[StanD]

 
Fully agree, and this just reflects what we all know, the law of diminishing returns when it comes to audio gear. I little doubt that a pair of Senn HD800s driven by a Senn HDVA600 sounds better than an HD600 driven by a Modi2 Uber and a Valhalla2. But you're looking at say, $4500 for a system like that (say $1,500 for a DAC) compared to a system that is $950, roughly 1/5 the cost. 
 
In all likelihood, the $950 system gets you 80-85% of what the $4500 system delivers. All depends if you want to pony up for that last 15% or not. 

Maybe even less than 15% of SQ. The 800's are built better and of better/nicer materials but I don't feel $1200 worth. Someone else might it's worth the price, heck I came close to pulling the 800 trigger. I think that mega dollar amps and DACs are highly overrated and surrounded with more hype than reality. Some folks want stuff made of wood from Noah's Ark, I'll pass on that and spend more time listening to the music that I like.

 

[Puma Cat]

  Maybe even less than 15% of SQ. The 800's are built better and of better/nicer materials but I don't feel $1200 worth. Someone else might it's worth the price, heck I came close to pulling the 800 trigger. I think that mega dollar amps and DACs are highly overrated and surrounded with more hype than reality. Some folks want stuff made of wood from Noah's Ark, I'll pass on that and spend more time listening to the music that I like.

Fully agree on all points. 

 

[SomeGuyDude]

  Maybe even less than 15% of SQ. The 800's are built better and of better/nicer materials but I don't feel $1200 worth. Someone else might it's worth the price, heck I came close to pulling the 800 trigger. I think that mega dollar amps and DACs are highly overrated and surrounded with more hype than reality. Some folks want stuff made of wood from Noah's Ark, I'll pass on that and spend more time listening to the music that I like.

 
Isn't that what caused the big furor with NwAvGuy, tearing down the sacred cows of expensive amplifiers and DACs?

 

[StanD]

  Maybe even less than 15% of SQ. The 800's are built better and of better/nicer materials but I don't feel $1200 worth. Someone else might it's worth the price, heck I came close to pulling the 800 trigger. I think that mega dollar amps and DACs are highly overrated and surrounded with more hype than reality. Some folks want stuff made of wood from Noah's Ark, I'll pass on that and spend more time listening to the music that I like.

 
 

   
Isn't that what caused the big furor with NwAvGuy, tearing down the sacred cows of expensive amplifiers and DACs?

Holy cow, I better hide that wood I stole from Noah's Ark. I guess that NwAvGuy was bad for business. 

 And probably started a huge ruckus.

 

[Hijodelbrx]

Re: HD600 vs. other high end headphones.  A term that used to be thrown around a lot in the old-time audiophile press was 'giant-killer'.  Pretty self explanatory, a lower priced item that's performance equals or sometimes exceeds the more higher priced exotic gear.  The HD600 is one of the greatest 'giant killers' of all time! 

 

[SomeGuyDude]

  Re: HD600 vs. other high end headphones.  A term that used to be thrown around a lot in the old-time audiophile press was 'giant-killer'.  Pretty self explanatory, a lower priced item that's performance equals or sometimes exceeds the more higher priced exotic gear.  The HD600 is one of the greatest 'giant killers' of all time! 

 
And just think the drivers have been updates a few times since then.
 
I do find it funny too that people talk about "it's still around" when... really, we're on a later revision. It has the same model name and external appearance, but call a spade a spade they're not the same headphones they were ten years ago. 

 

[StanD]

   
And just think the drivers have been updates a few times since then.
 
I do find it funny too that people talk about "it's still around" when... really, we're on a later revision. It has the same model name and external appearance, but call a spade a spade they're not the same headphones they were ten years ago. 

I spoke with someone at Sennheiser just under 2 years ago and he said that nothing significant had been changed. He said that we (us headphone addicts) like to exaggerate.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

  I spoke with someone at Sennheiser just under 2 years ago and he said that nothing significant had been changed. He said that we (us headphone addicts) like to exaggerate.

 
I'm curious about that. I mean there ARE new drivers, and people say they can hear a difference. 
 
At the same time, there's certainly something to be said about hitting a point where fidelity really has topped out. It's very odd that we see newer and newer headphones, touting more and more technology, and yet the old HD600s are still considered amongst the best of the best. 

 

[StanD]

   
I'm curious about that. I mean there ARE new drivers, and people say they can hear a difference. 
 
