[yates7592]

  Yeah, the 800s are definitely 300 ohm. 

Yes they are 'rated' at 300 ohm, but i thought lots of measurements show they extend to around 700 ohms in some frequencies?
 
Anyway, any observations on HA430 paired with HD800?

 

[HiFiChris]

Actually 350 Ohms and more (http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/SennheiserHD800.pdf).

 

[Takeanidea]

  Does anyone here own the K3003s? How well do they stack up against the HD800s?

I don't own the AKG's but I have listened to them and own the HD800s. The K3003s are top tier EIMs no doubt whatsoever. Bass is punchy treble is crisp separation is really good. But they don't have the spaciousness of the HD800s the accuracy of the Senns nor the comfort. 
If we are talking about sound quality the HD800s are vastly better. 
The HD800s will not work well where the K3003s work , which is without amping and outdoors

 

[Priidik]

  What would be a major upgrade from the HD800?

Where do you get these questions?
 
Ath m50 has more bass.

 

[Bartez75]

Innerfidelity says:
 
Volts RMS required to reach 90dB SPL:          0.242 Vrms
Impedance @ 1kHz:                                     361 Ohms
Power Needed for 90d BSPL:                         0.16 mW
Broadband Isolation in dB (100Hz to 10kHz):  -3 dBr
 
What is SPL and BSPL ?

 

[zilch0md]

Innerfidelity says:
 
Volts RMS required to reach 90dB SPL:          0.242 Vrms
Impedance @ 1kHz:                                     361 Ohms
Power Needed for 90d BSPL:                         0.16 mW
Broadband Isolation in dB (100Hz to 10kHz):  -3 dBr
 
What is SPL and BSPL ?

"90d BSPL" is a typo. It should read: "90dB SPL"

SPL means Sound Pressure Level (as measured at your ears, in this context).

 

[Bartez75]

"90d BSPL" is a typo. It should read: "90dB SPL"

SPL means Sound Pressure Level (as measured at your ears, in this context).

Can you also explain how this is related to VRMS (if it is related)?

 

[RRod]

 
Can you also explain how this is related to VRMS (if it is related)?

 
In this example:
0.16mW = (0.242V^2)/361Ω
 
So to reach 90dB SPL with these headphones, you need 0.242 volts or, equivalently, 0.16 milliwatts.

 

[Bartez75]

   
In this example:
0.16mW = (0.242V^2)/361Ω
 
So to reach 90dB SPL with these headphones, you need 0.242 volts or, equivalently, 0.16 milliwatts.

Thank you.

 

[zilch0md]

Volts RMS required to reach 90dB SPL: 0.242 Vrms

It's a measure of the the headphone's sensitivity and it's useful only in the context of comparing this headphone's spec to a similar spec for another headphone. The more voltage required to reach a "loudness" of 90 decibels, the less efficient the headphone.

In my opinion, this specification tells us nothing about how much power is needed to maximize the performance of a given headphone. In other words, forget about this spec.

I can plug my relatively inefficient Audeze LCD-2 into a tiny Sansa Clip+ DAP and turn up the volume until it's too loud for my ears to tolerate for long. But the LCD-2 will sound horrible even if I turn the volume down to comfortable levels, because despite the Sansa Clip's amp having enough power to play "loudly," it doesn't have anywhere near enough power to tightly control the moving parts of the headphone's drivers. The bass and even the mids sound woolly and lack detail. It's not until an amp offers at least about 750mW rms into 50-Ohms that the LCD-2 begins to sound as good as it can, despite the fact that the much less powerful Sansa Clip+ can play louder than I would ever want, with only about 35mW rms into 50-Ohms.

The same is true for the HD800 - it scales well to more power than the measured minimum required to achieve 90dB, but in my experience, the HD800 reaches its full potential on less power than the LCD-2.

The question becomes: Are you only interested in getting an amp that will play the HD800 loud enough, or do you want an amp that has enough power to deliver the bass control, dynamics, and extension that allow the HD800 to be all it can be? (And power isn't the only factor to be considered when selecting an amp for the HD800.)

 

[Bartez75]

....


