[burbster]

Thanks for all advice guys, much appreciated. I am still waiting on delivery of my hd800s‘s, apparently delayed due to brexit! i was just listening to the John darko review of Dave and HD800s, he is quite negative, and even though he acknowledges how good they are individually, he flat out states they are not a good match for each other. But like nagi8404, I tend to favour a detailed presentation, so hopefully I will like the combo. (Darko did not have the MScaler in the chain for that review however)

 

[nagi8404]

Thanks for all advice guys, much appreciated. I am still waiting on delivery of my hd800s‘s, apparently delayed due to brexit! i was just listening to the John darko review of Dave and HD800s, he is quite negative, and even though he acknowledges how good they are individually, he flat out states they are not a good match for each other. But like nagi8404, I tend to favour a detailed presentation, so hopefully I will like the combo. (Darko did not have the MScaler in the chain for that review however)

Would love to hear what you think after your HD800s arrives!
As I don't have access to the HMS I'm interested how it elevates the experience (if any)

 

[118900]

Thanks for all advice guys, much appreciated. I am still waiting on delivery of my hd800s‘s, apparently delayed due to brexit! i was just listening to the John darko review of Dave and HD800s, he is quite negative, and even though he acknowledges how good they are individually, he flat out states they are not a good match for each other. But like nagi8404, I tend to favour a detailed presentation, so hopefully I will like the combo. (Darko did not have the MScaler in the chain for that review however)

Don’t take everything Darko says as the absolute gospel (or anything even near that). No one can account for personal taste anyway, only you know what you like.

 

[stemiki]

And finally today, after three months of waiting, DAVE has arrived!

 

[griff500]

And finally today, after three months of waiting, DAVE has arrived!

Como is a lovely place to listen to your new DAVE.

 

[118900]

And finally today, after three months of waiting, DAVE has arrived!

Bravo ragazzo, bravo. Buon ascolto

 

[thePhones]

I really like all of my headphones straight out of the Dave. I love the sheer transparency, hearing every nuance. That said I do not like any of my headphones without EQ including the HD800 (now a few weeks with Dekoni fenstrated lamb skin pads). And I have not heard a headphone where I‘m completely satisfied with the tonal balance. For example, most headphones sound a bit to strong in the 200-500hz region for my ears, yes even the HD800 (but only after „removing the treble peaks)
The Problem with EQ is that you don‘t (or should I say, I don‘t ) know what the algorithm does to the music. Some EQ‘s I tested sounded even brighter and harder than just leaving it off with the HD800 and the treble peak. To my absolute surprise USB-Audio Player Pro with the standard eq sounded best. So maybe try that before adding distortion with an external amp. Although talking about any kind of dsp is walking on very thin ice on this forum. But I think even @Rob Watts stated in the Hugo 2 forum that you could try a bit of eq.
Thats just my two cents or how you english people say
With that greeting from Germany

Disclaimer: No music was harmed in the testing of my eq settings

 

[burbster]

I really like all of my headphones straight out of the Dave. I love the sheer transparency, hearing every nuance. That said I do not like any of my headphones without EQ including the HD800 (now a few weeks with Dekoni fenstrated lamp skin pads). And I have not heard a headphone where I‘m completely satisfied with the tonal balance. For example, most headphones sound a bit to strong in the 200-500hz region for my ears, yes even the HD800 (but only after „removing the treble peaks)
The Problem with EQ is that you don‘t (or should I say, I don‘t ) know what the algorithm does to the music. Some EQ‘s I tested sounded even brighter and harder than just leaving it off with the HD800 and the treble peak. To my absolute surprise USB-Audio Player Pro with the standard eq sounded best. So maybe try that before adding distortion with an external amp. Although talking about any kind of dsp is walking on very thin ice on this forum. But I think even @Rob Watts stated in the Hugo 2 forum that you could try a bit of eq.
Thats just my two cents or how you english people say
With that greeting from Germany

Disclaimer: No music was harmed in the testing of my eq settings

Yes, my view on DSP in my speaker system has changed over the years. Originally, I felt the benefit of some basic EQ below 200hz to correct room modes (obviously not applicable to head phone listening) was transformational and massively outweighed any negative effect there may have been. But as I improved my system and more critically my room treatment and set up, I actually started to believe that I heard a negative effect of dsp, even if the room measured better with DSP turned on. I will do doubt experiment with EQ as Roon makes it quite simple, but I am hoping to run my headphones ‘bit perfect’
incidentally Roon seems to have some preset settings for Audeze headphones but nothing for the 800s.

