[Audio-Omega]

They are not cheap !  

 

[Dadracer]

I guess it depends on whether you want the real ones or some generically similar copies. If its cheap you want then maybe there is something on E bay or Amazon? I got some shorter cables for my HD700s so I can use them when travelling. They have good quality connectors at each end and a screw on 3.5mm plug adaptor to 6.3mm. They sound near as I can tell identical to the original cables and only cost £25. I also got one of those Omega style wooden headphone stands for £20 via Amazon. So there are bargains to be had if you do some surfing, and as you are in Australia I'm thinking you'll already be good at that...........

 

 

[pearljam50000]

I found that the music genre doesn't matter with the HD800.
Only the recording quality.
So the myth that the HD800 sounds good only with Classical and Jazz, is untrue.

Is there anybody in here who uses the HD800 mainly for blues and rock (psychedelic, heavy, progressive.. etc) ?

 

[rawrster]

I don't think any ebay version of them exists. It's not just the foam but some plastic thing that snaps onto the headphone.

 

[TT600R]

I found that the music genre doesn't matter with the HD800.
Only the recording quality.
So the myth that the HD800 sounds good only with Classical and Jazz, is untrue.

+1!

 

[Dobrescu George]

I found that the music genre doesn't matter with the HD800.
Only the recording quality.
So the myth that the HD800 sounds good only with Classical and Jazz, is untrue.

Totally!
 
I think that Hd800 is the best headphone for virtually every genere.
 
I had tested it in depth with electronic generes too, and found that the experience is very good. I loved how Hd800 reproduces electronic effects and music in general. With metal music, it is a killer in every way, very nice sound.

 

[rogerthatmand]

And what do you guys consider a good recording quality?
All of my music is based on FLAC, but not everything is 24bit.
Some of my FLAC files are in the range of 800kbps-1000kbps. So the HD800 will sound bad with them?

 

[henkie196]

I think more important than the bitrate is the quality of the master. If they crank up the loudness for the master up to the clipping point, no amount of bits is going to make it sound better. And the HD800 will let you hear the limit of the mastering very clearly. Look for better masters, not higher bitrates, if you want better sound.

 

[Dobrescu George]

  And what do you guys consider a good recording quality?
All of my music is based on FLAC, but not everything is 24bit.
Some of my FLAC files are in the range of 800kbps-1000kbps. So the HD800 will sound bad with them?

Good recording quality means how it was recorded. You do not need 24 bit and DSD files to enjoy Hd800. Even though HD music could sound better, you will enjoy just as good with your normal FLAC files.
 
Good recording quality is how the music was actually recorded. Like how good were the instruments, the mastering, the microphones, does the music have artifacts from processing, does it have too much dynamic compression, etc. 
 
For example,
Painted in exile - revitalized is a very good song, but not recorded that good;
metallica - the day that never comes is a song that is not good recorded, it is overprocessed
Haggard - Chapter IV - The Sleeping Child - is a good recorded song
Dance gavin dance - we own the night is a very good recorded song
La dispute - starting with 2008 - Somewhere At The Bottom Of The River Between Vega And Altair, every album is recorded very nicely. 
 
If you want to hear a light band that is recorded and mastered very well, try "the hush sound", or mindless self indulgence, or Bak - sculpture (the progressive band)
 
These are just examples, to get the ideea of a difference between a good and a bad recording. Try to listen to all the songs in youtube, or on bandcamp, or in lossless, the differences will be much more evident than the differences between a 320 mp3 and a high resolution FLAC.

 

[uchihaitachi]

I found that the music genre doesn't matter with the HD800.
Only the recording quality.
So the myth that the HD800 sounds good only with Classical and Jazz, is untrue.

I find it incredibly sibilant with well mastered pop music.

 

[Arnotts]

I found that the music genre doesn't matter with the HD800.
Only the recording quality.
So the myth that the HD800 sounds good only with Classical and Jazz, is untrue.

 
The HD800's are excellent headphones. I agree that they sound "good" with pretty much everything - as you would hope for with any pair of headphones that cost as much as the HD800's do. Classical and/or jazz are definitely its strong points, though. When I'm looking for musical enjoyment from other genres I tend to prefer my other headphones.

  I find it incredibly sibilant with well mastered pop music.

