[jasonb]

i also think i would prefer the 650 over the 800. i like a warmer, bassier, and more laid back top end. i'm sticking with my 650's. there is nothing wrong about preferring the 650 over the 800. it's actually a good thing since it's cheaper too.

 

[Windsor]

I recently upgraded my laptop-base listening system to consist of:
 
Laptop -> FiiO E7/E9 -> Sennheiser HD 650.
 
I want a natural sounding headphone that plays music with crystal clarity and facilitates me feeling the music viscerally, but gets out of the way of the music.
 
To me, the HD 650 is much too boomy in the bass, and I've been auditioning the T1, HD 800 and the HD 600. The HD 600 sound great to me and I'm most probably going to switch to them from my HD 650. The HD 600 relatively remove the HD 650 boominess, but the HD 600 sound comes across as just a little muffled/warm, though in a nice way.
 
*Enter the T1 and HD 800*
 
I really like the extension and separation of both the T1 and HD 800, which can really make some recordings come alive, but I have found their treble-centric signature slightly fatiguing after short listening periods. My long-term wellbeing, esp. my hearing is important to me, and Initially I feel like with either the T1 or HD 800 that I'd require to slightly EQ them to remove some of the treble and balance the sound to make it friendlier to my ear. Have any owners found this necessary and beneficial to the sound of the T1 or HD 800?

 

[MetalElvis]

 

Quote:

To me, the HD 650 is much too boomy in the bass

 
Yes, that´s what´s bad about the HD650, but I´d rather have that boomy bass than the "bass" in HD800. I guess that´s a big statement around here and says a lot how I disliked the lack of bass in HD800.
 

 

[Lan647]

You shouldn't blame the HD 800 for lacking bass since you haven't even heard them properly amped. The bass doesn't increase in quantity by amping (unless you're using a crappy source from start), but it sure do increase in quality, control and depth. You may think your soundcard is enough but you NEED an amp.

You could mod your HD 800 to restrain the brightness...?

 

 

[Eronel]

Quote:

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[Eronel]

im inhibited, so forgive my quick judgement its 113AM pacific time where i am as opposed to EST that i am used to so blame it on jet lag...

 

[Eronel]

ppps... i own the HD800 and i truly believe them to be the most reveling nd transparent phones that i have listened to, and i personally think that they lend themselve more to my Decware CSP2+ than benchmark. i also think that media player/source has alot to do with it, when pluigged in to my dac the bass seems to me that it needs to be fleshed out a tad more, especially running off my macbook pro whereas my normal home setup of pc -> foobar 2k -> benchmark dac1 pre -> any one of my four reference phones +/- csp 2 provides a more palable and laid back feel with more bass articulation. maybe its just me but foobar is bar none the most transparent media player.

 

[9pintube]

 

[Lan647]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 9pintube /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
 
Let  Me Get You some Wine with that Cheese!  You've had several people tell explain to you that you really need an amp! Period...Or Just sell the Damn Things..
Let's see how long we can

 

 

 

 

[MetalElvis]

 
 
Quote:

Let  Me Get You some Wine with that Cheese!  You've had several people tell, explain to you the IMPORTANCE of needing an amp! Period...Or Just sell the Damn Things..

 
Didn´t we already went trough this? I´ve said already many times that I will return the HD800. You don´t have to tell me again. And my headphone outputs are just fine to judge the HD800 thank you very much! And others have confirmed that what I was hearing was absolutely right!

 

[monoethylene]

It's nothing to say againstitand when you dont like the HD 800 than it is better to give them away. I can say and thats really my opinion that I am very happy with the "bass" of the HD 800, of course depending on the kind of music I am hearing. Otherwise I have to mention that I feel sometimes more comfortablewith the T1 especially when I am hearing to metal or some stuff of alternative rock. If you want to have some more "bass", I can recommend the DT 990 600Ohm old version from Beyerdynamic. These are good headphones with a punchy "bass". Only my opinion..

 

[Lan647]

Quote:

 
And my headphone outputs are just fine to judge the HD800 thank you very much! And others have confirmed that what I was hearing was absolutely right!

I certainly doubt that. Enough power maybe, right setup - absolutely not. 

 

[Bilavideo]

No headphone is going to please everyone.  In fact, no headphone is ideal for every task.  The HD800 is a a terrific headphone but it has a large profile, looks like sci-fi headgear, needs a strong amp, has no sound isolation, bleeds sound the way a sprinkler bleeds water and goes for "neutral" which is neither neutral nor colored to fit the tastes of many a folk.  It's also expensive, inasmuch as $1400 is not the kind of money most people can easily part with for a headphone they don't love more than life itself.
 
