SENNHEISER HD-800 vs ULTRASONE ED-8
Jul 10, 2009 at 9:06 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 55

tangerine

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I own the following phones Ultrasone ED-8 ,Sennheiser HD-800 and Grado GS-1000 and compared them together
Equipment used for comparison Krell KPS 25MC 24/96,NBS STATEMENT,SILVERCORE 812A 274B and RCA 812A tubes/ Ipod classic 160GB only WAV files ripped with iMAC
SINGLEPOWER MPX all Tung-Sol round plates
I will not talk here about the ergonomics just about sound structure.

Very subtle information on the following record and you have to have almost bat ears to hear this all.



I choose for this comparison a record Tangerine Dream Ricochet wich i bought over 30 years ago and heard since then to it almost twice a week so everybody can count how many times i have heard it.This record especially Part 2 is too complex for a human brain there so much information.This record is a live recording done in a Cathedral in Croydon and some other tones are mixed later in studio.The sound quality is not as good as it should be.On poor equipment this record sounds awfull and on quality equipment excellent.I have done many comparisons over the years with this record.With Stax Lambda pro and Sigma i found many hidden informations. and with Orpheus the colours.This record Part 2 begins with a solo piano and on bad equipment you hear a plastic piano and on good you hear a Steinway.This piano play is emotional and you should hear nuances and vibrations .The piano tones are wandering from side to side and in front .You should also hear the space behind the piano and also how dynamic and natural this piano play is.

How the phones manage to perform the solo piano and first intuitive reaction:


SENNHEISER HD-800/Nice huge piano play not in subtle informations better than Ed-8 but just great.The size is bigger on HD-800 than ED-8 has.Very musical throughout a matter of taste if its better than ED-8.The Sennheiser is painting the piano on a larger scale.

ULTRASONE ED-8/very sophisticated piano play and you hear subtle information its more INTIMATE than Sennheisers.The piano is smaller.Very musical through out but different than Senns.You should have the piano in front of you to say wich is closer to reality.Maybe the ED-8 is sounding a little bit more dynamic but dont know if its the case in reality.I think more colours are evident with ED-8 but in a very subtle way and again i dont know if its the case in reality.

How do i enjoy it through these headphones the piano play.I like both way of presentation
The Senns more relaxed and bigger and the ED-8 more intimate.DEfinitely there will be people out there who prefer one over the other,people are different.

There is maybe something falling on the floor on that recording on 16.56 time.On not quality equipment you hear just a plop noise.You should hear on quality equipment a noise and then you should hear how the echo from that falling object reaches the cathedral walls How the phones show the echo and walls
SENNHEISER HD-800/ the echo is different than ED-8, it has a lower note and i am not sure the echo delay might be a hint shorter than ED-8 has.The echo pops up easier with Senns than ED-8 do it.
On both headphones walls evident

ULTRASONE ED-8/higher note of echo maybe a little bit longer delay of echo but again in a very subtle way.Did i hear again a little bit colours on that echo?The ED-8 show more subtle information of that echo ,yes that echo has more texture on ED-8 .Senns do that on larger scale
I dont even know myself wich i prefer

On Part I on that record at time 7.05-7.15 are people talking ,but you need top end gear to hear that.How these headphones show that talking


SENNHEISER HD-800/talking is evident on both headphones maybe on Senns clearer
I think because the talkings dont show itself in a subtle way they just pop up

ULTRASONE ED-8/talking is evident but the space around has somhow more intimacy
And you think again to ”see” or hear colours.

How these headphones transfer emotions and musicality

Samples:
Edgar Froese-Epsilon in Malaysian Pale Part I

Lisa Gerrard -in mortal memory

Richard Burmer-Across the view


SENNHEISER HD-800/Excellent musical and emotional transfer from a record

ULTRASONE ED-8/Excellent emotional and musical transfer from a record to you

Wich headphone would i choose for long term listening only judged by soundquality

I am a happy owner of both headphones and enjoy both of them.Maybe the ED-8 shows
more colour but doesnt have lets say the authority over music as Senn has.My head is shaking
more with the ED-8 wich is related to the rhythm of that headphone.The Senns seems to more academic or serious.Clearly there will be people who prefer one of these.

