[Chris_Himself]

There are so many things that seem to work against the HD800. Do they really need a super DAC and a mega expensive amplifier? And are they really so bad with every musical genre other than jazz, acoustic and classical? They don't sound like headphones for your average music enthusiast. They sound more like headphones for people who attend dinner parties and go to see symphony orchestras.

 
I've heard them through an HRT MSII+ and Bottlehead, as well as the same setup through a Burson Soloist that was amazing. The Soloist is a great all around amp but I've honestly been happy with the HD800's with much less. Sure there is a plethora of "better" options out there but the fact that the HD800 still stood head and shoulders over my entire "mid-fi" collection still makes it a solid setup IMO.
 
The cheapest amp I've been pleased with is the NFB 12 by AGD which doesn't exist anymore, replaced by the NFB 15.32, followed by the Matrix M-Stage, and Gilmore Lite. The best amp I've heard with 800's are WA5 and DNA Stratus, both in the same room, same headphone.
 
It scales AMAZINGLY well compared to the orthos, save for the HE-6 (which doesn't require a headphone amp, more like a speaker amp) with just about anything, so I completely understand that there is a lot of potential untapped if you don't want to spend the big money, but I am of the opinion, whilst probably the unpopular one, that it does not take mythical budgets to make them sound "good".

 

[Dubstep Girl]

dat stratus

 

[MickeyVee]

x2 - Agreed! Once you have the HD800, you can stop looking for headphones unles you want a complementaty pair (or two or three or four...). The rest of your budget/sanity will go towards a source and amp that would meet you budget. Seems like the sky is the limit.
Anyone going after the new Woo WA-234 monoblocks and the MSB Diamod DAC IV?

It scales AMAZINGLY well compared to the orthos, save for the HE-6 (which doesn't require a headphone amp, more like a speaker amp) with just about anything, so I completely understand that there is a lot of potential untapped if you don't want to spend the big money, but I am of the opinion, whilst probably the unpopular one, that it does not take mythical budgets to make them sound "good".

 

[Chris_Himself]

  dat stratus

 
With a factory upgraded 5, it goes neck and neck. It's down to whether I want a big blue box, or a black one.
 
I don't care what goes into which, they both sound equally amazing and it's silly to argue between them.
 
I don't like tube because I can't stack papers on top or anything. I have a small room.

 

[DefQon]

Anyone going after the new Woo WA-234 monoblocks and the MSB Diamod DAC IV?

The WA-234 is a speaker amp with headphone out. A lesser expensive headphone amp will sound better than it.

 

[Leliana]

Thanks guys, and gal

 
You have convinced me to get the HD800 next month!!
 
Anyway I showed my friend my LCD2 for the first time today. He doesn't own any headphones and does all of his music listening out of his old car radio/set up. The set up he has is just the default on in his 1993 car. Well he wouldn't let go of them for an hour worth of listening, he kept begging for more and more. Direct quotes "holy s### I can hear all the instruments at once" "the sound is so wide" "I never knew music was so clear and detailed" "I can actually hear the bass guitar, its a miracle" Got through Luminol by Steve Wilson, Money by Pink Floyd, Salt in the Wound by Pendulum, We are by Karnivool, Too Rolling Stoned by Robin Trower plus others. You should have seen his face when he heard the first track on the Ultrasone binaural testing CD" Safe to say we might have a convert here

 
He has some cash to burn and was hounding me to advise him. I've steered him toward the Mad Dog and a good powerful starter amp like the NFB 15.32. Lets see where this goes and what he decided to buy.

 

[DefQon]

Rather than relying on other peoples words and $1.5k is serious money to burn. Head down to Kew Addicted to Audio and George will help you set things up for an audition. 

 

[Leliana]

  Rather than relying on other peoples words and $1.5k is serious money to burn. Head down to Kew Addicted to Audio and George will help you set things up for an audition. 

Oh, I've given the wrong impression. I'm just wondering about the actual matching of my amps (soloist WA7) with the HD800.
 
I've already heard the HD800 off a WA2, just not on any amp I own. I was very impressed at the time with them. I like the HD800 a lot so far from what I've been hearing of them. I'll see if I can try the HD800 of my WA7 in the near future.
 
Haha, I would never buy 1000+ dollar piece of technology without research.

 

[Dubstep Girl]

HD 800 + WA2!

 

[Leliana]

Boy oh boy I think this has turned into a HD800 thread all of a sudden

 
I'd love to try some vegan pads/headband on the LCD2, the top of my head is starting to get irritated by the headband after the 2/3 hour of my listening sessions.
 
Quote:

  HD 800 + WA2!

Can't afford to add an amp in addition to the HD800.
 
We'll see how it sounds on my current amps first. Really don't want to get into tube rolling

 

 

[Dubstep Girl]

tube rolling is really fun, but quickly can get expensive

 

[Chris_Himself]

  Can't afford to add an amp in addition to the HD800.
 
We'll see how it sounds on my current amps first. Really don't want to get into tube rolling

 

 
My neighbor has a 6, it sounds great with my 800's. You'll be more than fine.
 
As for it becoming an 800 thread.. you'll find that a lot of people like BOTH of 'em anyway. I can't decide between the two and enough time has passed since the time I bought the LCD-2's that I don't feel guilty owning the 800's side by side.
 
Just to balance the forum out though we have to go into the HD800 thread and make it rain LCD-2 chat LOOL

 

[DefQon]

  Oh, I've given the wrong impression. I'm just wondering about the actual matching of my amps (soloist WA7) with the HD800.
 
I've already heard the HD800 off a WA2, just not on any amp I own. I was very impressed at the time with them. I like the HD800 a lot so far from what I've been hearing of them. I'll see if I can try the HD800 of my WA7 in the near future.
 
Haha, I would never buy 1000+ dollar piece of technology without research.

 
You'd be more impressed when you hear other amp's with the HD800's. Try out the Stratus next time you're at A2A, they have all the Woo lineup there as well as others. 

 

[MickeyVee]

The HD800 out of the WA7 is really nice. Not an end game but I really like it. Great bass and treble extension with no real peaks. Would like some more midrange lushness. Would love to hear the WA-2 some day. Looking at getting the LCD-2 myself to compliment the WA7/HD800 setup.
I gather that you're pretty happy with your LCD-2 and the WA7.

I've already heard the HD800 off a WA2, just not on any amp I own. I was very impressed at the time with them. I like the HD800 a lot so far from what I've been hearing of them. I'll see if I can try the HD800 of my WA7 in the near future.

Haha, I would never buy 1000+ dollar piece of technology without research.

 

[jsgraha]

I really like soloist with hd800. But source play significant factor IMO. I listen with soloist and a few other dacs, and some were really good but others were really terrible.