[Cao Mengde]

HDV820 is only a safe pick here, nevertheless far from a adequate amp for HD800S.

"Safe" is an exact description for the official suit HDV820.
If someone hesitate about choosing the proper DAC&AMP for 800s headphone, I believe HDV820 should be the safest option.
Maybe someone have not a very good evaluation for such a suit, and there are certainly other DAC/AMP choices that can provide better sound quality or better control ability if money is not an issue for you, but I personally believe that the sound from the official combo HDV820+HD800s should be very close to the one that the engineers of Sennheiser want to express to us.

 

[SilverEars]

Part of the reason people call them clinical is because they pair them with crummy or harsh amps, as these tend to dominate the cheaper mainstream amp segment.

The hd800s is brutally revealing of gear weaknesses. Pair it with a nice amp and it's not clinical in the slightest.

Can't agree with this and statements like these confuses people. You're putting fault to amps, but that's not the case. If a headphone require particular type of amp, it means the headphone response is how the output is on most amps. Just because one doesn't get the desireable sound is a 'crummy amp?' How is 'crummy amp' determined?

Another common audiophile cliche, 'it brutally reveals' which translates to response has much emphasis some where. It's just a biased statement.

And my experience is that it is gnerally clinical and lacking much bass, and results in unexciting and not much engaging sound as result.

 

[hakunamakaka]

I've been looking at these cans for a while, but their bright signature scares me. The need of good quality tube amp pushes whole setup a bit over my budget. Is there any openbacks with large soundstage that are quite easy to drive with portable amp ? I've tested only hd6xx series, all of them intimate sounding as my closed back pm3 with weaker bass, only hifiman Ananda was closer, but it's again planar and sounds similar of what I already have.

Maybe someone knows budget friendly amps that would go well with HD800s ?

 

[SilverEars]

Try some Schiit stuff like Jotunheim, or Lyr 3. Not sure about Valhalla.

Also Cavalli Liquid Platinum is worth it.

There are amps that's not too bright.

 

[Wid]

I've been looking hard a the 880s myself. I will be pairing the with a Geshelli Enog2 pro and a Woo WA3+, hopefully that will be a good pairing. I know it works well with the HD600's.

 

[TeknicalXtacy]

Listening to HD800S on Topping A90/D90 stack. It sounds awesome. All parts of the sound chain matter, as does the quality of the recording, as does your preferences, as does the type of music you tend to listen too etc. etc. etc.

 

[Nikonkit]

I acquired the HD800S for a very good price (US$1100) and found them to be quite unbeatable for this price. The other headphones I have included AKGk712, Beyerdynamics T1 and Hifiman HE500 and the Sennehiser is easily the most 'complete' headphone when driven by a good headphone amp.

 

[Canonlon]

I like the HD800s with the Schiit Valhalla tube amp. With a solid state amp, I noticed a slightly wider soundstage but vocals seemed a bit ‘hollow’. Tubes ‘fix’ the mid range IMO and vocals have more presence. Paired with the Valhalla, the HD800s produce a really enjoyable, immersive listening experience. This combo might not be considered a ‘realistic’ presentation but rather is extraordinary. So yeah, the HD800S is still good at this time.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

When I first heard the HD800S, I hated it because it was so bright and without bass. The first few tracks I listened to were pop songs with a lot of bass. So, it sounded terrible. I put those headphones back on the rack after about 15 seconds. And this was on a Hugo 2 DAC/AMP.

Then, I paired it with my Bottlehead Crack and it became great. Now, I have learned how to EQ them with the same Hugo 2 that I hated them with on first audition and the sound is sublime for Classical Music and Jazz and decent as an all arounder. Given the huge sound stage, glorious airy treble response and detail/resolution, I think these headphones will now always be a part of my collection.

 

[SennheiserNoob]

Are there any good resources that give a good impression of what an HD800/HD800S sounds like it terms of what it does to the sound? It seems to be a love/hate thing, a sort of outlier, I'm really curious about it though.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

Are there any good resources that give a good impression of what an HD800/HD800S sounds like it terms of what it does to the sound? It seems to be a love/hate thing, a sort of outlier, I'm really curious about it though.

This is it. Right here. Listen to what people are saying. There is a lot of experience here. Go to a hifi store that allows you to audition headphones and have ready a playlist of music you want to hear. Pair them up with several different solid state and tube amps. See if you like any of the sound signatures.

If you are a treble head, you might like the HD800S as they are. If you are a bass head, you probably won't like them. If you listen to classical music and/or big band jazz, you are probably going to like them. The HD800S is not really a great all around headphone. It is a specialist. It specializes in large sound stage, detail retrieval and resolution. If you care about those things, the HD800S is hard to beat.

This is a complete contrast to the HD650, for instance. It does not have great imaging or detail retrievel. But, it has a warm sound signature and sounds outstanding with intimate music with vocals. The HD800S is not like that. Don't expect the HD800S to be a straight upgrade to the HD650s. They are an entirely different thing. Glorious when you use them the way they are designed to work.

 

[Bruc3]

With a solid state amp, I noticed a slightly wider soundstage but vocals seemed a bit ‘hollow’. Tubes ‘fix’ the mid range IMO and vocals have more presence.

I somewhat disagree, not all solid states sound the same, likewise not all tube amps have the same kind of sound signature.

You can have solid states like Violectric amps that are warm, and somewhat tube sounding and some tube amps that sound more like solid state, even tube rolling can alter the sound quite a bit.

I own a Questyle CMA Twelve which is a solid state amp and a La Figaro 339 which is a full OTL tube amp.

My impressions are bit opposite to yours, the HD800S with CMA12 definitely has more vocal presence and more intimate/forward sounding, whereas my Figaro gives a deeper/wider soundstage which is smoother on the treble. My Figaro also gives that slightly organic sound.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

I somewhat disagree, not all solid states sound the same, likewise not all tube amps have the same kind of sound signature.

You can have solid states like Violectric amps that are warm, and somewhat tube sounding and some tube amps that sound more like solid state, even tube rolling can alter the sound quite a bit.

I own a Questyle CMA Twelve which is a solid state amp and a La Figaro 339 which is a full OTL tube amp.

My impressions are bit opposite to yours, the HD800S with CMA12 definitely has more vocal presence and more intimate/forward sounding, whereas my Figaro gives a deeper/wider soundstage which is smoother on the treble. My Figaro also gives that slightly organic sound.

Great to hear that you've found a use for both of your amps with your HD800S.

 

[Bruc3]

When I first heard the HD800S, I hated it because it was so bright and without bass. The first few tracks I listened to were pop songs with a lot of bass. So, it sounded terrible. I put those headphones back on the rack after about 15 seconds. And this was on a Hugo 2 DAC/AMP.

Then, I paired it with my Bottlehead Crack and it became great. Now, I have learned how to EQ them with the same Hugo 2 that I hated them with on first audition and the sound is sublime for Classical Music and Jazz and decent as an all arounder. Given the huge sound stage, glorious airy treble response and detail/resolution, I think these headphones will now always be a part of my collection.

If you are a young guy, might explain why you are more treble sensitive, but treble is about right for me most the time on the HD800S. I thought the Beyer t1.2 was a lot brighter.

Not sure what dac the Hugo 2 has, but generally AKM dac chips tend to be less bright, so maybe consider that if you decide to go for another dac in future.

 

[Bruc3]

Great to hear that you've found a use for both of your amps with your HD800S.

Thanks, yes I intend to keep both these amps for the long haul.

Likely will spend in future on either more tube rolling or adding new headphones, I currently have my eye on ZMF.