[amartignano]

That makes sense, I could not understand the other position.

The other position is understandable if one does not tolerate/like much isolation (being both sound and breathing isolation). I'm probably one of them.

 

[headr]

Honestly quite a few people in this thread.... @headr

But much wiser to stop here

Actually I do find it a bit funny how many people enter this thread, having zero intention of buying a closed headphone, who are prejudice against closed headphones, who continually want to pick out quotes to justify why they are short changing themselves by not even giving this headphone a chance. I mean, at this point, it's thread pollution. If you aren't interested in closed headphones, move on. Why are you trying to convince a bunch of people that closed headphones can't possibly be better? Ask yourself? Why?

For the record, Alex Grell is one man, and he may prefer the HD 800 sound. Hell, maybe in 5 years he will change his mind and declare the Z1R the best headphone he ever heard. Are you going to have an existential crisis if he does that?

In terms of mic drops, from Sennheiser the horse's mouth (https://en-us.sennheiser.com/high-end-headphones-audiophiles-hd-820):

For audiophiles there wasn’t any doubt: When it came to circumaural headphones the very best sound required an open back design. This axiom has now been rendered obsolete by the youngest member of the Sennheiser Audiophile Range: The closed dynamic HD 820 employ an innovative technology that makes them sound breathtakingly transparent and natural. Developed and made in Germany, they offer an incredibly realistic, natural sound field and also stand apart by the extraordinary attention given to every detail of their design. Their soft comfortable microfiber ear pads are hand crafted, providing excellent attenuation of ambient noise, while the robust metal headband includes an inner damping element. Get ready for an unparalleled listening experience.

*mic drop* *issue dead*

No need to revisit this topic. I have decisively and conclusively declared victory, which incidentally should mean absolutely nothing to anyone interested in this headphone. Great talk.

 

[GoodBoy]

Earpads fabric look exactly like HD598Cs/HD569

 

[AppleheadMay]

Actually I do find it a bit funny how many people enter this thread, having zero intention of buying a closed headphone, who are prejudice against closed headphones, who continually want to pick out quotes to justify why they are short changing themselves by not even giving this headphone a chance. I mean, at this point, it's thread pollution. If you aren't interested in closed headphones, move on. Why are you trying to convince a bunch of people that closed headphones can't possibly be better? Ask yourself? Why?

For the record, Alex Grell is one man, and he may prefer the HD 800 sound. Hell, maybe in 5 years he will change his mind and declare the Z1R the best headphone he ever heard. Are you going to have an existential crisis if he does that?

In terms of mic drops, from Sennheiser the horse's mouth (https://en-us.sennheiser.com/high-end-headphones-audiophiles-hd-820):



*mic drop* *issue dead*

No need to revisit this topic. I have decisively and conclusively declared victory, which incidentally should mean absolutely nothing to anyone interested in this headphone. Great talk.

As hardly anyone has heard these this whole thread is pollution.
If you check my profile you can guess I will buy these no matter how the "professional" reviews (usually commercial and all positive) or user impressions (usually all over the place) are.
I'll just be waiting till prices drop firmly to a normal level like they always do.

But one can see this is simply a closed HD800 so it needn't be that expensive.
Won't have been that simple to achieve though, a bit of R&D and a lot of tuning will have been necessary.
Still, I can't say I'm fond of using glass in a headphone and not for the looks ... bright and reflections come to mind.
I wonder how they pulled it off and what it will sound like.

 

[nc8000]

The other position is understandable if one does not tolerate/like much isolation (being both sound and breathing isolation). I'm probably one of them.

True. Didn’t think of that

 

[pietcux]

True. Didn’t think of that

And then we have the climate factor. I live in the warmest region of Germany, in a 3 to 4 month period, i simply cannot use my beloved Sony Z1R or Z7 at all. Sometimes even an open back is too warm, only in ears work for me. Should get worth in Italy, Spain, Portugal and Greece.

 

[headr]

I just gave my air conditioner a hug.

Can't imagine not being able to use my favorite headphones because it's too hot.

 

[pietcux]

I just gave my air conditioner a hug.

Can't imagine not being able to use my favorite headphones because it's too hot.

Oh, I have great in ears for that purpose. Sennheiser IE800 and SONY EX1000.

 

[Vigrith]

I just gave my air conditioner a hug.

Can't imagine not being able to use my favorite headphones because it's too hot.

It's not really the same, or maybe your AC is just much better than mine, but I live in an extremely hot and very humid area and despite our AC it still gets uncomfortable more often than not to wear full sized headphones all day.

That's why Audeze's iSines are the most useful gimmick I've spent money on in years.

 

[raypin]

Mm...demographic sweet spot for the 820: 1. Loves the Senhheiser sound specially the 800 series. 2. Does not own the 800 or 800S 3. Wants to use a hp both indoors and when out and about 4. Thinks that the 820 manages to closely replicate the performance of the 800 series minus the flaws. 5. In the market for a totl hp. 6. Audiophile/headphile. 7. Excellent sound isolation.

I’m yes on 1, 3, 6. No on 2. Maybe on 4, 5, 7.

 

[GoodBoy]

The HD800 doesn't have missing bass. I has a neutral bass and slightly prominent treble. Far too many headphones have a prominent bass since beats and the harman curve and people are getting the idea this is neutral.

The HD800 has the best bass I have heard so far.

That is certainly not true. Even Axel himself stated open backs lack bass, and that was one of the main reasons he created HD820

 

[astroid]

I highly doubt that.
Is the HD569 a significant advancement over the HD558? Significant? - definitely not!
Or is the HD630VB a significant advancement over the HD600? Not in my opinion.
It looks to me that the HD820 is just an HD800 with a glass panel behind the drivers and some other material making it closed-back. An experienced modder could probably do the same thing!

Making an open can closed is no easy task, the HD569\HD598cs has made the 5 series suitable for on the go use whilst improving on the 558 sound. The 558 was always the 598s poor relation.

 

[amartignano]

That is certainly not true. Even Axel himself stated open backs lack bass, and that was one of the main reasons he created HD820

Quite a generalistic assumption, I doubt that Grell stated exactly this. There are open headphones with 10 Hz flat and very low distortion (see Audeze for example). They don't lack bass. Even the hd800 has 30Hz flat (vs 1 kHz) and 20Hz @ about - 3 dB. That's not missing bass, although it sounds more expanded and diffuse due to the particular cups.

 

[trellus]

Quite a generalistic assumption, I doubt that Grell stated exactly this. There are open headphones with 10 Hz flat and very low distortion (see Audeze for example). They don't lack bass. Even the hd800 has 30Hz flat (vs 1 kHz) and 20Hz @ about - 3 dB. That's not missing bass, although it sounds more expanded and diffuse due to the particular cups.

What I heard him say in the interview seemed more to be that closed headphones tend to have better bass. That’s a gross paraphrase but that’s the sense I took from the context and what he said. I interpreted it as his addressing designing open vs closed headphones and the different challenges and that each design has different strengths by default.

I certainly didn’t hear him say the HD 800 / 800S lacked bass because of its open design.

 

[paul2qute]

Stick some gorilla glass on the end and charge over a grand more,ridiculous!!