[DarKu]

   
Growing up, I would always hear people say that if an eagle could see any better, its vision would be impaired by being able to see so many particulates in the air.  At that point I suppose the eagle's eye would be "too sharp" for its purpose. 
 
Some headphones are like microscopes, when what is needed is a fine wide angle lens.  Microscopes are fun, and with them you can learn a lot about the thing at which you're looking, but it's hard to appreciate art through a microscope.

I couldn't say it any better, thumbs up !!

 

[BournePerfect]

  Agreed. On the right amp, both the SR-009 and the HD800s bring the bass. Play them on sub-par gear (and I have) and the results vary at best.

 
Dacs are just as important too-I can't say the Bryston necessarily 'brings the bass' when it can change rather dramatically from source to source ime. The entire chain cannot be underestimated. It's kind of off-putting to me when, uh, more than a few-Headfiers tend to run on and on with opinions (especially regarding the HD800)-when it's clear to me that they haven't necessarily put the required time and effort into bringing them close to their full potential. On the right rig-they absolutely rock with ALL GENRES imo. I can understand why some people don't wanna take the time, effort, and $$ to bring them close to their potential-but don't regurgitate the 'bass-less, only good for classical' nonsense to those of us that have. I'd imagine the 009 is very similar in that regard-based on owners' impressions vs. regurgitated propaganda based on 5 minute listening sessions or hearsay. Welcome to Headfi-Sorry About the Misinformation!
 
-Daniel

 

[Danz03]

I was talking about the LCD-2 + Symth Realiser + ButtKicker BK-LFE Kit, can produce as much sub bass frequency physically to make people feel sick without annoying the neighbors. Better than most surround monitor systems up to 7.1 as you can have hundreds of different setups and acoustic environments within the touch of a button.

No headphone can do bass like speakers. You FEEL bass. Especially sub-bass which can move/affect your whole body. You are pushing enough air to interact with the whole room. A headphone sits on your ears and so of course while it may reach low down will never induce that interaction with your entire body.  As that physical element is missing, the effect of a headphone can be argued to be more pure...extracting only the sound elements and strip out the physical affects. But I think many like to be moved!!

 

[Danz03]

If the hd800 were designed to sound accurate, it wouldn't have needed a special amp/cable/dac to make it sound right, or sennheiser should have made accessories for them to sound right in the first place. But even their own HDVD800 doesn't really make the bass any more adequate, so you're saying sennheiser are making sub par gear too? Same goes for Stax with their SR009/7 systems. I sill believe they were designed to have such sound signatures, and that's exactly why some of the posters were saying how they make orchestral music comes alive, using whatever ways to correct or make them sound accurate would just take away that magic.

Agreed. On the right amp, both the SR-009 and the HD800s bring the bass. Play them on sub-par gear (and I have) and the results vary at best.

 

[MacedonianHero]

If the hd800 were designed to sound accurate, it wouldn't have needed a special amp/cable/dac to make it sound right, or sennheiser should have made accessories for them to sound right in the first place. But even their own HDVD800 doesn't really make the bass any more adequate, so you're saying sennheiser are making sub par gear too? Same goes for Stax with their SR009/7 systems. I sill believe they were designed to have such sound signatures, and that's exactly why some of the posters were saying how they make orchestral music comes alive, using whatever ways to correct or make them sound accurate would just take away that magic.

Sorry, but this argument is flawed IMO. Since when do cables really alter sound? And the gear I mentioned, like the GS-X MK2 or BDA-2 are both VERY neutral and transparent...so they let the headphones do their thing. They do not impose their colourations like so many other amps/dacs. So based on this I would say when properly driven AND with a proper source, the HD800s really show their stuff. The HDV800 is an amp designed by a headphone company.
 
With the SR-007/9, same thing holds...on a KGSSHV it's bass is very impactful and very satisfying. On a current Stax amp or LL, not so much.
 
Might I ask you what your first hand experiences are with this? Mine with the HD800s range from the MAD Ear+HD, to GS-1, Meier Concerto, WA22, LF, GS-X, and GS-X MK2. With my SR-009s: SRM727II, SRM007II, LL, KGSS, and KGSSHV. With regards to DACs, PS Audio DLIII, Cary XCiter, W4S DAC-2 and BDA-2. I've had the fortune of having all the gear above in my home and let me tell you that with each improvement in upstream gear, resulted in a good sonic improvement through the HD800s and SR009s.
 
Now with regards to your desire for MOAR bass, if you look at the measurements of these headphones, you'll see that the bass is very accurate and tight. So if you want more bass (i.e. more than what's on the recording), then I'd suggest you look into the TH-900s. While definitely coloured, it is very deep, fast and articulate. 

 

[Dubstep Girl]

  Sorry, but this argument is flawed IMO. Since when do cables really alter sound? And the gear I mentioned, like the GS-X MK2 or BDA-2 are both VERY neutral and transparent...so they let the headphones do their thing. They do not impose their colourations like so many other amps/dacs. So based on this I would say when properly driven AND with a proper source, the HD800s really show their stuff. The HDV800 is an amp designed by a headphone company.
 
With the SR-007/9, same thing holds...on a KGSSHV it's bass is very impactful and very satisfying. On a current Stax amp or LL, not so much.
 
Might I ask you what your first hand experiences are with this? Mine with the HD800s range from the MAD Ear+HD, to GS-1, Meier Concerto, WA22, LF, GS-X, and GS-X MK2. With my SR-009s: SRM727II, SRM007II, LL, KGSS, and KGSSHV. With regards to DACs, PS Audio DLIII, Cary XCiter, W4S DAC-2 and BDA-2. I've had the fortune of having all the gear above in my home and let me tell you that with each improvement in upstream gear, resulted in a good sonic improvement through the HD800s and SR009s.
 
