[smodtactical]

The Simaudio Moon Neo 430HAD and Burson Conductor Virtuoso (and V2+) do not even remotely bare any similarities. I have owned both of those amplifiers and the 430HAD is significantly more neutral and revealing than the Conductor Virtuoso which emphasizes the low end, lacks clarity, detail and bass control/precision. These two amplifiers cannot be considered in the same light and are not direct competitors based on price and performance. You certainly need to spend more time with both to understand how far superior the 430HAD is.

As for persons suggesting the Chord Mojo is better than the ESS 9018 in the HDV 820, it is important to separate the idea of "better" from a personal preference for sound that is colored and warm. The tuning of the ESS 9018 in the HDV 820 is perfectly neutral and it does an outstanding job of exciting all the modes of the HD 800 S driver and ear cup-- it convincingly recreates the spatial dimensions of height, width, and depth more than any amplifier+DAC I have heard with HD 800 S headphones. The Mojo is warm and colored and that's simply a sound people may prefer over the neutral, accurate, and sedate tuning of the HDV 820. However, personal preference shouldn't be confused with better in the technical sense.

The HDV 820 is a great option for anyone who wants to avoid the guesswork and hear the HD 800 S and HD 820 driven to what Axel Grell's entire team felt was their full potential. If you use other headphones, skip the HDV 820 because its purpose built for those two headphones and noting else. I also don't think a different outboard DAC is even worth considering with the HDV 820 because its hard to beat Sennheiser engineers at their own game. They delayed the HDV 820 for more than a year because they tested several different Burr-Brown and ESS DACs before hitting their target and bringing it to market.

Fair enough. As I side as I kept listening I started to hear the moon pull away in terms of detail and 3d layering. But I can't say the difference was monumental.

I suspect your right though that the more I listen and the more it burns in and warms up the better. I was listening to a brand new unit from a cold start for only 30 mins vs my burson which has thousands of hours on it.

 

[smodtactical]

I listened to the moon again today but this time for about 2 hours.

I was using a laptop playing 44.1 khz flacs. It definitely impressed me, I would say it's 5-7% better than the Burson conductor SL 9018 that I compared it to. But the feel of the music in the Improvement of the emotional connection to the music is perhaps more.

It's hard to describe. It's definitely slightly more transparent has a slightly bigger Sound Stage with a better sense of the space in which the sound was made. Better texture and realism to the sound as well.

Again hard to described but I really enjoyed it and at one point during a vivaldi violin concerto I was ALMOST moved to tears. Having said that the price is a lot for the perceived increase in performance so I am going to hold off for now most likely.

 

[iDesign]

I listened to the moon again today but this time for about 2 hours.

I was using a laptop playing 44.1 khz flacs. It definitely impressed me, I would say it's 5-7% better than the Burson conductor SL 9018 that I compared it to. But the feel of the music in the Improvement of the emotional connection to the music is perhaps more.

It's hard to describe. It's definitely slightly more transparent has a slightly bigger Sound Stage with a better sense of the space in which the sound was made. Better texture and realism to the sound as well.

Again hard to described but I really enjoyed it and at one point during a vivaldi violin concerto I was ALMOST moved to tears. Having said that the price is a lot for the perceived increase in performance so I am going to hold off for now most likely.

The HDV 820 in my experience is a better match with the HD 800 S headphones than the Simaudio Moon Neo 430HAD which I found to be fatiguing and sometimes clinical over long listening sessions. The HDV 820 is accurate yet more forgiving and more affordable. It is for this reason the HDV 820 replaced the 430HAD.

 

[smodtactical]

The HDV 820 in my experience is a better match with the HD 800 S headphones than the Simaudio Moon Neo 430HAD which I found to be fatiguing and sometimes clinical over long listening sessions. The HDV 820 is accurate yet more forgiving and more affordable. It is for this reason the HDV 820 replaced the 430HAD.

I really wish I could hear them. Why does sennheiser not having ontario dealers to let me audition it. ?

