[Frihed89]

Since all of us are filthy rich and given what IPodPJ has said about the Sonnet, then i think we should pressure Donald to develop an Audio-Note-like Ultra HiB output transformers. I am not sure what this would cost due to my unfamiliarity with this tube, but $1500-$6000 would be my guess, depending on whether you were using copper-copper, copper-silver, all silver or silver + 50 0r 55% nickle.

I am only half kidding. There doesn't seem to be much else you could do to/with this amp. There are 6 electrolytic caps that could possibly be upgraded (2 of which already look suspiciously like Black Gates), but the values are hard to see and none of them are 100% in the signal path. What else: The filter cap? The wire?

I mean how much fun can a $1000 amp be, if you can't turn it into a $8,000 amp? (Or a $2000 amp if you could DIY it all)?

 

[IPodPJ]

No, the only thing I'd like to see on the Sonett are more inputs and outputs. We could try different tubes as well and see if it improves anything. That would add a bit to the amp. But other than that it is fine the way it is. A product doesn't automatically have to cost several thousands to be very good at what it does, so there's an added benefit for you.

 

[johnwmclean]

Quote:

Originally Posted by IPodPJ /img/forum/go_quote.gif That's okay if you don't find the information useful. I know which amps sounded good with them to my ears and those are the amps I will consider purchasing. What I think would be downright silly is that if you purchased an amp for them based on zero impressions or without hearing the amp for yourself. I'd be pretty disappointed if I purchased an expensive amp only to find out later that they sounded better with something else that cost the same or less.

True, better to have impressions than not to, and you have some good valid arguments - anyway I’ve given in - I just bought a pair of HD800’s, all based on all those impressions that mean diddey squat.

LOL

 

[XXII]

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnwmclean /img/forum/go_quote.gif True, better to have impressions than not to, and you have some good valid arguments - anyway I’ve given in - I just bought a pair of HD800’s, all based on all those impressions that mean diddey squat. LOL

Is the HD800 released in Australia already?

 

[johnwmclean]

Quote:

Originally Posted by XXII /img/forum/go_quote.gif Is the HD800 released in Australia already?

No not yet, this pair was bought from a head-fier in the US.

 

[bandit1]

Hi

Does anyone have any impressions of the HD 800 with the Woo WA2.

Would one say that the WA2 is:

1) inadequate to show off the true qualities of the HD 800;
2) adequate to drive the HD 800, but could be substantially bettered;
3) a good match that will require a significant upgrade to substantially improve on the sound quality of the HD 800 ?

Any considered responses will be appreciated.

Regards

 

[greggf]

impressions = good

no impressions = why not go to a gardening forum instead? or take up another hobby in general??

 

[johnwmclean]

bad impressions = bad purchase

bad purchase = going to a gardening forum instead? or take up another hobby in general??

 

[king.mark]

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnwmclean /img/forum/go_quote.gif True, better to have impressions than not to, and you have some good valid arguments - anyway I’ve given in - I just bought a pair of HD800’s, all based on all those impressions that mean diddey squat. LOL

Congrats, that's a choice you'll never regret, hope you get them soon.
I'm still making my self crazy thinking about how they might sound like on a real sweet setup like yours.

 

[JaZZ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by IPodPJ /img/forum/go_quote.gif ...And with regard to the headphones not being fully burned in, I just don't buy it and neither do many vendors in the industry that I have spoken to about this. Headphones don't go from mediocre to greatness with burn-in. Yes, they can exhibit some change when the drivers loosen up but they don't turn into a completely different headphone. If you don't like the headphone before burn-in, you won't like it after burn-in. Anyone that says otherwise is suffering from the effects of placebo by way of mass opinion.

Well, that's just an opinion, too. My experience is the opposite. The headphone may not drastically change its characteristic, but enough to (completely!) change my mind about it and its synergy with a specific system. Also, the characteristics of a source component can be just as important when it comes to synergy, that's where you just don't seem as sensitive as myself or others. Therefore my caveat.
.

 

[johnwmclean]

Quote:

Originally Posted by king.mark /img/forum/go_quote.gif Congrats, that's a choice you'll never regret, hope you get them soon. I'm still making my self crazy thinking about how they might sound like on a real sweet setup like yours.

Thanks Mark, I’ll be sure to give you some impressions

 

[recstar24]

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnwmclean /img/forum/go_quote.gif bad impressions = bad purchase bad purchase = going to a gardening forum instead? or take up another hobby in general??

awesome.

 

[jpelg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by krmathis /img/forum/go_quote.gif Several people seems to love the ALO Amphora / HD800 combo, and hence I suspect the RWA Isabella would be a nice match as well (since they use the same amplifier board).

I don't find these two to sound much (if anything) alike. The Isabella, with the tubed preamp stage, is far more colored.

I'm still wanting to hear the HD800's themselves though. I have to wonder what amp the Sennheiser engineers used to design them in the first place. My guess is they used taps off of a high-quality speaker amp setup. That'd be where I would start too. Give those baby's some clean power.

 

[seacard]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpelg /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't find these two to sound much (if anything) alike. The Isabella, with the tubed preamp stage, is far more colored. I'm still wanting to hear the HD800's themselves though. I have to wonder what amp the Sennheiser engineers used to design them in the first place. My guess is they used taps off of a high-quality speaker amp setup. That'd be where I would start too. Give those baby's some clean power.

I could be wrong, but I always thought that Sennheiser used the Lehmann Black Cube. Maybe they just use the Lehmann to show the headphone, but I assume they also use it for testing.

 

[mrarroyo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by seacard /img/forum/go_quote.gif I could be wrong, but I always thought that Sennheiser used the Lehmann Black Cube. Maybe they just use the Lehmann to show the headphone, but I assume they also use it for testing.

Sennheiser has also used the Graham Slee Solo to show off their heaphones.