[olor1n]

 

HD800 all the way.

 
Surprised at this recommendation. Last night I got to hear the HD800's on a $2500 amp, and there were some tracks that bought the hair on my neck up (remastered live dire straits), but equally some tracks which sound good, on almost all the other headphones I tried (Including the HE-6), it sounded HORRIBLE.  The guitars sounded like someone was rubbing cymbals together in the background etc. I was blown away by classical music, but rock just lacked something I would call.... Impact? It was like listening to the tracks from outside the stadium. Obviously sound is subjective... 
 
I haven't tried them with Crack

 
What amp? More importantly, what source? The dollar figure alone tells us nothing. From experience, most of us know (or at least suspect) that there is no guaranteed correlation between big ticket price and performance. Why the fixation on price?

 

[wink]

Quotelor1n

 I wonder - have you even heard the HD800?

He's heard mine before the Anax mod.
 
I really have an issue with people who complain about the HD800's pearcing highs at times.
 
I have listened to piano, flute and violin (amongst others, but these stand out) in a live acoustic environment and have been annoyed at the strident nature of the sound at times.
The HD800 reproduces the same experience when the recorded material requires it.
 
This is NOT a problem with the reproduction of the whole sound system, but with the listener not being familiar with what live acoustic instruments sound like.
 
Heck, even the HD650 and HD600 sometimes reproduce the same effect.
 
If you modify your system, or have headphones to reduce/negate this trait then that's your business.
 
But, please, don't call your setup high fidelity if you do.

 

[olor1n]

^ Agreed. Live venues rape ears with obnoxious treble.
 
Curious - did SP hear the HD800 from your M51 and a suitable amp? And distorted bass? Is your HD800 a dud?

 

[pez]

   
That's a pompous stance. If I had blindly followed detractors like you I would've formed the impression that the HD800 is the death of music. Kinda like how the regurgitated myths of a veiled and lifeless headphone made me weary of the HD650. I'm glad I took a punt against the zealots. Buying, spending time and subsequently building a system around both headphones made me realise that they're not mutually exclusive.
 
 
To me the HD650 and HD800 are both as musically engaging. The HD650 with its warm, homogenous yet pleasing tint. The HD800 with its unfiltered rendition of the recording. To my ears, the HD800 is the reference, the more neutral headphone.
 
I have no qualms with grating treble. IMO, that's symptomatic of inadequate gear upstream. You don't need coloured components to blunt the HD800's peaks, just gear sans the sandy grit evident in the upper registers. Some will claim this quality is only found in expensive gear. The Vali lays waste to that in the amp department. Not sure about an equivalent source in the same price bracket, unfortunately.
 
 
I wonder - have you even heard the HD800?

 
I can't express more how true the bolded is.
 
I held off on considering the HD650 for a very long time because of that.  I'm not quite sure what exactly influenced me to try them, but I started with the HD600.  I actually really liked the HD600, and possibly would have been the better headphone for me if I had a tube amp, or at least an amp that had a better synergy with them than the A2.  The HD600 however became a bit harsh at times, and seemingly unforgiving on certain bits of my music.  The HD650 doesn't really hold back in the unforgiving department, but their warm and 'fun' sound signature help aid against these 'flaws'.  Needless to say I'm a happy camper.
 
I'm at the point where I have an upgrade itch...but just not sure for what.

 

[JamieMcC]

  Well it sure looks like this is turning into a bhc fan boy site.

 
Yes perhaps it is, but I wonder who a typical a bhc fan boy might be?
 
Odds are good he owns or has owned a pair of HD650's (I wouldn't fancy a bet against this)
 
I doubt the bhc is many fan boy's first, second or even third amplifier, you have to build the damn thing for starters which is really off putting for most of us.
 
It certainly sounds like most bhc users have had a string of different amps prior. So maybe just perhaps there are some experienced and valid views to be found amongst the postings from a bunch of emotionally attached zealots.
 
Everybody is free to chase the latest sponsored mass produced products, bhc fan boys seem a more contented bunch who are happy with their lot.
 
If I had $1 for every time someone on headfi recommended the bhc I would be rich
If I had $1 for every time someone on headfi said they are selling their bhc to get something else for the 650's, I might be able to treat myself to a bigmac and fries once a year.
 

 

[JamieMcC]

  He's heard mine before the Anax mod.
 
I really have an issue with people who complain about the HD800's pearcing highs at times.
 
I have listened to piano, flute and violin (amongst others, but these stand out) in a live acoustic environment and have been annoyed at the strident nature of the sound at times.
The HD800 reproduces the same experience when the recorded material requires it.
 
This is NOT a problem with the reproduction of the whole sound system, but with the listener not being familiar with what live acoustic instruments sound like.
 
