HD8XX. What a tough cookie. I have one of these for sale and it has been a ride. You might have seen them, heard them or read about them. I did, too, but I actually bought one. So, here's the long story short - stock sound? Meh...no, actually, I strongly disliked it. Why? Because at around the same time I also got HD 800S, so I had the big guns to compare them to. I didn't give up, though.


TL;DR? I fixed them to the point where one can have real issues discerning them from HD800S, in my opinion, an actual shocking difference! So, while I am selling 8XX, I strongly encourage that only a person who can deploy EQ look into these. Ideally, with an option to define at least 13-band EQ, which is what I went with (Equalizer APO + Peace in my case), but you should be able to make yours with less/more bands, too.

Other than that, the condition is good. They carry only a few signs of use, and I would say it is mostly padding. They are okay and I believe nothing needs to be replaced, but this suede is such an annoying magnet for tiny pieces of debris. I have washed both earpads and the headband padding and vacuum them afterwards (vacuum cleaner is the best tool for removing that little dust or whatever it is).
They come with the original packaging and the stock 3m cable terminated with a 6.35mm jack. In case a buyer would be interested, I could offer a quality custom aftermarket cable, including being terminated with a 4.4mm jack or 4-pin XLR.
The box is not in the best condition, but it is fully functional (my kid was likely validating the box is quality enough for shipping...that kid has carnage in his blood...probably after his mother, the bane of my existence, which I love beyond grave).


And, for the rest of you, here's my short journey with them. First, I tried tape removal mode (I had three pieces of fabric tape around silver surround from inner side in each of the earcups). I removed them, cleaned it, but I have to say, I am not sure what changed. Something might, but without a proper A/B testing, I wouldn't be able to tell. I was expecting big changes, but those did not arrive to my ears. Here, I also reached the end of what physical differences 8XX and 800S had. I also tried using the new set of earpads from 800S, but neither that made any difference.

Then, I did what I should do in the first place, I dived into EQ. I spent many evenings listening, comparing, experimenting and after some two weeks of trying different approaches (it takes a while when you are trying to transform all frequencies in some way to make them sound as they should in the first place), I made it.

I ended up with two EQ presets, one before reaching the "EUREKA!" moment, which was at the right track, but it was more granular and I think I steered away from HD800S sound with them, but I kept it, because I think that while it is not that ultra-clear and ultra-wide as 800S, it has some magic to it. It is warmer, it is darker sounding - it feels like a concert with naked musicians in a dark room.

The holy grail EQ preset is the second one, I can't say anything, but that they sound almost identical to HD800S with this preset with a slight bass boost I use for my 800S as well, so I should say that it is HD800S-like sound with a tasty low-bass extension, which I believe is what 800S should have always sound like. I love it, headphones shine and do exactly what Sennheiser engineers achieved with 800-series. They used every possible physical and tuning trick to make headphones sound like as if one listens to speakers at a desk...but with headphones on their head.

I will provide both detailed EQ preset information to the buyer.