But so what?
 
The HD800 is one of the best headphones ever made.  It's fast, detailed, cleared and revealing.  It's open and spacious, providing a 3D sound one would be hard-pressed to duplicate.  It doesn't come pre-equipped with thump, but if you have the right amp, you can dial in whatever thump you want.  Grado has more slam, but the HD800 brings the grumble.  I don't get all the talk about how "bright it is."  I suppose if your last headphone was an early-edition HD650, that's your frame of reference, but if anything, the HD800 has subdued high-mids before a single HF spike that's only a few dB above flat.  If this is "bright," I can't imagine what flat must be like to some people.
 
I had more fun with the PS1000 and some, like MH, have had more fun with the T1, but the HD800 is nothing less than awesome, an undeniable tour de force.  If it doesn't please you, count yourself lucky that you have more modest tastes.  Who needs an addiction to a $1,400 headphone when you can find a slammer that will get the job done for $200-$300?  To each his (or her) own.  In the end, it's all about the music.

 

[Bubu1]

Quote:

No headphone is going to please everyone.  In fact, no headphone is ideal for every task.  The HD800 is a a terrific headphone but it has a large profile, looks like sci-fi headgear, needs a strong amp, has no sound isolation, bleeds sound the way a sprinkler bleeds water and goes for "neutral" which is neither neutral nor colored to fit the tastes of many a folk.  It's also expensive, inasmuch as $1400 is not the kind of money most people can easily part with for a headphone they don't love more than life itself.
 
But so what?
 
The HD800 is one of the best headphones ever made.  It's fast, detailed, cleared and revealing.  It's open and spacious, providing a 3D sound one would be hard-pressed to duplicate.  It doesn't come pre-equipped with thump, but if you have the right amp, you can dial in whatever thump you want.  Grado has more slam, but the HD800 brings the grumble.  I don't get all the talk about how "bright it is."  I suppose if your last headphone was an early-edition HD650, that's your frame of reference, but if anything, the HD800 has subdued high-mids before a single HF spike that's only a few dB above flat.  If this is "bright," I can't imagine what flat must be like to some people.
 
I had more fun with the PS1000 and some, like MH, have had more fun with the T1, but the HD800 is nothing less than awesome, an undeniable tour de force.  If it doesn't please you, count yourself lucky that you have more modest tastes.  Who needs an addiction to a $1,400 headphone when you can find a slammer that will get the job done for $200-$300?  To each his (or her) own.  In the end, it's all about the music.

Well said!!  I could not agree more!!
 

 

[Lan647]

Quote:

No headphone is going to please everyone.  In fact, no headphone is ideal for every task.  The HD800 is a a terrific headphone but it has a large profile, looks like sci-fi headgear, needs a strong amp, has no sound isolation, bleeds sound the way a sprinkler bleeds water and goes for "neutral" which is neither neutral nor colored to fit the tastes of many a folk.  It's also expensive, inasmuch as $1400 is not the kind of money most people can easily part with for a headphone they don't love more than life itself.
 
But so what?
 
The HD800 is one of the best headphones ever made.  It's fast, detailed, cleared and revealing.  It's open and spacious, providing a 3D sound one would be hard-pressed to duplicate.  It doesn't come pre-equipped with thump, but if you have the right amp, you can dial in whatever thump you want.  Grado has more slam, but the HD800 brings the grumble.  I don't get all the talk about how "bright it is."  I suppose if your last headphone was an early-edition HD650, that's your frame of reference, but if anything, the HD800 has subdued high-mids before a single HF spike that's only a few dB above flat.  If this is "bright," I can't imagine what flat must be like to some people.
 
I had more fun with the PS1000 and some, like MH, have had more fun with the T1, but the HD800 is nothing less than awesome, an undeniable tour de force.  If it doesn't please you, count yourself lucky that you have more modest tastes.  Who needs an addiction to a $1,400 headphone when you can find a slammer that will get the job done for $200-$300?  To each his (or her) own.  In the end, it's all about the music.

Excellent comment, I totally agree. 

Even though the HD 800 have poor isolation, it's not terribly leaky. I would put the HD 800 somewhere between "open" and "Semi-open". It leaks more than the T1, but certainly less than a completely open headphone.