[darkarn]

It’s ok if I’m a little jealous, right? Because I just bought a house (my first!), I am not able to participate.

Drop sent me the production tuned HD 8xx (the only one! I was honored... and very very careful), and I’m trying to sit myself down and write up an impressions comparison today with my HD 800. I had to send it back already, but I have a LOT of notes, listened to several familiar tracks and played a few games. Please understand... as a community manager sponsored by Sennheiser, and with everyone of course hungry for impressions, I want to be very careful to describe the experience so that people know what they are getting, and to describe what it is not, to help prevent overhype and returns.

SPOILER At this price, there has never been a better time to get a fresh, new HD 800 series headphone, and it is still the best at what it does but also still not a basshead headphone.

Congrats on your new house! Can I confirm what is the differences between a HD8XX and a HD800S in terms of packaging?

 

[Evshrug]

Ah, they didn’t send the demo unit in HD 8xx packaging, but rather a standard HD 800S box, and the case got pretty beat up before it got to me. That’s a good question though, I’ll try to ask my contacts and find out for you!

Meanwhile, I just finished my HD 8XX demo impressions, comparing to my HD 800 that I have had for many years. Check it out, enjoy some tunes, and let me know if you have any other questions!
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/evs...w-now-discussion-journal.646786/post-16359891

 

[darkarn]

Ah, they didn’t send the demo unit in HD 8xx packaging, but rather a standard HD 800S box, and the case got pretty beat up before it got to me. That’s a good question though, I’ll try to ask my contacts and find out for you!

Meanwhile, I just finished my HD 8XX demo impressions, comparing to my HD 800 that I have had for many years. Check it out, enjoy some tunes, and let me know if you have any other questions!
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/evs...w-now-discussion-journal.646786/post-16359891

Thank you!

 

[Evshrug]

Congrats on your new house! Can I confirm what is the differences between a HD8XX and a HD800S in terms of packaging?

Ok, I have your answer thanks for your patience!

The HD 8XX will also come in the same storage box with foam padding as the HD 800S, but the illustration on the outer cardboard box will be different, with a line-drawing (kind of like a blueprint) to match the style seen on other Drop exclusive headphone boxes.

 

[darkarn]

Ok, I have your answer thanks for your patience!

The HD 8XX will also come in the same storage box with foam padding as the HD 800S, but the illustration on the outer cardboard box will be different, with a line-drawing (kind of like a blueprint) to match the style seen on other Drop exclusive headphone boxes.

Thank you! Am I right to say that the contents of a box of HD8XX is the same as the contents of a box of HD800S, just that they look different due to HD8XX being from Drop and HD800S being from Sennheiser?

 

[Levanter]

Thank you! Am I right to say that the contents of a box of HD8XX is the same as the contents of a box of HD800S, just that they look different due to HD8XX being from Drop and HD800S being from Sennheiser?

They already mentioned before, Drop version does not include the balanced cable that comes with HD800S.

 

[darkarn]

They already mentioned before, Drop version does not include the balanced cable that comes with HD800S.

Thanks, I see, so there will still be at least that USB drive that contains the measurements/caliberation right?

 

[jasswolf]

https://drop.com/buy/drop-sennheiser-hd-8xx-headphones/talk/2830071

In February, we hit our goals from a measurements perspective, but our subjective evaluation, and those in our community validation process aligned to the same conclusion: the 8XX didn’t sound like a logical conclusion for the HD 8 series, it sounded like something between the 800 and 800S.

On this measurement, you can see a ~5db bass increase over the 800S from 20-600hz, followed by an increase in the highs to maintain the aggressive detail we all need from an HD8 series headphone.

We have dramatically reduced the resonance of the 8XX compared to 800 S and original 800, especially around the troublesome 5-6k region

Click through for graphs (the FR graph doesn't look normalised properly, but meh).

Looks like it's an improved tuning, but people are worrying about 1kHz-3kHz, which is odd considering it's a diffuse field tuning.

 

[Evshrug]

Yeah, I’m really interested to hear it because of the reduced resonance in the upper mids/highs, in addition to the tuning changes. I posted impressions of the pre-production HD 8xx vs HD 800 in my blog (link in signature), and I just got Drop to agree to send me the updated version for more impressions.

also significant:
First HD 8XX are shipping to customers in the first half of September.

 

[sahmen]

My Hd800 has been sitting idle unused for several years now, so I just can't justify the purchase of this new drop. I think my HD800 simply needs a tweak to upgrade its sonic performance to a level that compares favorably with the HD800s and this drop. From the little I have read about this matter, I think this is a tweak which a SuperDupont Mod can accomplish.

I wish I could do that Mod myself, but I honestly do not have the expertise or the nerve to attempt such things. Are there any brave ones out there who might be willing to Mod my HD800 for me, for a fee? If yes, kindly let me know (either via PM or right on this thread). Depending on how much that mod might cost, it could turn out to be a much smarter choice than buying a whole new HD8XX.

At least that is what I am thinking now, and I hope I am not wrong about that.

 

[kion]

Looks like Drop has now restricted the sale to US and Canada only, this has been confirmed by Drop support.

I don't know what to make of their decision...

 

[askeladden]

Judging by comments i've read they have always blocked certain asian countries or maybe Asia as a whole. Maybe they have extended the list of blocked countries.

My order is still active though.

 

[kion]

Judging by comments i've read they have always blocked certain asian countries or maybe Asia as a whole. Maybe they have extended the list of blocked countries.

My order is still active though.

It is now US&Canada only so don't make the same mistake as me by cancelling the order lol

 

[askeladden]

It is now US&Canada only so don't make the same mistake as me by cancelling the order lol

I won't. Maybe that is the reason though.. too many cancelations etc.

 

[elira]

A

Looks like Drop has now restricted the sale to US and Canada only, this has been confirmed by Drop support.

I don't know what to make of their decision...

Are they going to cancel orders from other countries?