely phenomenal when being driven by the 6P1P-EV push-pull. By far my favorite tube amp for pretty much any headphone at the moment.
- APPJ PA1502A - Like pretty much any other headphone that doesn't require huge power (like planar), the APPJ is able to easily handle the R7DX. And yes, it sounds wonderfully single ended and noise free.
- Weiliang E200 - Variable impedance selector at the minimum, the E200 drives the cans with ease, imparting that lovely 6SN7 tone with zero noise. Very good combination.
(Edited)
Recommends this product? Yes
Bill-P
187
Jan 20, 2022
Drop x HiFiMAN HE-R7DX - Redefining Budget Reference
Please read my updated part below on high clamping force versus low clamping force.
Preface: Hello. I am a fellow music lover slash audiophile who has been with the community for a while. I am lucky to have been able to experience a very wide range of headphones, and I have also had the opportunity to own some of them myself. After years of exploring the hobby and collecting numerous pieces of gears, I have finally settled with a Sennheiser HD800S and HD650 as my main headphones. So please read this review bearing in mind that my preference in headphone sound is toward a darker tonality with more bass, and more midrange emphasis without losing too much clarity and soundstage. I would like to thank my friends at Drop for providing me with the opportunity to check this headphone out. I honestly have too many open-back headphones and I have looked for years for a decent closed-back headphone to no avail. There have been some good candidates, but nothing got even close to the performance I can get from my open-back headphones. So when I learned that these headphones would be introduced soon, I jumped on the opportunity to check them out. TL;DR: these are great. I would highly recommend them. As for why, please read the below.
Fit/Comfort: The Drop x HiFiMAN HE-R7DX (will hereafter be shortened to R7DX) is extremely light for what it is, and the headband makes for extremely low clamping force. On one hand, that's the perfect recipe for comfort. On the other, it's kind of bad for sound quality, because there's no easy way to fit them without breaking seal and having bass dropping off a cliff. It took me quite a while to take proper frequency response measurement due to the headband not allowing a good fit on my MiniDSP EARS measurement system. This is translated to real world as well. I had to manually swivel and position the cups such that my ears are sealed in the ear pads. Even then, clamping force is very low so it's almost like the cups just float right by my ears. Without good seal, isolation from outside noise is pretty much non-existent, on top of bass not sounding quite right. So please keep this in mind. Once a good fit is achieved, comfort is top notch. I think it is very wise of Drop and HiFiMAN to go for very low weight with this headphone. I can wear the R7DX for hours without any discomfort. That is something I cannot do with my ZMF Eikon, which I think is easily almost twice as heavy as the R7DX. Sound: What I'm using: A&Ultima SP1000 + new 14" MacBook Pro I also tried putting the R7DX on my Zana Deux (OG) and... nope, its impedance is too low. I will be mainly comparing the R7DX against Sennheiser HD650 and ZMF Eikon here. Tonality: okay-ish. Pretty bright. More so than my personal preference. It's kind of on par with HD800S, but I could put the HD800S on my Zana Deux (it's a tube amp) to make up for its tonality. I think I will like the R7DX out of a warmer-sounding setup than either my SP1000 DAP or my MacBook. But again, that is just my personal preference. I do think the R7DX is very close to neutral reference here. Bass: I think bass has decent impact. There's not much weight, and it kind of is just about on par with HD650. ZMF Eikon gives much deeper bass. HD650 does give a bit more "body" to bass (but then again, HD650 gives more body to everything) and seemingly sounds a bit more congested, but upon closer listening, I think it's just the balance with treble that is masking bass on R7DX. I also tried to apply bass boost EQ, and R7DX is indeed capable of very good bass impact. Being very easy to drive also works in R7DX's favor here. Midrange: wow, a closed-back with midrange that sounds... not wonky! There's still a bit of reverb/shoutiness, but it's fairly well-controlled. Honestly, I cannot emphasize how important this is. I have heard quite a lot of closed-back headphones at all price range, and very few actually do sound like this. I think the midrange presentation of R7DX is on par with much more expensive headphones. It is certainly not too far from ZMF Eikon. For the most part, I can get behind this midrange, although it's somewhat lacking the warm/full-bodied tone that the HD650 and Eikon are capable of. On the other hand, HD650 and Eikon can sound somewhat congested with certain tracks, whereas R7DX just keeps trucking even through those tracks. Overall, I think midrange is the star of the show here, and it is reference-level. I do not have a HD600 headphone on hand to directly compare but I think the R7DX strongly reminds me of HD600, which has been a community favorite for reference headphone. Treble: there's plenty of air here. I think there is an emphasis in the treble region pretty high up... around or past the 10KHz range or so. This emphasis seems to allow