Oldnslo
New Head-Fier
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- Jan 3, 2014
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in!
how about soundstage and instrument seperation.
Not expecting it to be big as a dj hp just really curious.
Hey guys... Massive thanks to Rosmadi Mahmood for this opportunity. He has allowed me to try out the HD8 DJ. What follows are my thoughts, originally posted on my blog.
KILLER write-up!!
[COLOR=222222]This will always be extremely personal, like loudspeakers are the most personal in a Hifi system (IMO)[/COLOR]
I really enjoyed the HD8.
As a DJ, I would be excited to upgrade from my trusty HD 25-1 IIs for it! The mids were crisp, and the low end slammed with velocity and authority.
Nothing seemed mucked up necessarily. My ONLY spot, and this is me, is in the lower mids (which Ivan at Sennheiser thought wasn't an off-put
comment, as I expressed it to him at CES).
The HD8 was full-bodied sonically, and very comfortable! I'd even enjoy it for recreational listening.
[COLOR=222222]For me, I actually preferred the HD7! And like I said, told the good peeps [/COLOR][COLOR=222222]that when I demo'd both. I thought the HD7 had a far sweeter lower midrange than the 8, and that's crucial for me when DJing (but I should point out I only spin vinyl, the old school way - actually mixing & beat-matching -hence why I don't DJ professionally anymore, LOL).[/COLOR]
[COLOR=222222]When I say "sweeter" I mean the lower mids were not affected by the extreme lows or the midrange. I could distinguish different sounds at that frequency range faster and easier with the HD7 - so they were closer to my HD 25-1 IIs in terms of their sonic signature, but I felt more of everything (Ivan at Sennheiser giving me the demo also complimented that observation - he was VERY cool and professional) - it was as if I was hearing the next evolution of the HD 25-1 IIs - more bottom, mids and highs, but clarity was intact throughout.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=222222]The HD8 had, for me, a weightier bottom end overall, and I know a great deal of DJs prefer this - but the HD7 sounded like it would do justice to more genres than the 8 while DJing. The HD8's clarity was also top notch, but I thought the heavier low end stood out more, creeping ever so slightly into the lower midrange. I'm sure people will prefer that as it was more club-like. Me, I'm going for the HD7 - as it gave me precisely what I was seeking: An upgrade to my HD 25-1 IIs!![/COLOR]
[COLOR=222222]I hope to review them in full ASAP![/COLOR]
[COLOR=222222]So I can dig in a ill deeper.[/COLOR]
and YES, and BIG ups to Rosmadi Mahmood!!
You're rockin it.
While the HD8 DJ isn't going to win the awards in the audiophile crowd when stacked up against audiophile-geared headphones in a given area (HD800 is another area), it sounds quite respectable in general and even very good when judged next to other DJ headphones. IMO, YMMV, etc.
I'm not sure the soundstage stands out to me per se, but the depth and weight of the bass. I thought the sound was what I want to call "big." I do not get a "boxed in" feeling from them. I do not find the sound fatiguing. In fact, despite having more audiophile-oriented headphones at my disposal, I've been quite happy recently, enjoying the sound from the HD8 DJ, especially on the go.
As for instrument separation, I feel that these headphones do quite well. I think this is an aim that Sennheiser had when designing the sound signature; the DJ needs to be able to hear the peaks very well so when the tracks drift, it stands out. I feel the HD8 DJ delivers here. They have a dynamic sound with well-defined edges and nice separation of the instruments.
Tunes with big, deep bass sound amazing. I'm thinking of the new I Am Legion EP. Holy dang it sounds massive. Good, forward vocals, expansive backdrop.
Sure I could get ahead a few notches with my LCD-2, but for the purposes of DJing, this sound is just what you want.
KILLER write-up!!
This will always be extremely personal, like loudspeakers are the most personal in a Hifi system (IMO)
I really enjoyed the HD8.
As a DJ, I would be excited to upgrade from my trusty HD 25-1 IIs for it! The mids were crisp, and the low end slammed with velocity and authority.
Nothing seemed mucked up necessarily. My ONLY spot, and this is me, is in the lower mids (which Ivan at Sennheiser thought wasn't an off-put
comment, as I expressed it to him at CES).
The HD8 was full-bodied sonically, and very comfortable! I'd even enjoy it for recreational listening.
For me, I actually preferred the HD7! And like I said, told the good peeps that when I demo'd both. I thought the HD7 had a far sweeter lower midrange than the 8, and that's crucial for me when DJing (but I should point out I only spin vinyl, the old school way - actually mixing & beat-matching -hence why I don't DJ professionally anymore, LOL).
When I say "sweeter" I mean the lower mids were not affected by the extreme lows or the midrange. I could distinguish different sounds at that frequency range faster and easier with the HD7 - so they were closer to my HD 25-1 IIs in terms of their sonic signature, but I felt more of everything (Ivan at Sennheiser giving me the demo also complimented that observation - he was VERY cool and professional) - it was as if I was hearing the next evolution of the HD 25-1 IIs - more bottom, mids and highs, but clarity was intact throughout.
The HD8 had, for me, a weightier bottom end overall, and I know a great deal of DJs prefer this - but the HD7 sounded like it would do justice to more genres than the 8 while DJing. The HD8's clarity was also top notch, but I thought the heavier low end stood out more, creeping ever so slightly into the lower midrange. I'm sure people will prefer that as it was more club-like. Me, I'm going for the HD7 - as it gave me precisely what I was seeking: An upgrade to my HD 25-1 IIs!!
I hope to review them in full ASAP!
So I can dig in a ill deeper.
and YES, and BIG ups to Rosmadi Mahmood!!
You're rockin it.
Psyched to find this thread fellas!
Down w/ post-CES flu turned pneumonia.
FUN...
music and headphones...
gettin me through it...
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Stay updated on Sennheiser at their sponsor profile on Head-Fi.
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Get well soon! It's good to know you're using music and headphones to recharge and energize
Anyway, I just spoke to Ivan and we're sure you'll get to review the headphones soon. Really looking forward to your thoughts on them!
How soon will these be in stores or available from vendors?
Ready to buy.......want you to sell me a pair. Now.
Hmm... Really curious on how do these headphones stand up against the Senns Amperior, HD26 and HD25, HD25 Aluminium. Perhaps comparison with the Shure SRH1540, Focal Spirit Pro/Classic would be useful too!
Sadly, there doesn't seem to be any available in my country yet. Sigh.
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Stay updated on Sennheiser at their sponsor profile on Head-Fi.
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I was thinking of replacing the cable with one of those blue Logitech UE ones with the mic/remote. I think it would look sweet.If not for the sound I'd be willing to get them for pure aesthetics! Look at those blue accents....
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Hmm... Really curious on how do these headphones stand up against the Senns Amperior, HD26 and HD25, HD25 Aluminium.