[Music Alchemist]

  I don't know what to say. Realistic? What do you mean by that? I've heard the HD800 and HE-6, and although they definitely had their own flavors, they were very much realistic to my ears.

But, if you want a sound that is without a flavor, this doesn't exist, even a live show doesn't sound realistic by that standard. Most likely each of us perceive sounds differently and by this each of us have a "built in" flavor.

I say, get something that sounds good to you, have tons of detail and some soundstage and you should be fine. I absolutely can't see what could be wrong with these headphones so that you would find them sounding bad. 

Also, electrostats don't have a lot of impact. Like really not a lot. Keep that in mind.

 
See my recent post:
 

If every single recording in every single genre sounds bright and harsh (or warm and smooth), you can rest assured that you are not listening to accurate audio reproduction.

 
Could just be due to different systems...but those amps are powerful and cost thousands, so I dunno. I definitely won't be buying any of the headphones I heard today, at least not anytime soon.
 
I heard the SR-009 has a lot of impact from some of the better amps. I believe @paradoxper agrees.
 
Even if it doesn't, I plan on using the JVC HA-SZ200 for basshead purposes, so at least bass impact would be covered.

 

[flipper2gv]

   
See my recent post:
 
 
Could just be due to different systems...but those amps are powerful and cost thousands, so I dunno. I definitely won't be buying any of the headphones I heard today, at least not anytime soon.
 
I heard the SR-009 has a lot of impact from some of the better amps. I believe @paradoxper agrees.
 
Even if it doesn't, I plan on using the JVC HA-SZ200 for basshead purposes, so at least bass impact would be covered.

 
I've tried the SR-007 mkI, and there wasn't a lot of impact. It was on one of the higher end stax amp though, not something like a blue hawaii.

 

[Music Alchemist]

  I've tried the SR-007 mkI, and there wasn't a lot of impact. It was on one of the higher end stax amp though, not something like a blue hawaii.

 
The 009 is a completely different headphone. I never said anything about the 007 recently.

 

[Hansotek]

 

If every single recording in every single genre sounds bright and harsh (or warm and smooth), you can rest assured that you are not listening to accurate audio reproduction.

 
Could just be due to different systems...but those amps are powerful and cost thousands, so I dunno. I definitely won't be buying any of the headphones I heard today, at least not anytime soon.
 

 
Given how much cherry stuff you tried and didn't like today, I'm guessing it has more to do with the amps than the headphones themselves. I find it very hard to believe someone could try all that stuff and not like any of it. Flagship models can vary in sound pretty drastically from amp to amp. Especially the HD800. 

 

[Music Alchemist]

  Given how much cherry stuff you tried and didn't like today, I'm guessing it has more to do with the amps than the headphones themselves. I find it very hard to believe someone could try all that stuff and not like any of it. Flagship models can vary in sound pretty drastically from amp to amp. Especially the HD800. 

 
I listed the amps. They were very high quality. It's the headphones...and by the way, they sounded about the same from both amps.
 
The HD 800 has bright treble to the point of extreme physical pain. People often use tube amps to counteract that.
 
The HE1000 is overall the best headphone I have heard, but only on a technicality. It's just a little too warm and smooths over detail too much. I've heard many affordable headphones with much better clarity and detail.
 
The others I didn't listen to nearly as long as the other two.
 
For the record, I enjoyed them...but for the price, and with their weaknesses, I would never buy them.

 

[socks mk2]

[redacted]

 

[Music Alchemist]

I didn't like a lot of headphones on my old Asgard 2... None would be more accurate. My HPA V100 is better (sounding) to me in every aspect. I wouldn't be surprised if, like others said, the DAC or AMP were to blame to an extent. Headphones I didn't like on my Asgard 2 were more pleasing to my ears on my HPA V100. With that said, the headphone's themselves still weren't to my liking, just less so— if that makes sense. Kinda like spicing up a recipe for a meal you dislike, it can taste better than it did before while still inherantly being "meh" to your tastebuds.

 
The Sennheiser HDVD 800 was specially made for the HD 800. The MOON Neo 430HA is very powerful and costs many thousands of dollars. This talk about it being the fault of the amps is nonsense. It's the headphones, man...

 

[Hansotek]

I listed the amps. They were very high quality. It's the headphones...and by the way, they sounded about the same from both amps.
 
The HD 800 has bright treble to the point of extreme physical pain. People often use tube amps to counteract that.
 
The HE1000 is overall the best headphone I have heard, but only on a technicality. It's just a little too warm and smooths over detail too much. I've heard many affordable headphones with much better clarity and detail.
 
