[leemore]

I have just joined/registered with Head-Fi, although I've been reading various posts for 4-5 years.
 
My Senn. HD 800S arrives tomorrow and I'd like your thoughts on amplifier choice and aftermarket cable upgrade.
 
EQUIPMENT: My power comes through the Furman PST-8D conditioner and Pangea power cords. I'll be playing CD's through a Marantz SA8004 Super Audio Player. All inter-connects are Cardas. I have 3 amps: Burson Soloist; Valhalla 2 with Matsu****a cryo tubes; and Bifrost Uber Dac to Lyr 2 amp with NOS Telefunken gold pin 6922 tubes.
 
QUESTION 1: What do you think will be my first, second and third best amps to use with the HD 800S?
 
QUESTION 2: What would you recommend as good, better and best upgrades for aftermarket cables?
 
Thanks in advance for whatever help you can give...Leemore

 

[joe]

I've been listening to the Woo Audio WA8 recently with the HD 800S, and it's a pretty sick combo. Portable too!
 
I think the HD 800S (and HD 800) plays well with tube amps, and the WA8 is a great companion.

 

[leemore]

Hi Joe. And thanks for your reply. 
 
Woo Audio makes great gear. So I'm sure their amp makes your 800S sound great. I've been toying with the idea of getting one last amp--something really top quality--and maybe it will be a Woo.
 
But first things first. My 800S arrived earlier today and everything about it is working well. Which is a relief, because you never know what might get broken loose in transit--Germany is about 8,000 miles away from where I am here in Arizona.
 
So far I've played it for an hour on each of my 3 amps --an OTL tube, solid state and a hybraid--and they all sound great. I've read that the new S model is not so amp picky as the original 800, and my brief experience is bearing that out.Good, good news so far.
 
A couple of questions please. How much has the sound quality of your 800S changed/improved as you've logged more playing hours on it? And in what ways has the sound changed?
 
Thanks Joe...Lee
 
 
By the way, where abouts is Hockeytown, USA. I'm originally from a little town of 4,000 people in upstate New York where we had a Triple A farm team for the Bruins, and our high school hockey team won the state championship in 3 of the 4 years I was in high school. The one year we lost was to no less than Lake Placid. 

 

[Mediahound]

I like the Cardas Clear cable myself. Here's a video I did on it recently:
 

 

[leemore]

Thanks for your thoughts. Enjoyed your video. I'm getting the Cardas Upgrade Cable for HD800S (Cross) on the recommendation of the salesman, who perceived my preference for a warmer sound and more musicality as well as a desire to soften the higher frequencies. It arrives tomorrow. If not to my liking, I'll exchange it for the Cardas Clear. Thanks again.

 

[Youth]

For aftermarket cables I can recommend Norne Audio. Regarding amplifiers I would look into Cavalli Audio or Eddie Current

 

[Priscilla Rose]

Guys I'm not a pro, so if I say something you totally disagree with or stupid. Please forgive me.

I have both HD800 and HD 800S. I have always been using my Objective 2 for my headphones, and I love it. It's got enough energy and it's neutral.

I have demoed my HD800S with a few big and fancy amps in their store before I bought it, and surprisingly I didn't enjoy my music as much as I did with my O2.

So I started to think maybe a cheap amp like O2 is good enough for HD 800S, you just need to get used to it, and those expansive amps don't necessarily outperform my O2. We just like to convince ourselves that they sound better because they are so much more expansive, it's partly psychological I guess.

 

[PleasantSounds]

[..]

So I started to think maybe a cheap amp like O2 is good enough for HD 800S, you just need to get used to it, and those expansive amps don't necessarily outperform my O2. We just like to convince ourselves that they sound better because they are so much more expansive, it's partly psychological I guess.

 
If we're considering psychological effects, then you should also take into account that your O2 may sound good to you because this is what you want to believe in.
 
O2 is not a bad amp, especially considering the price. Whether it is the right tool for the job is a very personal choice. People have varying preferences even for headphones where the differences are far from subtle, so there's no right or wrong answer here. Just go with what you like - in the end it's all about making us happy.
 
Another thing to remember is that the sound in your headphones is the result of the entire audio chain acting together. One amp may seem better than another because the source is of higher quality. Lots of arguments could be avoided if people quoted the entire audio chain in their statements.

 

[leemore]

All 3 of my amps make the 800s sound very good, so I'm going to stay with what I've got. But thanks for your thoughts.

 

[leemore]

Your comment about the chain of equipment is so true. From my stock SACD player and amps I've added  Furman conditioners, Pangea power cords, Cardas interconnects, Telefunkin tubes and headphone cable upgrades from Norne to Moon Audio to Cardas. The sound quality is dramatically improved. I never would have guessed those things would make so much difference.
 
I made the changes based mostly on what I've learned from posting here at Head-Fi. And so I'm grateful to everyone who passes on their experiences and considered opinions on this website. Thanks very much...Lee

 

[ph58]

  For aftermarket cables I can recommend Norne Audio. Regarding amplifiers I would look into Cavalli Audio or Eddie Current

Not everyone is rich ! If i win on Loto i will certainly look on these equipments !

 

[Priscilla Rose]

Would anyone be able to compare Grace m9xx with Oppo Ha 1? Oppo seems to be more powerful.