[AtomikPi]

The problem is that in replying to complaints about you equipment you also made very strong criticisms of the HD800 beyond just stating your complaints. It comes across as an attack rather than an emotion free statement. If you had just said that the HD800 are not your cup of tea for x y z reasons and not responded to the "you need better equipment" posts you would possibly be closer to your goal and would have avoided all the bickering in this thread.

 

[Currawong]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmellyGas /img/forum/go_quote.gif I cannot stand what I perceive to be exaggerated highs and annoying sibilance from my HD800. Based on the magnitude of these offensive sounds that I hear, I do not believe any amplification will make them sound even tolerable.

I posted my experience in this thread earlier, which I guess you didn't read. To summarise, I had the same problem as you, my pair in the serial number range that has the stronger 6.3k which seems to result in strong emphasis of sibilance. Upgrading my amp solved the problem. So what I'm saying here is, you may not believe what people are saying, but sticking your fingers in your ears and shouting "LALALA I CAN'T HEAR YOU" doesn't change that.

However, it is both true that better gear or different headphones are equally a solution. I felt the same as you the first time I tried Grados, that they were awful. Then I heard them on a better amp and I've put down to buy 2 pairs!

Quote:

Originally Posted by iamoneagain /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm one of the few that didn't care for the HD800. I think the L3000 is a big step up. Now watch, the next post will be by someone who says the L3000 is one of the worst headphones they've heard. So this discredits my opinion. My main issue with the HD800 is the overall sound didn't move me. I want an enjoyable headphone, but doesn't have to be technically the best. For me the L3000, is still a fun headphone while having best technical abilities over most headphones I've listened to. Now I'm not recommending them because of their current price and they are hard to find. But if you have the money, it might be something to try.

I've had two chances to try the L3000s. The second experience was interesting, as I listened to my HD-800s straight afterwards, and liked neither! If I listened to the L3000s for a long time, I'd probably get used to their sound, and it would put me off a lot of other gear. I've been learning how one's "ears" (actually one's brain) adapts to changes in sound. Though, loved the bass, but the treble and mids were so very dead to me. I'd love to try them with thick pads to see if that fixes them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmellyGas /img/forum/go_quote.gif Then why do you, in particular, seem to have have a hard time accepting this? Why do you keep telling me that it's my amplifier and equipment? Why can't you understand that I do not like the way these headphones sound, that I have the exact same complaint as many others do about the treble, and that it's NOT my amplifier and equipment?

Because it is. It's the entire combination you aren't liking. This is why you're getting flak, because you wont accept this, even though a number of far more experienced members have explained it to you. If, in the future, you get to try a lot more headphones and gear, you'll understand. You've also missed an entire thread on the HD-800s which show that the treble on individual models varies considerably, which relates what I said above about serial number ranges.

If it wasn't already clear, in my case I don't like my HD-800s with anything other than my best amp and DAC and I'd say for many people and types of music they are a poor choice.

I predict you'll go through a lot of headphones, rubbish all the ones you don't like, then get a big shock when you get a chance to try them all again at Canjam or the like and discover that they are totally different when well amped with a great source behind them.

 

[Geek]

The HD800s have pretty hot treble - it's true... BUT the catch - only on really bad recordings, of which I have a LOT of. I had the same initial impressions as threadstarter and Skylab. I think Skylab did a great professional review, by the way. However, I ONLY hear hot treble on FLAWED recordings. A LOT of my music collection sounds better than it ever has before - and a LOT sounds worse than before in the highs... what does that tell you? I tried listening to some good CDs, and the harsh highs magically disappeared. Try Otis Taylor's latest TELARC release. Try Barenboim's Chopin Nocturnes on TELARC. Maybe this label is conspiring with Sennheiser? I doubt it! What about Christian Mcbride's Kind of Brown? How about Regina Spektor's "Far"? They're all pretty good sounding - you'll catch a few minor flaws on them all - Barenboim's suit that he wore is a little noisy and you can hear him shift, something you miss on the HD650s - Kind of Brown has some mic hiss - and Spektor's vocal mic ain't the greatest thing on the planet - but it's still a better musical experience than on any other headphone equipment I've heard. Without coloration or gimmicky sound - at about 75-80dB listening.

Anemic bass? What kind of amp are you using? Are you working for a competing headphone company?

Sorry that things didn't work out between you and the HD800s. Good luck on your headphone search! The Sennheiser sound (and for that matter, the latest AKG & Beyer headphones) - with a focus on neutrality and accuracy - just ain't for everyone.

 

[rhythmdevils]

recordings are harsh, and if your ears aren't bleeding, then your headphones are rolled off in the treble

 

[vcoheda]

i have an idea.

you should abandon the 800 and try the 007. but pair it with a really bad amp and then complain about how much it sucks.

 

[Geek]

rhythmdevils,

Most of my 128k mp3s do indeed sound pretty harsh, its a fact of life, the highs sound like an angry beehive, rolling off everything past 3k fixes the problem

 

[SmellyGas]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Currawong /img/forum/go_quote.gif I posted my experience in this thread earlier, which I guess you didn't read. To summarise, I had the same problem as you, my pair in the serial number range that has the stronger 6.3k which seems to result in strong emphasis of sibilance. Upgrading my amp solved the problem. So what I'm saying here is, you may not believe what people are saying, but sticking your fingers in your ears and shouting "LALALA I CAN'T HEAR YOU" doesn't change that.

