[AmanGeorge]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AgainstTheGrain /img/forum/go_quote.gif dbtw is it me or does the hd800 look pretty weird? i didn't see anymore mention this so maybe i'm in the minority here.

Haha I agree with you, I really don't like the look, though I haven't seen them in person (on my way to the CES now though, so who knows?). There's just a little too much going on - the look is too "techie" not "classy" enough IMHO.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bostonears /img/forum/go_quote.gif ...The big question, of course, is whether the HD800 is worth the $1399 price. Each Head-Fi person will have to decide that for him or herself. The current favorite headphone that I own is a lowly Denon AH-D2000 which was heavily modified with a variant of the “Markl mods”, as well as the Lawton Audio mahogany wood replacement cups and a DIY cable upgrade. I prefer it easily over the HD650. (That comparison, which I did in the leisure of my own home over a couple of weeks was no contest.) Given that I wasn’t able to compare the HD800 directly to my D2000, you can take my following comments with a grain of salt. I prefer the bass of my modded D2000 over that of the HD800. The open air design of the HD800 just can’t match the closed design of the Denons in the low end, particularly with the Markl mods keeping the D2000 bass well under control. The Lawton wood cups for the D2000 are somewhat larger than the stock cups, and they create a larger soundstage, but the HD800 soundstage was larger still. The HD800 wins there. I can’t really assess the midrange and treble, or many other sonic characteristics, of the HD800 vs. the modded D2000 without hearing them side by side. My Denon D2000 cost me about $550 including all the mods, and with the Lawton cups, they sound mighty sweet. I almost hate to say this because I really do like the HD800, but with the new Sennheiser priced at well over double what I paid for the modded D2000, I’m going to stick with the Denon. If, however, I were specifically looking to get new open phones, I would have to consider the HD800 as the front runner.

I regards to this part of you post, I too have Denon AH-D2000 which was heavily modified with a variant of the “Markl mods”, as well as the Lawton Audio mahogany wood replacement cups and an APS V2 cable upgrade, costing about $700. The only thing I haven't done is dampen the frame or put fiberloft in the cups (Dynamat is inside the wood cup, earpads are stuffed). And I have them terminated with a 4-pin XLR plug and adapter cables to listen balanced or single ended like my HD600.

I also prefer these over the HD600/HD650, mostly for the soundstage as well as deeper bass and better comfort. I like the extra bass of the D2000 but the HD600 bass is still enough for me too (although SE I prefer my Woo WA6 for the mids). Nevertheless, the D2000 get the most ear time of my Dynamic headphones. Since my SS balanced Single Power is on all the time and I don't always have time to warm up my Woo GES/Stax O2 to hear good sounding music, the D2000 became my "go to" cans.

So, when my HD800 get here I will try to let you know how they sound vs HD600 and modded D2000 (HD650 sold).

 

[lmilhan]

Hurrah! A voice of reason among the hype avalanche. Bravo!

Since my main phones are D2000s in my work rig, and Markl moded D5000s and AKG K-1000s for home rig, my interest over the HD800s has pretty much dropped to zero now after reading the first post in this thread.

Just out of morbid curiosity I will keep tabs on what the masses think of the HD800s once the hype has died down. It will be interesting to read about what varying people think once they get to live with them for a substantial amount of time, and try them out with various types of music, dacs and amps, etc.

 

[nor_spoon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lmilhan /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hurrah! A voice of reason among the hype avalanche. Bravo! Since my main phones are D2000s in my work rig, and Markl moded D5000s and AKG K-1000s for home rig, my interest over the HD800s has pretty much dropped to zero now after reading the first post in this thread. Just out of morbid curiosity I will keep tabs on what the masses think of the HD800s once the hype has died down. It will be interesting to read about what varying people think once they get to live with them for a substantial amount of time, and try them out with various types of music, dacs and amps, etc.

Lol, morbid curiosity. Seems to me that you are just as curious as everybody else.

 

[troymadison]

Uh oh, me thinks I wont like these

 

[tseryan]

Are these the most expensive non-electrostatic headphones (besides diamond studded or gold ones)?

 

[mudhole]

Even the price tag were $2400, $3400, there still would have a lot of Head-fi'ers who will get it.
There is no price rule in this crazy world.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

No, Edition 9 and Edition 8 are, except when discounted, and 8 aren't out yet.

 

[Bostonears]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif So, when my HD800 get here I will try to let you know how they sound vs HD600 and modded D2000 (HD650 sold).

Please do. I'll be quite interested in that comparison.

 

[Duggeh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tseryan /img/forum/go_quote.gif Are these the most expensive non-electrostatic headphones (besides diamond studded or gold ones)?

The TakeT H2 is $1600 at the current exchange rate without the transformer box.
Ultrasone Edition 9 was recently discontinued and was/is $1500
Ultrasone Edition 8 is going to be priced similarly.


The JVC Victor DX1000, Grado GS-1000 and Precide Ergo AMT are all about $1000

 

[Bostonears]

By the way, I forgot to mention this in my earlier posts, but the Sennheiser rep told me that distribution of the HD800 will only be through a limited selection of qualified dealers and likely no internet sales. Do not expect HD800s to be discounted the way other Sennheiser phones are. Maybe that will change eventually. Maybe not.

 

[Faust2D]

How is the transient response of HD800? Are they very detailed headphones or on par with HD650? I heard D2000 at the meet and had HD600 for a few years and they both have mediocre speed and transient response when compared to electrostatic and orthodynamic headphones. Does HD800 fix this issue?

 

[dfkt]

Reviewers (well, excited maniacs) said the transients are exceptionally fast. Probably due to the ring radiator driver, which has lower mass than an average dynamic driver.

 

[greggf]

How does "No internet sales" jibe with the fact that you can pre-order them today at Amazon, which is an internet-only business?

Just confused a bit............

 

[hawat]

I think headroom has them on preorder as well.