[Ruffle]

Threads like this one are ridiculous

Face it, not everyone likes the HD800 or the HD600, HD650, K701 whatever. Doesn't matter what DAC, DAP, Amp person owns, they simply don't like the headphone.

Why does someone's preference for a different affect your enjoyment or your perception of the greatness of the headphone you own? It's very childish this back and forth argument. Can't you be just happy that everyone is able to find a headphone to suit their listening preferences?

 

[Fafner]

The fact is, many negative reviews are posted by users who seem to be very, very far from having a setup decent enough to make these headphones sound at least decent. Don't think I'm trying to bash anything, I perfectly know there is an amount of reviewers which own a setup which could potentially drive the HD800 perfectly, and still they don't like it. There, it's a matter of taste and I fully respect that. But there's a good amount of posts from ppl who, frankly, are expecting too many miracles from this headphone where the problem is somewhere else. Maybe they would come to the very same conclusions using another top tier headphone...
Think about driving a set of Utopia loudspeakers from a 300$ cd player...you could end up less impressed than you'd expect from a x00'000$ loudspeaker setup.

 

[NeoVibe]

The discussion is only valid because this is not a perfect world where you can grab 5 different headphones and try them all at home for a month before deciding the one you like best.... People need some feedback before spending their cash, even if sometimes (not always) there is a money-back guarantee.

But of course, discussing preferences IS pointless

 

[JaZZ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beagle /img/forum/go_quote.gif On a not-so-positive note, at times I find I am not tapping my feet or completely getting into the music. I hear everything, tone is spot on, so is the balance, speed/dynamics seem to be there, yet...

During the few weeks I have my pair now there wasn't one day when I was really enthusiastic about it, although it was very clear how good and realistic it sounds. It's not a euphonic headphone. In the beginning I was seriously bothered by a treble emphasis, which now – after ~350 hours – is massively tamed, and the sound has become much smoother and homogeneous. These days I'm finally able to really enjoy the sound in all its facets. This headphone takes incredibly long for ripening.
.

 

[rangen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JaZZ /img/forum/go_quote.gif It's not a euphonic headphone.

You and Beagle appear to agree about this. I would call it medium-euphonic, based on my ears and my setup. I think it may not be a coincidence that you and Beagle are both using solid state amps, and I'm using tubes with an output transforrmer (Woo WA6SE). So it's probably my amp that's euphonic, and the HD800's transparency that lets me hear that.

 

[Beagle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geek /img/forum/go_quote.gif Beagle, You should demo Tyll's amps... do a search on YouTube for "the HD800 effect"... he seems to be jamming out..

He seems to be an HD800 dealer as well

Maybe I should crank up the volume past 7 o'clock!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ruffle /img/forum/go_quote.gif Threads like this one are ridiculous

Only when polluted by ridiculous comments like this.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JaZZ /img/forum/go_quote.gif During the few weeks I have my pair now there wasn't one day when I was really enthusiastic about it, although it was very clear how good and realistic it sounds. It's not a euphonic headphone. In the beginning I was seriously bothered by a treble emphasis, which now – after ~350 hours – is massively tamed, and the sound has become much smoother and homogeneous. These days I'm finally able to really enjoy the sound in all its facets. This headphone takes incredibly long for ripening. .

I only hear a treble emphasis on source material that has a treble emphasis. Others can sound a bit lifeless on the top. Some records have more bass than others. This is my main fascination with the HD800.

I'm not a big believer in break-in but since this is a new driver design, I'll give it the benefit of the doubt. I'll run more pink noise on repeat through them during the day while I'm out. I do admit that they sound better now than they did when I first demo'd them but I'm sure that's me adjusting and coming around to the HD800's way of thinking.

 

[ctemkin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beagle /img/forum/go_quote.gif . I do admit that they sound better now than they did when I first demo'd them but I'm sure that's me adjusting and coming around to the HD800's way of thinking.

Last night, thinking about the new Beatles CDs which were on their way, I listened to Laurence Juber's arrangement of Beatles music. I decided to run it through my speakers using the Apache as a preamp (Perreaux R200i amplifier; Dynaudio Confidence speakers). Generally this setup presents music with more of a bass emphasis and less treble than the HD800. Although it still sounded good, I realized that I enjoy listening to this music much more through the HD 800, Juber's guitar is much more immediate. So I, too, have adjusted.

 

[JaZZ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rangen /img/forum/go_quote.gif You and Beagle appear to agree about this. I would call it medium-euphonic, based on my ears and my setup. I think it may not be a coincidence that you and Beagle are both using solid state amps, and I'm using tubes with an output transforrmer (Woo WA6SE). So it's probably my amp that's euphonic, and the HD800's transparency that lets me hear that.

