[bigfatpaulie]

   
Nice!
 
Have you tried the Cardas Clear by any chance?
 
Waiting months for DHC always puts me off ordering
 
Did you specifically avoid silver? 

 
I have not.  I tend to stay away from the big manufactures and I have always gravitated towards DHC and Norne.  I've used some other briefly but I could never find a compelling reason to not use a Norne for a value and DHC for best performance.  
 
I also had the Comp4 in silver and, honestly, the difference between the two is not as big as many would you believe.  The copper version was ever so slightly more 'bass heavy' (I think it was actually a case for more treble light) so I felt it was better fit with the HD800.  

 

[ColtMrFire]

Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen (Ring Cycle)
 
Solti or Karajan rendition?  Never heard this, and I'm a big Karajan fan, but Solti is amazing. Wondering which version I should get to let the 800s dig deep into.

 

[FLTWS]

Solti FTW, VK is too light weight / almost a chamber music approach for me. Solti has the better soloists in my opinion as well. My second choice would be Bohm.
 
I believe bosiemoncrieff is our Perfect Wagnerite here at Head-Fi, hopefully he will weigh in as well. This is the one to get if you spring for Solti. I believe it is the best available transfer and comes with Deryk Cook bonus discs. This price is also a steal. 
 

 
 
 
 
 
This is Deccas landmark recording of Wagners Der Ring des Nibelungen conducted by Sir Georg Solti - the most celebrated classical recording in history.
The Greatest Recording of All Time
(Gramophone Magazine 1999 BBC Music Magazine 2011)
Grammy Award Edison Award Grand Prix Mondial du disque
Sir Georg Soltis recording of Wagners epic music-drama Der Ring des Nibelungen was a recording project on a scale without precedent and the first-ever studio recording of Wagners masterpiece.
Recorded between September 1958 and November 1965, it was masterminded by legendary producer John Culshaw and his technical team under the direction of chief engineer Gordon Parry. This massive undertaking set new standards in both opera recording and the possibilities of the effective and imaginative use of stereo.
The combination of Sir Georg Solti and the Vienna Philharmonic with an international cast of the greatest Wagnerian singers available resulted in a recording which was greeted with unprecedented enthusiasm and rave reviews and which quickly won numerous international awards.
Decca proudly presents the definitive high bit-depth transfer of this legendary recording, carefully remastered in 2012.
The set features:
An anti-scratch matt finish 16CD + Bonus CD-Rom capbox box set containing Soltis immortal recording of Wagners Der Ring des Nibelungen as remastered in 2012.
An extensive 108-page booklet featuring written introductions to each opera by producer John Culshaw, synopses in English and German and many original session photographs.
Including Deryck Cookes An Introduction to Der Ring Des Nibelungen (CD 15-16).
PDF transcript is also available on the CD-Rom.
CD-Rom containing complete libretti in original German with English translation and French translation.
This careful and much-lauded remastering from 2012 has to-date only been issued in a limited edition 17CD + Blu-ray Audio package (which has almost sold out)and more recently in a Deluxe Blu-Ray Audio only edition.
So this is the first presentation of a CD-only edition of the 2012 remastering.

 

[ColtMrFire]

Thanks.
 
Solti seems the popular choice for this around the web as well.
 
Solti did an amazing Mahler's 8th Symphony as well, which I have.  In fact, time to give that a spin...

 

[bosiemoncrieff]

  Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen (Ring Cycle)
 
Solti or Karajan rendition?  Never heard this, and I'm a big Karajan fan, but Solti is amazing. Wondering which version I should get to let the 800s dig deep into.

I literally wrote the article on this, but lean Solti.

 

[FLTWS]

  I literally wrote the article on this, but lean Solti.

 
"Well, there it is." (A great read)
 

 

[pervysage]

I have not.  I tend to stay away from the big manufactures and I have always gravitated towards DHC and Norne.  I've used some other briefly but I could never find a compelling reason to not use a Norne for a value and DHC for best performance.  

I also had the Comp4 in silver and, honestly, the difference between the two is not as big as many would you believe.  The copper version was ever so slightly more 'bass heavy' (I think it was actually a case for more treble light) so I felt it was better fit with the HD800.  

Would you say there is a big difference in performance with Norne vs. DHC cables? The DHC's certainly come with quite a price tag.

I have tried a couple Nornes (the Draug 2 is great with HD800), never tried any DHC.