 

[-HaVoC-Tzu-]

I really wish I could hear them. Why does sennheiser not having ontario dealers to let me audition it. ?

I wasn’t able to listen to it in Dallas either, bought it based on the reviews here on this thread and don’t have any complaints. The imaging is insanely good.

 

[kazsud]

I spent an hour comparing the moon neo 430 had to my own burson conductor sl 9018 on the hd 800s. I was also comparing balanced to se since I wanted to see the best the neo could offer.

At first I was surprised how similar they were. But as I listened more I could hear the slightly better detail and 3d layering of the moon neo. I had to leave for an appointment but I was getting addicted to the neo sound for sure. I was given a deal too of 3400 usd before taxes if I bought it right there. A tempting proposition but I couldn't help but wonder what I was missing with dedicated dac like yggy 2.

I want to hear the hdv820 and yggy2 + Rag.

Get the dac-less version of the 430.

 

[smodtactical]

I wasn’t able to listen to it in Dallas either, bought it based on the reviews here on this thread and don’t have any complaints. The imaging is insanely good.

Havoc can you tell me some other amps or dacs your comparing it to so I can get a sense of how well it performs?

Get the dac-less version of the 430.

Ya I was thinking of amp only but the version with dac is only like $400 more at my local dealer, so I figure i could use it for a number of years and then add on yggy mk2 later.

 

[-HaVoC-Tzu-]

Havoc can you tell me some other amps or dacs your comparing it to so I can get a sense of how well it performs?



Ya I was thinking of amp only but the version with dac is only like $400 more at my local dealer, so I figure i could use it for a number of years and then add on yggy mk2 later.

I’ve been able to compare it with McIntosh MHA 150, Woo Audio WA8, and Moon (something that was a step down from the 430) and also some lower end stuff like HPA4BL

 

[iDesign]

Havoc can you tell me some other amps or dacs your comparing it to so I can get a sense of how well it performs?



Ya I was thinking of amp only but the version with dac is only like $400 more at my local dealer, so I figure i could use it for a number of years and then add on yggy mk2 later.

Having owned a black Yggdrasil Analog 2 with the Gen 5 USB upgrade, I felt the Yggdrasil‘s soundstage somewhat limited the HD 800 S. For the total cost of the Simaudio Moon 430HA and Yggdrasil, I don’t think it’s the best DAC + amp combination.

 

[PointyFox]

The Bottlehead Mainline (tube amp) is good with the HD800S, adds a little more warmth to the bass.

 

[zek4u]

If it were me, Violectric V280 or V281 with a used Chord 2qute. Cardas balanced headphone cable or something equally as a good. I used a Chord Company interconnect between the Violectric and Chord Dac. Other option is to go all balanced and get another bump in quality. Start with just HDV820 and later get a used Mirus or go Violectric and Mirus. Better Cable Blue Truth II for XLR balanced cables. Also Good deals out there lately on Chord Hugo TTs.

 

[smodtactical]

I’ve been able to compare it with McIntosh MHA 150, Woo Audio WA8, and Moon (something that was a step down from the 430) and also some lower end stuff like HPA4BL

Ah I see.

Well good news is my local music store

Having owned a black Yggdrasil Analog 2 with the Gen 5 USB upgrade, I felt the Yggdrasil‘s soundstage somewhat limited the HD 800 S. For the total cost of the Simaudio Moon 430HA and Yggdrasil, I don’t think it’s the best DAC + amp combination.

If the 820 is the better overall solution as you say, I can save a boatload of money with just the 820! Something like $2500 USD !

 

[iDesign]

If the 820 is the better overall solution as you say, I can save a boatload of money with just the 820! Something like $2500 USD !

That is exactly the point.

 

[arielext]

Audio GD stack R2R-1dac -> NFB-1amp is bliss and endgame for me for years to come. The dac/amp/headhpones is all I need.

 

[smodtactical]

Audio GD stack R2R-1dac -> NFB-1amp is bliss and endgame for me for years to come. The dac/amp/headhpones is all I need.

Any other setups your comparing that one to that you could mention?