The question becomes: Are you only interested in getting an amp that will play the HD800 loud enough, or do you want an amp that has enough power to deliver the bass control, dynamics, and extension that allow the HD800 to be all it can be? (And power isn't the only factor to be considered when selecting an amp for the HD800.)

I guess the second one. Thanks for the explanation. Currently I'm having Luxman p-200. It is probably not the last word in the amping.

 

[zilch0md]

Oh, I'm sorry. My question was rhetorical - I was only trying to emphasize that the specification of how much power is necessary to achieve 90dB SPL isn't all that valuable when using headphones that improve with more power at any desired listening level.  
 
I would pay more attention to that spec if selecting an IEM or headphone for portable use with an underpowered DAP, like the Sony NWZ-A17, which offers only 10mW peak per channel into 16-Ohms (or roughly 7.2 mW rms into 16-Ohms).  With really weak DAPs, the likes of which Sony makes, when you want to keep everything small and lightweight, without carrying a portable external amp, the sensitivity measurements for an IEM or headphone can become very critical.

 

[ruthieandjohn]

Does anyone here own the K3003s? How well do they stack up against the HD800s?

I have both. Like the HD 800s, the AKG K3003 are anything and everything its headphone type can be (over-ear for HD 800; universal fit IEM for the AKG K3003). After getting my 3003, I sold all my other IEMs except for a new Jaybirds Bluebuds X, which I have because it is bluetooth.

Both the HD 800 and the K3003 are revealing, fast, analytical, and provide good clear but not head0-throbbing bass.

While it is among the test of the universal-fit IEMs (along with the Sennheiser IE 800 and Shure SE846), it cannot provide the surround and sound stage of the HD 800. However, it can also run very well without fussy amplification (unlike the HD 800), and indeed sounds great straight out of an iphone 5 or iPod touch.

 

[nephilim32]

Get the Stax 007/009! If you like the HD-800, chances are you will like the Stax.

They are so good you'll feel like walking on air...actually, you are literally floating without the heavy burden of $5,000 weighting you down.

When I started to dabble in High-End Audio, the Stax were like mythical creatures that you only heard about but never saw; they were so ridiculously expensive nobody you knew owned a pair. Now, the price of everything are so inflated, the Stax have become merely expensive but almost affordable...

I think the chances are that I wil love the 009's. no question or doubt in my mind; however it is quite a commitment financially but a worthy goal to shoot for. Seems like almost an endgame in the headphone world. The amp and possible headphone cable upgrade for the stax will be huge money as well. All in all, I'd be expecting to probably spend a good 11 to 12 grand to run the stax properly. I just finished building a 6700$ system for my 800's and I am extremely pleased with my system's synergy. The stax investment will have to wait for quite a while, but I really hope to one day do it.

 

[nephilim32]

Good Morning Nephilim32

The Anaxilus initial modification entails adding a felt ring on the metal periphery of the driver. Later, some also added a foam liner on the metal surface beyond the immediate periphery of the drivers. Removing the grill cloth--may be this is the "inner foam pad" you are referring to as the HD-800 has no foam pad--is optional as it does not make a large sonic difference. I left it in as it keeps the dust out.

You can search under Anaxilus and get the templates for the felt rings and suggestions for the materials to use and where to buy them.

This is a lot cheaper than buying the Woo WA5 or Apex Teton, though you can still get those great amps...

Happy Hunting!

Good afternoon, mr. Justin.

You are right. It is of course more of a cloth that encases the middle of the headphone driver. If it were foam there that would be trouble! Lol! Anyhow, I've looked into it and at the moment I just don't have the heart to do it. I just can't. I love what I have set up right now, and I feel anymore added 'warmth' to my sound chain will colour or mess with the overall integrity and character that my 800's have. I kind of feel like this 'mod' would somehow make 1000 Germans cry in unison at the Sennheiser factory if they all were to find out what I had done. Lol.

I really feel my DAC negates the need to do something like this. I tried listening with no DAC in my sound chain and it was way too bright and crispy on the highs especially.

Great DACS absolutely rule. Save you some added stress and tinkering methinks.

Talk soon my friend. Thanks for your input.