[freeryder05]

This is not a matter of "I like it" and "you don't" - what an oversimplification! You are experienced and you should be alarmed; what you heard or what you wrote has very little to do with the sound of the NDH 30. It is not for me to find out why.

Also, how "wrong" it is to expect Neumann/Sennheiser to spoil its reputation offering the pro-world a "broken" expensive reference for mixing/mastering! Which was subsequently extremely well received and adapted for its tremendously consistent results with expensive monitors.

I'm not sure what review you read, but it seemed very detailed about the sound. What did you think was missing?

 

[headstef]

The one that "Listener" links at the start of his post (#122). I didn't say it wasn't detailed, I did say it is very well written. But unfortunately irrelevant with the acctual product sound quality, ending with very misleading conclusions. Fundamentally mistaken for unknown reasons.

 

[freeryder05]

The one that "Listener" links at the start of his post (#122). I didn't say it wasn't detailed, I did say it is very well written. But unfortunately irrelevant with the acctual product sound quality, ending with very misleading conclusions. Fundamentally mistaken for unknown reasons.

It just sounds like you don’t like their opinion so you call it “mistaken”

 

[headstef]

It just sounds like you don’t like their opinion so you call it “mistaken”

(What do you mean "their opinion"? It is his own review and opinion.)
"Opinions" are not opinions anymore when they are so much away from reality. If I wrote a review stating for example that the HD-800S is lacking resolution and detail, could that mistake be considered just another opinion to like or dislike? A technical forum is not about opinions (only). Claims must be provable by any subsequent tests.
In our case, any test of the NDH 30 side by side with the exquisite HD-650 (mentioned in the review) readily demonstrates a significant superiority of the NDH 30 in every way. Not the opposite. Furthermore, comparisons of the NDH 30 start to make sense with more advanced headphones.

 

[freeryder05]

(What do you mean "their opinion"? It is his own review and opinion.)
"Opinions" are not opinions anymore when they are so much away from reality. If I wrote a review stating for example that the HD-800S is lacking resolution and detail, could that mistake be considered just another opinion to like or dislike? A technical forum is not about opinions (only). Claims must be provable by any subsequent tests.
In our case, any test of the NDH 30 side by side with the exquisite HD-650 (mentioned in the review) readily demonstrates a significant superiority of the NDH 30 in every way. Not the opposite. Furthermore, comparisons of the NDH 30 start to make sense with more advanced gear.

I was using a gender neutral pro noun as I don't like to assume.

Opinions are not opinions when they are away from reality? Who's reality?

Claims must be provable by any subsequent tests.

The claims were all backed up with the only evidence a headphone reviewer can provide which is anecdotal experience. We can bolster those arguments with FR graphs, but if an FR graph is the be all end all you can get and Koss KSC75 and just quit the hobby. If we had found meaningful ways to measure technical ability, we would surely have much less to argue about.

In our case, any test of the NDH 30 side by side with the exquisite HD-650 (mentioned in the review) readily demonstrates a significant superiority of the NDH 30 in every way. Not the opposite. Furthermore, comparisons of the NDH 30 start to make sense with more advanced gear.

Can I see said test? I have never heard of a "test" that can prove the superiority of "more advanced" gear. As I said, you are now using your word vs their word to say the NDH30 is superior to the HD650. I think 99% of people who have heard both would say you are incorrect and the other 1% are the people who bought it and are coping with a mediocre purchase.

 

[trellus]

Just filled out the survey -- I've had the 8XX since Nov 2021, and just got the 800S from Adorama via UPS yesterday.

The comfort of these is slightly confusing to me -- they are super lightweight, for sure, and the ear cups are big enough for my sizable ears so my ears never hurt, and I don't get any hotspots on my head, but I don't "forget" I'm wearing them -- somehow I feel them on the side of my face and it's slightly, minorly distracting at times -- but that's when I'm being super critical because I've never NOT picked up these because of comfort.

Oddly enough, though the clamp is definitely less than my HD 600/650/660S, I find those because of the shape of the ear cups and the plusher earpads, slightly more comfortable, and I know a lot of people can't stand the clamp of those.

The stock cables are super long, but I don't mind it that much -- and if I did, I would just buy an aftermarket cable, but I find it a high-quality cable and also -- I've never pulled the 6.35mm cable out because of the fear of having difficulty not damaging the headphones, from what I've read, so I've never attempted to use them balanced, although I suspect I will at some point with these 800S since it came with one in the box.

