[Facta]

My guess is the problem is simply this:

* The pros that need a closed back are happy with the HD25 or HD280pro, and see no reason to spend more
* Sennhesier can't make a closed variant sound good enough where both audiophiles will want to buy it at $500 and Sennheiser makes a profit off of it

You see this in the HD820 reviews. "Doesn't sound as open and neutral as the HD800S, and the HD800S is $700 less! Obviously the HD800S is the smarter choice!" Yeah OK, unless you actually WANT a closed back. But thats not how many audiophiles think. Many think best sound #1 and everything else doesn't matter, so the idea of paying $700 more for potentially the same or worse sound seems idiotic - when in reality that is simply what it costs for all of the extra R&D and technology it takes to make a closed back sound as good as an open back. The fact the HD820 sounds anywhere near an HD800S is an engineering miracle, frankly. But it got mixed reviews anyway (in fairness there were a few intelligently thought out ones, though, that are worth reviewing)

I had the HD380pro a while back, it was sennheisers flagship closed back at the time. It sounded like a HD25 on steroids. I didn't like it and wouldn't buy it again. And thats probably why Senn doesn't feel a $500 closed back market is worth pursuing, pros not interested and won't sound good enough for audiophiles. You never know tho...

I would like to have a pair of 820s but I don't have the money right now. A closed pair of cans in the same price range as a new pair of 600s would fill in a gap. There are numerous closed headphones in the 500 dollar category, I think there's room for Sennheiser and they should be able to make it happen with whatever changes are necessary, and not charge 2500 dollars for it. I just bought a pair of DT1770s for around 500 dollars, so...

Neumann NDH20. The new closed-back studio headphone in HD650 price range manufactured and sold by Sennheiser since 2019 but as the first headphone under Neumann branding 18 years after Neumann GmbH (primarily studio microphones and monitors) was acquired by Sennheiser. Design is allegedly based on the failed Sennheiser HD630VB -can't confirm if it's true. Reviews of NDH20 from pro community seem to be exemplary.

 

[TSAVAlan]

It feels like people see Sennheiser as zero-sum, if they diversify into different audiences like gaming, they aren't growing their high end market. Not even acknowledging the fact they have major sponsorship deals with major esports teams and organizations.

Sennheiser has never been a company to churn out their high end products super fast. The HD800 came out 2009? https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the-sennheiser-hd-800-the-first-listen-the-first-review.398829/

HD800S in 2015 https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sennheiser-hd800s-unveiled.785577/

The HD800S Anniversary Edition is Sennheiser celebrating 75 years with a HD800S in a different color and serial number. Sennheiser isn't claiming it is reinventing the wheel, they just wanted to do a limited color like they did with the HD25 earlier this year.

With Covid, its not exactly been easy to develop and produce new products. A number of manufacturers are still playing catch up with their orders from months ago. I don't really blame any of them with supply chains interrupted and the world affected by Covid. Many high end manufacturers had lots of plans for new products this year that have been postponed to likely next year. Sorry Sennheiser hasn't announced another new flagship in years, they are most certainly working on something. They may have had plans to announce new stuff for 2020 but unfortunately global pandemics strike your company in unforeseen ways.

 

[ruinedx]

It feels like people see Sennheiser as zero-sum, if they diversify into different audiences like gaming, they aren't growing their high end market. Not even acknowledging the fact they have major sponsorship deals with major esports teams and organizations.

Sennheiser has never been a company to churn out their high end products super fast. The HD800 came out 2009? https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the-sennheiser-hd-800-the-first-listen-the-first-review.398829/

HD800S in 2015 https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sennheiser-hd800s-unveiled.785577/

The HD800S Anniversary Edition is Sennheiser celebrating 75 years with a HD800S in a different color and serial number. Sennheiser isn't claiming it is reinventing the wheel, they just wanted to do a limited color like they did with the HD25 earlier this year.

With Covid, its not exactly been easy to develop and produce new products. A number of manufacturers are still playing catch up with their orders from months ago. I don't really blame any of them with supply chains interrupted and the world affected by Covid. Many high end manufacturers had lots of plans for new products this year that have been postponed to likely next year. Sorry Sennheiser hasn't announced another new flagship in years, they are most certainly working on something. They may have had plans to announce new stuff for 2020 but unfortunately global pandemics strike your company in unforeseen ways.

