[mlaa78]

Thanks everyone for the comments and discussion! Some background: I have Feliks Elise mk2 (2018) with Psvane CV181-TII (same as Euforia stock tubes) at the moment. Of course I will buy other tubes for it step by step, but I can imagine HD800 high treble frequency response could match the amp very well. Better than HD650. And the price is another reason. 800 is much cheaper than S. Is S worth it? I can buy tubes with that price difference and get much more variance to the sound depending what kind of music I’m listening. That’s why I prefer much more HD800 at the moment. And seems like I’m not the only one. Keep on talking

 

[Accel137]

Yeah HD800 performes better in classic music, but it needs a better(more expensive) amp and dac to drive it, otherwise it will be suck. HD800S is a little bit easier to be drived and better than HD800 in other kinds of music.

 

[Me x3]

Yeah HD800 performes better in classic music, but it needs a better(more expensive) amp and dac to drive it, otherwise it will be suck. HD800S is a little bit easier to be drived and better than HD800 in other kinds of music.

HD800S is as hard (or easy) to drive as HD800. I've owned HD800 in the past and own HD800S now.
HD800 has more energy in the 6kHz region so it's more steely sounding.
Many people say you need an expensive amp because they don't like HD800's tuning.

The claim that HD800 is better for classic music is debatable.
If you like your classic music to have more of that steely tonality, then yes. Otherwise HD800S might provide the more linear sound.

 

[Tsyer]

I have both. I prefer the HD800 as it sounds purer if driven on a good powerful amp in balanced mode where i feel the bass is not lacking. Otherwise the HD800S will sound better on lesser amps in SE mode. I listen mainly to classical, jazz and audiophile music

 

[earChasm]

I had both and also prefer the HD800 over the HD800S but it was probably a love crime. I had 3 versions of the HD800 at one time and clearly loved only 1. The other 2 gave me fatique within the hour. I blind tested it and had a success rate of 100%. I wouldn't sell my HD800 for any money in the world. Well, ok, above 3k I would but you get my drift.

@Tsyer I think I agree...