Sennheiser HD800 Appreciation Thread - Page 428  

Nice! Thanks, I'm going to have to do that.

The HD800 world would be a brighter place without creatology foam and colorware.

I'm interested since I use my HD800s on a Graham Slee Solo SRG. But most of what's in that thread is way over my head. The HD800s have a "very slight 'plasticky' sound" on his amps?

I've been enjoying these headphones with the Solo. Maybe a year from now I'd like to buy a good tube amp, like the Woo WA2, but I'm not hearing any serious flaws right now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by anetode 

Nice! Thanks, I'm going to have to do that.

 

The HD800 world would be a brighter place without creatology foam and colorware.

Please elaborate more.

Quote:

Originally Posted by preproman 

 

Please elaborate more.

It is a little known fact that one of Sennheiser's achievements with the HD800 was to source the neodymium for the magnet from a specific rare earth mineral ore in China which includes a mix of several other elements undergoing radioactive decay. The radiactive nuclei of these elements emit electrons through beta decay at such a rate that, in Senn's magnet implementation of the magnet structure, there's a greater magnetic flux density. Now don't worry, the magnet's far enough from human tissue that there's only a negligible risk of mitochondrial DNA damage and the half-life is in the centuries, so performance should remain relatively constant throughout the HD800's lifetime use. Creatology foam and colorware's matte paint are commonly used mods to absorb some of this radiation, which is composed of both electrons and photons, hence "less bright". Sorry for the pun :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by anetode 

 

It is a little known fact that one of Sennheiser's achievements with the HD800 was to source the neodymium for the magnet from a specific rare earth mineral ore in China which includes a mix of several other elements undergoing radioactive decay. The radiactive nuclei of these elements emit electrons through beta decay at such a rate that, in Senn's magnet implementation of the magnet structure, there's a greater magnetic flux density. Now don't worry, the magnet's far enough from human tissue that there's only a negligible risk of mitochondrial DNA damage and the half-life is in the centuries, so performance should remain relatively constant throughout the HD800's lifetime use. Creatology foam and colorware's matte paint are commonly used mods to absorb some of this radiation, which is composed of both electrons and photons, hence "less bright". Sorry for the pun :)

Ah,  by less bright I guessing you mean the "bright treble"?  That's very interesting.  I ask because I'm expecting a pair from coloware next week but with the glossy paint.  

Um - you called this a mod, so I guess it subjectively provides a tamer treble?

Heck - that could be a good thing.  You don't think so?

Needs more alpha decay to speed up the sound....

Quote:

Originally Posted by anetode 

I'm open to the possibility. Personally I'd like to evaluate a range of paint mods and get some measurements drawn up. At the top of the wish list is leaded paint, though I hear that could be dangerous. I'll make sure to wear gloves.

My childhood friend works at Oskarshamn CLAB facility, where all swedish radioactive rest products are stored. Want me to check if he has any Geiger meters for measuring pre- and post-mod?

So happy that someone's found a way to tame the HD800 treble!!1!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by anetode 

I'm open to the possibility. Personally I'd like to evaluate a range of paint mods and get some measurements drawn up. At the top of the wish list is leaded paint, though I hear that could be dangerous. I'll make sure to wear gloves.

A little doubtful they'd used lead white paint this days, especially as it is from US.....mostly likely chemical based aqualic. Whichever way, seems an excellent idea as HD800 can get scratch easily, plus it looks so cool :)

scratches will bring the upper mids out a tad and lesson any brightness

Quote:

Originally Posted by anetode 

 

It is a little known fact that one of Sennheiser's achievements with the HD800 was to source the neodymium for the magnet from a specific rare earth mineral ore in China which includes a mix of several other elements undergoing radioactive decay. The radiactive nuclei of these elements emit electrons through beta decay at such a rate that, in Senn's magnet implementation of the magnet structure, there's a greater magnetic flux density. Now don't worry, the magnet's far enough from human tissue that there's only a negligible risk of mitochondrial DNA damage and the half-life is in the centuries, so performance should remain relatively constant throughout the HD800's lifetime use. Creatology foam and colorware's matte paint are commonly used mods to absorb some of this radiation, which is composed of both electrons and photons, hence "less bright". Sorry for the pun :)

lordy me  someone who knows the headphone inside out. 

Interesting thanks anetode.

However no one has commented on Graham Slee's (got it spelled correctly at last) comments on his site about phase "problems" with the HD800 and his denigration of digital filtering. The man is obviously a knowledgeable engineer but like the rest of us has firm opinions on things. (His extreme love of vinyl does suggest a bias against digital).

Note he DOES like the HD800 but claims they were made to fit only certain electonics so that others with a differing phasing situation might not suit.

I guess that is not so way out as the synergy between components has often been observed with no clear reason why two components, each individually highly regarded, do not seem to work together as one would expect.  Sort of makes putting a system together successfully a bit of black magic.  And there is the further complication I've commented on before, and that is that no two brains with attached ears react with the same so individual tastes/preferences whatever so there can never be universal agreement about how good/bad or skewed any component causes the audio to end up.

But I love my HD800s regardless of radioactivity, "flawed" treble (which it is not for these ears), .....

John