[liamstrain]

What manner of delusion do you suffer from?

I am one of the professionals. I have owned the 800. It is a fine headphone, but for the stated desires of the OP, it doesn't make sense to recommend it. It totally blows his budget, and won't run well from his source.

For my own needs and preferences, I sold my HD800 and went back to the 600s. They are more neutral and better for both my work, and the way I like to listen to music for pleasure.

The posts here have largely been the equivalent of the OP asking about the best sports car for under $75k, then everyone telling him to just wait until he has a budget above $250k for a car that is good, but not 2.5 times better than the option he can afford. Not helpful.

Hence my response. No delusion. My recommendation based on his request, and my experience with the headphones in question.

 

[Makiah S]

Hence my response. No delusion. My recommendation based on his request, and my experience with the headphones in question.

agree'd were not hear to debate the sound of the HD 800 or if it's worth the price
rather we are here to help the OP find a headphone that fits his needs at this moment, the time in which he has asked us
 
I think the Senn HD 600 is a good recommendation for him as it's what he is looking for, warm, rich and detailed. 
 
I haven't heard any Senn Can, but I'm not a fan of anything labled "warm and rich" when it comes to headphones. I'm a beyer guy I intended to stay that way [I'll make an exception for the HD 800] my point is while I would LOVE to recommend him an DT 880, and I have. Going through what he's specfied he wants, I think his best option is the HD 600, assuming he only wants to use his Sound card.
 
That said, is it what I would use no, it's what I would recommend based on my experince as a listener of headphones and a reader of reviews to him
 
Now that said, I'm looking forward to hearing my first Senn can in April so xD Let's hope I don't like it to much <3 

 

[qkrzazzang]

Wow. Thanks for lots of answers guys. I've been carefully reading them all, and it seems like my soundcard/ lack of amp is really holding some things back. So I decided to break $500 limit and do whatever it takes to really get the sound I really need out of the combo. Many have mentioned HD600, and my mind is towards there. Also, many of you guys mentioned about HD800. Now, would the 800 suit my 3 preferences that I stated? If so, please help me and list some ultimate combos with it. Thanks again guys, I appreciate every single answer here.

 

[Makiah S]

  Wow. Thanks for lots of answers guys. I've been carefully reading them all, and it seems like my soundcard/ lack of amp is really holding some things back. So I decided to break $500 limit and do whatever it takes to really get the sound I really need out of the combo. Many have mentioned HD600, and my mind is towards there. Also, many of you guys mentioned about HD800. Now, would the 800 suit my 3 preferences that I stated? If so, please help me and list some ultimate combos with it. Thanks again guys, I appreciate every single answer here.

I would suggest if your interested in going for the HD 800 without breaking the bank. You could shoot for something along the lines of the Schiit Loki and Vali, MANY HD 800 users have confirmed a very nice pairnig with the HD 800 and Schiit Vali. 
 
The price for the HD 800 Vali and Loki shouldn't be to much more than $1600 or so, with most of that being the price for the HD 800
 
If your interested in the HD 800, you should give consideration to the DT 880 as well, many 880 owners who've listened to the HD 800, find the two headphones share a simmilar sound [extra treble any one ;3] I would again recommend the Schiit Vali [which I've owned] or any OTL tube to pair with the DT 880. tubes +DT 880 = win! Nice detail and rich mids and bass. 
 
How ever, if your going to talk END game... you could go as far as something like a Balanced Audio GD REF 10.32 DAC and a tube along the lines of the Schiit WA 22 [I think] or the Little Dot MK VI+ That combo might run you... 3,000+ or so. 

 

[Flognuts]

T90 by a country mile at that price point. 
 
sounds decent out of an STX aswell. 
 
equalize it -2 @ 10khz and 12.5 khz and you pretty much have a T1/HD800 for half the price. 

 

[Makiah S]

  T90 by a country mile at that price point. 
 
sounds decent out of an STX aswell. 
 
equalize it -2 @ 10khz and 12.5 khz and you pretty much have a T1/HD800 for half the price. 

Not quiete, the T1 has angles drivers, does the HD 800? Either way
 
yes the T1  has the sound signiture of the two, but will lack the imaging and sound stage
 
those terms refer to... how the sound is presented in a 3D sense, some of that has to do more with recording that it does the headphone it self, but let's assume you listening to a Classical Orchestra Track, recording in Binural, with your T90 and HD 800, the T90 will sound good, how ever the HD 800 will... have a better sense of realism, you can place the sound more accuratly within the sound stag of the HD 800, for example, the Cello is x inches to the left and behind the Violin. I find these little details are the really cool part about upgrades
 
that said, the T90 is also a wonderful recommendation and headphone, 

 

[qkrzazzang]

  I would suggest if your interested in going for the HD 800 without breaking the bank. You could shoot for something along the lines of the Schiit Loki and Vali, MANY HD 800 users have confirmed a very nice pairnig with the HD 800 and Schiit Vali. 
 
