[ColtMrFire]

Yes indeed.  Thanks!  My musical enjoyment has gone up ten fold since I got them.  Running from a great chain, the HD800 is hard to beat.  And I've even heard the Utopia.

 

[biosailor]

   
I have the HD800 and T90 side by side.  The 800 has better quality bass that hits harder and goes deeper (yes, it goes deeper and harder, I have compared them), and there is more texture to it.  The T90 has MORE bass and very good bass, but it sounds bloated in comparison to me and not as well controlled.  That was my response to "the T90 is way better in the bass department!".  It's simply not true if you're talking pure technical ability and resolution.  One may enjoy the bass of the T90 more, but that's an entirely different thing.  The HD800 is not "bass light", it is simply not excessive.  It is very balanced with the entire frequency range.  
 
I see in your sig you have the HD800.  Do you have the T90 to compare it?

Yes, of course, I have both on my desk. If you tell me what exactly to concentrate on, I'll do that, I'm willing to learn!
 
Here's a screenshot of Tyll Hertsens's paper on EQing the HD800. What I see is that the bass region around 40-80 Hz is boosted by about 8 dB! The 6 kHz spike that is undoubtedly there, is decreased by about 6 dB. Have a look yourself at http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/sennheiser-hd-800-s-tweaked-and-delightfuland-french-diy-response#4ccyCZEa3d3sXvQi.97
 
Also, the HD800 has been critisised exactly in combination with the GSX-Mk 2 to be too bright http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/lightning-quick-headamp-gs-x-mk2-headphone-amplifier-page-2#vfbEtXhWjYGcG4Ik.97¨
 
All I'm saying, the HD800 is not without doubt. It might be much better than the T90, perhaps. I have a strongly modified T90, and this one does sound brilliant to me. Nevertheless, MANY in the audio community, including so many chats on here on Head-Fi, mention 'bass shy' in conjunction with HD800.
 
Maybe we should just all move to the HD800 discussion group 

?
 

 

[ColtMrFire]

The HD800 is a window into your chain.  They show you exactly what is going on upstream.  They can sound shrill/bright/sterile if that is the quality of your chain.  Or they can sound smooth/warm/euphonic if that is what your chain is.  They are extremely chain picky.  
 
I use mine with an upgraded balanced cable and Jotunheim (extremely transparent amp), Modi multibit (very analog, smooth DAC).  It is the best sound I've ever heard by a very wide margin.  Not bright at all with plenty of bass.  Extreme depth and soundstage width, so much detail it can be overwhelming (even more than the T90) and realism galore.  It is not comparable to any headphone I've heard (and I've heard quite a few).
 
GSX MK2 is also another transparent amp that takes on the quality of whatever DAC is feeding it.  If you hear bright, change the DAC.  It is not really the fault of the amp or the HD800.

 

[Arniesb]

I remember reading Tyll's review of GSX MK2 and he said that this amp is not a good pairing for HD800, lots of opinions about it being to aggressive...

 

[-Darkstar-]

Well, I can definitely say that my TH900's are better in the bass department than my T90's, which aren't bad either. 

 

[ColtMrFire]

Alot of people like the HD800/GSX combo.  Alot of people don't.  Just like any other amp/headphone pairing.  It's really not that unusual.  GSX is also heavily DAC dependent.  Combine that with the HD800 being heavily chain dependent and you're going to get wildly different opinions.  Some people think the GSX is the best amp they ever heard for the HD800.  Some people don't like the pairing at all.

 

[ColtMrFire]

I just put my upgraded T90 up for sale if anyone is interested in getting one with a much better cable.  Relatively cheap @$200.
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/827793/beyerdynamic-t90-with-nucleotide-upgrade-cable

 

[retskrad]

With all due respect, the moment you alluded to the fact that your upgraded cable changed the sound of the HD800's made me realize your impressions are purely placebo and should be taken with a massive grain of salt. Don't you think Sennheiser themselves would use a "high quality" cable for such an expensive headphone if it made any perceivable difference at all? 
 
Also, you mentioned that the DAC is "smooth". What does that even mean? Science tells us that DAC has nothing to do with "smoothness" of the signal. Cheap DAC's like the $99 ones and in phones today are basically very, very close to being transparent. This is not my subjective opinion, it's objective data that's telling us.
 
 
Quote:

  The HD800 is a window into your chain.  They show you exactly what is going on upstream.  They can sound shrill/bright/sterile if that is the quality of your chain.  Or they can sound smooth/warm/euphonic if that is what your chain is.  They are extremely chain picky.  
 