Through the borrowed Mapletree Ear++ it sounds indeed semi-euphonic. Actually ideal for the new remastered version of «A hard Day's Night».

.

 

[JaZZ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beagle /img/forum/go_quote.gif I only hear a treble emphasis on source material that has a treble emphasis.

I'd rather not hear it, too. Unfortunately it's still there (and clearly audible in pink noise), but somehow much smoother than initially, which makes it easier to adapt to it and/or ignore it.

Obviously different ears are different.
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[robert]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beagle /img/forum/go_quote.gif It is not a "fun" headphone. The music sure can be fun though. There is a distinction there.

A refreshing expression of maturity.

 

[robert]

Quote:

Originally Posted by warpdriver /img/forum/go_quote.gif My own speaker system has been carefully tuned to be flat all the way down to 22Hz (using SMS-1 subwoofer equalization) running from a tight sounding sealed subwoofer, and if I pay $1800 CAD for a headphone, I expect that it do the same with some of the impact that I get from my speaker system.

That's not possible. No two pair of ears respond the same at those frequencies, and there's no equalizer to fix up the response with the phones. To find out how your "system" (including your ears) responds, find "Sound Check"/MoFI. It has tracks down to 20Hz.

 

[music_man]

well, i got them today. at my request they have 500 hours on them.

in a nutshell, i don't like them.

they are flat. like flat soda. remember the veil on the hd650? is anyone mentioning that about the hd800? i don't find them accurate i find them bland,blah. everyone can sit here and say they aren't fun because they are accurate. i just don't think they bring $1,399 to the table. maybe $600. i have heard the ps1000 but can not obtain a pair yet. i am not a big fan of those either. why does every new high end phone that comes out have to be the best everyone has heard? beyer is comming and then probably akg. so there are undoubtably more "bests" yet to come.

i still am loving my dt880 pro's with my super thin iem litz cable. they are accurate,provide tons of detail,tons of imaging and balanced tone. i don't think they have been bettered yet. i wonder how flat their graph is compared to the hd800. they are neutral and play back mostly what is downstream of them, still managing to be engaging(read:fun). to me at least, the hd800 are not. before flames start......ymmv! listen for yourself.

another thing that might not have been mentioned. i listen to music lying down with my head on a pillow. well due to the giant hinges in back coupled to the giant cups this is not possible. it is either uncomfortable or they push off your head from the pillow. for that matter so does the 010 and sa500 with their giant headbands.

to those that like them, i am happy for you. we all have different ears.

music_man

 

[Beagle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by music_man /img/forum/go_quote.gif they are flat. like flat soda. remember the veil on the hd650? is anyone mentioning that about the hd800? i don't find them accurate i find them bland,blah. everyone can sit here and say they aren't fun because they are accurate.

I found them flat, dull and unexciting when I demo'd them. That's why I bought them.

Quote:

i have heard the ps1000 but can not obtain a pair yet. i am not a big fan of those either.

So why would you want to obtain a pair?

Quote:

why does every new high end phone that comes out have to be the best everyone has heard

Maybe because they sound better than whatever everyone else has already heard?
Quote:

i still am loving my dt880 pro's with my super thin iem litz cable. they are accurate,provide tons of detail,tons of imaging and balanced tone. i don't think they have been bettered yet.

If you are happy, stay with what you have and keep listening.

 

[rangen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by music_man /img/forum/go_quote.gif to those that like them, i am happy for you. we all have different ears.

True. Can you be more detailed about what you hear through yours? "Flat" "like flat soda" doesn't exactly put the reader into your head, and give him a shot at understanding what you hear from your perspective. I'd like to read more. What are your more detailed impressions? I'd also appreciate if you could mention your amplifier. Not because I'm implying you'd like them with another amplifier, although that is not an outlandish thought with this most chameleon-like of phones, but because it's a useful piece of data to have when reading your impressions.

 

[music_man]

beagle, every thing you quoted is spot on. i agree with all of it. i bought the hd800 and will buy the ps1000 because i collect headphones. there are only a few i listen to. it's a collection to me. people have collected more odd items, right?

as far as the beyer, it is probably not technically superior to anything anywhere near the hd800. i just like it. it is like neutral with added pizazz. i know those terms contradict each other. it is hard to explain. the hd800 just sits there and lets the music through. i guess it sounds like everything else that is ahead of it. i have top stuff in case anyone was wondering. the beyer has like slow pulsating bass and fast treble. it is again hard to explain but i love it. given those comments i guess it is not neutral and the hd800 is. it has been said many times that you might not want to wish for a perfectly flat headphone. i will use it but it doesn't "impress" me. i don't think it is intended to impress. to be honest i enjoy pop concerts not opera halls. so for me it is simply not the right headphone for listening......but for collecting.

music_man