I agree. There is no doubt that amp can make a significant difference in sound, but some people make it sound like you have to spend $3000 to make HD800 even tolerable.   It's simply not true.

  $800?!?! I'd get a second one for that price :P   Impact and just plain ooomph? ....we are still talking about sound...right?   BHA does dynamics exceptionally well to my hear. For oomph, well, it definitely gave my HD800 far more of that too.

Interesting...I've found that with with every planar I've tried, you have to turn them up to really make the sound compelling.   ....which in my case, if you're at work, isn't always an option.

Very nice... 

Haha, after I was laying in bed, I thought to myself "It's probably the pre XLR out model vs the current updated.... Right on.

I would be scared to death to even try it.... and I have a huge head and have no issues (almost on max size, minus one click on each side). Not tight at all.

Very astute observation. Possibly James Tanner might clarify?

Very interesting... are you using single ended or balanced interconnects / headphone cable?

Oh worry not! I have such tools, the dust will stay off it! :) I thought of this long before I bought it... especially where it is an open design, want to be able to get dust off the board.

Actually, having thought about it some more, I reflected back to various experiences. The one pet peeve I have is when sound is seemingly coming from slightly behind you, often very much hard left or hard right. I find physically moving moving headphones forward, so your ears are further towards...

Soundstage / imaging varies so wildly from recording to recording. Granted yes with HD800, the space is larger than most, I found it mostly recording dependent (especially with things like classical). I think over time you get used to it, too.   You really develop a preference for certain...

 Acrylic, and really glad I did. The thing is captivating to look at, and is somehow very satisfying to my OCD. Everything is so nicely spaced and laid out; wouldn't be able to see that with the metal casing!   I did switch to a white LED from blue, and dimmed it a bit, perfect.

I just received my Polaris today, have 2 - 3 hours on it so far. It does a really good job with my HD800 especially considering how inexpensive it is; deeply impressive. Seeing as this is a work amp, it almost makes me want to get a second HD800 for work! I have some AKG K7xx on the way...

It is of course very interesting that many people end up 1) buying HD800 again after their sell their initial pair and 2) many hear no difference in the vast serial number range. If that's true why do they come back? There must be a part of the HD800 spell that doesn't wear off so easily. Having...

No rush at all! Take your time....and I agree, it would be a great track to compare gear I'm thinking, just because there's never too much going on, you'd have very clear sonic signposts. I will try it eventually.

First thing I did arriving home is try this with HD800, and yes, it does sound fantastic. Right from the outset, the harmonica is really satisfying. The mandolin has the detail required to let every string have it's moment (so important for that instrument, if its sound gets washed out it loses...

I'm not home to try it with them... But yeah I could see it. The nice sparkly detailed sound would play well with this I think

The air in the sound, pin point imaging, naturalness of sound without any artificial body added. Its a very pure experience. That said I like them for a bunch of other genres too.

Yeah... With HD800… You stand in awe of classical. The only reason you wouldn't get them is if ONLY liked them for that, and that's not your reason for being.

So...I carry the torch of HD800 proudly. That said, it pretty much never leaves the house, where it requires a pretty healthy set of gear to really make it impressive.    I have a work rig that currently is made up of a Fiio E17, which of course is inadequate for the sennheisers. I am...

Huh...I would definitely see an audiologist about that... the hear definitely hears higher frequencies as being louder, but it shouldn't hurt, unless the volume is way too loud.

Were they easy to change? I was under the impression HD800 pads were not replaceable.

+1

Balanced makes that big of a difference with LCD2 huh...interesting.

Queen is so nicely recorded, it's always a fantastic experience, regardless which headphones I use!   Fantastical.