[feifan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geek /img/forum/go_quote.gif (1) by far the fastest transient response I've ever experienced outside live music - at any volume!! (3) Powerful lows that, even when I listen at very very very high volumes, don't distort the mids or highs. Ever. No rattles. No tonal shift.

x2
Quote:

Originally Posted by thechungster /img/forum/go_quote.gif Just wondering since I'm not so sure. What kind of genres does the HD800 suit? There must be at least one genre that it does well, I'm assuming classical?

How about all genres.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ical /img/forum/go_quote.gif Just got mine today. It sound decently well out of the box. Edition 8 and PS1000 is still the winners for now.

Breathlessly waiting . . .

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soundinista /img/forum/go_quote.gif Therein lies the problem, Feifan: I don’t miss my beautiful ex-wives at all. But the hot mistress… )

Ouch! Ex's can be harder on your wallet than Head-fi. Hot mistresses are just, well, harder.

 

[Skylab]

Well it was one month ago that I published this review. I've been living with the HD800, and listening to them very often, in this period, free of having to review them, and just listening. Especially in the last few weeks, when the chatter died down, I have been able to just listen.

And it is enjoyable listening to the HD800 - very much so. Nothing I have heard in the last 30 days has changed my opinion of them in any way, and they are still not the perfect headphone for me personally. But the very special qualities they have has made my time with them very enjoyable. I will be giving them up soon, and so my HD800 odyssey will end. But I am richer for the experience, to be certain.

 

[WittyzTH]

Skylab, what do you think how many hours the HD800 will be settled? I had a chance to audition the HD800 (100hrs) and found it was almost the same as you did review except about the bass department which I found it was lack.

 

[Skylab]

I didn't feel there was much change after about 120 hours. And actually, the HD800 changed less even during the first 120 hours than many headphones I have had.

 

[twsmith]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skylab /img/forum/go_quote.gif I didn't feel there was much change after about 120 hours. And actually, the HD800 changed less even during the first 120 hours than many headphones I have had.

I thought the "biggest" (actually relatively subtle in fact) change that I heard was during the first 10-20 hours, the main effect being the bass which after about 10 hours or so, seemed a little more robust and less constrained, perhaps. The uppermost frequencies may or may not have "smoothed-out" - hard to say, but even from day one, I never experienced any undue emphasis or harshness. I still have fewer than 100 hours on my HD800's but I suspect I'll hear very little change that could be attributed to "break-in" itself.

 

[odigg]

Skylab and others - In the original review Skylab said the 2005 DT880 and HD800 have comparable/similar bass. Do people agree with this. Skylab, do you still feel the same way? Is the impact similar? How about quantity? I imagine the extension on the HD800 is better.

Thanks for the help,

-odigg

 

[Skylab]

I do feel this way, yes. The HD800 have a little more bass extension. Both headphones have very agile, tight, well defined bass. The HD800 has a little more texture to the bass.

Also, while the frequency response graphs are not the last word, the HD800 and DT880 have similar curves in the bass, although the Beyer has a little more upper-bass relative to the deep bass:

 

[odigg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skylab /img/forum/go_quote.gif Also, while the frequency response graphs are not the last word, the HD800 and DT880 have similar curves in the bass, although the Beyer has a little more upper-bass relative to the deep bass

Hmm...This would mean the DT880 probably has slightly more impact than the HD800. But perhaps there is not enough difference to matter.

 

[Skylab]

Quote:

Originally Posted by odigg /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hmm...This would mean the DT880 probably has slightly more impact than the HD800. But perhaps there is not enough difference to matter.

From the FR graph it is hard to say - the two headphones are nearly identical in level around 120Hz, but then the DT880 have between 2-5 db less bass from that level down to 20 Hz than the HD800. But again, this assumes that these graphs are accurate, which may or may not be the case.

In any case, from listening, and using velour pads, not leather, on the DT880/600's, the bass is very similar from both. Using the leather pads on the Beyers will increase the quantity of the lass, while slightly decreasing it's overall quality.

 

[Currawong]

Interesting. The irony of this for me is that, back in 2007, when I tried DT880s I didn't like them.

 

[tako_tsubo]

sky, which amp are you using with the DT880's...must have some hefty juice to power a 600 ohm HP.

 

[Skylab]

Actually, for a decent tube amp, a 600 ohm load is no problem at all. None of my tube amps have any trouble with any of my 600 ohm Beyers (I have 600 ohm 770, 880, and 990

)

 

[music_man]

i was going to pm you skylab. to ask you what you thought of the hd800. well, now i know!

i feel even more strongly about them. i am not sorry i bought them. i also feel more strongly about the dt880 pro which is stretched and balanced now.

listen to paul simon graceland(extra tracks). there is sibilance in this recording. this recording will make the best of the dt880 and the worst of the hd800.

the hd800 is so sibilant on this recording i can't even stand to listen. the mids sound veiled\mufled. the bass lacks any impact. on the last couple of tracks that are solo bass there is simply no snap.

on the dt880 there is actually less sibilance than what is really on the recording! i don't get that actually. the mids are a little forward(i like). the bass has snap, slam and kicks. it is pulsating, i can actually feel the bass!

this particular recording brings out the respective worst and best of the two headphones imo. in general i find this to be the overall character of the two headphones. although it is less of a night and day difference on most recordings.

skylab, i am surpirsed you did not mention the balanced dt880 more. i feel it is much more worth a total of $450(headphone and balance job) then the hd800 is worth $1,400. i do not feel headroom should give it 5 for "value". they did not give the gs1000 5. as i have mentioned countless times the hd800 is a superior headphone to the dt880 but i still prefer the dt880.

i do not agree on the midrange. i find it veiled. although it is resolving. i am using a lot more amp too. either a full mod gcha or a hp4 with nos mullards. i agree too much on the treble. i find it sizzling hot. more than the sr325 in fact! i agree on the bass. it is "welter weight". i however do not agree that the dt800 is equal. especially balanced. the dt880 will punt your head off with the right recordings. it is not a boom box like the dt770. in fact i find it more well put together(tighter) than the hd800. it is slower than the hd800(i like).

this may sound as if i am bashing them. no. they are just not my flavor. therein is the most important thing skylab pointed out, they are indeed a flavor. they are not completely neutral as many people say/think. not at all. even though skylab and i hear things differently.

i have owned them a little while and i hardly use them. i feel i have a right to comment in this manner since i bought them. i am not dissapointed and they are not for sale either. they simply aren't what i expected to be the "simply the best headphone in the world" as headroom puts it. i do feel as though the dt880 are far from the best headphone but they are indeed my favorite headphone as of late.

music_man

 

[Skylab]

Interesting comments, music_man, thank you. To answer your question about my balanced DT880's, I did not have them when I wrote this review; I only had the SE DT880/600.

 

[thechungster]

Went to audition one today, and I love the sound. First thing that struck me were the mids. Oh so glorious they were!

2nd thing I noticed was the soundstage. I've never actually heard a headphone yet that made the singer in front at such ease. I didn't have to concentrate just to imagine where instruments were. Bass was deep and tight. I didn't feel it lacked impact. Treble wasn't bad at all. Extended and I didn't feel it was too in your face. The comfort was amazing, even though today my right side hurts for some reason, the comfort of them was brilliant.

Would I think it's worth the price? That's a question I have not answered yet.