HD800 vs AH-D7000 - Page 10

Well said.

My impressions of the HD800's on my rig was that it was kind of lifeless with lack of low end dynamics. I was accustomed to the Markl D5000. I prefer a smaller soundstage, with some bass weight to it. I know that the 800's have a world more potential than I heard, but I didn't hear enough attributes for my preferences to system build and explore it thoroughly. I will say that I look forward to listening to a tricked out HD800 set-up at a future meet.

The D7000 however, was a big step up from the 5000's. For me the 800's and Denons represent two different extremes in signature. Accuracy and big soundstage versus bass palpability and intimate soundstage.

I was very happy with the Denons until I got caught up in the HiFiMan HE-5 hype. This is a phone, that to me, sits right in between the two aforementioned signatures. I actually briefly considered selling the 7000's. After a while I missed the bass of the Denons, so much so that I experimented with an open-back / open-front mod on the 7000's that opened up the mids and treble, while retaining bass dynamics. The results are linked in my signature.

I would also love to hear the Beyer T1 to see where it sits on that scale.

Hopefully tonight...

If Canada Post comes through for me I should have my T1s delivered (if not already) this afternoon. I should have some musings on the T1 thread by Sunday....Can't wait to get home!

I feel that these two phones are really quite different in ways as mentioned above. Until I heard about the T1 I wanted to get both the HD800 and the D7000 for those reasons: accuracy/huge soundstage vs. full deep rich sound. I am still getting the Denons in April, but am holding off on the HD800 to hear more about the T1.

We live in a wonderful age where there are so many choices. All the stuff is worth our effort and hard earned cash. What has been enlightening was also seeing the post about how old favorite Head Fi headphones are. Sometimes I wonder if there has been very little advancement in our hobby. Manufactures are always putting a new" better " product out. They use new terms to discribe very old technology. Someday at Head-fi we may even see new/old shoot-outs. New does not always mean better. Some people believe there has not been an improvement in 30 years. Why I post this statement is reading reviews from respected Head Fi members who talked about 17 year old phones I knew nothing about let alone even set my eyes on.

I already heard T1 and dont care about them.They are great but I think HD800 are better.

IMO,HD800 and D7000 make the perfect combination!

Quote:

Great observation!  The nice thing about the "new and better" products is that they force discounts in headphones that were pretty terrific to begin with.  Right now, on the used market, you can get the RS1, the HD600/HD650 and the DT880/DT990 at terrific discounts.  In the land of the IEM, TF10s are selling for practically nothing.  Someone "getting by" on these now "second-rate" products is doing more thriving than just surviving.

 

Whatever you have, love it well and it will love you back.

Edited by Bilavideo - 6/14/10 at 11:16am

I agree that the HD800 and D7000s are a great combination (I do own them both), but with the T1s, I feel that you can own only them (the T1s) and cover your basses just as you would with BOTH the HD800s and D7000s .

Right now, the D7000s and the HD800s are my two favorite phones and make very nice complements. In my estimation, the HD800s are the most technically proficient headphones I have heard in regards to detail retrieval, imaging, and soundstaging (usually). I do have to be a bit picky with which music to choose, but with the right tracks, I can be completely engrossed in the music and equally amazed at their capabilities. While I find the Denons less proficient in the those categories, I do think they are pretty well accomplished technically. While I would not object to more or better in those areas, I am completely satisified with what they have to offer that way. Also, among headphones I have heard, I feel that they come closest to the sound I get from full range speakers. I love the taut deep bass of the HD800s but I think they cannot quite hit with the necessary authority for certain music in the lower end and otherwise are lacking a bit in speaker-like body. Those are highly valued aspects to me and ones in which I think the D7000s excel to the point of being the best I have heard from headphones (as estimated by my own idiosyncratic standards). Overall, their sound signature just fits my general preferences better. I can use them for any track from any CD in any genre and be completely satisfied. Despite giving up ground in many technical categories to the HD800s, PS1000s, T1s, HE-5LEs, and JH13Pros, they would be my 'desert island pick' without hesitation. But that's preferences for you.