I pretty much agree. Not only some sibilance (which doesn't really bother me), but their analytical nature does not resonate with me on a musical level like my other headphones. The HD800's have their uses for me, but musical enjoyment is not usually their strong suit.

 

[rogerthatmand]

  Good recording quality means how it was recorded. You do not need 24 bit and DSD files to enjoy Hd800. Even though HD music could sound better, you will enjoy just as good with your normal FLAC files.
 
Good recording quality is how the music was actually recorded. Like how good were the instruments, the mastering, the microphones, does the music have artifacts from processing, does it have too much dynamic compression, etc. 
 
For example,
Painted in exile - revitalized is a very good song, but not recorded that good;
metallica - the day that never comes is a song that is not good recorded, it is overprocessed
Haggard - Chapter IV - The Sleeping Child - is a good recorded song
Dance gavin dance - we own the night is a very good recorded song
La dispute - starting with 2008 - Somewhere At The Bottom Of The River Between Vega And Altair, every album is recorded very nicely. 
 
If you want to hear a light band that is recorded and mastered very well, try "the hush sound", or mindless self indulgence, or Bak - sculpture (the progressive band)
 
These are just examples, to get the ideea of a difference between a good and a bad recording. Try to listen to all the songs in youtube, or on bandcamp, or in lossless, the differences will be much more evident than the differences between a 320 mp3 and a high resolution FLAC.

 
Well, as a huge Led Zeppelin fan, I can say that I'm in trouble since their recording quality are terrible 

 

[Failed Engineer]

I listen to my HD800 in stock form and lots of poorly recorded modern music, and don't find them offensive or sterile/boring.  I think source plays a large role in feeling that way about the HD800s, moreso than amplification.
 
Previous DACs I had lead me to selling them twice.  With my current one, I'm in love with everything I play on my HD800.  I like them better than my SR-009s.

 

[wahsmoh]

  I listen to my HD800 in stock form and lots of poorly recorded modern music, and don't find them offensive or sterile/boring.  I think source plays a large role in feeling that way about the HD800s, moreso than amplification.
 
Previous DACs I had lead me to selling them twice.  With my current one, I'm in love with everything I play on my HD800.  I like them better than my SR-009s.

DAC is THE most important. I can't say it any further.. if you are getting good amplification for your headphones then an amplifier shouldn't be your means to color your sound.
 
Going from Schiit Bifrost Uber to Theta Digital DS Pro Progeny is night and day.
 
I mean the soundstage difference is ridiculous, the Theta extends "outside" of the earcups and the Bifrost never manages to break this plane. I think this has to do with the R-2R implementation and digital filter chip. Delta-sigma is just too digital sounding for me unless implemented really well and expensive. 
 
People will realize more than not, that this is not their headphones fault. It is their sources fault. I do think the Anax 2.0 HD800 is tamer than the stock HD800. The stock HD800 usually sounds bad when paired with a source that is bright and not like Yggy or a Lampizator type DAC that is natural and warm.

 

[Dobrescu George]

  I listen to my HD800 in stock form and lots of poorly recorded modern music, and don't find them offensive or sterile/boring.  I think source plays a large role in feeling that way about the HD800s, moreso than amplification.
 
Previous DACs I had lead me to selling them twice.  With my current one, I'm in love with everything I play on my HD800.  I like them better than my SR-009s.

Amplification tends to make a lot of a difference for HD800. If music comes out bad, the AMP might be coloring the sound too much

  DAC is THE most important. I can't say it any further.. if you are getting good amplification for your headphones then an amplifier shouldn't be your means to color your sound.
 
Going from Schiit Bifrost Uber to Theta Digital DS Pro Progeny is night and day.
 
I mean the soundstage difference is ridiculous, the Theta extends "outside" of the earcups and the Bifrost never manages to break this plane. I think this has to do with the R-2R implementation and digital filter chip. Sigma-delta is just too digital sounding for me unless implemented really well and expensive. 
 
People will realize more than not, that this is not their headphones fault. It is their sources fault. I do think the Anax 2.0 HD800 is tamer than the stock HD800. The stock HD800 usually sounds bad when paired with a source that is bright and not like Yggy or a Lampizator type DAC that is natural and warm.

I had tested many DACs and had found that Fiio x5 used as a DAC was a killer deal to power hd800 on a budget.