The price for the HD 800 Vali and Loki shouldn't be to much more than $1600 or so, with most of that being the price for the HD 800
 
If your interested in the HD 800, you should give consideration to the DT 880 as well, many 880 owners who've listened to the HD 800, find the two headphones share a simmilar sound [extra treble any one ;3] I would again recommend the Schiit Vali [which I've owned] or any OTL tube to pair with the DT 880. tubes +DT 880 = win! Nice detail and rich mids and bass. 
 
How ever, if your going to talk END game... you could go as far as something like a Balanced Audio GD REF 10.32 DAC and a tube along the lines of the Schiit WA 22 [I think] or the Little Dot MK VI+ That combo might run you... 3,000+ or so. 

If 800 sounds similar to 880, I guess then that's not really for me? As far as I learned from this thread, I find that 880 sounds quite opposite to what my preferences are.

 

[pdrm360]

  I would suggest if your interested in going for the HD 800 without breaking the bank. You could shoot for something along the lines of the Schiit Loki and Vali, MANY HD 800 users have confirmed a very nice pairnig with the HD 800 and Schiit Vali. 
 
The price for the HD 800 Vali and Loki shouldn't be to much more than $1600 or so, with most of that being the price for the HD 800
 
If your interested in the HD 800, you should give consideration to the DT 880 as well, many 880 owners who've listened to the HD 800, find the two headphones share a simmilar sound [extra treble any one ;3] I would again recommend the Schiit Vali [which I've owned] or any OTL tube to pair with the DT 880. tubes +DT 880 = win! Nice detail and rich mids and bass. 
 
How ever, if your going to talk END game... you could go as far as something like a Balanced Audio GD REF 10.32 DAC and a tube along the lines of the Schiit WA 22 [I think] or the Little Dot MK VI+ That combo might run you... 3,000+ or so. 

If 800 sounds similar to 880, I guess then that's not really for me? As far as I learned from this thread, I find that 880 sounds quite opposite to what my preferences are.

 
The 800 sounds similar to 880!!!? What are you guys talking about? 

 

[Mambosenior]

The HD-800 DOES NOT sound anything like the DT-880! Closest thing to the 800 in sound is the AKG 712Pro. Even the T1 does not sound like the 880. The 880 is an excellent HP, however.

 

[qkrzazzang]

The HD-800 DOES NOT sound anything like the DT-880! Closest thing to the 800 in sound is the AKG 712Pro. Even the T1 does not sound like the 880. The 880 is an excellent HP, however.

So would it fit my preferences?
 
-Very rich sound (especially bass, but still overall)
 
- No dry sound (live acoustic)
 
-Between Bright and dark sound (but a little more towards dark).
 
like somewhat more similar to HD600 than DT880?

 

[Makiah S]

The HD-800 DOES NOT sound anything like the DT-880! Closest thing to the 800 in sound is the AKG 712Pro. Even the T1 does not sound like the 880. The 880 is an excellent HP, however.

GOOD to hear than, both have slight boosted treble and a very natrual presentation so that said IGNORE ME, xD
 
Anyways, listening really is the best way to decide what you like, if your budget is really $500+ you could easily buy the HD 600 and DT 880 listen to both and return the one you did not like, Amazon has a rather generous return policy as does eBay 

 

[nabwong]

So would it fit my preferences?

-Very rich sound (especially bass, but still overall)

- No dry sound (live acoustic)

-Between Bright and dark sound (but a little more towards dark).

like somewhat more similar to HD600 than DT880?

You just described the he400. Use it with odac+o2.

 

[pdrm360]

You just described the he400. Use it with odac+o2.

 
The HE-400 is one of the worst for classical, IMO.

 

[TMRaven]

I love HE-400 best for classical and orchestra/instrumental.

 

[nabwong]

The HE-400 is one of the worst for classical, IMO.

I'm a professional classical musician. I like it. I also like the hd600 for classical. Just depends on my mood. I love the speed of the he400 especially if you have multi layered fugues. Sometimes the hd600 is too slow but has a longer decay than the he400. So nice for lyrical lines.