[DWbirdseye]

All things being relatively equal balanced will give you more headroom, therefore more bass control and more presence.

 

[edstrelow]

Having quickly read this thread, it seems that Sennheiser's own description of what it is doing with both this and the earlier HD800 has been overlooked.  This is from the most recent advertisement I can find:
 
“the layered metal and plastic headband construction attenuating vibrations to the earcups...
 
Absorber technology of the HD 800 S
The enhanced sound reproduction of the HD 800 S is achieved through the addition of the innovative absorber technology that was pioneered in the Sennheiser IE 800 – a breakthrough that preserved the audibility of very high frequency sounds by eliminating a phenomenon known as the “masking effect” “
 
This seems to be essentially what I have been discussion for some time now in my thread on damping Stax and other phones:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/744839/damping-mechanical-energy-distortion-of-stax-and-other-phones-with-sorbothane-and-other-materials
 
The key here is "attenuating vibrations to the earcups"  What vibrations you may say and how does anything in the headband affect vibrations to the earcups..  
 
The answer as best I can tell is that there is a lot of vibration created in the earcups by the drivers through simple Newtonian mechanics . Energy is transferred to the earcup by the driver system equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to what is being transmitted into the air and this energy in the earcups degrades the sound of the headphones.
 
The physics are unclear and Sennheiser's explanation hides more than it reveals (probably for commercial reasons.)  Grdao is doing similar things as best I can tell in its new "e" series using a new polycarbonate material in the construction of its phones. Grado claim this improves transient response.
 
What is clear is that you can gain considerable advances in sound quality in many phones by gluing small sorbothane strips to appropriate locations. 
 
I think Sennheiser is doing something similar to sorbothane damping here, in other pages they have referenced "visco-elastic" material in the headband, a descriptor which would include sorbothane although there are many other materials which could be described this way. 
 
I would be very surprised if the new Sennheiser electrostatic superphone is not doing the same type of damping.  Done properly it produces major benefits to sound quality. 

 

[andromeda1954]

  All things being relatively equal balanced will give you more headroom, therefore more bass control and more presence.

see http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/is-balanced-connection-better-1/

 

[Sophonax]

My HD800S is on the way from Germany; hopefully should arrive in the next few days.  Lately I've been running NAD M51 --> HDVA600 --> HD800 (single-ended) and have been really impressed with the results.  I'm looking forward to comparing both headphones with the balanced cable and I'll be sure to post some impressions when I do.

 

[Olias of Sunhillow]

  My HD800S is on the way from Germany; hopefully should arrive in the next few days.  Lately I've been running NAD M51 --> HDVA600 --> HD800 (single-ended) and have been really impressed with the results.  I'm looking forward to comparing both headphones with the balanced cable and I'll be sure to post some impressions when I do.

Mine have been dispatched from Germany as well. My rig will be Gungnir MB > Ragnarok > HD800S, with an occasional dalliance with a EC Super 7 for good measure.
 
I'm excited because the early reviews of the S tick the three boxes on my HD800 improvement wish list: slightly less treble in the one problematic range; slightly increased bass presence; and slightly narrower (and thereby more realistic) soundstage. 

 

[Dadracer]

I don't think I'm understating it. It is how I heard it, in fact changing to balanced cables had a bigger effect on the sound than between the 2 headphones. But that's just my humble opinion and you should always decide by listening for yourself

Sorry I was teasing you a small bit. Humor in forums often doesn't work. I didn't see anything that you wrote that I disagreed with, except I am more than a little surprised that you found cables to make that much of a change.... Are you sure you adjusted volume levels? Switching to balanced from single ended on the same amp often results in a volume change.

Yes I understood your humour. No problem at all.
Yes I also corrected for the volume.
Maybe I just need more time to listen to the HD800S to appreciate it more fully.

 

[vo_obgyn]

I've been listening to the HD800 S and the HD600 cans quite a bit lately. Does anyone agree that the HD600 cans sound similar to the HD800 S? The HD800 S sounds better in all areas, but the phones sound similar to my ears. The bass and midrange emphasis, especially, sounds the same IMHO. So, maybe the frequency response curve of both cans may look alike? I'm not sure.

 

[songmic]

I've been listening to the HD800 S and the HD600 cans quite a bit lately. Does anyone agree that the HD600 cans sound similar to the HD800 S? The HD800 S sounds better in all areas, but the phones sound similar to my ears. The bass and midrange emphasis, especially, sounds the same IMHO. So, maybe the frequency response curve of both cans may look alike? I'm not sure.

 
I do agree that my "modded" HD800S sounds somewhat similar to HD600 but better across the board in every way. In stock form the HD800S is still somewhat bright and shouty, more so than HD600.

 

[Mike F]

   
I do agree that my "modded" HD800S sounds somewhat similar to HD600 but better across the board in every way. In stock form the HD800S is still somewhat bright and shouty, more so than HD600.

This is perhaps a dangerous thing to say on this thread, but I think (and I suspect many would agree) that fundamentally, in many respects, the HD6xx's are better than the HD8xx's. Yes, (before you reach for your flame thrower) of course the 8xx's are miles ahead in terms of sheer SQ, but as a subjective illusion of either speakers or the real thing (in the case of acoustic music) the 6xx's, whilst perhaps not being as 'good' in any given area are actually less flawed, and therefore arguably better overall.
 