At the same time, there's certainly something to be said about hitting a point where fidelity really has topped out. It's very odd that we see newer and newer headphones, touting more and more technology, and yet the old HD600s are still considered amongst the best of the best. 

I spoke to Sennheiser because I was concerned that they would discontinue the HD600's. I was told that they considered doing that but consumer demand was still strong. I'd think why discontinue a product that sells well and whose developent costs were paid off long ago. It's a product that has real recognition why toss that aside?

 

[SomeGuyDude]

  I spoke to Sennheiser because I was concerned that they would discontinue the HD600's. I was told that they considered doing that but consumer demand was still strong. I'd think why discontinue a product that sells well and whose developent costs were paid off long ago. It's a product that has real recognition why toss that aside?

 
Excellent point. Actually reminds me of a post on Reddit where people were whining and crying about how Sennheiser was focusing on wireless at CES. Well... yeah. They have NOTHING to prove at the audiophile level any more. The HDxxx have been around forever and all of them are still constantly ranked as among the best (if not the best) at their price points. Senn is in a position to shift focus to consumer mobile and wireless.
 
And frankly it's a big reason I pulled the trigger on the 600s. The fact that they're as old as they are and still Hall of Fame material? That's rare. 

 

[StanD]

   
Excellent point. Actually reminds me of a post on Reddit where people were whining and crying about how Sennheiser was focusing on wireless at CES. Well... yeah. They have NOTHING to prove at the audiophile level any more. The HDxxx have been around forever and all of them are still constantly ranked as among the best (if not the best) at their price points. Senn is in a position to shift focus to consumer mobile and wireless.
 
And frankly it's a big reason I pulled the trigger on the 600s. The fact that they're as old as they are and still Hall of Fame material? That's rare. 

They're starting to make more fashionable headphones and IEMs that have a more consumer oriented, read as bassy, products. I can't blame them for wanting to make some moolah, at least these products sound far better than Beats and aren't made to break easily. To me the more successful they are the better chance that they can continue doing what they already do best.

 

[Puma Cat]

   
Excellent point. Actually reminds me of a post on Reddit where people were whining and crying about how Sennheiser was focusing on wireless at CES. Well... yeah. They have NOTHING to prove at the audiophile level any more. The HDxxx have been around forever and all of them are still constantly ranked as among the best (if not the best) at their price points. Senn is in a position to shift focus to consumer mobile and wireless.
 
And frankly it's a big reason I pulled the trigger on the 600s. The fact that they're as old as they are and still Hall of Fame material? That's rare. 

Yes, like Quad ESL-63s are....though they are no longer made. 

 

[ProtegeManiac]

  They're starting to make more fashionable headphones and IEMs that have a more consumer oriented, read as bassy, products. I can't blame them for wanting to make some moolah, at least these products sound far better than Beats and aren't made to break easily. To me the more successful they are the better chance that they can continue doing what they already do best.

 

Yup, think of it as Porsche selling cars like the 914 before and now the Cayman and Boxster (plus the Cayenne) as well as fountain pens that can write upside down, which leaves them a lot of funds to play with to come up with the likes of the 959, GT1, CarreraGT, and 918 Spyder. It's not like they forgot about the 911 (and its Carrera and GT3 versions). Heck even Ferrari doesn't make most of its money selling F458's - a huge chunk of their income comes from merchandising. Toy cars, video games, F1 jackets and hats, and a crappy headphone (they should have just partnered with Thrustmaster and Asus for that and sold a gaming headphone alongside the steering wheel with their shield on it) - this is what makes Ferrari the real money. Ford once said, "win on Sunday, sell on Monday." Well, with Ferrari, they win on Sunday, then sell a bunch of stuff later at the Wynn, but instead of just cars they also sell F1 jackets and hats, plus toys at Toys R Us and video games.

 

[madwolfa]

  I'm curious about that. I mean there ARE new drivers, and people say they can hear a difference. 

 
I've got my pair in 2002-2003 (around time I've joined Head-Fi)... they had the black screened drivers. Used them through a decade (and loved them to bits).. One year ago, before I had them sold, I've replaced the drivers with brand new silver screened ones. Except the now working right driver (I had the old one blown - my bad), there was no difference in sound whatsoever..

 

[StanD]

   
I've got my pair in 2002-2003 (around time I've joined Head-Fi)... they had the black screened drivers. Used them through a decade (and loved them to bits).. One year ago, before I had them sold, I've replaced the drivers with brand new silver screened ones. Except the now working right driver (I had the old one blown - my bad), there was no difference in sound whatsoever..

That's an honest answer. We need more like it.