I use mine with an upgraded balanced cable and Jotunheim (extremely transparent amp), Modi multibit (very analog, smooth DAC).  It is the best sound I've ever heard by a very wide margin.  Not bright at all with plenty of bass.  Extreme depth and soundstage width, so much detail it can be overwhelming (even more than the T90) and realism galore.  It is not comparable to any headphone I've heard (and I've heard quite a few).
 
GSX MK2 is also another transparent amp that takes on the quality of whatever DAC is feeding it.  If you hear bright, change the DAC.  It is not really the fault of the amp or the HD800.

 

[adydula]

Guys this is a Beyer T90 Discussion and Support Thread, not my new headphones are better than my old T90s'....I am happy for anyone that moves on from T90's to other cans....enjoy!! Its your money, but lets stay on topic...the T90.
 
Over and Out...
A.

 

[biosailor]

  Guys this is a Beyer T90 Discussion and Support Thread, not my new headphones are better than my old T90s'....I am happy for anyone that moves on from T90's to other cans....enjoy!! Its your money, but lets stay on topic...the T90.
 
Over and Out...
A.

Well spoken! Let's leave the HD800 behind us!

 

[operafan]

Hi everybody,

I just got the T90 black/chrome today (only 280 on beach camera) and have been listening/comparing with my Q701 nonstop. I'm hearing the sibilance in the treble and it's painful. I love everything else about the sound though, details, very present bass, decent (although echo-y) soundstage.

Does anybody have a recommendation for a specific amp to just cut the treble sibilance?
(Currently running off SABRE 9018 DAC and SABRE 9602 Headphone amp)

Please and thank you. Desperately want to love these headphones for the ability resolve so much detail while also having full bodied bass. (Listen primarily to classical)

 

[Me x3]

Hi everybody,

I just got the T90 black/chrome today (only 280 on beach camera) and have been listening/comparing with my Q701 nonstop. I'm hearing the sibilance in the treble and it's painful. I love everything else about the sound though, details, very present bass, decent (although echo-y) soundstage.

Does anybody have a recommendation for a specific amp to just cut the treble sibilance?
(Currently running off SABRE 9018 DAC and SABRE 9602 Headphone amp)

Please and thank you. Desperately want to love these headphones for the ability resolve so much detail while also having full bodied bass. (Listen primarily to classical)

You can try -6dB @ 8500Hz with a Q = 4 on a parametric equalizer
No amp will do that for you.
 
Sabres are know for being on the analytical side, maybe moving to PCM or AKM might help.
Same would apply to using a class A amp like the Asgard 2 or maybe a Violectric V100/200 or M-Stage HPA-2 typically known as slightly warm SS amplifiers.
Vali 2 might be able to help, same for BH Crack at a higher price tag.

 

[ColtMrFire]

Yes. Everybody's opinion should be taken with salt. Including yours.

 

[biosailor]

 
You can try -6dB @ 8500Hz with a Q = 4 on a parametric equalizer
No amp will do that for you.
 
Sabres are know for being on the analytical side, maybe moving to PCM or AKM might help.
Same would apply to using a class A amp like the Asgard 2 or maybe a Violectric V100/200 or M-Stage HPA-2 typically known as slightly warm SS amplifiers.
Vali 2 might be able to help, same for BH Crack at a higher price tag.

Without modding, equalisation is perhaps the only way to tame the T90's highs. Just as mentioned, try to combine the T90 with a tube amp. I had mine going quite well together with the Woo WA6-SE amp. Also a smooth multibit R2R DAC helps.
BUT: One doesn't want to buy a headphone and invest into expensive, additional components of the audio chain. Maybe try to have your T90s modded. I had mine modded very recently at Forza Audio and they came back nicely tamed. They're now quite smooth. And the extra cost wasn't that high. There are many commercial suppliers around, and some had been mentioned in this thread. If you go through the forum, you'll find a few.

 

[ColtMrFire]

  Without modding, equalisation is perhaps the only way to tame the T90's highs. Just as mentioned, try to combine the T90 with a tube amp. I had mine going quite well together with the Woo WA6-SE amp. Also a smooth multibit R2R DAC helps.
BUT: One doesn't want to buy a headphone and invest into expensive, additional components of the audio chain. Maybe try to have your T90s modded. I had mine modded very recently at Forza Audio and they came back nicely tamed. They're now quite smooth. And the extra cost wasn't that high. There are many commercial suppliers around, and some had been mentioned in this thread. If you go through the forum, you'll find a few.

 
For what it's worth, after I had my T90 recabled by @PETEREK, harshness became virtually nonexistent.  It was much easier to listen.  I don't know if that's because of the higher quality cable he used, or the fact that it was balanced, or both.  I imagine the better quality cable helped.