[NPWS]

iDSD BlackLabel
https://audiophile-heaven.blogspot.ro/2017/05/ifi-idsd-bl-pinnacle-of-dac-and-amp.html

At least for me, it is one of the best !

I had the silver one, but sold it when I got mojo

Or...the micro-iCan SE if you just want an amp is a very nice amp for the $$$

I'm considering schiit jotunheim maybe it's a good choice. it has balance xlr too

 

[Topspin70]

While the XLR is attractive, you might like to audition the schiit gear and compare it with that from ifi. They have quite different sonic character IMO. I find ifi to be more full bodied and warmer generally, which is closer to my liking.

 

[Topspin70]

Hey look what I just discovered about my cable...hmmm.

Anyone else experienced this?

 

[NPWS]

While the XLR is attractive, you might like to audition the schiit gear and compare it with that from ifi. They have quite different sonic character IMO. I find ifi to be more full bodied and warmer generally, which is closer to my liking.

it's limited for me to audition schiit setup in my country, even the local audio store didn't have demo unit.
same as ifi, it's quite rare to see the demo unit of ifi setup, unless it second hand item sold by users.

 

[Topspin70]

it's limited for me to audition schiit setup in my country, even the local audio store didn't have demo unit.
same as ifi, it's quite rare to see the demo unit of ifi setup, unless it second hand item sold by users.

In that case you might have to rely on user reviews then. Have a look at those threads. We usually can get a pretty consistent opinion on the sonic characters of most gears. Whether you like those characters described would naturally depend on your personal taste.

 

[NPWS]

In that case you might have to rely on user reviews then. Have a look at those threads. We usually can get a pretty consistent opinion on the sonic characters of most gears. Whether you like those characters described would naturally depend on your personal taste.

yes, you're right. I like more natural sounding than warm or peaky treble

 

[endgame]

I'm sure this has been asked before, but has anyone A & B'd the sound of these with and without the dust covers? I feel like things sound better without them, but am afraid it's all placebo. If anyone else is as neurotic as me, please share your thoughts and findings

 

[Dobrescu George]

I'm sure this has been asked before, but has anyone A & B'd the sound of these with and without the dust covers? I feel like things sound better without them, but am afraid it's all placebo. If anyone else is as neurotic as me, please share your thoughts and findings

They migt impact the sound in some way, but I wouldn't lose sleep over it. They are there to protec the drivers, I would avoid using HD800S without those dust covers.

 

[Juliano5]

This is my first post but i've been following the head-fi forums for some times, maybe not on a daily basis. If i make some english mistakes, i hope you'll be comprehensive.

>Topspin70: I'm having the same issue with my sennheiser hd 800 (not the s version), and it's the second time for me as i had this problem with the original jack 6.5 connection cable and now with the CH 800 S XLR cable.
I don't understand since i really take care of pretty much everything i have, even the magazines i read look in mint condition. So i decided to send a form on the sennheiser website to the local customer service (in France for me) and i sent photos of my setup, they keep repeating me that they will get in touch with me again as far as they have a response from the R&D department, but now it's been more than i month i wrote the first e-mail.
My cable got worst in the last weeks since i often have muted sound on the right side (the damaged side of the cable).
I will let you know how it goes in the coming days or weeks but i'm not gonna order by myself a new CH 800 S cable wich is just 2 and half years old and wich is quite expensive.
My Akg K701 was my first high-end headphone, i have them for more than 10 years and not any issues yet with the cable...

 

[DavidA]

This is my first post but i've been following the head-fi forums for some times, maybe not on a daily basis. If i make some english mistakes, i hope you'll be comprehensive.

>Topspin70: I'm having the same issue with my sennheiser hd 800 (not the s version), and it's the second time for me as i had this problem with the original jack 6.5 connection cable and now with the CH 800 S XLR cable.
I don't understand since i really take care of pretty much everything i have, even the magazines i read look in mint condition. So i decided to send a form on the sennheiser website to the local customer service (in France for me) and i sent photos of my setup, they keep repeating me that they will get in touch with me again as far as they have a response from the R&D department, but now it's been more than i month i wrote the first e-mail.
My cable got worst in the last weeks since i often have muted sound on the right side (the damaged side of the cable).
I will let you know how it goes in the coming days or weeks but i'm not gonna order by myself a new CH 800 S cable wich is just 2 and half years old and wich is quite expensive.
My Akg K701 was my first high-end headphone, i have them for more than 10 years and not any issues yet with the cable...

