[Uncle Erik]

You really should run the HD-800 from a quality tube amp.
 
I've used mine with a Zana Deux and a Moth Si2A3; both excellent.  Keep an eye out for a used amp or consider building one.  That's the best way to save money on a quality amp.

 

[Edoardo]

What kind of music do you listen to?

 

[niranhopper]

Might i suggest the Matrix M-stage. It matches very well with the HD800. Also the HD800 needs some weeks of ear burnin for your ears to get adjusted to the sound. The bass on the HD800 is massive in size due to the huge soundstage but there is not much impact. When i got the HD800, i thought the Shure 940 and HD800 were quite similar. But it took me sometime to get used to the HD800 and now it simply is better in all aspects.

 

[Audio-Omega]

I use Apex Peak amplifier with HD800.  The combination is good for movie scores, it has excellent resolution and big soundstage.  Bass is there but it doesn't dominate so every instrument including vocal gets to your ears equally.  There is a thread about Apex Peak here.  You can try a variety of tubes to suit your taste.  
 
I don't find HD800 suitable for rock and it's bright for female vocals in pop music.  
 
The most important thing is the source, you would need a good one to begin with.  I find it very challenging to use headphones and amplifiers to "correct" a bad source.  

 

[khaos974]

In my opinion, you simply dislike the base tonality of the HD 800, you probably would have appreciated an LCD-2 more (or possibly an LCD-3 considering the MRSP of the HD800 these days). No amp is going to change the base tonality of a pair of headphones, however the HD 800 is technically very good, you could try altering the sound dignature to your taste via a good parametric EQ or try to mod the HD800 to your tastes.
 
Purrin had the same problems as you do, namely screeching trebles, here's how he solved them, and he even documented and measured the changes.
 
Quote:

By request. It is based on the JaZZ and arnaud mods. I am calling it the Anaxilus mod because he just sort of slapped on what materials we had lying around: Creatology adhesive foam sheets. At that time, I was using a less effective version of this mod with felt, but decided to switch to the Anax version because it was more effective at taming the treble.
 

The circular cut actually extends slightly past the metal ring into the mesh area. The dust guards are also removed to extend the treble out a little more.
 
EDIT: more pics by request.

 

 
It just so happens that a roll of teflon tape (from Home Depot) can be used to draw the circumference of the inner cutout on the foam.

 
 

---

Look Mommy! Real results confirmed by measurements, not voodoo.

 

This is what it actually does to the FR. The green line is stock. The yellow line is the Anax mod. We can look at this two ways. Either it brings everything below 2.5kHz up 2-3db, or shoves everything above 2.5kHz down 2-3db.
 
This mod is why I've avoided expensive cables for the HD800.

 
 

 

[trunk]

Thanks for the replys everyone.
I admit I'm very reluctant about getting a tube amp- seems like a lot of hassle and considering I've never listened to one, it seems risky.
With that said, currently I'm focusing on these amps:
* Violectric v200 (the top contender right now, but I can't find information about the quality of its optional DAC - anyone has any experience with it? Especialliy with the HD800 )
* Burson 160D / DS.
* WA2 - I will also need a DAC for this..
* RWA Corvina - Also needs a DAC.. And Isabellina HDP seems too expensive..
 
Decisions, decisions.. My wallet is already squirming.

 

[thecourier]

Personally i think the Woo and Burson are 2 great amps. I've been waiting for more impressions on the Ds (mike at headfonia wrote a review) 

 

[Jojomite]

i think the hd800 pairs best with tube amps. it has a fuller sound compared to solid state most of the time. about the burson, i haven't heard it with the hd800, but my general thoughts of it is that it is pretty weak in sound staging, to me, it sounds very congested. however it does add a little warmth and has great bass and prat, which may be just what u need for the hd800

 

[jackwess]

Quote:

i think the hd800 pairs best with tube amps. it has a fuller sound compared to solid state most of the time. about the burson, i haven't heard it with the hd800, but my general thoughts of it is that it is pretty weak in sound staging, to me, it sounds very congested. however it does add a little warmth and has great bass and prat, which may be just what u need for the hd800

Im not sure about this. When i had the HA-160 for a few days i think the soundstage is one of the burson's strong points. Was the unit you tried burn'd in? mine was over the 50+ hours, and it opens up really nice after the 100 hours mark (sounds like a different beast). I a gamer and used the HD800's for some Fps action, i was impressed. 

 

[129207]

If you don't like the HD800's sound from your current amp, sell it or return it. 

 
 You shouldn't need a $1.5K amp to make a $1.5K headphone sound to your liking. This way you're going to keep spending, trying to like something that's just not your thing. I mean, the Nuforce isn't a bad amp and it's sound isn't that different from other solid state amps. The differences between amps are highly exaggerated in my opinion. 

 

[jc9394]

I disagree, the HD800 sounds very different from Burson and beta22.  Even my wife can tell the difference, the beta has much more details than the Burson. 

 

[jackwess]

Quote:

I disagree, the HD800 sounds very different from Burson and beta22.  Even my wife can tell the difference, 

 
Yes, the Beta is brighter and more fatiguing to listen to. 
 
Imo the Burson is more fun sounding. Well thats according to my ears. 

 

[jc9394]

Quote:

 
Yes, the Beta is brighter and more fatiguing to listen to. 

Not at all, it is more detail and musical than the Burson.  It is only fatigue if your source does not pair well.  Burson is good but no where close to other highend SS amp.

 

[jackwess]

Quote:

Burson is good but no where close to other highend SS amp.

Care to make a list of the other amps? 
 
Probably i have demoed some of them.. 

 

[jc9394]

Quote:

Care to make a list of the other amps? 
 
Probably i have demoed some of them.. 

RSA Apache, Audio-GD Phoenix, and Headamp GS1...