New HD 800 very different than the old HD 800 | Headphone Reviews and Discussion - Head-Fi.org

MetalElvis · Jan 18, 2013 at 12:05 PM

My friend just got a new HD 800. I have one from two years ago. These things sound way different. The new one sounds way way better! This is really weird! I guess Sennheiser has listened to the customers and made changes during the years.

The new one actually hass BASS!!! And it´s not bright at all and I don´t hear any treble peaks. Even the TH 900 is a brighter headphone now, use to be the other way round. The new HD 800 sounds absolutely great!

The old one sounds very bright and treble peaky and very very light in bass. The difference is unbelieavable! What is going on with Sennheiser? But I like what they´ve done.

I guess I´ll be buying a new HD 800 soon as well!

BournePerfect · Jan 18, 2013 at 12:06 PM

Serial number? Who did he buy from?

-Daniel

jcx · Jan 18, 2013 at 12:24 PM

don't they come with individual frequency response plots?

low frequency is the most reproducible part of the measurement plot spectrum - other than sealing issues that can change as pads wear in the plots should show anything you can hear as "way different" - especially at bass frequencies:

http://www.head-fi.org/t/433059/sennheiser-hd800-certificate-for-frequency-response-arrived#post_5824184

Mr.Sneis · Jan 18, 2013 at 12:51 PM

Wasn't this both confirmed and debunked? (Ie there may or may not be truth to it but Sennheiser denies yet many other members agree and disagree at the same time)

third_eye · Jan 18, 2013 at 2:23 PM

Yes, I have absolutely no issue with lack of bass or shrieking highs with my HD800. In fact, I did the mod for fun to see if it would make any difference and it did not. My serial is in the 17xxx range purchased about 4 months ago. I can literally feel my head start to compress with the start of Angel by Massive Attack on these things.

MDCLXVI · Jan 18, 2013 at 3:56 PM

Mine are also #17xxx. I haven't heard an early HD800 but I think mine perform admirably in the bass.

jcx · Jan 18, 2013 at 4:16 PM

you could find Senn's plots for model S/N <1000 to >17000 in the 1st and last page or 2 of the thread I linked - don't know if that counts as "cheating"

MetalElvis · Jan 18, 2013 at 7:31 PM

The new HD 800 is 20xxx. The difference was insane. Order done!

verber · Jan 18, 2013 at 7:37 PM

I have a pair of HD800 with serial number 18xxx. I haven't done a really careful (blind A/B) test between my new HD800s and those that were from a couple of years ago, but I have to say I noticed no immediate difference as I switched between them. So while there may (or may not) be a difference between the older and newer HD800, calling it big, huge, major, whatever doesn't seem accurate. At most, I expect it's fairly minor. Now if you are talking about any HD800 compared to LCD3, SR-007, SR-009, HE-500... there are huge differences, some better, some worse. I will say that the HD800are my favorite non-electrostatic headphones, and leave it at that.

--Mark

jcx · Jan 19, 2013 at 2:54 AM

Quote:

metalelvis said:
The new HD 800 is 20xxx. The difference was insane. Order done!

post the plot

arnaud · Jan 19, 2013 at 3:07 AM

^^
Unless the reference curve has changed as well with the revision :wink:

. After all, if you alter a design, it does mean you're shooting for a different target.

pkshan · Jan 19, 2013 at 3:18 AM

after break-in the hd800 will sound brighter,thinner

DarKu · Jan 19, 2013 at 4:41 AM

@MetalElvis
Please post your certificate of frequency response here.
It is very different compared to those found in that thread?: http://www.head-fi.org/t/433059/sennheiser-hd800-certificate-for-frequency-response-arrived/330

Shahrose · Jan 19, 2013 at 8:01 AM

Too many variables here. The OP doesn't tell me much.

Old serial #: ?
New serial #: ?

Burn-in on old pair: ?
Burn-in on new pair: ?

Condition of the earpads on the old pair: ?

Was the same system used for both headphones?

As for the differences that have been confirmed...it's old news that some of the very earliest pairs < SN# 1500 did actually have less bass and a flatter treble. Since then, I've owned 2 different pairs and found no differences in sound. My current one is #9311 and its response is identical to my #3406.

BournePerfect · Jan 19, 2013 at 3:09 PM

Agreed that we really need to know the sytem differences here. I pretty much disliked the HD800 until I paired it with my ZDSE.

-Daniel

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