[mironathetin]

deleted

 

[DarKu]

Quote:

 
This.

Or just the worn pads on the older model.

 

[dleblanc343]

Or just the worn pads on the older model.

This is also a very intelligent and likely remark, I tried Jack Woo's older HD800 and they may have sounded a bit thinner than mine. He had no cushion left in his pads lol.

 

[dan.gheorghe]

Quote:

Or just the worn pads on the older model.

+1

 

[LarsHP]

Come on guys. Worn pads on measurements done years ago? Done by HeadRoom, who started systematic measurements on headphones? I don't buy that theory, because I expect them to know that old pads will alter the measurements. If they actually measured the old HD800 again (with old OR new pads), I would be surprised, because the old graph looks exactly as it has always done.

What I do believe, is that there may be production variancies and inconsistencies in measurements caused by for instance the placement of the headphone.

After asking Sennheiser through a dealer again, I also got the answer that there is no change in HD800.

To me this case is closed. Any difference (in measurements or otherwise) isn't caused by change in production. That's how I see it - until someone clever proves me wrong!

 

[rx79ez08]

Interestingly I had the experience of trying two different pairs of HD800 with a HDVD800 and the Phonitor about a month ago. 
 
I brought my pair of HD800 (#3xx) into the local shop to replace the pad, and while I was there they have just put the HDVD800 on demo. After changing mine pair's pad over I had a listen to the HDVD800 first on my pair, then on the display pair they got in store (#13XXX). My pair had stock cable and the display pair had a balanced cable. Between me and the shop assistant, we noticed that there are noticable different in sounds between the two pair. First we put it down to the balanced and the non-balanced being different, then we swap the cable and got a similar result. I also tried the headphones with a Phonitor and we both could notice the difference. To us the later model sounds a bit brighter and faster.
 
Based on that experience, while I haven't heard the #2XXXX HD800s, I can believe that they sounded different.

 

[mironathetin]

Quote:

(...)

After asking Sennheiser through a dealer again, I also got the answer that there is no change in HD800.

To me this case is closed. Any difference (in measurements or otherwise) isn't caused by change in production. That's how I see it - until someone clever proves me wrong!

 
Yes, this is what they answered to me too.
Most likely, they changed supplier or their supplier slightly changed the composition of materials. Since the HD800 sounds so detailed, this may be audible. 

 

[Xelor]

I confirm once again some audible but subtle differences between three HD800 tested carefully. Sound signature is the same anyway.

 

[dleblanc343]

Quote:

Come on guys. Worn pads on measurements done years ago? Done by HeadRoom, who started systematic measurements on headphones? I don't buy that theory, because I expect them to know that old pads will alter the measurements. If they actually measured the old HD800 again (with old OR new pads), I would be surprised, because the old graph looks exactly as it has always done.

What I do believe, is that there may be production variancies and inconsistencies in measurements caused by for instance the placement of the headphone.

After asking Sennheiser through a dealer again, I also got the answer that there is no change in HD800.
 

You may as well contact HeadRoom at this point and ask them directly. Easiest way to find out I think! 

Quote:

Interestingly I had the experience of trying two different pairs of HD800 with a HDVD800 and the Phonitor about a month ago. 
 
I brought my pair of HD800 (#3xx) into the local shop to replace the pad, and while I was there they have just put the HDVD800 on demo. After changing mine pair's pad over I had a listen to the HDVD800 first on my pair, then on the display pair they got in store (#13XXX). My pair had stock cable and the display pair had a balanced cable. Between me and the shop assistant, we noticed that there are noticable different in sounds between the two pair. First we put it down to the balanced and the non-balanced being different, then we swap the cable and got a similar result. I also tried the headphones with a Phonitor and we both could notice the difference. To us the later model sounds a bit brighter and faster.
 
Based on that experience, while I haven't heard the #2XXXX HD800s, I can believe that they sounded different.

Can you tell me the differences in detail? I've compared over 8 different HD800's and can't give a conclusive answer. There may be small variances due to age and use of the headphone, but I'd be hard pressed to tell you what is different. And not to show off, but I have a very developed ear.

 

[DefQon]

I've owned 3 HD800's all at the same time and could not distinguish any difference at all with sound. At first I did notice a subtle difference between an older S/N 51xx pair and a new 136xx pair but later on this disappeared as that was just my brain telling me that there was a difference because I wanted to believe there was, which there was not, or possibly too small for it to be distinguishable. 
 
http://www.head-fi.org/products/sennheiser-hd-800-headphones/reviews/7278

 

[rx79ez08]

Quote:

Can you tell me the differences in detail? I've compared over 8 different HD800's and can't give a conclusive answer. There may be small variances due to age and use of the headphone, but I'd be hard pressed to tell you what is different. And not to show off, but I have a very developed ear.

I perceived the #13xxx pair to be more lively, brighter, faster and more "open".
I would be interested in the SN spread of the 8 pairs you test.
It is interesting that according to the spectrum provided by Sennheiser there are different of 1 to 2 db at the high frequency range, that should be quite perceivable.  Having said that the frequency axis quoted can be different on the graphs provided.  This together with the grainy photoes upload make them hard to directly compare.

 

[pdrm360]

 

[MacedonianHero]

 

Most likely measurement issues...Tyll only takes 1 measurement per for Headroom graphs as well. On innerfidelity.com he actually averages out 5 readings.

 

[pdrm360]

  Most likely measurement issues...Tyll only takes 1 measurement per for Headroom graphs as well. On innerfidelity.com he actually averages out 5 readings.

 
I think so too. anyway the graphs are close together, and we cannot find two headphones with exactly same frequency response.

 

[Maxx134]

According to what I learned long ago,
Usually it takes 3db to perceive a change.
So even 6db would be a rather slight difference in hearing..
Correct me if I am wrong but this is what I learned looong agoooo lol