[davidsh]

QC must be it. There are sooo many contradicting opinions on the B&Ws.

 

[b0000]

  I have an S4i for casual out-around-town listening that I've had for years, and I've never bothered to get something better after my old Westone 3 was broken. They're not terrible, but they're certainly not worth the asking price.

 
I wouldn't have had too much of a problem with them, but unfortunately i can't take sibilance too well. It's also the sad reason why i had to return the he-400. As good as they are, that super treble was just painful.

 

[fightwithdogma]

   
I wouldn't have had too much of a problem with them, but unfortunately i can't take sibilance too well. It's also the sad reason why i had to return the he-400. As good as they are, that super treble was just painful.

 
To you, the HD800 has less painful treble than the HE 400 ? Interesting to hear, I was actually scared of trying the HD800 because of that.

 

[Kyle 491]

The HD800 treble is amongst the best of all headphones ever made. HE-400 treble is an unrefined mess in comparison. The only thing you should be scared of is turning up the HD800 too loud when you hear how clear and controlled they are. HE-400 will force you to dial down the volume control quite quickly.

 

[b0000]

   
To you, the HD800 has less painful treble than the HE 400 ? Interesting to hear, I was actually scared of trying the HD800 because of that.

 
The hd800's treble peak isn't in the sibilance region, while the he-400's peak is indeed a grand mess like kyle said. I got the he-400 so i can listen to popular music, which was a bad idea since most of them are horribly recorded.

 

[gradofan1]

The HD 800's are VERY sibilant if paired with the incorrect amp.
 
The worst IEM's I've ever heard (for the money, value wise) is the Ultimate Ears UE900. Way too sibilant, horrible midrange. What the heck happened after Jerry Harvey sold UE to logitech?? Or maybe I just got a defective pair. 

 

[davidsh]

The HD800 treble is amongst the best of all headphones ever made. HE-400 treble is an unrefined mess in comparison. The only thing you should be scared of is turning up the HD800 too loud when you hear how clear and controlled they are. HE-400 will force you to dial down the volume control quite quickly.

Well versed in the electrostat world? Some stats really have treble to die for..

 

[Kyle 491]

Stat treble is very silky. HD800 treble is special in its own way by virtue of its great air and resolution (just look at how low its measured distortion is in the upper treble. It wouldn't have such great imaging without the qualities its treble possesses.

 

[davidsh]

  Stat treble is very silky. HD800 treble is special in its own way by virtue of its great air and resolution (just look at how low its measured distortion is in the upper treble. It wouldn't have such great imaging without the qualities its treble possesses.

Yeah, the hd800 is a technical marvel and one of the few dynamics that I think can rival properly constructed 'stats in technicalities. It's kinda funny how the hd800 measurements are almost in a completely different league compared to pretty much any other dynamic headphone in production today.

 

[ssrock64]

The HD800 was truly a feat of engineering, and a big financial investment for Sennheiser. They set out to create the zenith of all dynamic headphones, and the succeeded. Even a few years into the HD800's production, there's no other dynamic-driver headphone that beats it for resolution or soundstage. It was radically different from other dynamic headphones for a reason.

 

[EtyFan]

I think the T1 is a better dynamic headphone than the HD800, it has smoother treble but they were plagued by quality control problems in the earlier models.

 

[AlfredAtPlay]

AD700,,,

 

[fightwithdogma]

  I think the T1 is a better dynamic headphone than the HD800, it has smoother treble but they were plagued by quality control problems in the earlier models.

What about AKG1000

 

[EtyFan]

Haven't tried the AKG K1000, though I wish I could have.

My favorite AKG is still the K501. Amazing headphone.

 

[62ohm]

  The HD800 was truly a feat of engineering, and a big financial investment for Sennheiser. They set out to create the zenith of all dynamic headphones, and the succeeded. Even a few years into the HD800's production, there's no other dynamic-driver headphone that beats it for resolution or soundstage. It was radically different from other dynamic headphones for a reason.

 
Exactly why I chose HD800 over the K812 and T1.