 

 

 

I am a bit more with Freakmax on this one. I found the T1s to be neither as technically impressive as the HD800s nor as an enjoyable listen as the D7000s. They could not replace either phone and did not really endear themselves to me enough to keep as a third option. Again, it really is about preferences. The T1s just didn't fit well with mine.

 

I would love to find the One that completely blows me away technically and fits my preferences to a t. I fantasize about phones called D9000s and HD850s. In the real world, my hope for such a thing (or at least an equally enjoyable third option) lies with the LCD-2s and those unveiled but not-yet-released Fostex woodies.

 

Still, there are just so many good options available for all preferences and bank accounts. A very nice time to be a headphones-enthusiest.
 

If I remember correctly (please forgive me if I'm wrong), but you only owned them (T1s) for a few days and without proper burn in and listening time, I think you might have not really given them a chance. Do the HD800s impress more right out of the box? Certainly!

 

But as the weeks wore on, the T1s really stepped forward as my favourite headphone with a more organic and musical sound (and technically very similar, just not as analytical). But then that's just my two cents.

Thanks for your thoughts Gu, always so balanced and well-reasoned. I too am lusting after a HD800/D7000 combo. My only hesitation is the fear my yammy isnt up to the challenge as Shige-san has stated that while larger ohm loads are stably possible with his transformer, he's tweaked it for sub 100ohm loads. And reviews of the HD800 paired with the yammy are all over the place:some raving about it, others commentiong on its slowness. Since I would be using the HD800/yammy for complex large scale classical and opera I might just have to bite the bullet and experiment with my own hard earned cash since an uber O2 rig is way the heck off. I think your listed amps are a bit more powerful for the hd800.

 

 

Hey MH!

 

I had them between one to two weeks, maybe 20-25 hours of headtime, not sure about burn-in… maybe 50 hours?? but my personal experience is that changes due to burn-in are subtle at best and have never significantly altered how I generally feel about a set of phones out of the box. Also, since selling mine I have tried well-used pairs at local audio shops at least half a dozen times without really changing my views.

 

Sure, it is entirely possible that if I had held onto the T1s my impressions would change, but honestly, I suspect not. From my experience, I have had enough time with them to get a very decent sense of how the mesh with my tastes at least. Please understand, I think very highly of the T1s and absolutely believe they are one of a handful of truly elite cans. But, if I try to put aside personal preferences, I feel that the HD800s are superior in the technical sense. I have no troubles believing that many people will disagree with me.

 

I do find the HD800s to be just a tad recessed in the lower end, a bit peaky up top, and lacking in terms of intimacy. The T1s did not have any of those issues and therefore a step in the right direction for me. However, those issues only come up occasionally with the HD800s and can be avoided altogether as long as I am very careful in selecting the music I listen to. I enjoy listening to the HD800s because of their unsurpassed (IMHO) imaging, separation, detail retrieval, clarity, and soundstage (sometimes). The T1s are superb in those areas as well but I just do not think they are quite up to the same level as the HD800s. It is nit picking for sure, but that seems to be what we are all doing around here.

 

Again, I do think the T1s are superior to the D7000s in the usual technical assessments, but starting with the lower end, I just simply enjoy the D7000s more than either the T1s or HD800s or any other high end phones that I have tried or owned. Supposedly, I will tire of such ‘drastically’ colored headphones, but at 1.5 years it hasn’t happened yet.

 

 

Thanks for the kind words wowor. I am not sure that I ever tried the HD800s with the HA-2 but even if there are better pairings, I think it entirely possible that you can still enjoy the combo as long as the HD800s are your cup of tea. They certainly are not for everybody.

 

 

No worries . Between the HD800 and T1, I don't think there is a wrong answer, just what's right to the owner. I listen to a lot of rock and metal and therein probably lies my preference for the T1s; although the HD800s are top notch with Prog Rock (like Rush and Pink Floyd).
 

We are in agreement there for sure. The 'intimacy' issues I have with the HD800s rear their head with a lot of rock tracks I like. The D7000s are usually so much more satisfying there. Radiohead is sublime with the HD800s though.

Well stated! I am in complete agreement with you.