for "clarity" and "definition" with this and many other headphones. Generally, I find that R7DX does not offend or cause sibilance to my ears, and I am very sensitive to treble. It's a tasteful amount of treble emphasis, I would say. Treble-heads will have plenty to love here. Soundstage: decent for a closed-back. I think it's competitive against HD650 and Eikon. At least R7DX headphone doesn't sound too boxed in for being closed back. No "cavernous" reverb detected either, which is a nice bonus. Imaging: I think this is the one weakness with how R7DX sounds. Due to lack of body, I find that everything sounds a bit... thin and flat. Eikon images slightly better here... giving a bit more body and 3D-ness (whatever that means). HD650 is the best, of course, as it gives "solidity" to vocals, instruments, etc... in the soundscape. Then again, I have a sneaking feeling that once R7DX is put on a tube amp, something like Schiit Vali, then it will really shine. Perhaps a warm and fuller sounding solid-state amp will do as well. Conclusion: Overall, I think this is very good effort at $149. The HD650 and Eikon headphones I used as comparisons are better in some ways but both of those cost quite a bit more. The cheapest HD650 is HD6XX by Drop and that one goes for $220 now. Eikon is like $1400. This headphone pretty much matches most of what HD650 and Eikon are able to do. In fact, I think it's closer to HD600 in tonality and overall sound than it is to HD650. Considering the price and knowing my own preference, I think this headphone will be a good fit for those who prefer something that's slightly "cleaner-sounding" than HD650. And even for those who prefer more bass, there is the option of taking this headphone and applying some bass boost to give that thumping impact. The R7DX is capable of very good bass while offering reference-level midrange and tasteful treble emphasis for just $149. I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a budget reference headphone that sounds similar to Sennheiser HD600/HD650.
Bonus: Frequency response: (good left/right matching, by the way)
Update 01/22: I unscrewed the headband yoke parts and tried to see if I could swap the headband with a spare HiFiMAN that I had. It turns out that this headphone has its own unique headband yoke mount part. I.e.: it won't be easy to swap this with any existing HiFiMAN headband. Please be warned! But I was able to take off the cups and bend just the headband by itself. This allowed me to get more clamping force and it improved the sound quite significantly. Here are my updated impressions: Tonality: now kind of where I'd consider "even-keeled". It's kind of downward slanted but with slight rebound in the upper treble region. Kind of like an "ever so slightly brighter" HD650. Bass: still slightly less than what I'm used to. I'd prefer a bit more sub bass here but... it's okay for the most part. Good impact, weight, etc... for the price. In terms of quantity, it's also just right where I'd consider "neutral". Midrange: warmer, kind of more relaxed-sounding now. Less of that cupped-hand reverb (maybe having more bass masks this?). Some songs can sound like they're lacking bite/shout even. I'd say midrange is kind of relaxed/smooth and pretty enjoyable. But this can be a bit too dark for some. Female vocals lack a bit of sparkle. Despite being so relaxed/smooth, it's a bit... grainy-sounding? This is definitely not bad for the price and I'm probably nit-picking. But still, it is something to note. Treble: still the same as before. Slightly steely/harsh. It's not sibilant but sometimes it's a bit too sharp for my taste. It's like there's some ringing somewhere. I can't quite tell if it's 4-5KHz or somewhere much higher, but it's definitely there. Eikon also has this but I can tell the ringing with ZMF Eikon is much higher in frequency. Soundstage and Imaging: imaging improved ever so slightly (but it's still not "quite there"), but soundstage suffered quite a bit. I guess more clamping force improves isolation but that also means it decreases air a bit. Updated measurements: Frequency response with high clamping force:
Please read my updated part below on high clamping force versus low clamping force.
Preface: Hello. I am a fellow music lover slash audiophile who has been with the community for a while. I am lucky to have been able to experience a very wide range of headphones, and I have also had the opportunity to own some of them myself. After years of exploring the hobby and collecting numerous pieces of gears, I have finally settled with a Sennheiser HD800S and HD650 as my main headphones. So please read this review bearing in mind that my preference in headphone sound is toward a darker tonality with more bass, and more midrange emphasis without losing too much clarity and soundstage. I would like to thank my friends at Drop for providing me with the opportunity to check this headphone out. I honestly have too many open-back headphones and I have looked for years for a decent closed-back headphone to no avail. There have been some good candidates, but nothing got even close to the performance I can get from my open-back headphones. So when I learned that these headphones would be introduced soon, I jumped on the opportunity to check them out. TL;DR: these are great. I would highly recommend them. As for why, please read the below.