 

[ColtMrFire]

Was never a big RnB fan, but the production value on Tyrese's 'Black Rose' is first rate.  It's interesting though how you can hear artificially added sibilance on this album (and probably alot of pop) with the HD800.  And the BASS...woah.  So textured, nuanced and localized (not just pumping out into your ears, but coming from somewhere in the soundscape in its own location).  You can even hear bloat type (car rattling) bass vs. clean/dry bass vs. very deep volcanic/subterranean bass, and the 800 produces all these (and really the entire bass spectrum) with tons of detail.  I am also continually amazed how MUSICAL and euphonic this headphone sounds, after reading how soulless and sterile they were supposed to be.  Admittedly the upgrade cable helps in this department, but even the stock cable sounded great.  I've done more head bobbing and foot tapping with the 800 than any other.

 

[bigfatpaulie]

Would you say there is a big difference in performance with Norne vs. DHC cables? The DHC's certainly come with quite a price tag.

I have tried a couple Nornes (the Draug 2 is great with HD800), never tried any DHC.

 
A BIG difference.  No.  'Differences' tend be a little over blown.  None of the cables, to me, are earth shattering over the stock cable.  Are some better that others?  Sure, I guess.  Are they different?  Yes.  
 
I had a Draug2 and a Solv.  Both offer excellent value.  The DHC cable is more transparent than the Solv and Draug and all three have difference characteristics.  The ergonomics of the cables are night and day, for sure.  
 
What I will say is that it is a balance - don't buy a $2000 cable to go with a $1000 headphone and $500 amp/DAC.  If you have a  $15,000+ source with a $15,000+ amp, go nuts and spring for "the good stuff".

 

[Yoga]

   
A BIG difference.  No.  'Differences' tend be a little over blown.  None of the cables, to me, are earth shattering over the stock cable.  Are some better that others?  Sure, I guess.  Are they different?  Yes.  
 
I had a Draug2 and a Solv.  Both offer excellent value.  The DHC cable is more transparent than the Solv and Draug and all three have difference characteristics.  The ergonomics of the cables are night and day, for sure.  
 
What I will say is that it is a balance - don't buy a $2000 cable to go with a $1000 headphone and $500 amp/DAC.  If you have a  $15,000+ source with a $15,000+ amp, go nuts and spring for "the good stuff".

Heard the Prion 4 yet? :¬)

 

[bigfatpaulie]

 
Heard the Prion 4 yet? :¬)

 
No, Sir.  At a premium of 80% more than the Silver Comp4, given the difference between a silver Comp 4 and stock cables I'm not that curious.  Diminishing returns is already working with titanic force I don't personally feel obliged to go to a Prion.  I would sooner spend more on other interconnects, tubes, power or (most of all) something like a microRendu or SOtM SMS-200.

 

[Yoga]

   
No, Sir.  At a premium of 80% more than the Silver Comp4, given the difference between a silver Comp 4 and stock cables I'm not that curious.  Diminishing returns is already working with titanic force I don't personally feel obliged to go to a Prion.  I would sooner spend more on other interconnects, tubes, power or (most of all) something like a microRendu or SOtM SMS-200.

Too much for me also. If I do go with DGC it'll be Comp/Spore 4 (can't remember which is better).

 

[bigfatpaulie]

 
Too much for me also. If I do go with DGC it'll be Comp/Spore 4 (can't remember which is better).

 
The Spore is more money because it has the crazy shielding on it.  I've only ever had the 'regular' Compliments (I also had the 2) without the Spore shielding.  With each new cable I spoke to Peter and I gave him the opportunity to talk me into it.  Both times he talked me out of it.
 
I live in a condo, downtown with a LOT of RF interference and my Comp4 never, ever has picked any of it up.  Peter felt that if I wasn't getting noise without the shielding, not to bother.  It's more money and makes the cable stiffer and heavier without any benefit (in my case).
 
I would like to add that I can't get along without something like a P3/P5/P10 because of the amount of noise in my AC lines and most interconnects I have pick up a myriad of interference so if I'm not a candidate for the Spore shielding, I can't imagine who would be...  Perhaps the background would be 0.0001% blacker....  Maybe.

 

[whirlwind]

I have been listening to the HD800 tonight.
 
I have not listened to it for nine weeks....first impressions after a nine week period....what a great headphone.

 

[Yoga]

   
The Spore is more money because it has the crazy shielding in to.  I've only ever had the 'regular' Compliments (I also had the 2) without the Spore shielding.  With each new cable I spoke to Peter and I gave him the opportunity to talk me into it.  Both times he talked me out of it.
 
I live in a condo, downtown with a LOT of RF interference and my Comp4 never, ever has picked any of it up.  Peter felt that if I wasn't getting noise without the sheiling, not to bother.  It's more money and makes the cable stiffer and heavier without any benefit (in my case).
 
I would like to add that I can't get along without something like a P3/P5/P10 because of the amount of noise in my AC lines and most interconnects I have pick up a myriad of interference so if I'm not a candidate for the Spore shielding, I can't imagine who would be...  Perhaps the background would be 0.0001% black....  Maybe.

Cheers buddy. May have saved me some cash there!