[joespride]

CSD's ?? ToTl's not familiar with these  acronyms, please clarify 

 

 

[kapanak]

  CSD's ?? not familiar with this acronym, please clarify 

 
Cumulative Spectral Decay.

 

[joespride]

   
Cumulative Spectral Decay.

Thank you sir, to many acronym's in the world today 

 

[Taowolf51]

  CSD's ?? ToTl's not familiar with these  acronyms, please clarify 

 

Cumulative spectral decay, also known as waterfall graphs. They are like frequency response graphs, but also include time (decay per frequency).
 
They look like this.
 

 
And TOTL means "Top of the Line".

 

[Taowolf51]

  There's a software implementation of Jan Meier's «Natural Crossfeed» for foobar 2000. I haven't tried it, but according to my experience with his Corda amps it should be good.

 
I just tried this out, and it's pretty impressive! I really like it. My only problem is it seems to alter the frequency response pretty substantially, putting emphasis on portions of the treble and removing emphasis on the midrange. It makes things sound thin and snappy, which isn't bad per-se, but I'd rather it not affect FR. The soundstage is so much more natural, though.
 
Have you noticed any FR changes with Meier's crossfeed in the Corda amps you tried?

 

[joespride]

Thanks for the clarification, I use Jriver MC20 and hey have a crossfeed feature as well, It certainly sound pretty nice however I also find it affects Freq response
 
I keep going back and trying it, but it is short lived I much prefer SQ with out it enabled 

 

[JaZZ]

 

  There's a software implementation of Jan Meier's «Natural Crossfeed» for foobar 2000. I haven't tried it, but according to my experience with his Corda amps it should be good.

 
I just tried this out, and it's pretty impressive! I really like it. My only problem is it seems to alter the frequency response pretty substantially, putting emphasis on portions of the treble and removing emphasis on the midrange. It makes things sound thin and snappy, which isn't bad per-se, but I'd rather it not affect FR. The soundstage is so much more natural, though.
 
Have you noticed any FR changes with Meier's crossfeed in the Corda amps you tried?

 
I just tried the plugin. Yes, that's the way the first version of Jan's crossfeed called «Natural Crossfeed» sounds: it makes the bass sound thinner. Newer Corda amps (Opera, Symphony, Concerto...) have a more sophisticated version (AFAIK withouth the «natural» in front) which barely alters the perceived frequency response and rougly sounds like the Hugo's. As I hear it, the crosstalk has a steeper low-pass filter, so more of the original stereo basis is preserved and the irritating components are nevertheless reduced (which makes it more natural than the «natural» crossfeed).

 

[SearchOfSub]

More detailed initial impressions

Sennheiser HD800 in the house, My expectations were I would find a bright analytical can that was weak on bass with an out of the head soundstage. This is what I was expecting based on the hundreds of threads / reviews / comments...........My reason for wanting to try them was I wanted a better presentation / soundstage


Actually hearing them was a shock to the system, 


1st they were not overly bright and analytical, though they could sound piercing I found that was more source related, in order to attribute that quality to the cans one would expect they sound the same on all material. They sounded sublime on some material and like crap on other material. I started paying attention to selection and using long time considered standards for QUALITY RECORDINGS and I was richly rewarded (dont confuse this statement with meaning high resolution 24 /192 etc...etc...etc... I am talking about albums that are well known as being masterfully recorded and mastered like Steely Dan Aha, all the resolution in the world will not cover up a poor recording and in fact may make it sound worse IME.)


Next was the Bass, not sure where this reputation was garnered for light on bass perhaps it started with people comparing them with planers or bass heavy cans, I was nearly floored by the impact the HD800 presented, Listening to Sometimes God Smiles Prism track and the superb Sheffield Drum Tracks, and SMV Thunder albums proved anything but lacking in bass. Bass was deep with texture and impact, not Bloated or exaggerated. I is true they dont dig down in to the sub bass regions as well as my HE500 they also dont muddy the waters. color me very happy with the Bass


Soundstage, My expectations of some miraculous out of head experience was daunted It has been my experience that headphones do MANY things correct, soundstage is NOT one of them, I feel like all the press concerning the soundstage on the HD800 is more about the spatial imagery and not what I consider soudstage, I came to headphones out of necessity from systems that consisted of SET amps and Horn Speakers those systems presented an almost physical image of the material in front of you allowing to to Hear / imagine the individuals and instruments in there perspective places. while headphones can recreate the space in the material it is all still firmly inside your head, I have heard only a couple examples of material which can create that out of head experience Chesky Records Ultimate Headphone is one of those. While I dont see the HD800 as having a true soundstage experience I admit its spacial separation and imagery is better 


