[Sennheiser]

Very nice write-up, Brooko. Thanks! 

 

[Brooko]

  Very nice write-up, Brooko. Thanks! 

 
Your engineering and design team have given us some fantastic headphones over the years Rosmadi.  I very much look forward to hearing the HD800 on some more resolving upstream gear at some stage - so I can see what they are really capable of.

 

[lin0003]

Excellent review, I loved it. 
 
Just FYI, I think the HD800 cable is SPC, not OFC but I could be wrong. 
 
I also read some previous comments about the pads wearing out and personally I haven't had any issues with it at all and I have seen some pairs that are over 2 years old that don;t show physical wear, but the pads are softer. 
 
And another thing is I hear that it is very hard to remove the pads, so do be careful if you replace them. 

 

[Brooko]

Just a wee update - before I pack the HD800's up later tonight, and very sadly say goodbye to them.
 
I just finished watching Avatar on the PC, sound ported through Darin Fong's OOYH software > NFB-12 > LD MKIV > HD800.  Totally imersive experience.  Right now I'm back with Foobar - still with OOYH engaged, listening to some random tracks.  Loving this set-up, and could get addicted very quickly.

 

[62ohm]

  Excellent review, I loved it. 
 
Just FYI, I think the HD800 cable is SPC, not OFC but I could be wrong. 
 
I also read some previous comments about the pads wearing out and personally I haven't had any issues with it at all and I have seen some pairs that are over 2 years old that don;t show physical wear, but the pads are softer. 
 
And another thing is I hear that it is very hard to remove the pads, so do be careful if you replace them. 

 
Yeah maybe I was using it too often. It is easy to remove the earpads & headband pads though, I removed the ear pads to clean the dust filters about once per 3 months. Here's a couple of videos I found on youtube of someone removing the headband pads & earpads.
 

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

 

[lin0003]

   
Yeah maybe I was using it too often. It is easy to remove the earpads & headband pads though, I removed the ear pads to clean the dust filters about once per 3 months. Here's a couple of videos I found on youtube of someone removing the headband pads & earpads.
 

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Could it do with your stand? What stand (if any) are you using? 

 

[62ohm]

I don't think the stand is the culprit here as I'm using the Woo stand for the HD800, which applies no pressure at all to the earpads unlike the Omega stand.

 

[lin0003]

  I don't think the stand is the culprit here as I'm using the Woo stand for the HD800, which applies no pressure at all to the earpads unlike the Omega stand.

Yeah, it's odd, because I can see how the pads would become softer because it is continuously being compressed, but it shouldn't wear them out unless they keep rubbing on something. 
 
How do you find the DAC1 with the HD800? Not too analytical? 

 

[lojay]

Nice review. The HD800 scales tremendously with upstream gear and amps. I used the Little Dot MKIV to drive the HD800s originally and I thought it was fine initially until I heard the HD800s driven by the Headroom BUDA. The details were amazing but it was a whole lot brighter than the LD MK IV. When I went back to my own pair of HD800 driven by the LD MK IV I felt the LD was clearly sub-par. The soundstage was collapsed, details smudged and dynamics compressed. 
 
I then purchased the Woo WA5 and the HD800 was still not impressive. I had spent a fortune upgrading the tubes on the WA5 until I probably have spent as much on the amp itself, and the HD800 began to sing. Still, the HD800 was at times too bright and shrill for my tastes when listening to poorly recorded music. It was a bit too lean sounding for certain types of music as well.
 
It was only until I got the EC 4-45 that I truly appreciated what the HD800 could really achieve. I modded the HD800 as well to get rid of the last bit of glare and harshness. Now the HD800s finally have the ability to "disappear" leaving you with the music- thanks to the ultra realistic soundstage. That is what people call transparency, I believe. Moreover, the HD800 was able to hit hard. There was flesh to the bones thanks to the tube warmth.
 
So that you know I am not exaggerating, I had just tried an HD800 with a 47 Lab 1047 headphone amp on the MSB Analog DAC. Whilst the speed and transients were amazing, the transparency was gone. I felt I was listening to a pair of headphones. Going back to my 4-45s, immediately everything became "real" again. 
 
I do not think anyone can go wrong with the HD800s. The question is how much you want to spend to let it scale up.

 

[lin0003]

A great budget amp is the Bottlehead Crack. 

 

[62ohm]

 

  I don't think the stand is the culprit here as I'm using the Woo stand for the HD800, which applies no pressure at all to the earpads unlike the Omega stand.

Yeah, it's odd, because I can see how the pads would become softer because it is continuously being compressed, but it shouldn't wear them out unless they keep rubbing on something. 
 
How do you find the DAC1 with the HD800? Not too analytical? 

 
I'm not in a position to analyze DACs actually, cause just like what Purrin mentioned here: http://www.head-fi.org/t/650510/the-new-hd800-impressions-thread/12615#post_10774632,

I found the amp circuitry to have its own sound which allows the benefit of using a variety of sources without too many differences. This is a good thing at the price level.

I found very little differences between DACs with the Senn amp. Now that could be a good thing, or a bad thing depending on how you look at it. I compared 4 DACs when getting the DAC1 (Arcam irDAC vs MF M1DAC vs Benchmark DAC1 vs my DAC at that time, Cambridge DM100) and found very little discernible differences between the DACs with the Senn amp.
 
I do find the irDAC to be the smoothest sounding while the M1 DAC to be a bit harsh at the top end, but IMO the DAC1 seem to present the largest soundstage. It is a bit bright, but not harsh like the M1 DAC.

 

[lin0003]

   
I'm not in a position to analyze DACs actually, cause just like what Purrin mentioned here: http://www.head-fi.org/t/650510/the-new-hd800-impressions-thread/12615#post_10774632,
I found very little differences between DACs with the Senn amp. Now that could be a good thing, or a bad thing depending on how you look at it. I compared 4 DACs when getting the DAC1 (Arcam irDAC vs MF M1DAC vs Benchmark DAC1 vs my DAC at that time, Cambridge DM100) and found very little discernible differences between the DACs with the Senn amp.
 
I do find the irDAC to be the smoothest sounding while the M1 DAC to be a bit harsh at the top end, but IMO the DAC1 seem to present the largest soundstage. It is a bit bright, but not harsh like the M1 DAC.

I was so close to buying a DAC1, but went with the M-DAC then to the M51. I noticed a huge difference, the ES9018 M-DAC was lacking a bit of bass after hearing the M51. 

 

[62ohm]

I do covet the M51 actually. A lot of people seem to rave about it, and no one hates it, but I'm not sure if getting one would be a good idea considering how little of a difference DACs make with the Senn amp.

 

[lin0003]

  I do covet the M51 actually. A lot of people seem to rave about it, and no one hates it, but I'm not sure if getting one would be a good idea considering how little of a difference DACs make with the Senn amp.

Really? With both the B22 and V200, DAC changes were very easily distinguished. 
 
On a side note, I think cables make a large difference with the HD800. I haven;t experienced this with any other headphone, but IMO the stock cable has an edge to it. Call it placebo, but that's just what I hear. 

 

[Head1]

 
 
I do not think anyone can go wrong with the HD800s. The question is how much you want to spend to let it scale up.

What is minimum you have to spend to better the T1 in all areas?
 
edit: and what equipment would that be?