As far as the sound quality, while I definitely appreciate the wide soundstage, the jury is still out for me on whether I find that more compelling than the more dynamic, punchier Focal Clear -- I listened to the 8XX more when I first got them but have picked up a number of other headphones since then, but only recently again picked them up again to reacquaint myself with them in preparation for the 800S which are on my head now.

I'm curious as to what Sennheiser might do next in this space, but I'm actually probably happy enough with what I have that I'm certainly not in a rush to "upgrade", having just done that going from the 8XX to the 800S.

 

[Luckyleo]

(What do you mean "their opinion"? It is his own review and opinion.)
"Opinions" are not opinions anymore when they are so much away from reality. If I wrote a review stating for example that the HD-800S is lacking resolution and detail, could that mistake be considered just another opinion to like or dislike? A technical forum is not about opinions (only). Claims must be provable by any subsequent tests.
In our case, any test of the NDH 30 side by side with the exquisite HD-650 (mentioned in the review) readily demonstrates a significant superiority of the NDH 30 in every way. Not the opposite. Furthermore, comparisons of the NDH 30 start to make sense with more advanced headphones.

1) this is not a technical forum
2) an opinion is an opinion regardless of how "real" you may find them. For example, some people's opinion is that they don't care for chocolate. If you love chocolate, does that mean the opinion is invalid? You CAN'T prove chocolate is great for EVERYONE.
3) Why are you so convinced that everyone hears what you hear (freq. responses change with age and other hearing issues, your sensibilities of what sounds "great" may differ from mine)

This is pretty basic stuff.........

 

[headstef]

I think that 99% of people who have heard both would say you are incorrect and the other 1% are the people who bought it and are coping with a mediocre purchase.

The NDH 30 and HD-660S threads are there for anyone to read exactly the opposite. But don't take anyone's word, just have a listen with top sources since the NDH 30 scales to frightening heights.

(What an astonishing misguidance here! Unless you 've been away from audio for the last months you can't really mean the above!)

 

[freeryder05]

The NDH 30 and HD-660S threads are there for anyone to read exactly the opposite. But don't take anyone's word, just have a listen with top sources since the NDH 30 scales to frightening heights.

(What an astonishing misguidance here! Unless you 've been away from audio for the last months you can't really mean the above!)

I sure do.

 

[realbonk]

The NDH 30 and HD-660S threads are there for anyone to read exactly the opposite. But don't take anyone's word, just have a listen with top sources since the NDH 30 scales to frightening heights.

(What an astonishing misguidance here! Unless you 've been away from audio for the last months you can't really mean the above!)

Ok.

(Wow you're rude!)

 

[headstef]

Ok.

(Wow you're rude!)

I am very sorry that you see it this way. I try to support the fact that a forum is mainly a place for simple users to inform each other responsibly. If this disturbs someone, you can understand that it does not look like a good sign...
How sad to prefer silence in front of a glaring "mistake".

 

[realbonk]

I am very sorry that you see it this way. I try to support the fact that a forum is mainly a place for simple users to inform each other responsibly. If this disturbs someone, you can understand that it does not look like a good sign...
How sad to prefer silence in front of a glaring "mistake".

Untag me. I do not wish to interact with people that can not get their head out of their butt.

(Your comment in parentheses was rude and unnecessary).

 

[headstef]

...I do not wish to interact with people that can not get their head out of their butt.

(Your comment in parentheses was rude and unnecessary).

Calling it a day, I would like to thank you for teaching me polite expressions in English. However, I am too rude to ever use it.

 

[Padellone]

Let's assume for a moment that the product design team at Sennheiser takes all of the survey results and the many insightful comments from this (and other threads) and manages through some miracle of engineering to get everything we could have hoped into the flagship headphone - best in class sound and comfort in a well built yet lightweight headphone. Question: what would you be willing to pay for this dream headphone? $1,800 (the current price of the HD 800S), $2000 (the current price of the HD 820) or something else?

I would be willing to go as high as $2,500 for what I'm calling the Sennheiser Unobtainium 900

Interesting question… I have never tried the summit level stuff at $4-5k+

but if sennheiser pulled off what you write, presume they could charge in line with other summit tier competitors. And if a headphone were to ever convince me to spend that kind of money, it would probably be the Unobtainium 900! I am just trying to motivate the sennheiser team here

 

[ralphp@optonline]

but if sennheiser pulled off what you write, presume they could charge in line with other summit tier competitors. And if a headphone were to ever convince me to spend that kind of money, it would probably be the Unobtainium 900! I am just trying to motivate the Sennheiser team here

That is exactly the kind of response I was hoping for! Thanks! Well stated and well done.