I will continue later on my foundings…this so far.
 
Jul 10, 2009 at 9:37 AM Post #3 of 55
I'm not sure I understand what you mean by seeing or hearing colors. Unless of course you are on LSD or have Synesthesia.
wink.gif
 
Jul 10, 2009 at 10:18 AM Post #4 of 55
Quote:

Originally Posted by IPodPJ /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I'm not sure I understand what you mean by seeing or hearing colors. Unless of course you are on LSD or have Synesthesia.
wink.gif



to play with a saw or violin,yes they sound different have you ever noticed it?
 
Jul 10, 2009 at 11:43 AM Post #6 of 55
Quote:

Originally Posted by IPodPJ /img/forum/go_quote.gif
What kind of response is that?

The question I asked you was relating to your use of descriptors. How are you hearing and seeing COLORS? I don't understand what colors has to do with sound. Therefore I stated I did not understand.



Many people say that tube amps have color so its related to the frequency respond and how you as a human beeing perceive it thats all.The definition of perceiving includes synonymes of "seeing" or hearing.You can also see a tone
in your imagination wich is a subjective observation.
 
Jul 10, 2009 at 11:44 AM Post #7 of 55
Nice review. I'd like to see more people try the Edition 8 straight out of a DAP to see if it was designed to be able to sound great without an amp. I was impressed with how good ultrasone icans sound straight out of a DAP, and I know Pro 900 after Kees modding sounds sort of good out of a dap.
 
Jul 10, 2009 at 11:58 AM Post #8 of 55
Quote:

Originally Posted by haloxt /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Nice review. I'd like to see more people try the Edition 8 straight out of a DAP to see if it was designed to be able to sound great without an amp. I was impressed with how good ultrasone icans sound straight out of a DAP, and I know Pro 900 after Kees modding sounds sort of good out of a dap.


Well, the iCans are supposed to be ran out of a DAP and amping them would probably be overkill. The Edition 8 is less sensitive than most of its baby brothers, so chances are, like most low impedance/low sensitivity cans, you will be putting it to shame by running it straight off a DAP.
 
Jul 10, 2009 at 1:18 PM Post #9 of 55
So with colour you mean colourization? Meaning it´s less neutral than the Hd 800 where you mention it has some colour?
 
Jul 10, 2009 at 1:27 PM Post #10 of 55
Quote:

Originally Posted by oqvist /img/forum/go_quote.gif
So with colour you mean colourization? Meaning it´s less neutral than the Hd 800 where you mention it has some colour?


Exactly and thats why many people prefer tube amps
 
Jul 10, 2009 at 1:32 PM Post #11 of 55
Quote:

Originally Posted by oqvist /img/forum/go_quote.gif
So with colour you mean colourization? Meaning it´s less neutral than the Hd 800 where you mention it has some colour?


It is an Ultrasone
wink.gif
 
Jul 10, 2009 at 1:34 PM Post #12 of 55
Tangerine - excellent review. thanks.
 
Jul 10, 2009 at 1:36 PM Post #13 of 55
Deviations from flat frequency response are very often called colorations.

Nice comparison, Tangerine, thanks. I will get to compare the two at the Chicago meet tomorrow - looking forward to that.
 
Jul 10, 2009 at 1:53 PM Post #14 of 55
Tangerine, thank you for that comparison, it was helpful. Even though I do not think I will break down and buy the Edition 8, I sure would not pass up the opportunity to hear it, or the PS1000.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skylab /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Deviations from flat frequency response are very often called colorations.

Nice comparison, Tangerine, thanks. I will get to compare the two at the Chicago meet tomorrow - looking forward to that.



I look forward to hearing your impressions Rob. Do you still have the HD 800?
 
Jul 10, 2009 at 1:57 PM Post #15 of 55
Yes, I do still have the HD800 - I am bringing them to the meet, at which time I will likely have to part with them. But I will get one last fun comparison in first!
 

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