Fit/Comfort: The Drop x HiFiMAN HE-R7DX (will hereafter be shortened to R7DX) is extremely light for what it is, and the headband makes for extremely low clamping force. On one hand, that's the perfect recipe for comfort. On the other, it's kind of bad for sound quality, because there's no easy way to fit them without breaking seal and having bass dropping off a cliff. It took me quite a while to take proper frequency response measurement due to the headband not allowing a good fit on my MiniDSP EARS measurement system. This is translated to real world as well. I had to manually swivel and position the cups such that my ears are sealed in the ear pads. Even then, clamping force is very low so it's almost like the cups just float right by my ears. Without good seal, isolation from outside noise is pretty much non-existent, on top of bass not sounding quite right. So please keep this in mind. Once a good fit is achieved, comfort is top notch. I think it is very wise of Drop and HiFiMAN to go for very low weight with this headphone. I can wear the R7DX for hours without any discomfort. That is something I cannot do with my ZMF Eikon, which I think is easily almost twice as heavy as the R7DX. Sound: What I'm using: A&Ultima SP1000 + new 14" MacBook Pro I also tried putting the R7DX on my Zana Deux (OG) and... nope, its impedance is too low. I will be mainly comparing the R7DX against Sennheiser HD650 and ZMF Eikon here. Tonality: okay-ish. Pretty bright. More so than my personal preference. It's kind of on par with HD800S, but I could put the HD800S on my Zana Deux (it's a tube amp) to make up for its tonality. I think I will like the R7DX out of a warmer-sounding setup than either my SP1000 DAP or my MacBook. But again, that is just my personal preference. I do think the R7DX is very close to neutral reference here. Bass: I think bass has decent impact. There's not much weight, and it kind of is just about on par with HD650. ZMF Eikon gives much deeper bass. HD650 does give a bit more "body" to bass (but then again, HD650 gives more body to everything) and seemingly sounds a bit more congested, but upon closer listening, I think it's just the balance with treble that is masking bass on R7DX. I also tried to apply bass boost EQ, and R7DX is indeed capable of very good bass impact. Being very easy to drive also works in R7DX's favor here. Midrange: wow, a closed-back with midrange that sounds... not wonky! There's still a bit of reverb/shoutiness, but it's fairly well-controlled. Honestly, I cannot emphasize how important this is. I have heard quite a lot of closed-back headphones at all price range, and very few actually do sound like this. I think the midrange presentation of R7DX is on par with much more expensive headphones. It is certainly not too far from ZMF Eikon. For the most part, I can get behind this midrange, although it's somewhat lacking the warm/full-bodied tone that the HD650 and Eikon are capable of. On the other hand, HD650 and Eikon can sound somewhat congested with certain tracks, whereas R7DX just keeps trucking even through those tracks. Overall, I think midrange is the star of the show here, and it is reference-level. I do not have a HD600 headphone on hand to directly compare but I think the R7DX strongly reminds me of HD600, which has been a community favorite for reference headphone. Treble: there's plenty of air here. I think there is an emphasis in the treble region pretty high up... around or past the 10KHz range or so. This emphasis seems to allow for "clarity" and "definition" with this and many other headphones. Generally, I find that R7DX does not offend or cause sibilance to my ears, and I am very sensitive to treble. It's a tasteful amount of treble emphasis, I would say. Treble-heads will have plenty to love here. Soundstage: decent for a closed-back. I think it's competitive against HD650 and Eikon. At least R7DX headphone doesn't sound too boxed in for being closed back. No "cavernous" reverb detected either, which is a nice bonus. Imaging: I think this is the one weakness with how R7DX sounds. Due to lack of body, I find that everything sounds a bit... thin and flat. Eikon images slightly better here... giving a bit more body and 3D-ness (whatever that means). HD650 is the best, of course, as it gives "solidity" to vocals, instruments, etc... in the soundscape. Then again, I have a sneaking feeling that once R7DX is put on a tube amp, something like Schiit Vali, then it will really shine. Perhaps a warm and fuller sounding solid-state amp will do as well. Conclusion: Overall, I think this is very good effort at $149. The HD650 and Eikon headphones I used as comparisons are better in some ways but both of those cost quite a bit more. The cheapest HD650 is HD6XX by Drop and that one goes for $220 now. Eikon is like $1400. This headphone pretty much matches most of what HD650 and Eikon are able to do. In fact, I think it's closer to HD600 in tonality and overall sound than it is to HD650. Considering the price and knowing my own preference, I think this headphone will be a good fit for those who prefer something that's slightly "cleaner-sounding" than HD650. And even for those who prefer more bass, there is the option of taking this headphone and applying some bass boost to give that thumping impact. The R7DX is capable of very good bass while offering reference-level midrange and tasteful treble emphasis for just $149. I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a budget reference headphone that sounds similar to Sennheiser HD600/HD650.
