tiddlesworth said:

  He probably just routed the hot and cold wires from the other driver through the head band, a really nice compromise actually.
 
 
The craftsmanship is really good, you can only see the marks if you look into the connector, too bad you can only run it in balanced mode now as most other balanced headphones can still be run single ended.

Click to expand...

The headphones themselves are balanced, but as I said in my original post, I have a separate (almost identical sans termination) 4-pin LEMO > 1/8" SE cable that I use with my UDA-1 and X7. I'm going to use the exact same cables with the balanced K7XX with a mini-XLR to LEMO adapter.
 
As far as the wiring goes,  the headphones use a ribbon cable that shares a common ground. He couldn't just drop in his own wire, he had to modify the existing ribbon cable as as you describe. The 4-pins are indeed 2 for L and 2 for R.

trappedintime said:

  As far as the wiring goes,  the headphones use a ribbon cable that shares a common ground. He couldn't just drop in his own wire, he had to modify the existing ribbon cable as as you describe. The 4-pins are indeed 2 for L and 2 for R.

Click to expand...

Modifying the ribbon cable must be an absolute pain in the arse, must have cost you a pretty penny. Glad you heard discernible improvements.
 
What's with everyone and the OPPO HA-1s?

tiddlesworth said:

  Modifying the ribbon cable must be an absolute pain in the arse, must have cost you a pretty penny. Glad you heard discernible improvements.
 
What's with everyone and the OPPO HA-1s?

Click to expand...

He actually told me the ribbon cable was the easy part. Unfortunately due to the hand made nature of the K812, there's quite a bit of variation on how much glue ends up holding that socket in place. Getting it out with my pair proved much more difficult than the first pair he balanced. My socket didn't want to come out at all, so he ended up having to get a drill and specialized drill bit to complete that part of things. Modifying the ribbon cable took less than a day to finish up. All told, I only spent $100 on the balanced mod. The cables were about another $250 total for a 6-foot and 4-foot cable. Unfortunately the LEMO connectors are roughly $40 to purchase, which is where most of the cost with the K812 mod comes in.
 
The HA-1 is awesome, I think that's why everyone has one! It runs as a pre-amp, headphone amp, and is just the centerpiece of my living room setup, even acting as a HT bypass for my 5.1 AVR. I want another one for my office, but that probably won't happen until later this year.

trappedintime said:

 
He actually told me the ribbon cable was the easy part. Unfortunately due to the hand made nature of the K812, there's quite a bit of variation on how much glue ends up holding that socket in place. Getting it out with my pair proved much more difficult than the first pair he balanced. My socket didn't want to come out at all, so he ended up having to get a drill and specialized drill bit to complete that part of things. Modifying the ribbon cable took less than a day to finish up. All told, I only spent $100 on the balanced mod. The cables were about another $250 total for a 6-foot and 4-foot cable. Unfortunately the LEMO connectors are roughly $40 to purchase, which is where most of the cost with the K812 mod comes in.
 
The HA-1 is awesome, I think that's why everyone has one! It runs as a pre-amp, headphone amp, and is just the centerpiece of my living room setup, even acting as a HT bypass for my 5.1 AVR. I want another one for my office, but that probably won't happen until later this year.

Click to expand...

I see, thanks for your input!

cartma said:

   
I do not have both the HD800's AND K812's because after a week I had to return the HD800's. The HD800's were too soft, dark, and veiled. I like a fast, clear, transparent airy sound.
 

Click to expand...

Eh? What? you better stay away from the sauce!

godsinhisheaven said:

  Hey mikey1964 any words about the soundstage?
Which one is larger / deeper / precise ...

Click to expand...

I'm the last person to ask about this as I'm terribad at remembering and describing sound. What I can discern is this: The HD800 has a wider soundstage, the K812 not so.....but this isn't equivalent of my saying it's narrow, far from it! The K812 has a great soundstage, just not as wide as the HD800. For orchestral pieces, the HD800 is the shizznizzle, but for more intimate pieces like jazz, the K812 shines. I've ordered a 4 pin xlr balance  cable for my HD800 and I'm curious to see if this makes a difference (whether the already wide soundstage opens up even more). To me, both are amazingly detailed sounding, both have awesome treble energy (not at all sibilant to me) with and edge to the K812 in the bass department.
 
I'm a rather big fanboy of AKG since the local authorized dealer in my neck of the woods did a bang up job with the RMA of my old K812. One side went dead, I contacted the authorized dealer and was told to bring the unit to them. They tested it and agreed that one side was RIP and told me I had to pay for shipping to AKG for them to verify that it was indeed beyond help. I was a tad sore as I'd had to foot about 50-55USD for one way shipping. I'd half expected to be hit with the cost of a replacement driver and shipping cost back to me. Got a call from AKG dealer after about 6 weeks or so, was told that AKG had agreed to replace my spoilt unit with a brand new one with no further charges other than the 50 odd USD I'd paid for shipping! When I turned up at office of the local dealer, they promptly proceeded with unsealing a brand new box of K812 and handed me a spanking new K812......I was more than happy with this level of service and will jump at the opportunity to snag another AKG product should one catches my eyes. Really, I need to once again give a shout out to AKG for the outstanding service.

There must be something wrong with your HD800s, soft, dark and veiled would be the last things I would described them as. My HD800s are so bright and detailed I had to stop using them as they hurt my ears, haven't touched them for years. I do love and prefer K812 but I definitely think HD800 sound more clear and detailed. 
 
