[RCBinTN]

Hi All,
FWIW, this was the first thread that I read when I joined Head-Fi about 3.5 years ago.  I learned A LOT from reading it - super detailed and objective reviews, IMO.  I still come back here from time-to-time, especially when folks are bashing the Sennheiser HD800 as compared to new HP products.  Like today.  I own the HD800 and love them, probably because I've got a decent upstream rig to drive them.  I just like to read what David wrote so many years ago, about the HD800's, and which I still agree with to this day.  FWIW and YMMV.
 
Cheers,
RCBinTN

 

[McClelland]

  Still sticking with my HD800 and LCD-X for now.  They cover all music genres and do it well.
 
Upgrades to the current rig would be the HD800S and LCD-4.  I'm at the point of diminishing marginal returns.  
 
FWIW, friends.
RCB

Been sifting through this thread and agree with you after a month of having both the HD800 and the LCD-X and the Gumby/MJ2.  I feel like I am in that zone of marginal returns you mention elsewhere here and am enjoying the range of both those HPs.  I am delighted in particular by the physical feel of the HD800 and the more weightless space they create compared to the LCD-X.  Spending less time for now exploring, except for some possible tube rolling, and more listening and it's a treat.

 

[Mach3]

  Been sifting through this thread and agree with you after a month of having both the HD800 and the LCD-X and the Gumby/MJ2.  I feel like I am in that zone of marginal returns you mention elsewhere here and am enjoying the range of both those HPs.  I am delighted in particular by the physical feel of the HD800 and the more weightless space they create compared to the LCD-X.  Spending less time for now exploring, except for some possible tube rolling, and more listening and it's a treat.

 
Have you tried the HD800 with the Phonitors?

 

[McClelland]

   
Have you tried the HD800 with the Phonitors?

I haven't tried them with any other rig.  One thing i do want to add to the mix is the sonarworks reference 3 plugin.

 

[thomoz]

I took my Hifiman HE400S to the Canlanta headphone show a couple months back and now I wish the comparison included these new headphones which did not exist at the time of the 58 Model test.
 
I actually preferred the 400S to everything in the room, all the Sennheisers, the Audeze, everything.  The HE1000 has a better build quality and a similar sound but for 10x the price it SHOULD be bulletproof.  I still don't get the love for the Sennheiser 800. I heard a modded pair there that didn't have the stupid top-end sizzle.  Why do I hear unnatural boosted treble on fancy headphones that others don't? Shouldn't everyone hear it?  The Sennheiser 600, IMO not as good as my Hifimans, stomp the Sennheiser 800 "right out of the box".  I have heard all these models now with a plethora of amplification in somewhat controlled conditions and all at the same time on the same day with the same small handful of sample music.

 

[catspaw]

  I took my Hifiman HE400S to the Canlanta headphone show a couple months back and now I wish the comparison included these new headphones which did not exist at the time of the 58 Model test.
 
I actually preferred the 400S to everything in the room, all the Sennheisers, the Audeze, everything.  The HE1000 has a better build quality and a similar sound but for 10x the price it SHOULD be bulletproof.  I still don't get the love for the Sennheiser 800. I heard a modded pair there that didn't have the stupid top-end sizzle.  Why do I hear unnatural boosted treble on fancy headphones that others don't? Shouldn't everyone hear it?  The Sennheiser 600, IMO not as good as my Hifimans, stomp the Sennheiser 800 "right out of the box".  I have heard all these models now with a plethora of amplification in somewhat controlled conditions and all at the same time on the same day with the same small handful of sample music.

Its probably a taste issue.
I spent most of my time looking for an upgrade for my HE-400 and I eventually settled on LCD-2s.
I also own a Senn 600 and did not like the 800s.

 

[sbradley02]

Would be nice to see a new Battle. A lot has come out since.

 

[Rhamnetin]

  Would be nice to see a new Battle. A lot has come out since.

 
I'd be happy to continue David's work!  I'm ready to start collecting the funding for it.  

 

[kurb1980]

Probably the single most important thread ever created on this site.  I hope the next rendition will do this justice!

 

[RCBinTN]

David was a superb HP reviewer - great impressions and recos for DACs and amps.  Although a bit dated now, the reviews are still helpful for folks to understand the different HP types.
 
IMHO,
RCB

 

[Fastnbulbous]

Yeah an endeavor like that now would bankrupt most people, especially considering how the average price of flagships has probably tripled.

 

[RCBinTN]

  Been sifting through this thread and agree with you after a month of having both the HD800 and the LCD-X and the Gumby/MJ2.  I feel like I am in that zone of marginal returns you mention elsewhere here and am enjoying the range of both those HPs.  I am delighted in particular by the physical feel of the HD800 and the more weightless space they create compared to the LCD-X.  Spending less time for now exploring, except for some possible tube rolling, and more listening and it's a treat.

 
Thanks, pal.  I still agree with my earlier post, but now I've thrown the Ether Flow into the LCD-X / HD800 mix.  Still breaking in the Flow, and my impressions are posted on the Flow impressions thread, but net I think they will fall somewhere between the X and HD800.  IMO, that's a nice place for a headphone to be .  
 
They are not inexpensive.  The Flow are $1800.  Much better deals can be had on the LCD-X and HD800 - super low IMO for cans of their excellent quality.
 
FWIW and YMMV as always,
Enjoy your music,
RCBinTN

 

[McClelland]

 
They are not inexpensive.  The Flow are $1800.  Much better deals can be had on the LCD-X and HD800 - super low IMO for cans of their excellent quality.
 
FWIW and YMMV as always,
Enjoy your music,
RCBinTN

The Focal Elear's are the ones I am curious about, but trying not to complicate my life any further.  Good luck with that . . .

 

[Virtu Fortuna]

It would be great to see this amazing thread updated with latest additions to the market.
 
Altough this is my first post on this thread, I've read the review so many times over the years. What a great piece of work. 
 
Never gets old this one, just like some headphones in the review 

 
 
(HD650 lover)

 

[Atavax]

So I have UE's Reference Monitors and I love the detail, but I'm looking for suggestions for something similar but in full size headphone form. Preferably something that is easy to drive and easily replaced cables. Any recommendations?