I sometimes wish that I'd stopped at the HD600/HD650 with the Lehmann BCL. With a excellent source that combination still gives an immensely satisfying experience. (It's a bit, err, cheaper, too!)

 

[Dadracer]

Mate if it's your money then it's your choice so you can be happy in that choice.
I don't happen to agree the 600 or 650 are better sounding than the 800 and that's my choice. It doesn't make me right and you wrong.....

 

[Mike F]

Mate if it's your money then it's your choice so you can be happy in that choice.
I don't happen to agree the 600 or 650 are better sounding than the 800 and that's my choice. It doesn't make me right and you wrong.....

 
There's no right and wrong about it, and have the HD800 CH800S HDVD800 and love them! I'm just pointing out that if we all still only had the 6xx's and a BCL we wouldn't be considering spending another €$grand+ to fix a problem with the treble..............

 

[Dadracer]

I don't have a problem with the treble on the 800. Maybe it's my hearing of course.

 

[dharma]

  Having quickly read this thread, it seems that Sennheiser's own description of what it is doing with both this and the earlier HD800 has been overlooked.  This is from the most recent advertisement I can find:
 
“the layered metal and plastic headband construction attenuating vibrations to the earcups...
 
Absorber technology of the HD 800 S
The enhanced sound reproduction of the HD 800 S is achieved through the addition of the innovative absorber technology that was pioneered in the Sennheiser IE 800 – a breakthrough that preserved the audibility of very high frequency sounds by eliminating a phenomenon known as the “masking effect” “
 
This seems to be essentially what I have been discussion for some time now in my thread on damping Stax and other phones:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/744839/damping-mechanical-energy-distortion-of-stax-and-other-phones-with-sorbothane-and-other-materials
 
The key here is "attenuating vibrations to the earcups"  What vibrations you may say and how does anything in the headband affect vibrations to the earcups..  
 
The answer as best I can tell is that there is a lot of vibration created in the earcups by the drivers through simple Newtonian mechanics . Energy is transferred to the earcup by the driver system equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to what is being transmitted into the air and this energy in the earcups degrades the sound of the headphones.
 
The physics are unclear and Sennheiser's explanation hides more than it reveals (probably for commercial reasons.)  Grdao is doing similar things as best I can tell in its new "e" series using a new polycarbonate material in the construction of its phones. Grado claim this improves transient response.
 
What is clear is that you can gain considerable advances in sound quality in many phones by gluing small sorbothane strips to appropriate locations. 
 
I think Sennheiser is doing something similar to sorbothane damping here, in other pages they have referenced "visco-elastic" material in the headband, a descriptor which would include sorbothane although there are many other materials which could be described this way. 
 
I would be very surprised if the new Sennheiser electrostatic superphone is not doing the same type of damping.  Done properly it produces major benefits to sound quality. 

 
No, not 'same case' as going on with STAX...
Nobody ha found added dampening 'material' like sorbothan or other similar from HD800S
'absorber technology' is meant to 'fix' so called 'hot 6KHz ringing' problem with HD800...
Maybe Sorrodje is better in explaining the case with Sennheiser...

 

[dharma]

Originally Posted by shabta 

Quote:

 
Well finally after what seems like an eternity I got the chance to sit down and do a side by side comparison between the new HD800S and my very own HD800s (no mods just in case you were wondering) . I got to spend some time listening to a couple of my all time favourite albums several times through on each and well...............

There is a difference but not a big one and probably less than I was expecting having seen a number of reviews by others (much more experienced than me) on this august web site. [...]

So I am a bit surprised in one sense and yet happy in another. It does now make me think that buying a second pair of HD800s for my second system at a bargain reduced price would be a plan and to replace my current HD700s.........

It's really hard to write about the differences w/o exaggerating them. I think maybe you have gone in the other direction 

. For me, I definitely like the S better. I am starting to think my HD800s are bass-lite so the S is better in that regard. I find the tonality of the S more accurate and imaging while almost the same, on certain complex tracks the instrument separation isn't quite as good on the S. But only now and then. I think for many people who have the HD800 the S isn't necessary. If you are like me, who seems to be very sensitive to tonality (and imaging) than maybe you will want the S anyway....

I don't think I'm understating it. It is how I heard it, in fact changing to balanced cables had a bigger effect on the sound than between the 2 headphones. But that's just my humble opinion and you should always decide by listening for yourself

 
Actually, I wanted to ask from Dadracer about 'favorite albums'.
For two reasons: his 'favorites' could be favorites of mine too (who knows beforehand?) and secondly, it could be explaining, why 'there was not so big difference at all, between the two...'
Maybe those who hear more differences, just use more (or always)  somehow 'edged' (deeper bass, attenuated heights,, etc) recordings.
 
It would be very useful, if 'reviewers' here, could more show out, what they used for particular 'review, comparison, impression etc and what they typically listen.

 

[Dadracer]

Ok so just to say my favourites are for music rather than HI Fi reasons
Richie Lee Jones first album
T.Rex Electric Warrior
Dusty in Memphis
Aretha Franklin Chain of Fools
Eagles Hotel California
Gregory Porter Liquid Spirit
There are lots of others than I really like but I didn't have all day so these had to do!
Hope that helps?