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HD800 - Is sibilance an issue with your set-up?

post #1 of 240
6/18/09 at 8:29pm
Thread Starter 
This has become a issue and a topic for debate, there could be a myriad of issues at play. From the original recording, source, amp, solid state vs tubes and burn in. One thing for sure is that the HD800 is extremely revealing of amp and source. For me the HD800 has been both a blessing and a curse in my current set-up (see sig). It has a wonderful midrange that wallops the HD650, excellent bass that is recording dependent, if it’s not there you won’t get any unlike the 650’s. The treble for me though borders on sibilance, my phones have had very low hours (don’t know for sure as they were bought from another head-fier.) This is not meant to be a HD800 bashing, just constructive insight, issues remedies whatever. Lets discuss...
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post #2 of 240
6/18/09 at 9:20pm
No.
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post #3 of 240
6/18/09 at 9:36pm
Try different power cords on your source and amp. It will make a bigger difference than you might think.
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post #4 of 240
6/18/09 at 9:45pm
no
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post #5 of 240
6/18/09 at 10:54pm
Not a problem for me. I'm using a Benchmark DAC1 USB straight out of a Macbook Air into the Senn 800s, no sibilance, at least no more than my other rigs, and certainly haven't noticed it as an issue with the 800s.
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post #6 of 240
6/18/09 at 11:05pm
Not in my humble system. But, the Ultrasone Ed 8... that's another matter.
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post #7 of 240
6/18/09 at 11:14pm
No
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post #8 of 240
6/18/09 at 11:15pm
No
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post #9 of 240
6/18/09 at 11:17pm
I asked someone today to try Cowboy Junkies Sweet Jane with the HD-800s on their rig, and they didn't think the sibilance was an issue. It's an issue on mine, so I'm putting it down to bad synergy with my current amp (which is going to be replaced).
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post #10 of 240
6/18/09 at 11:21pm
Well, not an ideal experiment, but I was chatting with Currawong online a few minutes ago about his problem with the HD800s and sibilance. He asked me to listen to the Cowboy Junkies Sweet Jane, so while still chatting, I listened with the 800s and a pico amp/dac and my laptop. Yes, I could hear the "sssss" that progressed to a whistle midway though the track. I switched to HF2s, mostly because they were sitting right next to me, and listened to it again. I could still hear the "sssss" and the whistle sounds, but due to the weight and slightly greater emphasis of the mids and lower mids of the HF2s in comparison to the HD800s, the sibilance was more or less masked. The same sounds were still there, just not as obvious. The sibilance was in the recording, no fault of the headphones. I think these are pretty accurate headphones.

EDIT: Hah! As I was typing, Currawong was posting. Funny
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post #11 of 240
6/18/09 at 11:26pm
Sorry I had no such problems. Only with very bad recordings but that's just the HD800s honest nature. I do feel that the burn in made the bass a little fuller and the highs a tiny bit more calm but I can't say for sure because I just used it all the time without burn in runs.
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post #12 of 240
6/18/09 at 11:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by johnwmclean View Post
This has become a issue and a topic for debate, there could be a myriad of issues at play. From the original recording, source, amp, solid state vs tubes and burn in. One thing for sure is that the HD800 is extremely revealing of amp and source. For me the HD800 has been both a blessing and a curse in my current set-up (see sig). It has a wonderful midrange that wallops the HD650, excellent bass that is recording dependent, if it’s not there you won’t get any unlike the 650’s. The treble for me though borders on sibilance, my phones have had very low hours (don’t know for sure as they were bought from another head-fier.) This is not meant to be a HD800 bashing, just constructive insight, issues remedies whatever. Lets discuss...
For me it depends on the recording, but yes on some tracks I hear more sibilance than I do from other headphones (UE9, L3000, DX1000). But it is certainly recording dependent. I also hear an emphasis on tape hiss (from older recordings, many of which have been remastered) that I have not noticed previously. I also agree with the bass issue. I enhance the bass (digital EQ) to achieve something more to my liking. However, on some recordings in which the bass is already very prominent, it is just right on the HD800.
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post #13 of 240
6/19/09 at 12:54am
I'll put "Sweet Jane" by the Cowboy Junkies in the test pile for when the HD-800s arrive tomorrow. Hopefully.

The problem with sibilance is that you regularly find it at live performances. I don't like to fault gear for reproducing something that's on the recording.
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post #14 of 240
6/19/09 at 12:54am
Nyet, or, not yet.
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post #15 of 240
6/19/09 at 2:34am
no.

but if it's in the recording, you will hear it.
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