Bonus: Frequency response: (good left/right matching, by the way)
Update 01/22: I unscrewed the headband yoke parts and tried to see if I could swap the headband with a spare HiFiMAN that I had. It turns out that this headphone has its own unique headband yoke mount part. I.e.: it won't be easy to swap this with any existing HiFiMAN headband. Please be warned! But I was able to take off the cups and bend just the headband by itself. This allowed me to get more clamping force and it improved the sound quite significantly. Here are my updated impressions: Tonality: now kind of where I'd consider "even-keeled". It's kind of downward slanted but with slight rebound in the upper treble region. Kind of like an "ever so slightly brighter" HD650. Bass: still slightly less than what I'm used to. I'd prefer a bit more sub bass here but... it's okay for the most part. Good impact, weight, etc... for the price. In terms of quantity, it's also just right where I'd consider "neutral". Midrange: warmer, kind of more relaxed-sounding now. Less of that cupped-hand reverb (maybe having more bass masks this?). Some songs can sound like they're lacking bite/shout even. I'd say midrange is kind of relaxed/smooth and pretty enjoyable. But this can be a bit too dark for some. Female vocals lack a bit of sparkle. Despite being so relaxed/smooth, it's a bit... grainy-sounding? This is definitely not bad for the price and I'm probably nit-picking. But still, it is something to note. Treble: still the same as before. Slightly steely/harsh. It's not sibilant but sometimes it's a bit too sharp for my taste. It's like there's some ringing somewhere. I can't quite tell if it's 4-5KHz or somewhere much higher, but it's definitely there. Eikon also has this but I can tell the ringing with ZMF Eikon is much higher in frequency. Soundstage and Imaging: imaging improved ever so slightly (but it's still not "quite there"), but soundstage suffered quite a bit. I guess more clamping force improves isolation but that also means it decreases air a bit. Updated measurements: Frequency response with high clamping force:
(Edited)
Recommends this product? Yes
Bill-P
187
Jan 24, 2022
I tried to mention why I'd prefer greater clamping force: more bass. With lighter clamping force, the headphone sounds very bright and bass-light. It would be okay for those who prefer a brighter, more "hi-fi" sound, but for me, I always prefer a warmer sound. This is more a personal preference, so that's why I know better than to say that this is what it should be.
If you are wondering about the soundstage, that's just what it is. Soundstage in headphones is always a balancing act of frequency response and many other factors. I have never heard a headphone that sounded anything quite like speakers. In this instance, even though soundstage may suffer due to more clamping force, I don't mind that. Improved bass and imaging are more important to me. One negative aspect versus two.
Hopefully that clears things up.
Hyde
1119
Apr 7, 2022
checkVerified Buyer
Budget Headphones Are Getting Better And Better
TL;DR:
PROS
- $150 price but $400-$600 sound quality.
- Very open sounding.
- Imaging VERY GOOD.
- Overall sound quality very good.
- Overall balanced sound leaning towards warm and fun (not neutral).
- Bass hits HARD if properly sealed with good amp (I come from D2000/D5200 aka bass canon).
- Very big ear cup, comfort while is not the most comfortable ever but pretty good.
- Was expecting Hifiman QC (aka terrible) but turns out to be quite solidly build.
- Headband is not as terrible as people claimed, hinge has nice resistance.
CONS
- Make sure you burn in, the first day sounded "meh".
- Vocal could be a tiny bit more forward (need slightly thinner ear pad)
- If ear pad is a bit softer then I'd imagine it would seal better and compress better.
- Bass a little bit bloated (a tiny bit).
- Make sure your head is very big, otherwise you have to bend headband.
- Headband really not that bad, but if you nitpick then yes it could be better designed.
- The slider hinge is lubed with some grease, I didn't know so I touched it by accident on first day.
- Cable is a little bit cheap (rubber cable) but otherwise soft so not bad, but could be better.
- Cup is fingerprint magnet. Wipe often.
- To be honest these are all minor con and consider the price I think it's ok.
