The Sennheiser HD-800, another view - Page 2

I enjoyed this entire review - nicely written. I especially enjoyed the perspective in the quote above, and sincerely hope that you are proven right about that as time marches on.

Nice review. It really helps to have more perspectives on the HD800

k3oxkjo, excellent review.

I'm impressed with the way you've gone about clarifying the limits of your study and methodology and the way you've confined your generalizations to the procedures you've actually used.

I like the way you've established your objectivity re the cost by demonstrating (through purchase) that you're comfortable with the pricetag and that a 30-day return policy is in effect, negating possible suspicions that you're attempting to justify a bad buy.

I find your efforts to establish an objective measure for SQ fascinating. Your decision to go with a standard based on live performance has been discussed in other Head-fi forums in relationship to the HD800, and I'm curious to see where this discussion will eventually end up.

I'm especially impressed with your relaxed and personal writing style, which draws us into the review as friends and peers.

Thanks for taking the time to write this. I've thoroughly enjoyed reading it and look forward to your future reviews.

Now that is a review I agree with in my own experience with these phones. Right on target!

Just wanted to add my appreciation of this fantastic review. You really hit the nail on the head with this and it echoes my thoughts on the hd800. To me it is, as others stated, a window into the recording. Thanks for the great read.

"Are they the best phone for everyone? I think that is a product that will never be made, but clearly, the HD-800 is not for everyone. If you favor a rear hall perspective, audition carefully. The overall performance might not be enough to overcome your preference. If you like a phone that shaves off the sometimes nasty edges music has and tames poor recordings or acts as impromptu “deesser”, look elsewhere. If you like a big bass to underline the beat of the music, these may not satisfy (though they should respond to reasonable EQ as the drivers seem to have plenty of dynamic range available).'

I find this an interesting collection of observations and assertions. I am not, by any means, a "rear hall" guy. Quite the opposite. Nor am I a "basshead" as those who defend this phone seem to like to like to label folks. In my rig (Crimson and Moth, both retubed with Cunningham globes) this phone is hardly analytic or relentless and I own phones that are hotter and less forgiving on top - but I find those alternatives more musically believable since they also reproduce the lower mids and upper bass with a sense of realism that this phone lacks in spite of their flaws. I find the notion that the midrange is its unchallenged area of performance questionable at best. Its frequency balance is too exaggerated in the upper midrange vs the lower and as a result it seems to do quite a disservice to voices. It does do a remarkably good job with low level detail and texture on vocals and does not sound explicitly mechanical, but it persistently strikes me as weak in terms of body. In that regard it reminds me an awful lot of the original Avantgarde Duos.

And the more I listen, the more convinced I am that its forwardness has a lot less to do with apparent frequency response than the size of its driver.

Joe

nice . Are they hotter in the treble or less. More or less forgiving? As for bass about the same volume and extension as the 750?, warmer or brighter overall?

Bravo! So nice, I had to read it twice!

Thank you so much for this excellent review. It is obvious that you are well informed and used excellent source material ( RCA Living Stereo and Mercury Living Presence ) and of course great associated equipment.

You now have me really wanting to audition these phones!!!!!!!!

.

Great review k3oxkjo! Individual review to show that we all hear differently, use different equipment, and that opinions will always vary, which makes this site great. The way you state differences of where you sit in relation to what you hear (concert/hall) is excellent as well.

Happy listening!

Cool review k3oxkjo, with balance, transparent and honest impression without sounds fanboyism to a particular brand. This is very useful for potential buyers. Put everything on the table, good or bad, let them judge for themselves if it's really good for them. I know a lot of people say Grado is too bright and ear piercing, but what the heck, I still buy them, together with the 'polite' HD650 too. Too much of one thing is boring . People will judge themselves what they want. What I hate is a review that just say good good good and all good, this is really bad.

Again, thanks ...

Excellent review k3oxkjo.You have a very comprehensive and reasoned approach to evaluating and that is a great benefit to all of us. I might have missed it, but since you've had them for 30+ days I assume you called the dealer and told him you're keeping them?

Also, I think there is another level of performance you can expect to achieve from the HD800 and that is having them rewired for balanced use. Plus the type of wire used, multi-stranded or solid-core copper or silver, if solid-core you can go hard or soft temper and then finally the dielectric of Telfon, PVC or possibly silk/cotton. I've balanced my HD-650's to run off the Ray Samuels Apache amp and used a harder temper solid core copper for the hot and silver for the return. This tightened the bass, open-up the somewhat veiled soundstage/top end and cleaned up some of the grain that comes from multi-stranded wire. I've tuned/tweaked them for my personal taste.

My point is that one level of consideration for the review of any can should also be its ability to be improved, its room for growth. I love the fact that some cans have detachable wiring, like standard speakers, inviting us to audition other types of wire and allowing us to see how much effect the stock wiring has on the overall sound.

I will be getting the HD800 in the next few months, there seems to be no doubt that they are special and since I missed the R10 originally, I am not going to let these get away.