[DefQon]

Quote:

IMO:
 
HE-6 -> LCD-3 -> (HD800 = T1) -> HE-5LE -> HE-500 -> LCD-2.2 -> HD650 -> (K701 = HD600)

That's quite an odd 'imo' to my imo.

 

[preproman]

Quote:

That's quite an odd 'imo' to my imo.

 
What's your imo?

 

[Z06_Pilot]

Quote:

 
 
tl;dr
I have not yet been able to find the ideal headphone/amp combo. During my auditioning process, I was reminded how interdependent hi-fi systems are, so I’ve decided to remove some of the variables from the picture by building my system from the bottom-up. I’ve ordered Naim’s external DAC (my Oppo 95 will serve as the transport) as well as the Woo Audio WA6SE. Once I receive these two items, I’ll do another round of auditioning, but this time I can focus on nothing but the headphones themselves. I’ve come to see that I need headphones that not only sound great but are also fairly light and most importantly significantly smaller than the LCD2/3. The Alessandro MS Pro and Beyerdynamic T1 (T1s are right on the edge in terms of size and weight), as well as the HD 600 that I already own, seem to fit the bill. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I’ll let you know how things turn out. Thanks again for all your help.
 
Best,
Joel

As someone else mentioned, when you get your WA6SE, I would give the 800's another audition.  I have found no other hobby where there is so much personal preference involved.  What's great for one person is terrible for another!  However,  the brightness of the HD800 is universally recognized.  I noticed it at first as well, but I did not want to rule them out immediately.  The soundstage is so freakin' wide and the accuracy-oh the accuracy was astounding-to me.  In fact, I like the 800's so much with my set up, my LCD-2.2's are going up for sale very, very soon.  I just can't put the 800's down to use anything else.
 
Like others, I did NOT like the WA6SE with the stock tubes....not.....at.....all.  See my sig for my particular tube selections.  I went with Woo's recommended alternate choices on the WA6SE.  Any brightness of the 800's was immediately a thing of the past...I completed my setup with the Black Dragon v2 cable.  The warmth of the amp with these tubes is like having a blanket on in front of a fire when it 10 degrees and snowing outside...that's the image I have when I listen to this set up....
 
My Christopher Hogwood classical recordings sound so astoundingly alive, I am enjoying them all over again, even after all these years...

 

[DefQon]

Quote:

 
What's your imo?

 
For classical and jazz only on proper setups:
 
HD800 > T1 = HE-5/LE = latest batch LCD2 rev.1 > LCD2 rev.2 > HD650 > HE500/600/580 by not much.
 
NOTE1: Still need to hear the HE-6 on a proper setup though.
NOTE2: Haven't heard the LCD3 yet.
 
If I added the Stax and other electrostat's into the chain that I own and have heard.
 
SR-007 Omega 1's > Omega MKII > HD800 > Koss - ESP950 > SR- Lambda Pro's inline foam and thin yellow cloth removed = SR-404 LE > SR-507 > SR-407 > SR- 207 = Sigma Pro's > SR-80 > SR - 40 > SR - 44.
 
Will be getting an SR- Omega soon so it should best all the one's I have heard.
 
The HD800 are absolutely great on a good balanced platform with jazz and classical, certain vocal music not so much. Although an oldie, the Lambda Pro's are a goodie, good bass reproduction more so than the SR-507 which is too bright for my taste.

 

[Dubstep Girl]

Quote:

As someone else mentioned, when you get your WA6SE, I would give the 800's another audition.  I have found no other hobby where there is so much personal preference involved.  What's great for one person is terrible for another!  However,  the brightness of the HD800 is universally recognized.  I noticed it at first as well, but I did not want to rule them out immediately.  The soundstage is so freakin' wide and the accuracy-oh the accuracy was astounding-to me.  In fact, I like the 800's so much with my set up, my LCD-2.2's are going up for sale very, very soon.  I just can't put the 800's down to use anything else.
 
Like others, I did NOT like the WA6SE with the stock tubes....not.....at.....all.  See my sig for my particular tube selections.  I went with Woo's recommended alternate choices on the WA6SE.  Any brightness of the 800's was immediately a thing of the past...I completed my setup with the Black Dragon v2 cable.  The warmth of the amp with these tubes is like having a blanket on in front of a fire when it 10 degrees and snowing outside...that's the image I have when I listen to this set up....
 
My Christopher Hogwood classical recordings sound so astoundingly alive, I am enjoying them all over again, even after all these years...

 
 
+1, the WA6-SE is an amazing amp to pair with the HD-800s, in fact, i slightly prefer it to the WA2 at times due to its imaging and clear detailed sound.  the stock tubes are crap though, they sound quite harsh and unrefined. pop in a sophia 274b or a usaf 596 and the difference is immediately obvious. i do not find the WA6-SE to ever be bright or harsh with the HD-800, except when the recording is such. its not as warm as a WA2, but the highs are well controlled with the WA6-SE and do not cause any fatigue.

