Placed the order today, I'll have these on Friday. Can't wait!
Final Audio D8000 Planar Magnetic Headphone
purchased direct. no dealer near me. had to wait a few weeks before it was available.
Ricky64
100+ Head-Fier
Reporting back some initial impressions. I had indicated in my previous post that I have been a conventional home audio enthusiast first. I have worked to tailor my system to provide high level inner detail while maintaining an appropriate sense of timbre and weight. Having two four year olds has kept me from spending much time critically listening to my music, and thus my entry into personal audio.
My musical tastes run to hard bop, classical, female vocals, downtempo, and... grunge.
My internal audio barometer hinges on reproduction of piano, violin strings, and the female voice. Within these instruments, I like to hear timbre, texture, and complexity without a metallic sheen, edge, or sense of hardness. I like well preserved/produced imaging, but I do not like extremely hard etched imaging. The latter sounds fast, accurate, and interesting, but its enjoyment quickly fades compared to a more natural, well placed, solid image on a larger soundstage with more natural delineation of image edges. I favor bass heavy reproduction, but I'm not a bass head. I could not tolerate the CA Vega, for example.
I'm assuming the unit I received yesterday is not fully mechanically burned in. My sense is that the base characteristics of the D8000 are such that I'm not going to need much brain burn in.
First impressions are of a spacious and deep soundstage. The midrange is slightly distant, which I prefer. Bass was initially a bit loose. I corrected this with a 2dB drop around 64. This for me completely tightened the bass, without losing any or changing upper bass/midrange tone. Bass reproduction seems quite isolated from even the lower midrange, which sounds rich but detailed and completely devoid of congestion, even with complex passages. Female voices, piano, and violin strings sound complex and textured without any high treble sheen.
I can see how someone might initially put this on and find it slightly dark, depending on material, but as soon as a piece has true high frequency content, it is reproduced with excellent sparkle.
Hi Rez Kind of Blue sounds exactly how I would hope. Coltrane's tenor is reproduced with weight and power. Hannah Reid's London Grammar Vocals are complex and textured without hard edges,. Soundgarden and Stone Temple Pilots have slam without too much high energy tizz. Earth Wind and Fire sounds perfect to me (great soundstage, horns are exciting without being shrill), as does the Reference Recordings Seattle Symphony version of Mozart's 21st piano concerto.
I agree with others that this sounds like listening to a well conceived home audio system. If you've had the chance to hear large (not monitors) speakers, such as Wilson's, appropriately driven, vinyl source, in a room that has been acoustically treated....that's the experience here.
I listened to Focal Utopia (headphones) though high end Simaudio Moon and also McIntosh systems. That is an exciting and very different sound that conveys the utmost in speed, detail, and immediacy. I can understand for some, that might be their preference. I don't share it, though.
The D8000 is quite different. I feel as if I am hearing all of the details offered by the recording, but in a more organic fashion. Think timbre, weight, space, and more natural imaging. There is quite a bit of bass energy, but the midrange remains unaffected, and is llquid and detailed at the same time.
The "open earpad" design is also a plus for me. They are very comfortable, my eyeglasses are not an issue, and seal is a non issue.
Hope this description is helpful for folks, while waiting for some more official reviewers to translate their experienced in more technical headphone-speak.
BTW, I'm driving with a Sony TA-ZHSE1.
Happy Listening.
My musical tastes run to hard bop, classical, female vocals, downtempo, and... grunge.
My internal audio barometer hinges on reproduction of piano, violin strings, and the female voice. Within these instruments, I like to hear timbre, texture, and complexity without a metallic sheen, edge, or sense of hardness. I like well preserved/produced imaging, but I do not like extremely hard etched imaging. The latter sounds fast, accurate, and interesting, but its enjoyment quickly fades compared to a more natural, well placed, solid image on a larger soundstage with more natural delineation of image edges. I favor bass heavy reproduction, but I'm not a bass head. I could not tolerate the CA Vega, for example.
I'm assuming the unit I received yesterday is not fully mechanically burned in. My sense is that the base characteristics of the D8000 are such that I'm not going to need much brain burn in.
First impressions are of a spacious and deep soundstage. The midrange is slightly distant, which I prefer. Bass was initially a bit loose. I corrected this with a 2dB drop around 64. This for me completely tightened the bass, without losing any or changing upper bass/midrange tone. Bass reproduction seems quite isolated from even the lower midrange, which sounds rich but detailed and completely devoid of congestion, even with complex passages. Female voices, piano, and violin strings sound complex and textured without any high treble sheen.
I can see how someone might initially put this on and find it slightly dark, depending on material, but as soon as a piece has true high frequency content, it is reproduced with excellent sparkle.
Hi Rez Kind of Blue sounds exactly how I would hope. Coltrane's tenor is reproduced with weight and power. Hannah Reid's London Grammar Vocals are complex and textured without hard edges,. Soundgarden and Stone Temple Pilots have slam without too much high energy tizz. Earth Wind and Fire sounds perfect to me (great soundstage, horns are exciting without being shrill), as does the Reference Recordings Seattle Symphony version of Mozart's 21st piano concerto.
