Review on JVC HARX900 Black Full-Size High-Grade Headphones by Jennifer Collins

I have had the HARX700 for about 3 years and absolutely love it. I'm a big fan of the JVC sound, having been a strict Sennheiser customer many years ago. However, I switched to JVC when money was tight and I have no regrets. My HARX700 headphones still work, but the ear cushions have started to degrade and peel off. I could probably replace them but given the cost of the headphones I think 3 years is a good ROI. I almost bought another pair but decided to spend a little more and try the HARX900 instead. I am using headphones connected to a laptop via a Cambridge DAC. I also burned through the headphones for a few hours before judging them as it really makes little difference in my opinion. When I first heard it, I wasn't impressed with the HARX900. They sounded a bit flat and lacked "energy". However, the more I listened, the more I began to relate to her. I could tell they were definitely a bit thinner than the 700s, but I still felt like they just didn't sound as exciting. After a few hours of listening to them, it's time to hear them side by side. As a test, I used the latest Lana Del Rey album. When I switched to the 700, I immediately noticed how much stronger the mids sounded and how much deeper the bass was. The sound has become richer and more attractive. Then I realized it had more to do with being so used to the 700s - like an old favorite sweater. The bass in the 700 is deeper than the 900 but less controlled. It's almost like turning on the bass boost button. Sounds a bit artificial after getting used to the 900s. Similarly, the mids of the 700s stand out, but lack the detail and separation that the 900s have. In fact, the 900s are more accurate across the audio range, while the 700s sound more dynamic, at the expense of some subtlety. I still love the 700s. If I mainly listened to modern pop/dance music, I think they would be a better choice. However, the 900s are definitely better across all genres of music. I would also say that the differences I am talking about are NOT related to day and night. The 700's are still impressive for the money, but the 900's end up offering a little more precision in the music it calls for.