PREFACE (skip this part if you're too lazy) Drop has made many really good collaboration at very good price. For example if anyone want open backed headphone to start their audiophile journey it's very easy to recommend HE4XX, HD6XX, HD58X.....etc. They're all cheap and good. Especially since HD650 (basically HD6XX) can be considered as end game for most. But Drop never had any good "cheap and good" closed back that's comparable to HD6XX. I mean yes TH-X00 was very good but it's at a higher price point ($400). So when they announced Hifiman HE-R7DX I was quite excited. But to be honest Hifiman is not known for their dynamic driver so while I'm excited I was expecting it to suck LOL. After reading many review that it's too loose of a clamp and too big, I was excited because I have a big head so everything I ever tried is generally too small for me. Finally headphone for big head! So my expectation was that even if it sucks at least it should be comfortable right? Been looking for a comfortable headphone for a while. While Denon D5200 (current daily driver) sounds very good its comfort is just okay. Though I've tried very hard to replace my D5200 for a while but everything else I've tried has been either side grade or worse. So I was still a bit hesitant. Until one day I asked my wife for opinion she's like "just get it, it's cheap so why not" LOL. I then impulse bought it then regret it after, but it's been shipped already so I can't cancel it LOL. Until it arrives...... ACTUAL REVIEW Day 1, have to say it sounds "okay" it's a bit echoey and ear pad's very warm and sweaty. Overall sound is not bad but kind of not that clear. I was expecting it to be super comfortable but it was just "okay". Like the clamp was still a bit tight (I'm officially the big head king now). I was thinking okay I'll try it for 2-3 days at least (I have the tendency to judge headphone too early), and I'm glad I did. After several hours of burn in the sound improved quite a bit. The echoey sound went away. And in general the clarity got a lot better. The hot and sweaty earpad somehow doesn't feel too warm anymore (not sure why). It's hybrid pad so the inside is fabric so it should breathable ish. Overall comfort got a lot better too. At this point to nitpick, I'd say vocal could be a bit more forward. I think they could've used a softer and shallower pad which would bring the driver closer to ear making vocal pop out more. But otherwise it has VERY GOOD imaging (better than my D5200) and good soundstage. It sounds very open for a closed headphone, more so than my D2000 which was semi-open. It also has this warm and fun sound that's very exciting to listen, I'd call it balanced but fun sound with slight mid bass boost. At this point I even wonder if I could switch over this to be my new daily driver (previously D5200). It's like yes it doesn't have the Denon/Fostex sub bass, but the bass is still really good so you don't think about it. Consider this headphone MSRP for $150 and D5200 is $700, I think this is an insane deal. I'm still not sure which I like better but it's leaning more and more towards the R7DX to become my new daily driver. This got me thinking, man all the budget headphones are getting VERY GOOD. At this point is there reason to spend more (I've previously tried TH900 and D9200 and sold them for different reasons)? Drop currently also has the SIVGA SV021 which is also said to be very good. I was originally planning to buy Elegia next but at this point I'm like do I just get another good budget headphone? Anyway, I should wrap up this review. In short, if you're ok with bending the headband (based on Zeos review) to make it fit your head or if you have giant head like me then you don't need to do anything. Then I'd highly recommend this headphone. I only drive it with Dragonfly Red and it already sound very good. If you have higher dac/amp I'd imagine it would sound even better. Otherwise it sounds like Blon B60, SIVGA SV021, and Rode NTH-100 are also very good in the same price point. So if you don't think you'll get this then definitely check out the other ones. Let me know if you have any questions, thanks! EDIT: Find coupon from Zeos then you can save $50. I bought mine before I found out. :( EDIT2: They make it permanently -$50 now so I'm guessing you don't even need coupon code anymore. EDIT3: Nope nevermind it's not permanent. But the -$50 sale do happen quite frequent so definite buy it when it's on sale. Don't buy it at full price, since as I said the sale happens quite often.
(Edited)
Recommends this product? Yes
jhonis
150
Feb 4, 2022
checkVerified Buyer
Do you have a Peyton Manning forehead? Get these!
Honest review from someone who barely knows what they're talking about.
The Good: When positioned properly on your ears, the sound stage is excellent and well balanced. I'll spare you the completely subjective V-shape/U-shape analysis. I don't feel the need to EQ them. Maybe nudge high frequencies down a smidge. So far I have listened to them on a Fiio K5 Pro low gain and it's to much for me at 60%. Also Fiio BTR5 can push them plenty on low gain. Distortion is present at a volume loud enough to be fatiguing to me so I don't really care at that point. I am happy with the purchase.
The Bad: The fit is frustrating. These earcups are LARGE and the standard HE-X4 / HE-4XX headband was used, without compensating for the additional .5" height of the ear cup. Bad design. Good thing they sound great for $150. I don't know how Hifiman and Drop would get away with this otherwise. I will try a few headband covers or maybe add some dekoni nuggets if i ever plan to leave the house with these monstrosities. But until then, a folded over beanie is good enough for me.
freshbakedbread
87
Jan 28, 2022
checkVerified Buyer
Sounds very good except...
Nothing wrong with the build quality (at this price) or even the sound (if you press the cups hard against your head). You see, that's the problem. The early reviewers are right about the fit. It's loose. And, the cups are so large that they extend below your jaw (for most people I would guess) leaving a significant gap that does three things:
1) It significantly reduces the bass response
2) It sends the soundstage into the distance
3) Sound leaks out an already minimally isolated cup
When I pressed them against my head, they sounded pretty good for an office can. Unfortunately, the above are critical failures and they lasted five minutes before I started the return... if you can solve the clamping pressure issue, they would be well above average at this price point.
(Edited)
Recommends this product? No
stoat-toons
2
Feb 3, 2022
As a fellow large-head whose R7DX arrived yesterday I think I can offer you some encouragement on that score. I think not angling the connectors on the earcups was an unforced error but at this early stage that's my only serious complaint. Will write a more complete review at some point.
