[shabta]

 
Thank you shabta! your review and Tylls reviews and headfiers reviews did help me lot. Thanks!
I prefer HD800S over Staxes. but I only own very lesser Stax amps. so I am not qualified person to describe the differences.
I think SR-009 sound slightly less grainy IMO. but! HD800S sound more real/musical at the same time.
All I can say is HD800S with Luxman combo sounds SUPERB. I don't need an upgrade anymore.
 
Happy listening!

Glad you found my review helpful. I do think that the SR009 improves, but it sounds pretty close to its best even with the 717 amp you list. The SR007 on the other hand sounds really much better on a better amp. 
 
I recently listened to some stax and agree that the Stax sound less grainy, its a feature of the design, frankly. It didn't directly AB, but for the first time, my nagging stax lust has abated since getting the S. See how long that lasts LOL. 

 

[TheGhostWhoWalks]

I've only had 1 day with the HD800S, but initial impressions are very good. I never bought the HD800 as the treble spike bothered me too much, but without that spike the S seems almost perfectly neutral to me. Listening on an equally neutral DAC/Amp (I have the Oppo HA-1) all I can say is that everything I played sounded exactly what it should sound like. I'd keep JRiver's Analyzer on and keep alert for any frequencies that were under or over emphasized and I couldn't hear anything. So, in two words, I'd describe the HD800S as CLEAN and CLEAR, your ears get back what audio goes in. The soundstage is as good as advertised, but I was relieved to know that on more intimate music, like solo pianos, the soundstage didn't impose itself onto the recording. There was a huge difference in width and depth when I went from the solo piano (Maria Lettberg's Scriabin) to orchestral (Kertesz's Dvorak's 8th & 9th Symphonies), as well as when I switched to rock and metal (Wilco's Summerteeth & Pestilence's Consuming Impulse). The latter is a classic example of a "bad recording," and while the HD800S didn't hide this fact, it didn't gnaw my ear off either, and the speed and clarity with which the fast and complex guitar assault was delivered made it plenty enjoyable, if lacking in a bit of weight, heft, and bite. In regards to the latter, I can see why some would call them "analytical" as they don't have the same THWUMP and THWAK as my old L3Ks or R10s, but they still have more than any electrostat I've heard (007, HE90). 
 
I'll throw some more varied material at them soon and see if I have anything to add.

 

[audiokid]

I received my HD800S yesterday, and first impressions are very good. I owned some HD800 last year, which I really liked but they did get a bit much for extended listening, the classic treble spike. I have owned Stax 507, L-700 and SR-009 on various Stax energisers. I have also owned LCD-X and various Grados from top to bottom. The HD800S are my favourite to date. Obviously the 009s are fantastic but I found the bass a bit 'cushioned' and soft, and I didn't like them on a practical level with their massive energiser and daft headband arrangement. 
 
I'm running the HD800S from a Hugo which seems to work very well (and it's portable around the house, as I feel headphones should be!), but I have yet to try anything else. Would be interested to try the HDVA 600 to see if it offers any improvement, but I can't imagine how, if you're running from the Hugo as a DAC and you're just adding another stage in the chain with an additional amp. I'm no expert, so would be willing to try one day, or hear anyone's opinion here. 
 
As soon as I opened and fired up the HD800S I thought, 'yeah these sound quite good,' but I wasn't over excited or anything. They were very neutral, nothing emphasised and are just an easy listen. As they burn in, and I explore some more music they just keep delivering. In addition to the balanced sound and the great frequency extremes, they're just so good at placing elements of the track in 3d space. I haven't heard anything else do this. 

 

[WraithApe]

 
I'm running the HD800S from a Hugo which seems to work very well (and it's portable around the house, as I feel headphones should be!), but I have yet to try anything else. Would be interested to try the HDVA 600 to see if it offers any improvement, but I can't imagine how, if you're running from the Hugo as a DAC and you're just adding another stage in the chain with an additional amp. I'm no expert, so would be willing to try one day, or hear anyone's opinion here. 

 
I'm also powering the S from a Hugo and I think it does a fine job for the most part. It depends on your preferred listening levels of course, but I feel the Hugo occasionally seems a touch underpowered with certain quieter recordings I have, particularly a handful of older rock records, which can sound a little thin or lacking in body. I'm inclined to ascribe this to a lack of bass prominence in the original recording because I think the S basically gives you what is there, but I'd still be interested in listening to the same tracks with a more powerful amp. Generally speaking though, I find the S + Hugo combo to be a very satisfying listening experience!

 

[audiokid]

Thanks, useful to hear!

 

[delirium]

yes i agree! s and hugo is good. i have that, and uptone regen+curious cable! i have to say... this combination is very good indeed. more base!!!

 

[Mediahound]

I recently got a Chord Mojo and am shocked it actually powers the HD800 S fairly sufficiently. Sure it doesn't sound quite as revealing as my main balanced setup but it's quite listenable as a bedside or portable rig. 
 