Quote:

cartma said:

   
I do not have both the HD800's AND K812's because after a week I had to return the HD800's. The HD800's were too soft, dark, and veiled. I like a fast, clear, transparent airy sound.

Click to expand...

This is odd. I didn't have the k812's at the time I had the HD800's but I did have the K701's. The K701's were less dark and clearer. My memory isn't that short from the time I returned my HD800's and bought the K812's. I was using a Benchmark DAC1 HDR at the time. Maybe this is a darker amp and the HD800's are more sensitive to amps.
If you are having a hard time listening to them because they are too bright and hurt your ears maybe your amp is/was on the bright side.... I don't know...

cartma said:

  This is odd. I didn't have the k812's at the time I had the HD800's but I did have the K701's. The K701's were less dark and clearer. My memory isn't that short from the time I returned my HD800's and bought the K812's. I was using a Benchmark DAC1 HDR at the time. Maybe this is a darker amp and the HD800's are more sensitive to amps.
If you are having a hard time listening to them because they are too bright and hurt your ears maybe your amp is/was on the bright side.... I don't know...

Click to expand...

I ran my HD800 off my Schiit Lyr initially (before getting the Gustard H10/X12 stack and the OPPO HA-1), the Lyr did help add warmth to the HD800 sound, but certainly not to the point where I'd describe it as veiled and/or dark......and the HD800 sounds pretty transparent regardless of whether I'm using my tube or SS amps. Likewise, I've tried my K812 on my Lyr (not so much now as I'm primarily using the Gustard and OPPO) and like the HD800, the tubes do tame the highs somewhat but they do have pretty good treble energy still.
 
But I do agree that we all perceive sound differently, like the HD700 for example, I found it way too dark and veiled though I don't recall any complaining about how dark and veiled it sounded. Got to the point where I decided to sell it because I simply do not enjoy the sound at all. Perhaps I'm something of a closet treble head.......

Maybe I need to listen to the 812's on more sources, but I've used 4 DAC/amps and have found the sound to be airy and pretty neutral on all of them, which was what I was hoping for with them. I want to hear the source material speak for itself and I feel the 812's do a fantastic job of that.

I've tried the HD800 with any amps I could lay my hands on, tube, solid state, big and powerful, direct from DAP, balanced and unbalance, with copper or sliver cables, nothing can make the HD800 less bright and hurtful for me ears, the only headphones that are even brighter are the SA5000, the K812 are quite balanced sounding to me.

cartma said:

This is odd. I didn't have the k812's at the time I had the HD800's but I did have the K701's. The K701's were less dark and clearer. My memory isn't that short from the time I returned my HD800's and bought the K812's. I was using a [COLOR=363636]Benchmark DAC1 HDR [/COLOR]at the time. Maybe this is a darker amp and the HD800's are more sensitive to amps.
If you are having a hard time listening to them because they are too bright and hurt your ears maybe your amp is/was on the bright side.... I don't know...

Click to expand...

cartma said:

Ok, so for my first post I've decided to comment on the most amazing headphones I have ever heard. I'm compelled to do so just by the fact Tyll gave it such as bad review, I'm sorry but it's upsetting to me because allot of people take what he has to say in high regard. I myself was hesitant in the purchase because of this.
I've owned the HD800s, and the K812's blow it away in every aspect. I honestly can't think of one thing the HD800's do better than the k812s, and I can't think of one thing negative to say about the K812's. Want to talk about being a microscope into the sound of your system... look no further than the k812's.

Click to expand...

welcome to head-fi. i can't relate to your first post but to each his own.

62ohm said:

Do you still have the HD800, when trying the K812? Do you have both at the same time when trying?

I'm asking this because I do have both and, I actually tried both in late 2013 (note that Tyll reviewed the K812 in early 2014) and I actually liked the HD800 more because of its soundstage & imaging and its lack of treble tizzy-ness. Note that I tried it before reading Tyll's review as Tyll have yet to review it in that time, thus eliminating any possible bias.

IMO the HD800 has clearer, more defined treble and, while the K812 wins in bass quantity segment, the HD800 wins in bass tightness segment. The K812 still wins in mids segment to me due to its holographic vocal presentation, and the fact that it is sort of possible to be carried around as a transportable full-sized cans.



If you think the K812 is better than the HD800 in every aspect, that might be a buyer's euphoria talking. Just wait for it - buyer's remorse will soon come.

Click to expand...

i can relate to yours tho and i also compared the k812 and hd800 before tyll's review was published

This thread is always entertaining to read.

kyle 491 said:

  This thread is always entertaining to read.

Click to expand...

Soooooo, is that a good thing? Or, is it bad?

not a page on this thread goes by without mention of Hd800 
 
having heard the flagships on my humble rig for a short time, all I have to say is the differences are cause the manufacturer tuned their hps in specific ways. 
 
hd800 have the space. beyer and akg dont believe in space like that. they both offer more a wall of sound instead of painting a picture in front of me like senn do. hence they dont sound as separated or spacious but rather meaty and wholesome.
 
i dont find any approach inferior but rather different.
 
also treble tizziness of akg is cause of the way it present music. the notes fall with a degree of sharpness while on hd800, they are more relaxed and natural. both have their merits depending on mood.
 
 
 
its possible that with totl rigs that cost $10000, some hps may be better than others. but that I am never gonna find out.
 
peace.