Spouse is rather pleased with the sound isolation, which is the reason I bought them.
Hyde
1119
Feb 3, 2022
stoat-toonsAwesome! I've been looking for something comfortable to use for work at home too. My current set of headphone sounds good just not the most comfortable for extended use. Denon D5200 is "just" big enough for my head but it does have hotspot at top. Also I wish clamp would be a be lighter.
I'll be looking forward to your review, thanks!
NadavShaknay
8
Feb 16, 2023
checkVerified Buyer
Best bang for the buck I've ever heard
People dont like these headphones because they are not what you'd expect.
With proper bending of the headband they become a closed back sundara (not the new sundara closed, but the original sundara if they were closed back) with slightly less resolution, but my god do these have depth and soundstage.
while imaging isnt senny hd560s they are not as far as you'd expect. Base price is nice but they go on sale very often so I'd advice you to wait for them to go for 100$ or 80$ (like i got them).
Make sure you watch Zeos' (Z Reviews) review of them to see how to bend them properly.
go for similar look as in the photos. headband is made of sheet steel so its pretty safe but its very crucial not to put too much pressure on the connecting spots for the headband.
In terms of sound they are very dynnamic but dont expect a lot of bass, its very much there, but its not for bassheads.
these are not for travel because they're known to be kinda fragile and they leak a lot. This is probably the least closed back sounding closed back I've heard.
They come with a great cable (duel 3.5mm trs to single 3.5mm with 6.3mm adapter) that is very soft and managable.
They are also very easy to drive.
I seriously cannot reccomend these enough (but please wait for a sale it worth it).
Recommends this product? Yes
Evshrug
3773
Community
Sep 7, 2023
You made me double-check the sensitivity spec! What amp are you using that you’re enjoying the balanced output from?
Chromfell
30
Nov 15, 2022
Activities:Casual Listening
Music Genres:Electronic, Hip-hop, Jazz, Pop, R&B, Rock
checkVerified Buyer
GREAT closed back sound for $80 - build bad for $150.
Certainly by far the best all-around, cushy over-ear headphones for $80 I've ever heard. Remarkable sound.
Now, I'm far from the first to say this, but it's quite possible you'll have to further bend the headband near the hinges to actually get decent clamp on your head...
!!! I would STRONGLY advise against taking the cups and hinge assembly apart !!! Find a way to bend the metal straps without doing that (like extending the headband all the way and using two pliers to bend the bottom end of the metal strap on each side, worked quite well for me - I don't know why I didn't try that first...) If you do end up taking it apart for whatever reason, here are my experiences: The cups and screw holes are entirely plastic, even just screwing them back in made me concerned for the windings on the cup end - if there even are any. The screws that fix the hinge to the headband as pretty tight from the factory and one of mine just turned to dust when I tried unscrewing it. Luckily I had a fitting screw and nut lying around, so now the left hinge looks a little DIY... whatever I guess lol? Also, be very careful when taking the pads off, they are stuck into the cups with small, skinny one-way-ish plastic hooks that will break off when too much stress is applied to them. The best approach is to push the pad base inwards all around to pop the hooks out one-by-one. If you break one, it'll probably fall into the cup so you'll have to screw it open. There's six per pad so losing one isn't a huge deal, though unless you wanna eventually superglue your pads back on you're better off being extra careful. Oh yeah, also one of the screws holding the inner cup and driver to the outer cup is missing. But again, it's "just" one out of six tiny screws. So it's OK I guess? None of the smaller screws are magnetic and they don't seem to ever bite right... have fun reassembling if you are insane enough to take them apart :---) For a $150 pair of headphones these things would be A BIT OF A HASSLE. A LITTLE SILLY. PROBLEMATIC EVEN. PERHAPS A DEAL BREAKER (or headphone breaker) Honestly even just the ill-fitting headband would keep me from buying it at that price. And it did, until they went on sale... and at $80 I will restrain myself from being too seriously offended at the shortcomings any further :P sound is really awesome at this price! Oh yeah, and they seem pretty easy to drive. Even just my phone alone runs them great. So if you don't mind how surprisingly big they are, take em outside or on the road. I think they look quite neat and understated though I might spray them in some chrome mirror coat... just cuz
