New HD 800 very different than the old HD 800
Jul 19, 2015 at 7:30 AM Post #376 of 425
Sorry. it's even more difficult for me considering english is not my native language :wink: 
 
As usual. time will tell if you did the right choice for you and the music you want to listen to with that rig. 
 
Jul 19, 2015 at 8:53 AM Post #377 of 425
I've finally found a solution to fitting the new HD 800 replacement Ear Pads.
 
A lot of people can't get the HD800 Ear Pads to lock onto the HD800 frame, this is because the white plastic membrane is too tight around the new replacement HD800 Ear Pads D frame.
 
Only do this below if you can’t get the new HD800 replacement Ear Pads to fit onto the HD800.
 
Simply put two fingers in between the black plastic ear pad D ring and the white plastic membrane of the new HD800 replacement earpads, obviously finger print side pointing up and touching the underside of the white plastic membrane, then place your two thumbs, one each on top of the white plastic membrane pressing down on top of the white plastic membrane and your two fingers underneath, pull and stretch apart the white plastic membrane between each finger and thumb following the D shape all around the black plastic ear pad ring, do this several times around the D pad to loosen up the white plastic membrane, don't be too gentle, the plastic has a lot of stretch in it, only stretch around the ear pad D shape and not towards the center hole of the D frame.
 
Then simply press the ear pads down onto the HD800 chamber black frame to click and lock down into place.
 
Best wishes,
Paul.
 
Jul 19, 2015 at 9:16 AM Post #378 of 425
  HD 800 does indeed change a lot with electronics, enough to make it sound anywhere from horrible to divine. So while my HD 800 do sound different than the previous ones, I´m also using an amp with a high output impedance custom built for the HD 800 so that probably changes a lot of things (HDVD-800).
 
For what it´s worth, here´s my 38k HD 800 FR chart... It is showing a warm 3 db or so bass tilt, but I haven´t checked the original charts for a long time so perhaps they measured the same.
 

 
Looks pretty much the same as early ones. Maybe with exception to 3k range and little more meat at the bottom hmm... I think germans are up to something or they've just start to listen to customers opinions?
cheers
 
Jul 19, 2015 at 3:44 PM Post #379 of 425
   
But the drivers (where the wheels hit road so to speak) aren't...and this is Sennheiser in Germany we're talking about. 
wink.gif


I suppose you mean how precisely they build certain products.
 
No doubt these auto's are manufactured with precise tolerances and I will never be able to afford one. But if anything it makes me feel better about the HD800's. I have read many comments that just don't seem to fit with what I'm hearing. I hear none of the pesky spikes in the treble, nor do I find it bass shy. It sounds so good that I sold my Audeze LCD-3's because there was no since in letting them just sit around. My 800's just sound that good. Now I'm building a system around them because they're my endgame headphones. Why? Because they do nothing wrong that I can hear. I feel the music is as it should be with no added emphasis here or there. But don't read it like they're flat or something because they certainly are not.
 
My experience is that you can buy a silver or silver/copper cable in an attempt to get the best sound but your really trying to remedy what you don't think sounds good or missing. If it were perfect then you wouldn't be looking at cables in that way. The problem is one portion of performance in a track sounds great (added emphasis) but then another does not. So some files, or even whole genre's of music get dumped and other's now sound good.That's the kind of thing that drives me crazy. With my 800's everything sounds good because it has a more balanced and neutral sound. Perhaps I'm not saying it right or faulty in my thinking but it sure seems this is where it led me. Now, I can not say enough about the Draug cable. It just seems to finish the headphones by removing itself out of the equation.
 
And I'm not so sure that using later serial number's as a guide are going to guarantee anything. Remember, "hence each headphone will have it's own unique sound". I fell in love with these at first listen. Of course with all of the research I was expecting headphones slightly anemic in the bass, an expansive sound field and airy, peaky high's. But it turned out better than Christmas and now I have ordered the DNA Stratus which is something I probably would have never done if these turned out like what I have read. So, maybe it would be better to find a dealer that would allow you to audition a demo pair first. Then come and chime in on how they sound. I truly do not know what you will find. The only thing I know for sure is that I love the Sennheiser  in house sound. Other's may be different. As good as they sound my audeze still beat them in the bass department. And they're still manufactured the same way since day one, but if each has it's own unique sound. then it shouldn't be to hard to believe that some may excel in the bass department. But I'm pretty sure there's a price paid in some other area (like soundstage size).
 
