[dallan]

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New HD 800 in the house!  I'm loving 'em.  Even without burn-in they are a significant step up in clarity from my buddies, my K701s.  Nice air.  More refined highs.  Better un-EQ'd tonal balance, but still could use a little adjustment, mainly a little boost in the midrange "suck-out."  The bass is near perfect, though on some tracks I actually prefer the tighter bass of the 701 (tighter because of less on the very bottom and less warmth in lower mids).  I do notice, as some have complained, how for some rock the vocals are distant (midrange suck-out) and the soundstage is too wide (not to worry, SR 225is on the way for rock duties).  The soundstage is great for most of the classical, jazz, acoustic music that I mostly listen to, although I can see, as some have suggested, that the wide soundstage (wider than the K701) is at the expense of a well formed central sound image.  The 800s work very happily with my Channel Islands VHP-2 amp.  I thought I would immediately feel a need to upgrade my DAC and amp, but not as of today.  Time for that later.  I wonder how much the 800s will change with burn-in.  Nothing like the 701s would be my guess.  Maybe a little smoother, a little more transparency, a little more textured bass???  Time to put them back to cooking in the drivers.

Congrats on the 800's, i would say they are quite a big step up from 701's like the step from ipod earbuds to 701's is about the same distance from 701's to 800's.  
 
As far as rock goes, i listen to rock every day on the 800s and the Ed8's depending on how noisy the house is.  I gave my SR225 to my wife, I don't even use them anymore, not for a while.  With the upgrade of your dac and amp you may decide that way too.

 

[V-DiV]

dalan, for me, the HD 800s are not like the jump from Apple earbuds.  I very much like my K701s for classical/jazz/acoustic (although they are not good for most guitar-heavy rock).  I can understand how those who listen mostly to rock would not like the 701s at all.  But for what I listen to, where the 701s shine, I was concerned that the 800s be a significant improvement to validate the high price tag, and they are.  So I'm happy.  I don't think there will be a reason to keep the 701s.  The 800s excel where the 701s excel - just a bit better, plus they have a better high to low tonal balance that makes them better than the 701s for rock as well.
 
Phasey, I love Kind of Blue.  I rarely listen to it anymore.  It is forever associated with rainy spring days in college with my girlfriend and Miles playing on my old lo-fi turntable.  Listening in digital hi-fi just doesn't have the same effect - although it's sounding pretty great right now.
 
Cannonball Adderley's alto solo on Freddie the Freeloader is fantastic.  I always loved his sound back when I was playing.  Real nice on the 800s.

 

[Shahrose]

A little burn/break-in will help, but there definitely shouldn't be any center image focus problems.
Give them a little time to fully discover their sound. I bet you'll end up liking them a lot more than your K701s.

 

[grokit]

I've got the same issue, I do like my balanced K701s, but am having a hard time justifying keeping them as they get zero head time now that I have my HD800s.

 

[MacedonianHero]

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Quote:

New HD 800 in the house!  I'm loving 'em.  Even without burn-in they are a significant step up in clarity from my buddies, my K701s.  Nice air.  More refined highs.  Better un-EQ'd tonal balance, but still could use a little adjustment, mainly a little boost in the midrange "suck-out."  The bass is near perfect, though on some tracks I actually prefer the tighter bass of the 701 (tighter because of less on the very bottom and less warmth in lower mids).  I do notice, as some have complained, how for some rock the vocals are distant (midrange suck-out) and the soundstage is too wide (not to worry, SR 225is on the way for rock duties).  The soundstage is great for most of the classical, jazz, acoustic music that I mostly listen to, although I can see, as some have suggested, that the wide soundstage (wider than the K701) is at the expense of a well formed central sound image.  The 800s work very happily with my Channel Islands VHP-2 amp.  I thought I would immediately feel a need to upgrade my DAC and amp, but not as of today.  Time for that later.  I wonder how much the 800s will change with burn-in.  Nothing like the 701s would be my guess.  Maybe a little smoother, a little more transparency, a little more textured bass???  Time to put them back to cooking in the drivers.

Congrats on the 800's, i would say they are quite a big step up from 701's like the step from ipod earbuds to 701's is about the same distance from 701's to 800's.  
 
As far as rock goes, i listen to rock every day on the 800s and the Ed8's depending on how noisy the house is.  I gave my SR225 to my wife, I don't even use them anymore, not for a while.  With the upgrade of your dac and amp you may decide that way too.

With prog rock like Pink Floyd or Genesis, the HD800s are very hard to beat. For hard rock (Zeppelin, Sabbath, AC/DC), I usually look elsewhere (like my LCD-2s or Edition 8LEs).
 

 

[Gazza]

I love my HD800 for Metal. I don't get the whole "800 aren't for rock" argument.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

I love my HD800 for Metal. I don't get the whole "800 aren't for rock" argument.

I like my HD800s with metal too, but not as much as my LCD-2s, T1s or Edition 8s.

 

 

[dallan]

Well i do like my Ed8 LE, they are my newest so I won't argue there.  The issue is the Ed8 matches with a lesser amp than the HD800 so it is a double wammy.  I listen to all of that with the 800s, it is more of an issue with noise here that determines the phone, i enjoy all with both i guess.  The 800 sounds more real like i am in the room, the Ed8 sounds warmer with more bass impact.  I was a teen for Zeppelin and Genesis so i do both sides, but AC/DC was kinda bubble gum for me at the time because my taste were a bit more refined by then.  Now it is those plus Santana(Moonflower now, just got done with Lotus), Hendrix and the jambands like Phish, Percy Hill and Accoustic Syndicate that i got into when i was a bit older.  It all sounds great on both phones so "what me complain".
 