 

[sm60]

I really like all of my headphones straight out of the Dave. I love the sheer transparency, hearing every nuance. That said I do not like any of my headphones without EQ including the HD800 (now a few weeks with Dekoni fenstrated lamp skin pads). And I have not heard a headphone where I‘m completely satisfied with the tonal balance. For example, most headphones sound a bit to strong in the 200-500hz region for my ears, yes even the HD800 (but only after „removing the treble peaks)
The Problem with EQ is that you don‘t (or should I say, I don‘t ) know what the algorithm does to the music. Some EQ‘s I tested sounded even brighter and harder than just leaving it off with the HD800 and the treble peak. To my absolute surprise USB-Audio Player Pro with the standard eq sounded best. So maybe try that before adding distortion with an external amp. Although talking about any kind of dsp is walking on very thin ice on this forum. But I think even @Rob Watts stated in the Hugo 2 forum that you could try a bit of eq.
Thats just my two cents or how you english people say
With that greeting from Germany

Disclaimer: No music was harmed in the testing of my eq settings

In general I don’t like listening with headphones, unless I have no choice (e.g., on a long international flight). Headphones are just too colored sounding. When I play a choral piece or a classical or jazz recording through one of my reference Quad electrostatic loudspeakers or through the Harbeth monitors, the tonality is so superior to any headphones I have heard, let alone the distinct weird sensation of a large orchestra being trapped in my skull. It’s a very unnatural way to listen to the “absolute sound”, meaning music that is generally produced with acoustic instruments or voices. It might work fine for rock music or electronic music, which are manufactured in a way that doesn’t correspond to any notion of being performed live in a good hall. Peter Walker, the late designer of Quads, once used the phrase “documentary reproduction”, which seems a good way to characterize the phenomenon. I like the Sennheiser 800s since it has less of the trapped in the head effect and it is light and comfortable. I hated the heavy Audeze. It felt like torture wearing those. But as has been noted, the 800s is horribly colored sounding. It has a pronounced treble emphasis and lean sound, which is so unlike the sound of live music. Headphones will never in my view match the sheer quality of great loudspeakers.

 

[Ratephi]

In general I don’t like listening with headphones, unless I have no choice (e.g., on a long international flight). Headphones are just too colored sounding. When I play a choral piece or a classical or jazz recording through one of my reference Quad electrostatic loudspeakers or through the Harbeth monitors, the tonality is so superior to any headphones I have heard, let alone the distinct weird sensation of a large orchestra being trapped in my skull. It’s a very unnatural way to listen to the “absolute sound”, meaning music that is generally produced with acoustic instruments or voices. It might work fine for rock music or electronic music, which are manufactured in a way that doesn’t correspond to any notion of being performed live in a good hall. Peter Walker, the late designer of Quads, once used the phrase “documentary reproduction”, which seems a good way to characterize the phenomenon. I like the Sennheiser 800s since it has less of the trapped in the head effect and it is light and comfortable. I hated the heavy Audeze. It felt like torture wearing those. But as has been noted, the 800s is horribly colored sounding. It has a pronounced treble emphasis and lean sound, which is so unlike the sound of live music. Headphones will never in my view match the sheer quality of great loudspeakers.

...and thinking that, to me, the HD800s is one of the most neutral headphones I've ever owned!

 

[Deolum]

Did anyone compare Dave with Topping D90?

 

[118900]

Did anyone compare Dave with Topping D90?

Yes I did. The Dave is more lozenge shaped with a cool porthole shaped display whereas the topping is a boring rectangle with a boring rectangular display.

 

[burbster]

In general I don’t like listening with headphones, unless I have no choice (e.g., on a long international flight). Headphones are just too colored sounding. When I play a choral piece or a classical or jazz recording through one of my reference Quad electrostatic loudspeakers or through the Harbeth monitors, the tonality is so superior to any headphones I have heard, let alone the distinct weird sensation of a large orchestra being trapped in my skull. It’s a very unnatural way to listen to the “absolute sound”, meaning music that is generally produced with acoustic instruments or voices. It might work fine for rock music or electronic music, which are manufactured in a way that doesn’t correspond to any notion of being performed live in a good hall. Peter Walker, the late designer of Quads, once used the phrase “documentary reproduction”, which seems a good way to characterize the phenomenon. I like the Sennheiser 800s since it has less of the trapped in the head effect and it is light and comfortable. I hated the heavy Audeze. It felt like torture wearing those. But as has been noted, the 800s is horribly colored sounding. It has a pronounced treble emphasis and lean sound, which is so unlike the sound of live music. Headphones will never in my view match the sheer quality of great loudspeakers.

i can’t speak from experience just yet as I am still waiting for my first ‘real’ set of headphones. I can however see what you mean regarding the trapped in your head sound, but not sure about headphones being coloured? Surely, in a very general sense they will be less coloured that most loud speakers due to there being no room interaction and less compromises with a singular small driver? Although Harbeths are not my thing I must say the Quads do have a remarkable and unique sound.

 

[thePhones]

...and thinking that, to me, the HD800s is one of the most neutral headphones I've ever owned!

It‘s my go to headphone regarding timbre accuracy. In that sense it also sounds neutral to me. But from a tonality point of view it‘s too bright for me (without eq)

 

[MatW]

Did anyone compare Dave with Topping D90?

Did you compare the pricetags?

I have them both, but in different parts of the house. The D90 is a very nice DAC imo, certainly for the price, but this is not a fair comparison.