[lmilhan]

Not unless all of the following conditions are met:

1) I get to hear a pair for myself first on my own headphone rig - and they sound spectacular. This one is VERY important. I refuse to build an entire headphone system around another pair of headphones. Sennheiser themselves decided to use a source / amp to demo the HD800s that would be regarded as sub-par by many Head-Fiers. I am going to go ahead and side with Sennheiser on this one. So if the Sennheiser Demo rig was good enough, then my current rig will be good enough, otherwise my HD800 journey will end at this step.

2) After extensively listening to a pair of HD800s on my own headphone rig, I decide that they significantly best the Denon D7000s in every way, with the most weight being given to PRAT and Low end - the D7000s will obviously be the reference can in this instance.

3) I decide that the HD800s are as comfortable (or even more comfortable) than the Denon D7000s, especially during long listening sessions.

4) I decide that the HD800s sound spectacular with the genres of music I listen to the most (Metal of all Flavors, Electric Blues, Punk, Classic Rock - generally visceral and bombastic music).

5) I can work my budget and save enough money to cash flow the HD800s.


With that said, I have very low expectations that the HD800s will meet or exceed all of my criteria. But you never know, I could end up being surprised by them - stranger things have happened. If the HD800s somehow do meet all of my criteria, it would likely be close to a year before I could save enough money to pay cash for the HD800s, and hopefully by then they will have come down in price a few hundred dollars. YEAH I know there are those who claim they will never come down in price - but I would like to respectfully disagree. Sure Sennheiser may insist that the advertised MSRP remain intact (and they may even enforce that rule), but I have been in this hobby long enough to know that there are several ways to get around that rule. We shall see...

So in summary, if the HD800s meet all of my criteria, then yes I will most definitely buy a pair. But I am in no big hurry to pay full MSRP for a pair. And I refuse to get sucked in by Head-Fi hype ever again.

 

[SleepyOne]

I sincerely doubt HD800 is something you are after - have a look at Sceptre's reviews on HD800's bass. It isn't first choice for metal etc. Maybe Ultrasone Ed.9 or Ed.8 or JVC DX700/1000 are more your ballpark. I also doubt very much there is a headphone that can beat D7000 in every single aspect, beating by points is more likely what will happened.

 

[Townyj]

Not really interested in this phone, mainly because of the price range.... Im more into closed phones again and the DX700 is next on my list

 

[nc8000]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wovenhand /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'll go with my own option "F" - I would really like to get them, but at the moment $1400 is a bit too steep.

That's option D

Me, I'll go with option "F" as I can hardly ever use an open phone due to environmental constraints

 

[Audio-Omega]

C.

I shall wait for more reviews.

 

[Ishcabible]

G.

I'll wait for the price to plummet to around $500 before even considering it.

 

[lmilhan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SleepyOne /img/forum/go_quote.gif I sincerely doubt HD800 is something you are after - have a look at Sceptre's reviews on HD800's bass. It isn't first choice for metal etc. Maybe Ultrasone Ed.9 or Ed.8 or JVC DX700/1000 are more your ballpark. I also doubt very much there is a headphone that can beat D7000 in every single aspect, beating by points is more likely what will happened.

Well then that may end up being great news for me, I can save myself a $1,000+ dollars and invest it elsewhere!

I of coarse will reserve judgment until I can hear them for myself on my own rig with my own music.

 

[krmathis]

I first performed a stage A), which I cancelled two months or so later.
Still has not written it off completely, but it need to show that its a real competitor to the established high-end 'phones (K1000, SR-007BL, ..) before I even consider it again.

Remains to be seen..

 

[wovenhand]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nc8000 /img/forum/go_quote.gif That's option D

Okay, I'll meet you half way - it's 50% option D.

I really, really want 'em and if they don't drop in price I'll probably just apologize to my wallet and fork out the $1400.

The RS-1i, ATH-AD2000, ATH-AD900 and K.I.C.A.S. amp are first in line though.

 

[iGig]

Yea I'll get a pair when the price drops to $700 or so.

Edit:
Now that I see people comparing it to K701 I don't want it anymore, even if it drops in price.

 

[Kayito-san]

C)
D)
E)

I would consider them, but I'd need to know more... C
Even if they continue to get rave reviews, they're still really pricey... D
I'm really enjoying my Grados right now for their auditory cleanliness, hmm... E

 

[doping panda]

I used to lean B and I'm even getting a job again to support this hobby, but now I'm in C. The impressions so far have been favorable, but I remember reading some of the old K701 threads and seeing how loved it was when it was the new kid on the block - now, it's possibly the most love/hate can I've seen around these parts. I'm not suggesting that the HD800 is going to end up like that or is even in the same class, but it helps put the hype into perspective. I also want to see how it compares to the K1000 which is the other can I'm considering for the distant future since the Sextetts and the K500 have made me an AKG man. Plus, I have already have some nice cans so I'm just gonna focus on upstream components that can take them to the limit. Hopefully, once I'm there I'll have gear good enough to make the HD800s break a sweat and enough money to actually get them after god knows how many upstream upgrades.

 

[lucky]

D. I have no plans to pay more than $100 for a pair of phones for the foreseeable future.

 

[Morph201]

I'm in category A, BUT now with the ES3x's on the way, and a Vegas trip calling my name, I'm seriously pondering the need to continue with the arduous waiting game nonesense, just to realize that the HD800s are 'decent', the bar has been set tremendously high, and the longer the wait goes the higher the bar goes!!

 

[MooBin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cswann1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Going with C. But I'll have to hear them myself first, and I won't pay $1400. I expect them to come down to around $1000 after some time, and even then, I'll likely look for a used pair for around $750-$800. Oh....and someone will have to make a HD800 smiliey first

Exactly ! It is C) for me, too. I agree with all your comments altough I would buy them only new, ..but for less than US$ 1400.-- only and if somebody does not reduce the price immediately I would wait until somebody does or it will most probably not happen....well the smiley...can be done, too I suppose.

I bought my HD650 brandnew for US$ 336.-- from a reputed dealer. The HD800 (obviously with stock cable) would have to compete in a A/B test against my HD650 / Silver Dragon combination first. Good luck for the HD800 !