I agree with others that this sounds like listening to a well conceived home audio system. If you've had the chance to hear large (not monitors) speakers, such as Wilson's, appropriately driven, vinyl source, in a room that has been acoustically treated....that's the experience here.
I listened to Focal Utopia (headphones) though high end Simaudio Moon and also McIntosh systems. That is an exciting and very different sound that conveys the utmost in speed, detail, and immediacy. I can understand for some, that might be their preference. I don't share it, though.
The D8000 is quite different. I feel as if I am hearing all of the details offered by the recording, but in a more organic fashion. Think timbre, weight, space, and more natural imaging. There is quite a bit of bass energy, but the midrange remains unaffected, and is llquid and detailed at the same time.
The "open earpad" design is also a plus for me. They are very comfortable, my eyeglasses are not an issue, and seal is a non issue.
Hope this description is helpful for folks, while waiting for some more official reviewers to translate their experienced in more technical headphone-speak.
BTW, I'm driving with a Sony TA-ZHSE1.
Happy Listening.
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Great impressions. How do they compare to the Z1R?
Ricky64
100+ Head-Fier
I've listened briefly to the Z1R on two occasions, at a local audio shop. I doubt they had received much burn in. The Z1R is very comfortable. It was spacious sounding for a closed headphone, but it still is a closed headphone.
For me, I found the Z1R almost campfire Vega like. There was very prominent bass, although much better controlled than the Vega. Then, there was an exaggeration in the treble that was off putting to me. It definitely left its mark on vocals and strings.
I felt Sony designed this in to emphasize spatial details and create a sense of air in a closed headphone, and I didn't care for it. I also felt discontinuity from bass to midrange to treble.
I have heard from a reasonable source that the treble emphasis improves with mechanical burn in.
YMMV.
rh
Totally agree. The Z1R is such a missed opportunity IMO. I’ve heard them a few different times and I could never see myself listening to them for very long. I could probably live with their mid-bass hump but their harsh treble was the real deal-breaker for me. While their treble may be tolerable at lower volumes, at higher volumes, it becomes a real problem.
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It does have a bit of strangeness is some places but I generally like the sound of the Z1R. The main question really would be the level/quality of the bass between the two as I love the lifted bass in the Z1R and find the Ether Flows just a tad lacking. Bearing in mind I use a 12" sub for my bookshelf speaker setup 
Don't get me wrong I DON'T want boomy bass at all but I like it high in the mix.
Don't get me wrong I DON'T want boomy bass at all but I like it high in the mix.
FastAndClean
Previously known as presata
planar bass > dynamic driver bass
Ricky64
100+ Head-Fier
IMHO, this review is spot-on;
https://audio46.com/final-audio-d8000-planar-magnetic-headphones-review/amp/
https://audio46.com/final-audio-d8000-planar-magnetic-headphones-review/amp/
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ToroFiestaSol
500+ Head-Fier
- Joined
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Lost me at " broad boost around 80Hz." and "there seems to be nice detail around 12kHz" and "The space around 12kHz and 80Hz gives the height a nice range" and "have more low end and high end than many other planar magnetic headphones."
I'm not objecting the subjective impressions, as I have not heard the headphones, but throwing seemingly random frequencies and words like "nice detail around 12khz" or "more high end than many planar headphones" (while he/she said that they're warm, and the majority of planar headphones' treble measure like a roller coaster) without providing actual measurements or, at least, a well known headphone to compare with to get an actual, more or less accurate idea of what he/she wants to say is pointless and a huge waste of time.
Constructive feedback to she or he (audio46 reviewer): leave audio frequencies/measurements talk to Tyll, he at least knows what he's doing, just write subjective impressions and have something on hand to compare with.
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I'm not going to say much initially, I've worn them for 20-30 minutes but a couple things I will say right now, I 2nd what Ricky64 said about the bass being a little loose. it's not uncontrolled, and it doesn't step on anything else, but I did have to eq it a bit as well. The other thing i'll say is, another reason I bought this headphone was because some instruments, E.G. horns, guitars bells etc have an abnormal harshness to them imo on some headphones. I didn't hear that on the demo D8000, and I don't hear it on these either. For what it's worth, I've just within the past few minutes, looked at the most recent posts just before posting this. Only say that because of the similar things Ricky64 previously posted.
Hifiearspeakers
Headphoneus Supremus
I decided to send my D8000’s back for a refund. They’re just too far from neutral for my preferences. I think the technology implemented has a lot of promise, but the tuning needs some work. If you like a very warm sound signature, like the Nighthawk, but with a larger soundstage and much better treble, then these could be an endgame for you. I prefer a slightly warm signature and more forward mids. I also don’t know why any manufacturer is still producing round earpads. Ears are not round!
Anyway, I have my sights set on the Empyrean and the Sennheiser 820. I’m out!
Anyway, I have my sights set on the Empyrean and the Sennheiser 820. I’m out!
Ricky64
100+ Head-Fier
Thanks for sharing your experiences along the way. I enjoyed your posts. Good Luck on your search!
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