[punit]

   
Hilarious post, but I actually disagree, I prefer the HD800 for long sessions.
 
Comfort reigns supreme. 

Agree.Can listen to HD 800 for 7-8 hours. But XC is max couple of hours (I love the XC sound) but just need to take a break in between.

 

[kothganesh]

Agree.Can listen to HD 800 for 7-8 hours. But XC is max couple of hours (I love the XC sound) but just need to take a break in between.

Punit, you need to go the gym . I can go for 4 hours at a clip.

 

[Mortalcoil]

   
....yeah and then the Grado is like last call at the bar before they turn on the lights....

You forgot to mention .......while wearing beer goggles.

 

[punit]

Punit, you need to go the gym

. I can go for 4 hours at a clip.

Oh its not because of the weight. Its bcos they are closed, I feel my ears need to "breathe" after couple of hours, feels a bit stuffy.

 

[Sorrodje]

   
For anyone who has been struggling with the bright, edgy sound of an HD800 on a typical solid state amp...
 
The Metrum Octave MkII (NOS DAC) has arrived and, fresh out of the box, it's already doing wonderful things with the unmodified HD800 on a neutral amp (OPPO HA-1 or even the DACmini CX with 1-Ohm output impedance mod). The Octave MkII has smooth yet still detailed treble, terrific separation, with everything sounding very natural. That's the part that's the biggest jaw-dropper. I'm listening to Jennifer Warnes at the moment.  Dynamics are awesome. It is WAY nicer than the ESS9018 in the HA-1 (for my tastes).  Me thinks I can actually listen to the HD800 for a few hours now, without fatigue, but that's just the half of it. Enough gushing, for now...

 
Yep. The MEtrum Octave compliments extremely well the HD800. The way it reproduces voices is astonishing. The only counterparts I can detect is it's not totally transparent. It has a specific flavor on its own. I think it offers astounding good results fo most modern music but i've never been entirely satisfied for Classical for example. For everything else than Classical my Octave is an absolute great choice with an unmodded HD800.  My sonett 2 doesn't add much personality but adds the slight tube wetness and even more naturalness to the final result. IMO the Sonett brings also an extremely good separation between instruments . Voices are extremely well delineated. The final result is definitely not warmer or darker than with the O2/ODac. The sound seems to have more body more weight on the whole FR. Bass are more textured and weighty  Mids more meaty and even treble seems thicker and more integrated in the FR.
 
See here : http://www.head-fi.org/t/693798/thoughts-on-a-bunch-of-dacs-and-why-i-hate-chocolate-ice-cream . Before I read Purrin impressions , I thought the best of the Octave was its bass . so I've read Purrin and tried to understand what he said and then I realized that since I've the Metrum I listen Much more to Folk, Electro folk or other styles with voices ( Newton Faulkner, Asgeir, Agnes Obel , Ane Brun ) and much more EDM too so I understood Purrin was right about the Octave main strenght. It's not only bass but more in the mids . The HD800 main weakness is not the treble IMO. it's more the slight lack of body in the mids. The Octave fixes that . then treble, mids and bass are more integrated ant the whole result improves a lot. Not as the same level to the SR009/electra I heard a few weeks ago but not so far.
 
Mu current Bushmaster is extremely good but fails to do that and the silghtly hollow mids of HD800 are back. I've ordered the Caïman and maybe the TOTL beresford will sit somewhere in between the Bushmaster and the Octave mkII ?
 

 

[whirlwind]

I just scored a great deal on a dozen old cds.
 
I have been just mesmerized with an old remaster of Dire Straits debut album.
 
Holy $hit.......This version of Six Blade Knife is definitely  a wow factor experience with the HD800.
 
Good lord, when this can produces....it produce's BIG!
 
I so much love this headphone  

 

 

[Priidik]

 
Mu current Bushmaster is extremely good but fails to do that and the silghtly hollow mids of HD800 are back. I've ordered the Caïman and maybe the TOTL beresford will sit somewhere in between the Bushmaster and the Octave mkII ?
 

Looking forward to your thoughts.

 

[magiccabbage]

  I just scored a great deal on a dozen old cds.
 
I have been just mesmerized with an old remaster of Dire Straits debut album.
 
Holy $hit.......This version of Six Blade Knife is definitely  a wow factor experience with the HD800.
 
Good lord, when this can produces....it produce's BIG!
 
I so much love this headphone  

 

I have the same CD - its amazing on HD800 alright. So is "water of love"

 

[whirlwind]

 

  I just scored a great deal on a dozen old cds.
 
I have been just mesmerized with an old remaster of Dire Straits debut album.
 
Holy $hit.......This version of Six Blade Knife is definitely  a wow factor experience with the HD800.
 
Good lord, when this can produces....it produce's BIG!
 
I so much love this headphone  

 

I have the same CD - its amazing on HD800 alright. So is "water of love"

Yeah.....this cd and headphone combo is just 100% completely off the hook
 
I mean really, really good stuff  

 

[mikemercer]

Just submitted my review to Steven at EnjoyTheMusic.com of the NuForce HA-200 stereo headphone amps in monoblock configuration - driving my HD800s and Audeze cans!!
 
Those damn lil class A solid state amps are $349 a piece!
Hailing from the wacky world of high-end audio, that price sounds reasonable to me!
 
Reviews out soon - had a BLAST!

This monoblock system is under 1K - and it sounded so magnificent w/ my 800s + Double Helix Complement3 & 4 dual XLR!!! The tunes, from underground EDM to Sam Cooke and Yo La Tengo were fluid, dynamic as F____, wide-open, and infectious... 

 

[Sorrodje]

  Looking forward to your thoughts.

 
 
i'll give them ...You can already notice that IMO the Bushmaster mkII is a tremendous value . I used it most exclusively during the last week . Amazing wide an deep 3D soundstage ( The Octave seems more intimate)  , very detailed but not cold or boring. the only shortcoming I noticed is that the overall tone is a bit too thin for the HD800. trying the Bushmaster with an audeze for example should be interesting.

 

[skeptic]

 
The Metrum Octave MkII (NOS DAC) has arrived and, fresh out of the box, it's already doing wonderful things with the unmodified HD800....

 

   
Yep. The MEtrum Octave compliment extremely well the HD800. The way it reproduces voices is astonishing .... I realized that since I've the Metrum I listen Much more to Folk, Electro folk or other styles with voices ( Newton Faulkner, Asgeir, Agnes Obel , Ane Brun ) .... 

 
Man - you guys paint a tempting picture.  I've been holding out for a virtual eternity waiting on the release of the bh dac or yggy, but the metrum may have to be added to my list of contenders.  Love Newton Faulkner by the way.  Discovered him as the opening act at an Ingrid Michaelson show ~7 years ago, and he is a wonderful live act in addition to being a great recording artist.  Used to sing his "Lullaby" to my little one every night.

 

[Sorrodje]

Newton Faulkner is the Artist I listened the most in the three last month.

  .The only problem with the Metrum Octave mkI is that it's really hard to find used.

 

[whirlwind]

  Newton Faulkner is the Artist I listened the most in the three last month.

  .The only problem with the Metrum Octave mkI is that it's really hard to find used.

I hear you.....the amps that i want most are tuff to get used.

 

[nephilim32]

I have the same CD - its amazing on HD800 alright. So is "water of love"

You can thank Bob Ludwig for the amazing mastering on that album and mixing. Boy do I love cranking 'brothers in arms' with my 800's. good lord!!!