And, the HD800 S's are the best cans I've ever owned. Full stop.
 
I swapped out the included Sennheiser cable and am getting an even smoother sound with less digital glare too (my ears are very sensitive to treble).
 
Definitely a happy camper here.  I smile every time I get to put them on for a listen and am seriously enjoying and re-discovering my music a lot more. 

 

[daha21]

Another happy camper here with the HD 800 S. I run it through Burson's soloist and schiit bifrost MB and hot damn they sound fantastic!

I mostly listen to orchestral and classical music and the 800 S just sound so natural to me. Granted that this is my first TOTL headphones, but I've never heard the overtones of the cello so clearly. It's been a little over a month for me but they still put a big grin on my face every time I listen to them

 

[Magick Man]

I recently got a Chord Mojo and am shocked it actually powers the HD800 S fairly sufficiently. Sure it doesn't sound quite as revealing as my main balanced setup but it's quite listenable as a bedside or portable rig. 

And, the HD800 S's are the best cans I've ever owned. Full stop.

I swapped out the included Sennheiser cable and am getting an even smoother sound with less digital glare too (my ears are very sensitive to treble).

Definitely a happy camper here.  I smile every time I get to put them on for a listen and am seriously enjoying and re-discovering my music a lot more. 

The 800S is easy to drive and so is the 800, the problem with the stock 800 is that they're difficult to enjoy unless you have the right source+amp combo. That 6kHz spike is bad news. That's not the case with the 800S, it's good with nearly anything (even my iPad, I tried it) and scales up with better gear, all the way through the roof. IMO, they're the best non-electrostats in the world, full stop. Add a really nice balanced amp to them and they sing like no others.

I'm really stoked, 2 of the best headphones I've ever heard arrived just a week apart (the 800S and the Audeze Sine). It's been like audio Nirvana lately.

 

[shawngt2]

800S is awesome. But I wouldn't even put iPad and 800 in the same sentence. Sure it can make volume, but it "half fast"....

 

[Topspin70]

800S is awesome. But I wouldn't even put iPad and 800 in the same sentence. Sure it can make volume, but it "half fast"....

He can when he has a whole bunch of EC, audio gd and Cary lined up next to the humble iPad.  

 

[Magick Man]

800S is awesome. But I wouldn't even put iPad and 800 in the same sentence. Sure it can make volume, but it "half fast"....

Of course not, the 800 sounds bad without the right amp, but the 800S is actually okay out of an iPad.

 

[Priaptor]

I received my HD800S yesterday, and first impressions are very good. I owned some HD800 last year, which I really liked but they did get a bit much for extended listening, the classic treble spike. I have owned Stax 507, L-700 and SR-009 on various Stax energisers. I have also owned LCD-X and various Grados from top to bottom. The HD800S are my favourite to date. Obviously the 009s are fantastic but I found the bass a bit 'cushioned' and soft, and I didn't like them on a practical level with their massive energiser and daft headband arrangement. 

I'm running the HD800S from a Hugo which seems to work very well (and it's portable around the house, as I feel headphones should be!), but I have yet to try anything else. Would be interested to try the HDVA 600 to see if it offers any improvement, but I can't imagine how, if you're running from the Hugo as a DAC and you're just adding another stage in the chain with an additional amp. I'm no expert, so would be willing to try one day, or hear anyone's opinion here. 

As soon as I opened and fired up the HD800S I thought, 'yeah these sound quite good,' but I wasn't over excited or anything. They were very neutral, nothing emphasised and are just an easy listen. As they burn in, and I explore some more music they just keep delivering. In addition to the balanced sound and the great frequency extremes, they're just so good at placing elements of the track in 3d space. I haven't heard anything else do this. 

Just received my 800s but unfortunately they need to be exchanged as mine were repackaged and scratched BUT am listening to them as I write this. I too am using a HUGO. I initially purchased HD800 which just wasn't for me. My go to can became the LCD-X. The 800s is an amazing headphone and I am really loving them. If you think they sound good straight out of the HUGO you MUST try them with with HUGO-->Liquid Carbon--->Balanced out to the HD800s. Absolutely stunning. First impressions are "I could easily live this setup forever".

 

[DWbirdseye]

.......so I have some CIEMs that I use on stage and for pleasure that just don't cut it anymore. The S has spoiled me with its incredible clarity, imaging and sound stage. The totally black spacing between the instruments is such a positive attribute. If anyone knows of a CIEM/IEM that has the attributes of the S please pm me. ( so we don't hijack this thread). I.E.:
 
Imaging
sound stage
clarity
tonal accuracy
etc.

 

[kazsud]

  Planning to buy these and use together with the HDVA600 (instead of my Burson HA-160D). Good call or bad call?

The Rag is much better than the hdva600