Official Unofficial 8XX Discussion Thread - UPDATE SENNHEISER HAS BEEN SOLD!!! GT(heck)IH
Jul 10, 2022 at 9:49 AM Post #1,339 of 1,473
Is there a 8xx Vs 800(s) thread?

Ok nvm.
The massdrop actually sounds more like my sound Vs 800s
 
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Jul 10, 2022 at 10:02 AM Post #1,340 of 1,473
Hey guys! Here is my take on the DROP + Sennheiser HD 8XX. Have a read and let me know if you have any questions for me. Cheers!


"As a musician-audio engineer, EQ-ing everything is part and parcel of my daily work but I think every headphone enthusiast should learn how to use EQ if they want to unlock the true potential of their headphones. You’ll benefit from it big time and it may even blow your mind, without you having to spend a ton of money on expensive gear that promises to fix problems in your headphone that can just be fixed with minor fiddling in a good EQ plugin".

I completely agree with this. No headphone manufacturers can make an headphone as perfect as you can tune it yourself to your personal taste.
I pick something comfortable, nice soundstage, and separation. EQ will do the rest to fit my listening likings.
I don't see the point in buying something only to return it because a little x thing I don't like that can easily be tweaked?
 
Jul 18, 2022 at 5:11 PM Post #1,342 of 1,473
Tried the Dekoni hybrid pads. Was not impressed. I think the treble variation from stock pads was the worst part. Also tried fenestrated sheepskin, it sounded OK on acoustic but again it changed the sound for the worst in my opinion. I personally think it’s best to find the right audio chain (amp/dac) versus messing with the pads. Have not tried any Eq yet but feel no urgent need at the moment with my equipment pairings.

Edit: on second listen the perforated pads with my Mojo 2 sounds alright (with acoustic). I think the Mojo 2 is able to handle the treble better versus the other dacs I own.
 
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Aug 3, 2022 at 7:18 PM Post #1,344 of 1,473
not sure if there's a thread specifically for the sticker modded HD8xx, but I decided to try it out after finding that I didn't enjoy the stock sound from the HD8xx. after finishing the mod and listening for a couple of hours, I found that they sounded much better, especially in the midrange.
I just purchased a used set of HD8xx. So far i'm liking it a lot (original tuning seemed dark so I EQed it to make it brigher). Where did you go to for how to sticker mod the headphones? did it make the sound stage and detail better?
I am interested in doing that as well.

Thanks
Al
 
Aug 3, 2022 at 9:17 PM Post #1,345 of 1,473
I also purchased mine used not too long ago. There were some traits that stood out to me the most for the HD8xx in its stock form, It has a recessed midrange that notably made vocals sound thin to my ears, it has increased bass compared to the HD800s, and it has decent imaging. doing the sticker mod took me about 2 hours to remove as much adhesive as I could and clean off all the leftover adhesive remover. Once I was finished I immediately noticed those stand out traits were altered to my liking, the midrange sounded a bit more balanced, the bass was definitely taken down a notch and sounded similar to the bass of the HD800s, and its imaging capabilities had noticeably improved.

Ultimately I think I made the right decision in doing the sticker mod, it made several small improvements that make them much more reminiscent of the HD800s. I can't say for sure if they sound exactly the same as the HD800s since it has been a while since I've heard them, but In the end I'm satisfied with the result. Now, I think the one real loss was its bass performance being noticeably shrunk, I'm sure it can be resolved with a bit of eq though if you really want to add some more bass. As for sound stage and detail, I can't really say for sure, but I think soundstage and detail improved a bit as well, again, can't say for sure because I didn't spend enough time listening in its stock form to make a firm conclusion on these two traits. The previous points I made though, definitely hold true at least to my ears.

here's the video I found of someone performing the sticker mod, it's pretty straightforward and very easy to perform yourself,
 
Sep 5, 2022 at 2:29 AM Post #1,346 of 1,473
Hello I am interested to know if there is anyone available in NYC area that I can test their HD8XX on my setup rig, or even ship a unit to me for measurment comparison. Either my place or yours or borrow. Takes 5min.

I noticed one of main the selling points was of an increase of bass, but all the measurements I see online, have its bass at a lower level than it's 1khz measurement.

So I would like to se how it measures up to my HD800SM mod.
I will not be responding in this thread any off topic discussion of my HD800SM, just an inquiry to test the HD8XX for measurment data on my rig which isn't using ears.

You can view my thread here.
SmartSelect_20220905_022329_Video Player.jpg
 
Sep 10, 2022 at 2:58 AM Post #1,347 of 1,473
I also purchased mine used not too long ago. There were some traits that stood out to me the most for the HD8xx in its stock form, It has a recessed midrange that notably made vocals sound thin to my ears, it has increased bass compared to the HD800s
I was under the assumption that the HDXX had more bass than the HD800S, but after listening to this video, it seems opposite. You can hear a touch more subbass on the 800S.
I will have to verify this, but you can hear for yourself:
 
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Sep 10, 2022 at 1:36 PM Post #1,350 of 1,473
it's fashionable to pile on the 8xx and you get to keep your cred

but if you can get one for 700-900 and EQ it - well then the 800s costs 1800 right now, 1600 on sale and the 8xx is actually pretty great at that price and a good alternative for a warmer tuning
I got mine for $745 new, did tape mod and put Dekoni pads on. Very happy. Owned 800s 2 x prior.
 

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