There are a handful of people who upgraded their amps and the treble problem went away. This could have been due to additional breakin over time, not your amps. This could have been due to people listening exclusively to the HD800's with the new amps and not comparing to old comparison phones (my HD800's don't sound toooo bad when I don't compare them to the HD650's). There is a lot of placebo effect involved when people spend $1400 on headphones, then drop another $1000-$2000 on an amp upgrade, expecting a sound improvement. People here also hear dramatic differences when they replace power cords, cables, and when they do the chicken dance before putting their cans on, whatever. So excuse me if your single post on an anonymous internet forum didn't compel me to spend MY MONEY (not yours) on an amplifier upgrade that I am STILL not convinced will help, especially when I have already experienced the same problem on 4 different amps with completely dissimiliar topologies. If I buy a new amp and it doesn't help, are you going to refund my money? If not, what right do you have to demand that I upgrade my amp rather than return my phones?

Quote:

This is why you're getting flak, because you wont accept this, even though a number of far more experienced members have explained it to you. If, in the future, you get to try a lot more headphones and gear, you'll understand.

No, sir, the flack is coming exclusively (or maybe 90%+) from people who dropped $1400 on their HD800's, another $1000+ an amps, and are personally offended when somebody doesn't validate their purchase.

Quote:

I predict you'll go through a lot of headphones, rubbish all the ones you don't like, then get a big shock when you get a chance to try them all again at Canjam or the like and discover that they are totally different when well amped with a great source behind them.

If you're so confident that your HD800's are the best ever, then why are you being so defensive? Why does it matter to you and the rest of the fanboy brigade what I personally think?

 

[SmellyGas]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vcoheda /img/forum/go_quote.gif i have an idea. you should abandon the 800 and try the 007. but pair it with a really bad amp and then complain about how much it sucks.

Well, that convinced me. I am now going to buy a $10,000 amp with little diamond ornaments and a solid gold volume knob. that way, when somebody doesn't like the headphones I ultimately pick out, I can tell them it's because they don't have the bling.

 

[SmellyGas]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AtomikPi /img/forum/go_quote.gif The problem is that in replying to complaints about you equipment you also made very strong criticisms of the HD800 beyond just stating your complaints. It comes across as an attack rather than an emotion free statement. If you had just said that the HD800 are not your cup of tea for x y z reasons and not responded to the "you need better equipment" posts you would possibly be closer to your goal and would have avoided all the bickering in this thread.

On the other hand, if the kind folk here would just accept the fact that different people can have different impressions of the same headphone, we wouldn't be on page-whatever-we're-on right now.

If you recall, I never asked for people to critique my equipment. I never asked people if they agreed with my impressions of the HD800. I never asked whether or not I should return them vs. whatever. People just decided to tell me what I should do when they really had no business doing so, and they became offended when I didn't accept their unsolicited advice. As others have pointed out, it's my money. I can choose what to do with it. I'm also an adult, and the last time I checked, I had the capacity to make my own reasoned decisions.

All I asked for was suggestions on which headphones to try out next. It's right there in the thread title. "What else should I try." An 8 y/o could understand this. Some people were able to read and offered their headphone picks. I ended up adding 1, possibly 2, to my list. I appreciate their help, and that's that.

 

[Brighten]

You really need to learn to multi-quote.

 

[FraGTaLiTy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmellyGas /img/forum/go_quote.gif On the other hand, if the kind folk here would just accept the fact that different people can have different impressions of the same headphone, we wouldn't be on page-whatever-we're-on right now. If you recall, I never asked for people to critique my equipment. I never asked people if they agreed with my impressions of the HD800. I never asked whether or not I should return them vs. whatever. People just decided to tell me what I should do when they really had no business doing so, and they became offended when I didn't accept their unsolicited advice. As others have pointed out, it's my money. I can choose what to do with it. I'm also an adult, and the last time I checked, I had the capacity to make my own reasoned decisions. All I asked for was suggestions on which headphones to try out next. It's right there in the thread title. "What else should I try." An 8 y/o could understand this. Some people were able to read and offered their headphone picks. I ended up adding 1, possibly 2, to my list. I appreciate their help, and that's that.

Coming from someone who has been inactively viewing this thread; you, sir, need to relax a little bit. Part of the reason why the majority of this thread is off topic is because you keep responding to the conflicting posts. Ignore them, and they will stop. All you are doing is fueling them.

On topic: I am not sure how much you will take my opinion into consideration since I am a new member, but have you ever thought about giving the JH-13 pro a try? I have a strong feeling you will not be disappointed as you were with the 800s. I honestly have not tried them myself; I have simply read a ton of unbiased reviews and customer opinions about them, and based off what I have read over and over again I would bet my money that you will be satisfied with them. They are a true testament to the phrase "Dynamite comes in small packages".

 

[SmellyGas]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FraGTaLiTy /img/forum/go_quote.gif Part of the reason why the majority of this thread is off topic is because you keep responding to the conflicting posts. Ignore them, and they will stop. All you are doing is fueling them.

Alright. Enough is enough. I'm out. LOL. If anyone has anything else to communicate other than "your amps suck," please PM me. thanks.

Quote:

On topic: I am not sure how much you will take my opinion into consideration since I am a new member, but have you ever thought about giving the JH-13 pro a try? I have a strong feeling you will not be disappointed as you were with the 800s. I honestly have not tried them myself; I have simply read a ton of unbiased reviews and customer opinions about them, and based off what I have read over and over again I would bet my money that you will be satisfied with them. They are a true testament to the phrase "Dynamite comes in small packages".

I already have enough pairs to try out, but I might consider it in the future. thank you.

 

[johnwmclean]

Your source sucks too

 

[pearljam5000]

Why the hell do you keep helping this idiot?he thinks he's the smartest guy on earth,he doesn't give a **** about anything you say,stop being too nice people

 

[John Willett]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pearljam5000 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Why the hell do you keep helping this idiot?he thinks he's the smartest guy on earth,he doesn't give a **** about anything you say,stop being too nice people

Too true - all I read in this thread is people trying to be helpful and the OP coming back with abuse if he doesn't like the advice.