Heck, even the HD650 and HD600 sometimes reproduce the same effect.
 
If you modify your system, or have headphones to reduce/negate this trait then that's your business.
 
But, please, don't call your setup high fidelity if you do.

 
+1 This crops up with the T1 re sibilance with some tracks. I say stand a few feet away from the same person singing live and tell me that's not how they sound in real life! Natural means warts and all.

 

[SP Wild]

  He's heard mine before the Anax mod.
 
I really have an issue with people who complain about the HD800's pearcing highs at times.
 
I have listened to piano, flute and violin (amongst others, but these stand out) in a live acoustic environment and have been annoyed at the strident nature of the sound at times.
The HD800 reproduces the same experience when the recorded material requires it.
 
This is NOT a problem with the reproduction of the whole sound system, but with the listener not being familiar with what live acoustic instruments sound like.
 
Heck, even the HD650 and HD600 sometimes reproduce the same effect.
 
If you modify your system, or have headphones to reduce/negate this trait then that's your business.
 
But, please, don't call your setup high fidelity if you do.

 
Thanks mate.  The HD800 is a terrific headphone - there are numerous posts on this forum where I declare this.  Stock form is a bit of an acquired taste - modifying them from all accounts from people I trust - makes the headphone more "generally" acceptable.  I' don't need to hear a modified version - I come to my conclusions after a comprehensive EQ check on all headphones that pass through my hands, after doing this immediately  - I reported and praised it in an LCD2 thread.  Because at that time the LCD2 buzz was just overwhelming and I felt the HD800 was being drowned by the noise from the LCD2 crowd - for which I was a part of and in fact still am, or whatever minority crew it is now.

 

[ButtUglyJeff]

  ^ Agreed. Live venues rape ears with obnoxious treble.
 
Curious - did SP hear the HD800 from your M51 and a suitable amp? And distorted bass? Is your HD800 a dud?

 
I don't get "disturbing" treble from my HD650s from anything.  My Grados on the other hand...

 

[thomascrown]

Hi everybody, I was considering to buy a balanced cable for my hd650, now I don't have the money/want to buy the senn's one, but I've checked on amazon and they've got this offer:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00A2QJLY8
 
anyone has tried it? is it any good?
 
Cheers
 
T.

 

[Androb]

  Hi everybody, I was considering to buy a balanced cable for my hd650, now I don't have the money/want to buy the senn's one, but I've checked on amazon and they've got this offer:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00A2QJLY8
 
anyone has tried it? is it any good?
 
Cheers
 
T.

Just recieved this cable  http://forzaaudioworks.com/en/product.php?id_product=39

Cheap, good looking. As I just got it in the mail I haven't had time to test it yet Got my balanced diy cable and gonna try to compare it and see if it gets any better.
But just going balanced is a good step-up no matter the quality of the cable.

 

[Androb]

Yay 250th post ;D

Got my new cables here. Listened to three songs with my old cable and new to compare.
James Blake - Unluck
Dire straits - Walk of life
Beatles - Come together
And what I heard was that the treble is a bit more detailed
Doesn't feel as "dark" as my diy cable is.

The cable is really pretty I love the transparent plastic so I can see the copper underneath it!
 

 

 

 

 

 

[JacobLee89]

  Yay 250th post ;D

Got my new cables here. Listened to three songs with my old cable.
James Blake - Unluck
Dire straits - Walk of life
Beatles - Come together
And what I heard was that the treble is a bit more detailed
Doesn't feel as "dark" as my diy cable is.

The cable is really pretty I love the transparent plastic so I can see the copper underneath it!
 

Its funny how people rave on about how it's possible that silver cables can sound better on the highs.
I myself have some spare wire lying around. Wonder how silver plated copper would sound on my HD650's

 

[wink]

Quotelor1n

 Curious - did SP hear the HD800 from your M51 and a suitable amp? And distorted bass? Is your HD800 a dud?

Nope, I didn't have the M51 back then.
 
The amp is a 80w/channel balanced class A I built.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/82163546@N06/7808040670/in/set-72157631127299978/
 
 
It's the one on the left.

 

[Androb]

  Its funny how people rave on about how it's possible that silver cables can sound better on the highs.
I myself have some spare wire lying around. Wonder how silver plated copper would sound on my HD650's

It's not silver And fyi the old "diy" cable I had wasn't even made from pure copper...

 

[ButtUglyJeff]

  Its funny how people rave on about how it's possible that silver cables can sound better on the highs.
I myself have some spare wire lying around. Wonder how silver plated copper would sound on my HD650's

 
SPC is what I use on my HD650.  I went from stock single ended, to SPC balanced.  I'm not sure if the material or the balancing did it, but the improvement was greatly noticed.  Most likely both upgrades share the credit...