!!! I would STRONGLY advise against taking the cups and hinge assembly apart !!! Find a way to bend the metal straps without doing that (like extending the headband all the way and using two pliers to bend the bottom end of the metal strap on each side, worked quite well for me - I don't know why I didn't try that first...) If you do end up taking it apart for whatever reason, here are my experiences: The cups and screw holes are entirely plastic, even just screwing them back in made me concerned for the windings on the cup end - if there even are any. The screws that fix the hinge to the headband as pretty tight from the factory and one of mine just turned to dust when I tried unscrewing it. Luckily I had a fitting screw and nut lying around, so now the left hinge looks a little DIY... whatever I guess lol? Also, be very careful when taking the pads off, they are stuck into the cups with small, skinny one-way-ish plastic hooks that will break off when too much stress is applied to them. The best approach is to push the pad base inwards all around to pop the hooks out one-by-one. If you break one, it'll probably fall into the cup so you'll have to screw it open. There's six per pad so losing one isn't a huge deal, though unless you wanna eventually superglue your pads back on you're better off being extra careful. Oh yeah, also one of the screws holding the inner cup and driver to the outer cup is missing. But again, it's "just" one out of six tiny screws. So it's OK I guess? None of the smaller screws are magnetic and they don't seem to ever bite right... have fun reassembling if you are insane enough to take them apart :---) For a $150 pair of headphones these things would be A BIT OF A HASSLE. A LITTLE SILLY. PROBLEMATIC EVEN. PERHAPS A DEAL BREAKER (or headphone breaker) Honestly even just the ill-fitting headband would keep me from buying it at that price. And it did, until they went on sale... and at $80 I will restrain myself from being too seriously offended at the shortcomings any further :P sound is really awesome at this price! Oh yeah, and they seem pretty easy to drive. Even just my phone alone runs them great. So if you don't mind how surprisingly big they are, take em outside or on the road. I think they look quite neat and understated though I might spray them in some chrome mirror coat... just cuz
(Edited)
Recommends this product? Yes
entreprenerd
92
Jul 14, 2022
checkVerified Buyer
All about that bass when you Bend it like Beckham!
I've said everything I wanted to say, in the title.
These are awful looking headphones with the now famous (notorious?) consistently cheap feeling HiFiMan build. But you don't buy cheap HiFiMan headphones for their build, cables or box, do you? It's all about the sound.
First things first. You will need to bend the metal bit that connects the yoke to the headband for these to go from terrible to great. Most people have complained about fit and they're right. Out of the box, the earcups don't clamp enough, leaving an air gap towards the back of your jaw. This destroys the sound, making it thin and lacking bass.
Don't bend the headband, unlike what some reviewers have done. Just the thin metal part that goes through the slider needs to be curved in a little. Be careful while doing it, but that is all that's needed to turn these into beautiful cans with punchy bass and tinkling treble.
Enough said, go buy these :-)
Recommends this product? Yes
Gymyk
3
Aug 20, 2022
Personally, I just bent them with my hands and it seemed to improve the clamp a good amount, but I still find myself having to bend it more from time to time, so pliers may be an easy way to make it more permanent. I would just say be careful, and good luck!
entreprenerd
92
Aug 21, 2022
I did this with my hands as well. Just bent these slightly at the existing bend. It's not very difficult to do. Same as @Gymyk
(Edited)
peterlask
114
May 26, 2022
Dear Drop friends here is my opinion on the HE-R7DX.
The full review can be found here (https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/drop-hifiman-r7dx.25832/review/28558/)
Build quality and appearance
The HE-R7DX shares the same design language with the HE4XX, it has the old-style HIFIMAN headband with a hand-stitched protein leather cover that envelopes a foam cushion and the inner spring steel.
The gimbals and yokes are made from steel and attach to the headband by the means of a rounded plastic component.
The height adjustment is done by freely sliding the cups up and down thanks to a friction mechanism.
It doesn't have the usual prefixed stops, so there is the possibility that it might loosen but for starters it is tight and gets the job done.
The left - right markings are barely visible so you have to rely on the cable markings in order to distinguish between them.
The plastic ear cups have the darkish blue - Drop trademark - color.
They are huge with a rather uninspiring and boring design, so don't expect to wear the HE-R7DX and make a fashion statement.
The hybrid earpads are custom made with a protein leather ring that surrounds the velour part that touches the face and are padded with soft memory foam.
