The Sennheiser HD 800: The First Listen, The First Review - Page 21

whoa... now it's very interesting to see if other manufacturers will throw their new flagship this year.. and yes this is history (so many posts)

$1400? Pass. My head speakers are probably better anyway.

Jude, will Sennheiser reps flip if you try to disconnect the cable from the headphones?

It would be awesome to get a look of the connector.

Really exciting news!





It's not a dome driver, but a ring radiator. AFAIK the first application of this dynamic-driver variant in a headphone. So far I only know of ring-radiator tweeters (Vifa, several horn tweeters).


The specs from the brochure:

Transmission range: 6-52,000 Hz -10 dB / 14-44,100 Hz -3 dB
Transducer principle: dynamic, open
Frequency response: diffuse-field equalized
Nominal impedance: 300 ohm
Sound pressure level at 1 kHz: 102 dB (1 Vrms)
Max. nominal long-term input power: 500 mW
Harmonic distortion: ≤0.02% (1 kHz, 1 Vrms)
Contact pressure: approx. 3.4 N (approx.)
Ear coupling: circumaural
Weight (without cable): approx. 330 g
jack plug: ¾" (6.3 mm) stereo
Connecting cable: silver-plated oxygen-free copper cable, symmetrical, kevlar reinforced, 3 m
Operating temperature: -10 to +55°C

I think it looks really sweet!



Wait and go balanced HD800.

That's what happens when you have money burning in your pocket, and not able to wait another week for CES 2009. Cause its no secret that the HD800 were expected to be announced.

I am sure you will be well pleased with the electrostatics as well though.

Let me google that for you
Not that hard.

The principle of operation is substantially similar to a dome driver. The concepts - and the production line - are the same.

Alright, who remembers how to convert dB/v to dbm?

Sennheisers aren't that expensive in Sweden. The regular price of HD650 is $318 shipping included. I'm hoping that Senn keep being nice to us and keep our price at <$1000 (*hoping* *hoping* *hoping*) .

Ps. And everyone elses prices too

Still not sold on the look but then seeing is believing...

I look forward to more impressions though it will be years before I could even dream of buying them. Maybe second hand 650s are on the horizon

Why wait?

Wonder what the street price will actually wind up being.

Either way I doubt this will have much of an effect on HD600/HD650 pricing since it is so far above and beyond them in MSRP.

Yes, technically it's *almost* the same. But the expectable sonic result is quite a bit diffrerent. With dome drivers, the dome is the main producer of sound waves, the roll/donut mainly has the role of a suspension (at least with speakers). With ring radiators, the rolls themselves are the acoustically active components. And as it seems, this design allows for better transient control. With speakers it also involves the disadvantage of worse sound dispersion -- whereas I don't see a clear drawback with headphones.
.

What's the timeframe on when we can actually buy it?

depends entirely on the production speed and what Sennheiser charges dealers. If its slow and costly to produce and dealer cost is kept high, you wont see the price drop too much. If they begin to pump them out at a good pace and profit margines are high it will drop like a rock after all the early adopters willing to pay full price have gotten one. I suspect the latter especially since there are so many Sennheiser dealers. Wouldnt be at all surprised to see them for half of MSRP a couple months after the release.

Well, then show me where to get a HD800 right now.
...and of course a balanced aftermarket cable for it.

Amazon.com: Sennheiser HD800 Premier Headphone: Electronics