Sennheiser HD800 Have your say

Although completely flat and neutral sound is meant to be the dream of an audiophile that clearly isn't the case - we buy headphones because they sound nice (like all the Grados, no-one can call those flat).
I think some of it may be hype but I'm sure the HD800s sound great but leagues ahead of every other headphone out there? I think not.

I've never heard them, so I would never dare speculate about what they sound like, nor about whether they would be the right headphone for me.

I owned and respect the HD800s. I think we still have a lot to learn about them as far as how to best bring out their capabilities (component synergy, aftermarket cables). As far as in-production, full-size, dynamic headphones go, I do believe they're as good or better than anything else on the market. The sound signature won't be for everyone, which is true for all headphones, but there seem to be many polarizing opinions on them, which, based on my limited listening experience with my own gear and with a variety of amps and sources at CanJam, seems to reflect their revealing qualities with the rest of the audio chain, as well as the expectations, experience and preferences of the listener. I really liked them and have recommended them to others, but sold them because I currently own other headphones that I prefer, including the JH13s, which are iems.

I think calling any headphone the "best in the world" is silliness. I do think they're one of the best available, if given a good rig, but that doesn't mean everyone will like them.

It would be interesting to see how K701 fans rate the HD800 and K701 detractors rate the HD800.

Ha, well, I'm not an avid fan of any of both, though I prefer the HD800 for a wide margin. IMHO they have more things in common than differences, probably due to their sharing a quite flat frequency response.

As Boomana said, the HD800 are among the best dynamic headphones in current production, if not the best, considering their resolution, frequency response, transparency, speed and balance. Mostly objective and measurable features. However it's just a type of sound, which may not appeal to many people.

I think they're very good. Properly fed listening to well recorded music, they manage to sound rather amazing, but they can sound also terrible when using bad amps/sources or listening to poor recordings. I can understand people raving them, and also people bashing them. To each one his own.

I'm a K701 fan and I upgraded to the HD800 recently. The HD800 doesn't need a slightly warm amp to sound flat. It has more detail than the already detailed K701.

Prior to listening to the HD800, I had only listened to the HD650 and the K701 (not the HD600), and the HD800 reminded me more of the K701 than the HD650.

They're very, very good headphones. Among the best I've heard and they get a lot of what little listening time I have these days. I don't know about "best ever" or anything like that - my speakers still outrank them.

I never was able to enjoy the K-701. It has a strange, plasticky sound to the vocal range that never went away. I found it present on several amps and sources and on other K-701s I've heard at meets. Maybe it's just me, but the K-701 was unlistenable and I sold it.

The HD-800 is nothing like that - things sound natural top to bottom. It's also faster, more transparent and has a better soundstage than the K-701.

I haven't listened many high end/high priced cans,actually the only high priced can i've listened is the hd 800.
I have listened to hd800,hd600(own)hd650,hd595,k601/701,ergo amt and some cheaper ones.

I liked the hd 800 quite a bit(a bit better overall than my hd 600 out of my own gear),but i can understand if somebody likes something else better.Personally(without having that much experience in high end headphone gear)i believe that there would be better cans out there(although we must not forget it's all about personal preferences and synergy between headphone-gear at the end)
for instance,i will not be surprised if somebody prefers the hd600/650 or the k701 over the hd800.Everybody has it's personal tastes.

My two months with the HD800 is about to come to an end. In the end, I greatly respect, but do not love them. I can understand why many people do love them. But as I type this, the HD800's are sitting on my desk, cold and lonely, while the DT990's are on my head, making me tap my feet, without even really realizing it. This is what I listen to music for - I want it to stir my soul. I am certain that the HD800's do that for many listeners - just not this one.

Oh yes, as boring and strident as the 701's

My hour long listening session at a local hifi store did not leave me impressed. Fast, flat and crunchy, maybe, but the treble was way too hot and digital sounding (the seller claimed it was due to the Cambridge Audio and Lehmann electronics) ... I'd much rather put that money in upgrading an amp or source for my AD2000s.

I need that toe tapping effect too

Can you let me know which Hi Fi "expert" or Magazine stated that the HD800 is the "Best Sounding Headphone in the World"? Is it Stereofile, Absolute Sound or any of the popular British Mags?

Only review i have seen of the HD800 was HIFI+ , good review actually , they pretty much declared them as the best they had heard and that they compared well to speakers up to £25,000!

to me the real question is are they in the same leauge of headphones costing 1000$+ such as K1000 and so on...there's no point comparing them to HD650 or K701...
after having the K1000 for a while i can't go back to lower end stuff

I have only heard the HD800 at a meet. The impression I was left with was that the listening was detached from the music. It wasn't involving. Very detailed, very spacious, very accurate, very neutral, but not involving. Music that should have gotten me involved did not. No toe-tapping fun. No getting my heart dragged around by the music. I guess it's not the kind of sound that is right for me. If I was doing studio work I can see the HD800 being ideal, but that's not how I want to listen to music.

What the HD800 does with the soundstage and the space in the recording is incredible. Getting a listen to the HD800 is a treat just to experience that and know that kind of sound is possible from headphones.