I would suggest a cable from ebay or amazon, cheaper and you can get different lengths. If not there are a few good companies in Europe that make great cables but at price.

 

[Topspin70]

This is my first post but i've been following the head-fi forums for some times, maybe not on a daily basis. If i make some english mistakes, i hope you'll be comprehensive.

>Topspin70: I'm having the same issue with my sennheiser hd 800 (not the s version), and it's the second time for me as i had this problem with the original jack 6.5 connection cable and now with the CH 800 S XLR cable.
I don't understand since i really take care of pretty much everything i have, even the magazines i read look in mint condition. So i decided to send a form on the sennheiser website to the local customer service (in France for me) and i sent photos of my setup, they keep repeating me that they will get in touch with me again as far as they have a response from the R&D department, but now it's been more than i month i wrote the first e-mail.
My cable got worst in the last weeks since i often have muted sound on the right side (the damaged side of the cable).
I will let you know how it goes in the coming days or weeks but i'm not gonna order by myself a new CH 800 S cable wich is just 2 and half years old and wich is quite expensive.
My Akg K701 was my first high-end headphone, i have them for more than 10 years and not any issues yet with the cable...

@Juliano5 Sorry to hear that it happened to you too. The sound from my cable is still ok after I bound it back with electrical tape. But maybe only for now.

I also contacted Sennheiser here in Singapore and they asked me to bring it to them so they can determine whether the fault is considered wear and tear. If so, it won't be covered by warranty. It's only 1.5 years old, and I take great care of it so it can't be wear and tear, but I don't know how I can prove that to Sennheiser. (Like your AKG, I've had a Grado for very long time and the cable which has stiffened still doesn't split apart like this). Can't imagine the rubber insulation of any cable splitting apart like this no matter what age.

If I have to end up paying for the replacement, I doubt I'd buy another Sennheiser cable, which you say is quite expensive, and have this happen to me again in less than 2 years. I thought mine was an isolated case, but your experience says it's clearly not. I'll ask some of our friends here and see any recommendation for a 3rd party option.

 

[Topspin70]

I would suggest a cable from ebay or amazon, cheaper and you can get different lengths. If not there are a few good companies in Europe that make great cables but at price.

Any brands that you would recommend? I don't trust getting a generic one from eBay, so I guess I am willing (or forced) to pay a little more (around the price of an original Sennheiser cable which isn't cheap to begin with).

I previously came across Moon Dog Dragons, but I'm not sure such silver cables are too bright sounding. Perhaps you can share your experience? I prefer something close to the original, but not prone to damage. What about Cardas or other brands you may suggest?

 

[ubs28]

Hey look what I just discovered about my cable...hmmm.

Anyone else experienced this?

Happened to me with the regular HD 800. Sennheiser wil give you a new cable if it is still under warranty.

 

[Topspin70]

Happened to me with the regular HD 800. Sennheiser wil give you a new cable if it is still under warranty.

Where are you based? I hope Sennheiser here in Singapore has the same policy.

Did the new one last?

 

[Harmonium]

Hi folks. Newbie here. Tying myself in knots trying to choose a desktop solution for around $1,000-$2,000 for my HD800S. The immediate aim is to listen to music streamed through via Deezer from my iMac or iPad. I've been using a Mojo for a while, but I'm currently not getting any sound out of it and would prefer a proper desktop solution anyway. I'm based in France and the UK, and unfortunately it's going too be difficult or impossible to demo many of the items on my list, still less do A/B comparisons, so any pointers would be welcome. Space is at a premium on my desk, so a one-box solution appeals, but I'd consider two if the difference in sound quality justifies it. My current shortlist of candidates:
Ayre Codex
Questyle 600i
RME ADI-2 Pro
Lake People RS 06 + RS 08
Schiit combo (Asgard 2 + Gumby?)
Sennheiser HDV820 (bit pricey and currently not available, of course)

Which of these pair well with the HD800S? I'm looking for good sound and a hassle-free set-up. Any other suggestions welcome.