[kumar402]

I have a similar issue, but not to the extent of the OP. My open backs are HD650 with a Bottlehead Crack and I find they deliver the bass response and thump level I like. However, when I listen to the Grado RS2e or Sennheiser HD800s, I found the bass to be absent. The sound signature sounded so bright to me, I couldn't listen for very long. I was in a Hifi store listening to Tidal tracks with a Chord Hugo2. I ended up liking the sound signature of the Focal Clears the most with the Chord Hugo 2 and they sounded even better with a Primaluna Tube Amp. I really wanted to like the HD 800 s, but I didn't. Is there a better DAC pairing I should consider to give them a second chance? I have a feeling that I am just not a Grado person. I would love to love the HD 800s because I have eclectic music taste and I think classical music could sound divine, but I need to get a minimally acceptable warm bass response. Any way to do that?

HD800 with Hugo2 is as bad as it can get, no wonder you didn’t like it. A good NOS R2R DAC with a nice amp will transform Sennheiser

 

[FlavioWolff]

You need good EQ and headroom to avoid clipping.

 

[baunauf]

ifi zen air dac + hifiman xs. No, I'm not kidding.

 

[jronan2]

I second the Hifiman XS. Schiit Loki or Lokius with the Hifiman XS, you will have more bass than you can handle. Coming from a TH900 owner.

 

[Whitigir]

I have a similar issue, but not to the extent of the OP. My open backs are HD650 with a Bottlehead Crack and I find they deliver the bass response and thump level I like. However, when I listen to the Grado RS2e or Sennheiser HD800s, I found the bass to be absent. The sound signature sounded so bright to me, I couldn't listen for very long. I was in a Hifi store listening to Tidal tracks with a Chord Hugo2. I ended up liking the sound signature of the Focal Clears the most with the Chord Hugo 2 and they sounded even better with a Primaluna Tube Amp. I really wanted to like the HD 800 s, but I didn't. Is there a better DAC pairing I should consider to give them a second chance? I have a feeling that I am just not a Grado person. I would love to love the HD 800s because I have eclectic music taste and I think classical music could sound divine, but I need to get a minimally acceptable warm bass response. Any way to do that?

Try HD820! That is as close as 800s inside a closed off chambers.

But otherwise, there are a great differences between a closed back VS Opened back. Especially the way the bass and soundstage are being presented to us. It gets so serve that if one is used to opened back, he or she can hardly accept any closed back. But if one is used to closed back, they can’t deal with opened back. There are some in between, but they don’t do quiet a good job as either one. An example is the 820. It is a hybrid presentation between 800s opened and closed designs, but for people who is used to the openess of 800s, they deemed the 820 out of order and an abnormally, and with people who is used to closed back, they still crave that deep and rumbling bass

Nothing is perfect, it is just the matter of which one you are enjoying the most ? Varieties are the spices of life though