To HD800 or Not? - Page 2

This afternoon I got to spend some time with IPodPJ's HD800. They're the best Sennheiser I've heard to date. They're not warm or laid back like the HD650. They remind me of the HD600 but much more refined. They also can have more presence and immediacy depending on the source and amp.

Just for me, the Edition 9 is not the best headphone in every aspect, but the most complete of all I own, with the most coherent sound and the most "logical" soundstage (and IMO better than Edition 8 BTW).

Thanks a lot, Donald. Then I will give the HD 800 a try when it is available in its country. Some day.

I'd love to sell my HD-650 and try out the HD-800 as well but unfortunately the HD-650s were a gift from my gf so can't be sold. Guess i'll have to wait a bit longer... or until 1 night i'm sufficiently drunk to let down my defenses

Me neither - considering the PS-1, L3000, R10, HE-60, 90 prices, the HD800 seems very reasonable.

Dew eet!

Use the classic one: tell her that the HD650 broke (make odd noise or something like that) and you'd sell them for parts to someone.

Yes smooth in the in that type of way. The K1000's are more analytical and are more transparent/neutral. The K1000 has no coloration, which is part of the amazement. The HD800 is a little bit smoother and has more bass and slightly more weight, with a slight touch of warm coloration.

The HD800 is much more like a HD600 on steroids than it is reminiscent of the HD650, but that is just my opinion.


I also found the Edition 9 to be pretty good after I got adjusted to them being closed(and I'm talking truly closed as in blocks out all sound). It is one of the only truly closed headphone I know of that sounds that good. Most of the other "closed" headphones aren't really closed at all except by design.

I listened to a couple of HD800's at the recent Canjam and thought that it was an impressive phone heard through Headroom's balanced set-up. Without that it didn't seem to be as good. So if you are going that route you may want to consider the cost of such a balanced amp.

i compared all my dynamics to the HD800 and the only one that held up sufficiently was the HD650. the 800 was still better in pretty much all respects, but it didn't embarass the 650. so don't feel bad about only having a 650. i think properly amped the 650 is one of the best headphones out there for the money and definitely is high-end like.

i owned a PS1 and L3000 and based on memory, which i admit is not ideal, i would say that i prefer the HD800. put it this way, when i owned the PS1 and L3000, i thought they were both excellent but i didn't find myself wanting to sell all my other headphones because of them. with the 800, i am selling most of my other headphones, because i know they will not get head time with this thing around. i think that says a lot. as for dynamic to stat comparisons, that is more tricky. i almost feel it is an apples to oranges situation, as generally people tend to prefer the sound signature of one over the other. having said that, i do plan to do a head to head between my 800 and O2, but it won't be for the purpose of determining which stays and which goes, unless of course one greatly outperforms the other. but i doubt that will happen.

the 800 and 600 both have a somewhat forward sound, at least with respect to vocals, which of course is very different from the more laid back sound of the 650. but i think the 800 overall greatly outperforms the 600, is in a much higher league. the 800 also shares the very natural sound of the 650, especially on piano and has good percussion like the 650.

i am very impressed with the 800 single ended but i did compare the headphone single ended to balanced and the latter was noticeably better, pretty much across the board. so this is one headphone, like the other senns, that benefits greatly from balanced operation.

Well, imo there is more than just the vocals in common. The HD800 lean towards neutrality and balance just as the HD600 does. At least to my ears, they have barely anything in common to the HD650(outside of having more bass impact than the HD600). They are much faster and detail oriented and are more extended in the highs. And for reference, I find the HD600 more natural than the HD650. The HD650 are good, but a little slow and mellow in comparison to both the HD600 and the HD800. But again, that's to my ears.

But I do agree, the HD800 surpasses both by a mile....