All this, and in the meantime if you are already in the market for a HD800S at least with the 75th you'll have a shot at better resale value when a new flagship is released due to it's limited nature than if you were to buy a regular hd800s. No one is saying anyone should sell their black hd800s and buy the 75th hd800s for the gold color

 

[Whitigir]

Or you can have both !!!

 

[dleblanc343]

Neumann NDH20. Design is allegedly based on the failed Sennheiser HD630VB -can't confirm if it's true. Reviews of NDH20 from pro community seem to be exemplary.

i can confirm this. Owned both, but the Neumann have velour pads that really put a damper on bass (which is needed), but the 630VB is legitimately the more complete headphone. Passive eq ring actually works, but they’re overkill on bass.

I should probably sell them at this point, even though that would break my HD6– collection

 

[Lurker0918]

Happy anniversary and cheers to Sennheiser. I am a little perplexed though, when people celebrate their anniversaries with a spouse or significant other, do they go and get a new spouse or significant other for the occasion? Aren't you are there to celebrate the past? The HD800 platform has arguable been Sennheiser's most high profile platform and existing for over ten years. What better way to celebrate a diamond anniversary than with this heritage product? And they did not jack up the price!

 

[treebug]

Or you can have both !!!

Deleted

 

[gimmeheadroom]

What I see is a company that lost focus by trying to expand into too many niches where the Sennheiser brand could not gain meaningful market share. The result is a headphone product line with too many models that need to be axed. Sennheiser once led the audiophile, studio, and pro markets for decades and they can again.

Yep, this is what I have been saying. Glad I'm not alone in the observation.

Neumann NDH20. The new closed-back studio headphone in HD650 price range manufactured and sold by Sennheiser since 2019 but as the first headphone under Neumann branding 18 years after Neumann GmbH (primarily studio microphones and monitors) was acquired by Sennheiser. Design is allegedly based on the failed Sennheiser HD630VB -can't confirm if it's true. Reviews of NDH20 from pro community seem to be exemplary.

Thanks, this is a fair point which I had forgotten. Personally I don't like the low impedance, the screw on adapter (is there a pro or studio use for 3.5mm plugs?) and the fact it's not made in Germany or Ireland.

 

[Facta]

The only complaint I might have against any HD800 variant at the given price is the build quality. Less plastic and more metal despite the small increment in weight could be welcome. Otherwise total respect for what it offers at the price it does in the times of $4K+ mania, and for the fact that it didn't give in to peer pressure and jack up the price during special edition releases. Yes, a new planar or electrostatic experiment under $3K would be nice but we all are aware of Sennheiser's total faith in the coherent magic dynamic drivers are capable of achieving. Reminds me of Netherlands football team and their total football approach to the game while reaching 1974 FIFA World Cup finals, beating Brazil and Argentina en route.

 

[ruinedx]

The only complaint I might have against any HD800 variant at the given price is the build quality. Less plastic and more metal despite the small increment in weight could be welcome.

Nooo I think sennheiser has the build perfect. I can understand if u wanted less plastic on grados where the earcup attaches to the headband cause it looks bad and feels bad for instance, but the hd800 plastic feels good, looks pretty good, and most importantly is lightweight yet sturdy. The low weight is one of the main reasons I buy sennheiser over competitors that use wood/metal but are much heavier.

I like that they offered a different color here and would like to see more variants in the future.

 

[Kimiifrit]

Any anniversary edition for the 820s?

 

[donlin]

A headphone painted gold is nice but if somebody would make a headphone out of Hemp, that would be something to get fired up about.

 

[ruinedx]

A headphone painted gold is nice but if somebody would make a headphone out of Hemp, that would be something to get fired up about.

You know the two might look nice hanging side by side

 

[donlin]

You know the two might look nice hanging side by side

I guess you’ll soon find out.

 

[ruinedx]

I guess you’ll soon find out.

I mean they are sort of polar opposites

the hemp is small, wood, organic looking (other than those damn ugly L/R posts arghh!) with immediate, intimate, darker, and raw sound
the hd800s is large, plastic, synthetic space-age looking with vast soundstage, brighter and polished sound
its like if you had both of these you could cover almost any type of content you wanted to

But their overall color scheme isn't too far apart, almost matching despite their starkly different approaches. maybe you need to find out too?? haha!