@Sennheiser
For my long story making Short, my end game for full sizes headphones is HD800S. I loved it so much that I sold my Stax SR-009 and SR-009S and then bought the anniversary editions as well.
the long story
Practicality: the HD800S is very light weight, great clamping but comfortable and seems to
disappear when worn on my head . Headphones can be whatever and however good, but if it weight down on my neck and or feel Uncomfortable to turn my head around with, then it isn’t worth it. The 800S nails it right on the points
Appearances: let’s be honest, the HD800s is an old design, but it looks is still futuristic. It look DartVader style, yet still stylist when worn on, even if you wear it outdoor, having a coffee, in your car. You look cool and stylish. Literally that black color and aluminum shines, both the 800 and anniversary is a bit above that, but still look cool and stylish non the less
Build quality: Amazing built, everything is so well thought out, even the internal wires are thick and of nice quality, which is also easy to upgrade to higher quality materials. It is also very comfortable to lay in bed with, literally no squeaking or farting…
mind your that both Utopia and Stax has either Squeak or squeals or Farts!!!
Driveability : Yes, the HD800S in it true nature is a references headphones, and it means that literally. The 800S is so transparent, so much that it would spit sibilants and grainy textures or harsh distortions to your ears, if you have either a bad source, a bad amplifier, or both. Especially without a good amplifier, the Hd800s seems to have the bass extinct !!! However, yet, is also friendly toward newer sources, and the most important would be a quality DAC sections. If you have a good DAP with adequate powers of about 250mW per channels, the 800s starts to shine, it would even surpass many other so called easier to drive by it references nature’s. Yet, it continue to scale up, whether in dynamic, texture, fidelity or imaging, the better the DAC and the better the amp , the better the 800S will shine. With the modern DAP being power packed and so much improvements in DAC sections, for example the Ibasso DX220Max. The HD800S does wonderfully and can be portably going outdoor with you. The DAP market will continue to evolve, and the appreciations for the HD800S from me will only continue to grow.
The Stax SR009 is even more picky, not only DAC but most importantly is the energizer. Sr-009 is the most transparent and honest headphones with legendary performances. It will tells every changes within the system if you just swap around even a cables of interconnect. Having owning Stax with my DIY T2, the Stax SR-009 literally is the perfections and holy grails of headphones.
Sound performances : in comparisons between Stax system and 800S, the Stax has the most authentic and pure performances, as much as that the sub bass on the 800s sounds like a creations of reverberated chambers, or of it resonators, not as clean and precise or decisive as Stax. The same as trebles fidelity, where Stax will extend to almost infinity or as much as recorded, even 800s is a bit roll off in comparison. The layering and imagings the Stax is a clear winner, but dynamic and punches delivery, the 800s is a winner, even when Stax is driven by it legendary T2 energizer. As the end result, the soundstage of both phones are extraordinarily presenting, with Stax slightly ahead but not as tall on the vertical axis where Hd800s is slightly narrower and shallower but with a taller axis and dynamic delivery.
Maintaining: the Stax system requires a very high degree of maintenance, can’t expose to dirt, or Uv sun light, can’t wear and listen to when hair is wet, and can only be best enjoyed stationary. Where HD800S is a beater, build like a tank, you can toss it from across the room toward a mattress and still won’t break it. You can listen as soon as you are out of the shower, walk around under the sunlight, you can even ride a bike with it as the cups are wind deflectors and you won’t have to deal with wind noises. You can listen to it in your car, and most importantly, you can plug into any DAP, phone, IPads and have it to sing temporarily….Stax ? Without an energized, nope!!
So, what do I wish for in the next flagship from Sennheiser ? I take that this thread is for this question right ?
I wish for Utopia Dynamic, and 800S references signatures with 800s soundstage. Yepe! That is pretty much it. Btw, don’t trade off any of the soundstage from 800s to get more dynamic as in anniversaries edition either…definitely do not want that. Oh, additionally, please be enthusiastic about the pricing, acceptable upto $2,499 but not those ridiculous $3,999 trend
Best regard
Vince