Sorry if I bored you, just my two cents.
 
Jul 19, 2015 at 9:57 PM Post #380 of 425
@RubyTiger don't bother reasoning with some people here, they don't even read, let alone try to understand your posts, don't even dream about them relaying on facts or reason... lets us just move along, my friends
 
and of course the HD800's drivers are hand manufactured, very nice tour video of sennheiser's factory with the hd800's manufacturing process at the beginning:
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5es8zggYM7A
 
Jul 21, 2015 at 11:16 AM Post #381 of 425
Anyone have experience with getting refurbished HD 800's from Crutchfield? They are quite a bit cheaper than a new pair and still come with a 2-year warranty. I'm wondering if these refurbs could be customer returns because they aren't a "good sounding" pair (according to this theory many believe in each HD 800 having its own unique sound). I'm also wondering if these refurbs would have a newer serial number or could be older ones. Sorry if this is a ridiculous question, but any insight or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
 
Jul 30, 2015 at 8:00 PM Post #383 of 425
  I've finally found a solution to fitting the new HD 800 replacement Ear Pads.
 
A lot of people can't get the HD800 Ear Pads to lock onto the HD800 frame, this is because the white plastic membrane is too tight around the new replacement HD800 Ear Pads D frame.
 
Only do this below if you can’t get the new HD800 replacement Ear Pads to fit onto the HD800.
 
Simply put two fingers in between the black plastic ear pad D ring and the white plastic membrane of the new HD800 replacement earpads, obviously finger print side pointing up and touching the underside of the white plastic membrane, then place your two thumbs, one each on top of the white plastic membrane pressing down on top of the white plastic membrane and your two fingers underneath, pull and stretch apart the white plastic membrane between each finger and thumb following the D shape all around the black plastic ear pad ring, do this several times around the D pad to loosen up the white plastic membrane, don't be too gentle, the plastic has a lot of stretch in it, only stretch around the ear pad D shape and not towards the center hole of the D frame.
 
Then simply press the ear pads down onto the HD800 chamber black frame to click and lock down into place.
 
Best wishes,
Paul.

 
 
 Pictures or it didn't happen. 
wink_face.gif

 
  Anyone have experience with getting refurbished HD 800's from Crutchfield? They are quite a bit cheaper than a new pair and still come with a 2-year warranty. I'm wondering if these refurbs could be customer returns because they aren't a "good sounding" pair (according to this theory many believe in each HD 800 having its own unique sound). I'm also wondering if these refurbs would have a newer serial number or could be older ones. Sorry if this is a ridiculous question, but any insight or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

 Go new....make them your own.
beerchug.gif

 
Jul 31, 2015 at 4:31 AM Post #384 of 425
I've included pictures of my old HD800 Earpads which fit back into the HD800 perfectly, and a picture of the new HD800 Earpads, the new HD800 Earpads plastic white-ish coloured membrane is too tight to fit on to the HD800's, as explained in my earlier post.
 
Sennheiser are aware of this problem, and are working to resolve it. 
 
My fix is for anyone who happens to get these new pads in the meantime with the over-tight plastic membrane, that won't allow the new HD800 earpads to fit on to their HD800's.
 
Best wishes,
Paul.
 
 
New HD800 Earpads

 
 
My old HD800 Earpads

 
Jul 31, 2015 at 4:58 AM Post #385 of 425
I confirm Harty's method is the good one and perfectly well described . 
beerchug.gif

 
Jul 31, 2015 at 7:38 AM Post #387 of 425
  I've included pictures of my old HD800 Earpads which fit back into the HD800 perfectly, and a picture of the new HD800 Earpads, the new HD800 Earpads plastic white-ish coloured membrane is too tight to fit on to the HD800's, as explained in my earlier post.
 
Sennheiser are aware of this problem, and are working to resolve it. 
 
My fix is for anyone who happens to get these new pads in the meantime with the over-tight plastic membrane, that won't allow the new HD800 earpads to fit on to their HD800's.
 
Best wishes,
Paul.
 
 
New HD800 Earpads

 
 
My old HD800 Earpads


Can you heat the plastic parts with a hair dryer? That may give you an easier time.
 
Jul 31, 2015 at 9:31 AM Post #389 of 425
Well done Harty thanks for the contribution 
beerchug.gif

 

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