The others I didn't listen to nearly as long as the other two.
 
For the record, I enjoyed them...but for the price, and with their weaknesses, I would never buy them.

 
Just because they are high quality amps, doesn't mean you are going to like them. The HD800 definitely needs a warm tube amp, in my experience. I've never had any brightness issues with it on the Lyr, but I have on several other setups, for what it's worth. 

 

[Music Alchemist]

  Just because they are high quality amps, doesn't mean you are going to like them. The HD800 definitely needs a warm tube amp, in my experience. I've never had any brightness issues with it on the Lyr, but I have on several other setups, for what it's worth. 

 
It isn't about me liking them; it's about them being neutral amps, and the HD 800 being bright, yet people somehow denying this obvious fact. Anyway, I'm sure I would like it more from a warm tube amp, but I've lost all interest in the headphones I heard today either way. Really depressed right now...

 

[money4me247]

 
If every single recording in every single genre sounds bright and harsh (or warm and smooth), you can rest assured that you are not listening to accurate audio reproduction.

mmm... I think that really only tells you where your personal preference is on the warm>>>bright scale. from my direct comparisons, the HD800 is really only a touch brighter than something like the nad hp50 or hd600 or spirit headphones (finally got a chance to demo it). not that bright and harsh that you can't adjust after one week of listening. painfully bright would suggest either the set-up being used was also extremely on the bright side of the scale or that you prefer a warmer sound or the specific source material exaggerated the peaks of the hd800. sure the hd800 is on the brighter side of the scale & relatively brighter to a degree compared to most other headphones, but I don't think it's painfully bright for everyone as there are quite a lot of happy hd800 owners out there. the hd800 definitely does better on a warmer amplifier though imo. for someone who gets used to the hd800, everything else sounds too dark/warm. can be a bit of a shock switching from a warmer pair of headphones to the hd800, but once you get used to its sound sig, I don't think it's that problematic. probably not worth trying to get used to it though in your case though since you had such a severe dislike for its treble tuning.
 
do note that it does also take our brains a bit of time to get used to a new sound signature, so don't be too depressed! just pick your favorite and buy them for a week and see how you feel about them afterwards. compared relatively against each other every headphone will have a certain different strength/weakness. just have to find the one that fits you!

 

[Music Alchemist]

  mmm... I think that really only tells you where your personal preference is on the warm>>>bright scale. from my direct comparisons, the HD800 is really only a touch brighter than something like the nad hp50 or hd600 or spirit headphones (finally got a chance to demo it). not that bright and harsh that you can't adjust after one week of listening. painfully bright would suggest either the set-up being used was also extremely on the bright side of the scale or that you prefer a warmer sound. the hd800 definitely does better on a warmer amplifier though imo. for someone who gets used to the hd800, everything else sounds too dark/warm.
 
do note that it does also take our brains a bit of time to get used to a new sound signature, so don't be too depressed! just pick your favorite and buy them for a week and see how you feel about them afterwards. compared relatively against each other every headphone will have a certain different strength/weakness. just have to find the one that fits you!

 
I prefer accurate sound. Period. The HD 800 is so bright and harsh that it makes my ears and brain hurt, like physically. The Focal Spirit Professional is darker, but too dark.
 
I'm just gonna take the plunge into STAX and see how it goes...

 

[money4me247]

  I prefer accurate sound. Period. The HD 800 is so bright and harsh that it makes my ears and brain hurt, like physically. The Focal Spirit Professional is darker, but too dark.
 
I'm just gonna take the plunge into STAX and see how it goes...

good luck! hope you find what you are looking for

 

[paradoxper]

   
I've tried the SR-007 mkI, and there wasn't a lot of impact. It was on one of the higher end stax amp though, not something like a blue hawaii.

There is plenty of bass on the right amp. However if you are a basshead or want more coloration, planar's do offer more. You want great texture, extension and 
good impact the 009 is by far the cream of the crop to my ears. More bloom in the 007. HD800 offers less as well, but extends nicely. 
 
But really...you want bass...get speakers so you can feel the visceral quality. 

 

[DaemonSire]

@Music Alchemist FYI if you haven't seen this yet, http://www.head-fi.org/t/771117/fs-stax-sr202-electrostatic-headphone-system

 

[Music Alchemist]

  @Music Alchemist FYI if you haven't seen this yet, http://www.head-fi.org/t/771117/fs-stax-sr202-electrostatic-headphone-system

 
Wow, thanks! I may pay next month's rent early, though, so I dunno if I would be able to afford that before someone else gets it.