 

[avrosse]

Thank you all for your helpful responses. I'll make sure to take another good look at the HD 800 once I get my rig together. I'm planning on auditioning them side-by-side with the T1 and HD 700. I've also added the Ultrasone 8 to my auditioning list; they could be a perfect match for me in that they combine small size and high end sound. The Fostex TH900 and Shure 1840 might also be worth listening to.
 
I ordered my WA6SE along with the 274B and 6GL7 tube upgrades so that I wouldn't have to worry about tube rolling already on day one. Glad to hear that they make a big difference.

My Naim DAC arrived three days ago, and I couldn't be any happier with it. It really is an awesome piece of high end equip. My WA6SE should arrive on Monday if everything goes to plan. Somehow I'll have to fit in some headphone auditioning time between Christmas and New Year festivities

 

[DefQon]

Quote:

Thank you all for your helpful responses. I'll make sure to take another good look at the HD 800 once I get my rig together. I'm planning on auditioning them side-by-side with the T1 and HD 700. I've also added the Ultrasone 8 to my auditioning list; they could be a perfect match for me in that they combine small size and high end sound. The Fostex TH900 and Shure 1840 might also be worth listening to.
 
I ordered my WA6SE along with the 274B and 6GL7 tube upgrades so that I wouldn't have to worry about tube rolling already on day one. Glad to hear that they make a big difference.

My Naim DAC arrived three days ago, and I couldn't be any happier with it. It really is an awesome piece of high end equip. My WA6SE should arrive on Monday if everything goes to plan. Somehow I'll have to fit in some headphone auditioning time between Christmas and New Year festivities

 
The Ed 8 will not be on par with any of the other headphones you have mentioned.

 

[preproman]

ED8s compared to the T1 and the HD800s  =
 
 
 

 

[Dubstep Girl]

Quote:

ED8s compared to the T1 and the HD800s  =
 
 
 

 
 
+1

 

[Dyaems]

why not stax @ OP

 

[calaf]

Quote:

Thank you all for your helpful responses. I'll make sure to take another good look at the HD 800 once I get my rig together. I'm planning on auditioning them side-by-side with the T1 and HD 700. I've also added the Ultrasone 8 to my auditioning list; they could be a perfect match for me in that they combine small size and high end sound. The Fostex TH900 and Shure 1840 might also be worth listening to.
 
I ordered my WA6SE along with the 274B and 6GL7 tube upgrades so that I wouldn't have to worry about tube rolling already on day one. Glad to hear that they make a big difference.

My Naim DAC arrived three days ago, and I couldn't be any happier with it. It really is an awesome piece of high end equip. My WA6SE should arrive on Monday if everything goes to plan. Somehow I'll have to fit in some headphone auditioning time between Christmas and New Year festivities

sorry to come to this thread quite late, but since I listen to exactly the kind of music you do listen to, and I own the WA6SE you just ordered, I thought I'll throw in my opinion... The WA6SE is a fantastic headamp but it is also surprisingly revealing (more so than e.g. the Meier Corda SS amps of the latest generation).  Listen to a well recorded HM or Naive CD with it and a pair of T1 or HD800 and you will be in detail (and soundstage) paradise. OTH, if you are listening to Callas or Bjorling you are not likely to be looking for detail (and certainly not for soundstage...), but for their beatiful timbre and emotional voice acting.
 
Listen to this 

 
or this

 
on the HD800 and, to some extent, the T1, and what you will get instead is a splitting headache! It may not be easy to audition them in Europe, but given the amp you bought, what you need is a pair of HE-500. They have the most wonderful midrange I have heard since selling my AKG K501, and unlike the K501 they also have a full, satisfying bottom range. The only issue you may have with them is their weight, which can be annoying if you listen to a three-hour-long opera through and through. After some fiddling with the headband, I found a position that works for me even for Wagner sessions but YMMV...

 

[DefQon]

Quote:

ED8's, ED9's, Signature Pro's and ED10's compared to the T1 and the HD800s  =
 
 
 

 
 
Fixed for you. 

 

[preproman]

I like the Signature Pro's for traveling.....

 

[MatsudaMan]

As you're in Europe I'd suggest you look at an amp that hasn't had a lot of attention on head-fi so far, the Icon Audio HP8 mk2. I have the upgraded SE version and I'm very, very impressed. It might be an interesting alternative to products such as Woo etc which will likely be expensive to import.

I listen to a lot of classical music, mainly lossless rips of older CDs which are sometimes themselves remasters of classic recordings from the 50s - 70s, and this amp has been a revelation. What has particularly surprised me is that it has real synergy with my old HD580s, which have never sounded better. I'm actually beginning to think I prefer this combination for classical music to other options such as my Violectric v200 and LCD2-r2 - something I would never have expected. It's very neutral, but at the same time extremely musical and involving.

I'm also wondering, as it pairs to well with the Senns, whether the same amp might be even better with the HD800.

I'd also endorse what others have said about Stax but think you need to spend really big to get the full benefit. I haven't been especially impressed with the lower priced Stax systems i've heard.

Yes, hd580 headphones are excellent for classical music. I'm in heaven right now with my Burson Soloist with HD580's!!!

 

[TwoTrack]

Grado PS500s work very well on classical.  Try them with a Benchmark DAC2 HGC.