[Audiofiend1]

Do let us know how it is.

Count on it! Currently using a Objective 2 ODAC +AMP so i am expecting great things. However i will conduct several A/B tests (probably hundreds lol) and be as neutral as possible.

 

[smodtactical]

Count on it! Currently using a Objective 2 ODAC +AMP so i am expecting great things. However i will conduct several A/B tests (probably hundreds lol) and be as neutral as possible.

Pretty huge upgrade. Think its going to be quite noticeable.

 

[Audiofiend1]

Pretty huge upgrade. Think its going to be quite noticeable.

Been using the 02 for over 4 years now, so i think i'm finally entitled to an upgrade. I know it's sound signature inside out with all my cans so when i say i'm really excited to finally own a setup considered to be quite near the top it's an understatement. I keep refreshing the same shipping details it can't come fast enough!

 

[sheldaze]

Hey guys so I made a list of all the recommendations thus far and its at the top post. Hopefully someone finds this useful to quickly see recommendations at a glance.

Like your consolidated list in the first post! If this is a vote count, I would add myself beside your Eddie Current recommendations (Black Widow, Zana Deux Super, Aficionado, and Balancing Act) and I would recommend to add both DNA Sonett 2 and DNA Stratus. I do not own the Stratus, but I have heard it and enjoyed it each of several times.

 

[B1ll]

Like your consolidated list in the first post! If this is a vote count, I would add myself beside your Eddie Current recommendations (Black Widow, Zana Deux Super, Aficionado, and Balancing Act) and I would recommend to add both DNA Sonett 2 and DNA Stratus. I do not own the Stratus, but I have heard it and enjoyed it each of several times.

Had the chance to demo these pretty extensively at AXPONA, they sound good but aren't as visceral and dynamic as the Eddie Current competition, and they're ugly.

 

[-HaVoC-Tzu-]

I also have the WA7 Fireflies latest version which are a good pairing with the 800S but I think I'd like to upgrade to the WA22 are possibly the Black Widow amp which has a balanced input if I sell the Fireflies.

Planning on upgrading from a Fostex HP-A4BL today.
800 S are my main headphones
Looking for a DAC and amp with great imaging and soundstage and holographic sound.
I noticed you have experience with both the WA7(2nd gen) and the HDV 820 on the 800S.

Is the HDV820 really worth it over the WA7?
Is there anything the WA7 does better than the HDV 820?
Should I consider using the 1st gen WA7 as an amp and pair it with a high end dac?

 

[Geezer Rock 001]

I am very pleased with the Ember from Garage 1217 driving my 800S. There are several affordable tubes that can tweak the sound signature to even better sound stage and bass. There are also two different tube adapters that you can get from Garage 1217 to delve into even more rolling opportunities.

 

[bluenight]

Got hd800s in november. Have been amping it with lake people rs 02 ss amp most of the time . Its not a to bad pairing i think but not the best either. Just a bit to thin in bass. And the last two weeks i have been using my old musical fidelity x-can v3 tube amp instead and the bass and sub bass is better so thats nice. But it dosent feel so clean and maybe a bit slow is the right word so bass isent everything. Think i still prefer lake people rs 02 with hd 800s because its cleaner and faster and have better soundstage imo. The dac i am using is chord mojo. Having mojo to drive hd 800s is the thinest but most clear maybe smallest sound stage though.

It would be nice to maximize hd 800s with better amp pairing though. After reading this thread hdv 820 seems interesting and also the eddie current zana deux s amp.

It would be nice with more input about the bass peformance of the hdv 820 with hd800s. Is it fullbodied enough compared to the best tube amp pairings?

Another way to go for me could be also getting the much praised focal clear and just run it with mojo or hugo 2 or future upcoming dacs. Seems easier to get it right.

I wonder which system is best
hd 800s-hdv 820
or hd800s-eddie current zana deus x
Vs
Focal clear-hugo 2

 

[bluenight]

The HDV 820 is outstanding with the HD 800 and HD 800 S headphones. It is significantly improved from the HDVA 600 and HDVD 800 and it is the best I have heard in terms of detail, tonal balance, and spacial awareness. Having a lot of experience with the Chord DAVE and Schiit Yggdrasil+Eddy Curent amplifiers, I still feel the HDV 820 is the best solution for the HD 800 and HD 800 S.

Yeah maybe this answered some of my questions too bad more people havent heard it with hdv 820 to share there input.

 

[-HaVoC-Tzu-]

Yeah maybe this answered some of my questions too bad more people havent heard it with hdv 820 to share there input.

I’ve got a HDV 820 coming in the mail this week. I don’t have any other high end stuff to compare it to other than The McIntosh MHA150.My current amp is a Fostex HPA4BL, so I can compare that as well.

 

[bluenight]

I’ve got a HDV 820 coming in the mail this week. I don’t have any other high end stuff to compare it to other than The McIntosh MHA150.My current amp is a Fostex HPA4BL, so I can compare that as well.

Nice i hope it will rock. Are you happy with those amps with hd800s?

 

[-HaVoC-Tzu-]

Nice i hope it will rock. Are you happy with those amps with hd800s?

The HPA4BL sounds good but I know it is not unlocking the full potential of the headphones (slightly veiled).
The MHA150 is very good and you feel immersed in the music, but I don’t really know if it was $4500 good. Anxious to see if the HDV 820 can do anything the McIntosh could not.

 

[kazsud]

Can't wait to find out!

 

[iDesign]

Yeah maybe this answered some of my questions too bad more people havent heard it with hdv 820 to share there input.

To further illustrate the point, I sold my black Schiit Yggdrasil Analog 2 + Eddie Current Black Widow 2 after purchasing the HDV 820. The HDV 820 was better with HD 800 S headphones because of its tonal balance and ability to convincingly reconstruct the spatial senses of height, width and depth of sound. Sennheiser's Axel Grell and his team worked very hard to develop the HDV 820 to achieve what they believed was technically the very best sound the HD 800 S and HD 820 headphones could produce. Certainly other headphone amplifiers and DACs can produce good results but the HDV 820 produces the desired result. The HDV 820 is leaps and bounds better than the HDVD 800 predecessor.

 

[smodtactical]

To further illustrate the point, I sold my black Schiit Yggdrasil Analog 2 + Eddie Current Black Widow 2 after purchasing the HDV 820. The HDV 820 was better with HD 800 S headphones because of its tonal balance and ability to convincingly reconstruct the spatial senses of height, width and depth of sound. Sennheiser's Axel Grell and his team worked very hard to develop the HDV 820 to achieve what they believed was technically the very best sound the HD 800 S and HD 820 headphones could produce. Certainly other headphone amplifiers and DACs can produce good results but the HDV 820 produces the desired result. The HDV 820 is leaps and bounds better than the HDVD 800 predecessor.

iDesign what do you think of What Hi Fi's comments

"While the likes of Chord’s Hugo 2 and Benchmark’s DAC3 HGC go further when it comes to dynamic subtlety and transparency, this unit remains an enjoyable listen."

https://www.whathifi.com/sennheiser/hdv-820/review