Now with regards to your desire for MOAR bass, if you look at the measurements of these headphones, you'll see that the bass is very accurate and tight. So if you want more bass (i.e. more than what's on the recording), then I'd suggest you look into the TH-900s. While definitely coloured, it is very deep, fast and articulate. 

+1
 
and for slam, the LCD-2, for tightness and punch, HE-6 

 
HD 800 with GSX MK2 has very good bass, though its uncolored and neutral, with the WA2, the HD 800 had more satifying bass, and sounded great!

 

[dukeskd]

  Sorry, but this argument is flawed IMO. Since when do cables really alter sound? And the gear I mentioned, like the GS-X MK2 or BDA-2 are both VERY neutral and transparent...so they let the headphones do their thing. They do not impose their colourations like so many other amps/dacs. So based on this I would say when properly driven AND with a proper source, the HD800s really show their stuff. The HDV800 is an amp designed by a headphone company.
 
With the SR-007/9, same thing holds...on a KGSSHV it's bass is very impactful and very satisfying. On a current Stax amp or LL, not so much.
 
Might I ask you what your first hand experiences are with this? Mine with the HD800s range from the MAD Ear+HD, to GS-1, Meier Concerto, WA22, LF, GS-X, and GS-X MK2. With my SR-009s: SRM727II, SRM007II, LL, KGSS, and KGSSHV. With regards to DACs, PS Audio DLIII, Cary XCiter, W4S DAC-2 and BDA-2. I've had the fortune of having all the gear above in my home and let me tell you that with each improvement in upstream gear, resulted in a good sonic improvement through the HD800s and SR009s.
 
Now with regards to your desire for MOAR bass, if you look at the measurements of these headphones, you'll see that the bass is very accurate and tight. So if you want more bass (i.e. more than what's on the recording), then I'd suggest you look into the TH-900s. While definitely coloured, it is very deep, fast and articulate. 

I don't believe cables can change anything in the sound signature be it silver, platinum or the rare kryptonite material. HD800 do need mods to reduce peaks and dampening to limit the over active treble.
 
What this argument is essentially about is music production and accuracy of a headphones sound signature to aid in the endeavor of mixing, mastering and other processes that need perfect decay and attack. Planar magnetics in general match these desirable features and LCD-2/3 are suitable for the tasks in the studio. The strongest feature of the LCD-2/3 is the bass, and the decay + attack is a lot better than the TH900. TH900 was primarily designed to be an audiophile can, where you can sit back and enjoy music. Same for SR009/007.
As I've mentioned before, the HD800 is a microscope for audio and it picks up a lot problems that need to be ironed out when working in the studio.

 

[MacedonianHero]

 
I don't believe cables can change anything in the sound signature be it silver, platinum or the rare kryptonite material. HD800 do need mods to reduce peaks and dampening to limit the over active treble.
 
What this argument is essentially about is music production and accuracy of a headphones sound signature to aid in the endeavor of mixing, mastering and other processes that need perfect decay and attack. Planar magnetics in general match these desirable features and LCD-2/3 are suitable for the tasks in the studio. The strongest feature of the LCD-2/3 is the bass, and the decay + attack is a lot better than the TH900. TH900 was primarily designed to be an audiophile can, where you can sit back and enjoy music. Same for SR009/007.
As I've mentioned before, the HD800 is a microscope for audio and it picks up a lot problems that need to be ironed out when working in the studio.

I'm pretty sensitive to treble, but on my rig and with my HD800s, I've never had any issues. I agree that the LCD-3s are better than the TH-900s, but if one needs a closed can, the TH-900s are my "go to" headphones. 

 

[meyner]

  I agree that the LCD-3s are better than the TH-900s, but if one needs a closed can, the TH-900s are my "go to" headphones. 

 
I wonder how the TH-900 closed cans will fare against the lcd-xc. I hope reviews start coming around soon

 

[OPR8R]

   
I wonder how the TH-900 closed cans will fare against the lcd-xc. I hope reviews start coming around soon

 
This is on the minds of many...
 
If I ever find myself in the market for a closed headphone, I may go the Alpha Dogs route, for something semi-portable.  I'd be too worried about damaging Audezes or the Fostex.

 

[OPR8R]

I couldn't say it any better, thumbs up !!

Thanks

 

[jonstatt]

I was talking about the LCD-2 + Symth Realiser + ButtKicker BK-LFE Kit, can produce as much sub bass frequency physically to make people feel sick without annoying the neighbors. Better than most surround monitor systems up to 7.1 as you can have hundreds of different setups and acoustic environments within the touch of a button.

 
Okay...now I follow you I have the rival to the Buttkicker which is the Earthquake and companion amp. I don't unfortunately have a Smyth Realiser, but as I process my sound via a Lexicon MC-12 (pure analogue for the headphones not ADC-DAC), I can generate an LFE channel in the MC-12 and divert it to the Earthquakes! I will have to try that idea out.

 

[Zoom25]

Anything better than a GS-X mkII for these?

 

[rgs9200m]

  Anything better than a GS-X mkII for these?

RSA B52. Awesome combo, awesome bass and palpability and sense of life. (I have not heard the GS-X, so 'cannot say how it compares directly.)

 

[Solude]

Dynahi SuSy is the only real solid state challenger. Good luck finding a builder though. B52 may sound good with the right tubes but is a terrible match design wise. Now if you have the HD800 and want bass boost from the massive output impedance... Have at it. Match made in heaven though better can be had for thousands less.