Recommends this product? Yes
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First Impression Very open sounding was my first reaction. I then went through some test tracks and not only was I not bothered, I found myself listening to the songs- songs I’ve heard a million times tuning orthos, and not really paying attention to the headphones. This is a good sign as you all know, especially for a picky bastard like me. Fit They fit a bit weird. They use the old school og HE-5/6/500 style Hifiman headband (come on guys, I like this headband personally, but you can design a new headband). This headband wraps around the top of the head pretty evenly. The weird part is that the cups/earpads aren’t positioned to put much pressure on your head, they just kind of touch gently, and the way the headband cradles the head, you can’t get more pressure or clamp. So when you first put them on it’s unlike most headphones that immediately pivot and find the right angle against your head. You have to move the cups into position. But once you do, I personally find them comfortable. They’re very lightweight and that weight is distributed evenly all along the headband and earpads. It’s just such a unique fit that I am picturing other head sizes/shapes maybe having issues, but I like how they fit my noggin. It’s still a bit weird though, it feels more like wearing a helmet than wearing headphones. Here’s a picture where you can see how the earpads line up with the headband in basically a straight line so you can see why the earpads don’t have much pressure against your head. https://i.imgur.com/4l8w7Ck.jpg There are two things I don’t like 1) How shallow the earpads are, but with the very mild clamp I don’t notice any discomfort with my limited time with them. I imagine if I wore them all day my ears might get sore from touching the grill but i don’t know. 2) The cable comes out of the cups basically at a straight down angle, instead of slightly angling forward. It works for the stock cable, but when I put an aftermarket cable on them, the 3.5mm jacks make the cable hit my shoulders. But the cable I’m using costs more than these headphones, so I’m not sure this is a legitimate concern. Still, seems like an oversight. Treble Maybe just a tiny bit more than neutral. But it’s done in a very even keeled, natural way, and the treble has excellent tone no plastic-y bullshit. No harshness. I actualliy think they have very good air too despite being closed back. Midrange It’s lovely. Neither emphasized or pushed back in the mix, midrange heads will love the vocal presentation of these phones. Very lifelike. Rich when called for, airy when called for. You can hear the timbre of breath coming out of a human being like you should be able to. It just sounds very right. Which is important. If the vocals are off, I could care less about anything else. But these phones nail it. There is one spot in the upper mids that is a bit emphasized and picks up harshly recorded piano a bit too loud. But I only heard this on two of my test tracks. And it’s not quite to the point of being harsh. I would call this a flavor, bringing out electric guitar in a nice way for most people. I don’t see many people finding fault here. Though I would personally want a little less presence. Bass These are not basshead headphones at all. I can see a lot of noobs buying these - because of the price, being closed back and the Drop crowd’s preferences in general including lots of noobs - and wanting more bass. Bass is neutral, but high quality and has great extension and control. Extension goes all the way down flatter than most electrodynamics, though I’d say by 20hz they are down a bit from where they are at 40hz. Not bad by any means. Just not ortho flat. Punchy, layered and detailed. I don’t think I can ask for more from an electrodynamic headphone. Bass never bleeds into the midrange at all. And they’re not bass light in the slightest. Bob Marley sounds excellent, and you can hear the little nuances and details of the bass riffs not just a big phat note like on many headphones when playing Bob Marley.. Dynamics They have a very dynamic sound. Focus is on macro rather than micro, they lack a little finnesse or refinement for the last bit of microdynamics, but I’m quite happy listening to them. Soundstage Very open for a closed back as far as I remember them sounding. I guess I can tell they’re closed back, but they create the illusion of space very well. They actually have a sense of air and space to them. Instruments have good separation. Power requirements They honestly sound pretty similar straight out of my ipod touch compared to my Yggrdrasil -> Liquid Fire. So I’d say they are very easy to drive and not picky about amps. It’s too bad they don’t fold up or isolate better because they’d make great portable headphones. Drop should consider making a foldable version with a little second layer of plastic on the outside of the cups filled with styrofoam. Distortion I’m guessing it measures pretty good. That’s all I have to say about that. Weaknesses There is a very slight plastic tone to the whole sound. I’m not sure where it’s coming from, because anywhere I look sounds natural. I’m guessing it’s from the little bumps in the upper mids or lower treble, or a distortion thing. They aren’t the most resolving headphones I’ve ever heard. But they are actually quite good, and at $149 they are damn good. They sound about as resolving as Focals to me I’d say, from memory. Maybe not quite as resolving as the Clears. Not amazing but pretty damn good. Though I will admit that my dislike of electrodynamics may be clouding my judgement here. They’re pretty bulky for what people will probably want to use them for - portable phones. The design makes them home use headphones or I guess transportable. But they don’t isolate at all, they may as well be open or semi open back. I think the fit may bother some, it’s very unique but once I get them positioned right, I actually like it because there’s so little clamp. They’re very light and rest evenly and lightly all around from the headband to the earpads. Conclusion Very cheap Closed but not isolating Very balanced FR with great tone across the spectrum Few faults Spacious and open sounding for a closed back Not picky about amps I really like how these sound, and they are the opposite kind of headphones I usually like. I’m impressed by what Hifiman and Drop have pulled off here. I think these are going to make a lot of people very happy and sell extremely well. I think I would take these over any ortho I’ve heard under the LCD-2 Classic price range maybe. The LCD-2 Classic has lower distortion obviously, but these are more clear and neutral sounding. I’ve heard some cheap orthos (I won’t name names) that sound way way worse. Hifiman should make more electrodynamics... I would highly recommend these headphones for anyone looking for a budget headphone that is natural sounding and natural. Fans of the HD650 or Joe Grado HP1000 or Focal Clear would like these headphones. If you prefer a John Grado sound with boosted upper mids or treble or bass, these may not be for you. -rhythmdevils on SBAF