An unexpected Benefit The Hd800 is SUPERB at low level listening, while my HE500 tends to need quite a bit of volume to really shine and open up the HD800 seems to care less, it plays very well at about any volume. My Wife & Ears thank you Sennheiser 


As I see it the largest drawback to having the HD800 is now something like 25% of my music is unlistenable unless I keep both the HE500 and the HD800, suggestions on how to break that news to the better half will be appreciated.........I have long said I see no reason for multiple cans the HD800 has shown me I was wrong 

Does the HD800 atleast make you not claustrophobic like the closed cans? that's all I need. - I get claustrophobic with closed cans so I can't listen to them no matter how good they are. Can you give a comparison of the openness and soundstaging vs HE500 with foams removed on the outer grill? I have he-500 so I wil get idea. thanks,

 

[Zoom25]

Does the HD800 atleast make you not claustrophobic like the closed cans? that's all I need. - I get claustrophobic with closed cans so I can't listen to them no matter how good they are. Can you give a comparison of the openness and soundstaging vs HE500 with foams removed on the outer grill? I have he-500 so I wil get idea. thanks,

I found HE-500 to be claustrophobic because of their soundstage and lack of depth. The HD 800 improves in every aspect of soundstage over any HE-500 iteration.
 
HD 800 aren't speakers, but they are the closest things I've heard to them. They should be far from claustrophobic though. When I have them without any music playing, I hear the ambience of the room exactly as I would without headphones. 

 

[thomascrown]

Does the HD800 atleast make you not claustrophobic like the closed cans? that's all I need. - I get claustrophobic with closed cans so I can't listen to them no matter how good they are. Can you give a comparison of the openness and soundstaging vs HE500 with foams removed on the outer grill? I have he-500 so I wil get idea. thanks,

When I wear my pair, the only thing I can feel it's a very light pressure of the padding on my head, something like 2 wide rings around my ears, other than that it's like having the drivers suspended in the air. 

 

[BirdManOfCT]

   
I agree – crossfeed has even become mandatory for me.

I had a crossfeed amp a long time ago with HD 580 headphones. I considered it for HD 800 headphones, but haven't because 1) the coloring of the sound worries me (I could already tell with my HD 580s, but was willing to live with it) and 2) the HD 800s sit a little forward from my ears, just wearing them normally, so it sounds a little bit more like the sound is coming from the front.

 

[joespride]

IMHO the HD800 is not a DRASTIC departure from the he500, are they better ?  YES NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.....................I am not good at describing things in audiophile terms, so I will try in my own way
 
My 500's being fully modded are very nice and full bodied tend to lean warm with GREAT extension in bass, glorius liquid mids and somewhat rolled off highs, IMHO this causes a lack of clarity although you will not notice that lack of clarity till you compare them head to head with a can that does not have this lack of clarity
 
The HD800 straight outta the box is crystal clear, has great bass with texture and impact, very nice natural mids and superb extension and clarity on the highs, balanced from top to bottom,  IMHO this character is what sets them apart and drives all the reviews stating best soundstage of any headphone, they are so clear things just seem open
 
Claustrophobic is not a description I would use with either the 500 or the 800 and of the 2 the 800 would be less so, now when I wear mine with no music there is some very minor noise cancellation That is to be expected after all you have something covering your ears 

 

[JaZZ]

I had a crossfeed amp a long time ago with HD 580 headphones. I considered it for HD 800 headphones, but haven't because 1) the coloring of the sound worries me (I could already tell with my HD 580s, but was willing to live with it) and 2) the HD 800s sit a little forward from my ears, just wearing them normally, so it sounds a little bit more like the sound is coming from the front.

 
I need crossfeed because I can't stand one-sided bass signals. Primarily due to some strange ear resonances (some sort of hyperacusis maybe), but I consider them unnatural anyway and in the way of a plausible soundstage.

 

[Taowolf51]

Does anyone know of any software that allows for high quality crossfeed DSP with minimal frequency response alteration? I really love the boost to soundstage and imaging.

 

[gevorg]

Does anyone know of any software that allows for high quality crossfeed DSP with minimal frequency response alteration? I really love the boost to soundstage and imaging.

This one is pretty good with Foobar:

https://www.foobar2000.org/components/view/foo_dsp_meiercf

And another as a VST or AU:

https://www.112db.com/redline/monitor/