 
I do think the 800s got a bad rap from a bunch of haters though and that they are tech the best.  The only thing i like better than the 800s on a good set up is the Omega driven with the Blue Hawaiian and a good source.  I hope to go there when money permits, or the updated Stax C32 I believe. 
 
Edit-to me the LCD-2 is flawed, I was on the preorder list but when my number came up i declined.  To disjointed of a sound for me, lacking musical integration until you listen to it for a long period and "get used to it".  The others i have sound good when they hit your head and that says something.

 

[V-DiV]

I'm listening to Gates of Delirium from Yes' Relayer album.  Much nicer on HD 800 than on the K701.  The album is not the best recording, very bright (but the music is great).  I'm playing around with my Starving Student Millett Hybrid amp that I built.  Metallica sounds great and Relayer is a bit smoother going through the tubes.  But my solid state VHP-2 is more transparent for acoustic music.  Not exactly a good test between these two.  I have to get my case finished and wire up my mostly finished Bijou OTL tube amp.  I'm thinking (broad generalization) tubes are for rock and solid state is for classical and acoustic jazz.

 

[grokit]

 
Quote:

Well i do like my Ed8 LE, they are my newest so I won't argue there.  The issue is the Ed8 matches with a lesser amp than the HD800 so it is a double wammy.  I listen to all of that with the 800s, it is more of an issue with noise here that determines the phone, i enjoy all with both i guess.  The 800 sounds more real like i am in the room, the Ed8 sounds warmer with more bass impact.  I was a teen for Zeppelin and Genesis so i do both sides, but AC/DC was kinda bubble gum for me at the time because my taste were a bit more refined by then.  Now it is those plus Santana(Moonflower now, just got done with Lotus), Hendrix and the jambands like Phish, Percy Hill and Accoustic Syndicate that i got into when i was a bit older.  It all sounds great on both phones so "what me complain".
 
 
I do think the 800s got a bad rap from a bunch of haters though and that they are tech the best.  The only thing i like better than the 800s on a good set up is the Omega driven with the Blue Hawaiian and a good source.  I hope to go there when money permits, or the updated Stax C32 I believe. 
 
Edit-to me the LCD-2 is flawed, I was on the preorder list but when my number came up i declined.  To disjointed of a sound for me, lacking musical integration until you listen to it for a long period and "get used to it".  The others i have sound good when they hit your head and that says something.

 
That's interesting, as I have heard many say much the same thing about the Ultrasones in general, especially the Edition series. I have never heard an Ultrasone myself, but am quite interested in acquiring the ED8.

 

[dallan]

I have heard a few people say that the Ed8 needed burning in or you have to get used to the s-logic with Ultasones.  I didn't have that experience, just put them on and they sounded good.  The ED9 from what limited time I have had with those seemed more....ahh...Golden Ears has a pair and calls them more woolly, I would say maybe it would take a short time to get used to the sound of those but not as long as the LCD-2.  Ed9 sound is more pronounced in layering maybe.   I was never an Ultrasone person really, I thought the ED9's were a cult sort of thing at the time, very overpriced for what they were(with a big committed following) and i had new HD800's.  When i heard the Ed8's I was sufficiently impressed but didn't think they were on the same level as what you get with the HD800.  I did keep them in the back of my mind though and when the JH13's didn't really work for my needs, i started reading more about them.  For a portable they can't be beat and for home, unbelievably, they top my DX1000 for a closed phone.  That is unimaginable to me because i love the DX1000s but listening back and forth there is no doubt that the ED8 tops them.
 
I have sat with the LCD-2 for two different evenings for hours in a quiet environment with a good amp, actually several amps and over the period of a few hours i did adapt my hearing to a large extent but i can't explain it maybe it sounds like you have a system with no bass and then you add a sub woofer that is sort of off or something.  Almost bit but the integration just wasn't there.  My take on it, many love them.

 

[grokit]

That's what I am looking for with the ED8, a top-tier closed can at home as well a first class portable for my iMod rig. I love my HD800s but my LCD-2 now has a balanced cable and the HD800 is getting less head time now out of the WA22. I am hoping it will re-assert itself when the (matching) balanced cable comes in for it. So that is the goal with my WA22 balanced system, the HD800 into the dual 3-pin jack, the LCD-2 into the 4-pin jack, and the Ed8 as an easier-to-drive SE closed option out of the TRS jack as well as portable. But I am liking the LCD-2 more and more, I guess the second time around can be a charm sometimes. That also happened with my second HD600, which will be relegated to my DJ cans when I am doing my volunteer radio show as they get no time at home these days but I have a nice travel case for it and some nice cables as well. That strategy didn't work with the HD650 though, I sold them off quickly both times.

 

[syfjhz22]

Most comments about HD800 are good but for me it is still too expensive to invest...

 

[SP Wild]

I'm keen to get my hands on a pair of HD800s again and this time, I think balanced into my balanced amp is the key to smoothing out the treble...I never did have a balanced amp when I had them for a couple of months before.  I really liked everything about the HD800.  I enjoy the K701 but I balanced them and can't get over the softened transients and mushy detailing.  In fact the HD650 benefited more from balancing than the K701...whereas the K701 was a shade quicker in the topend single ended...the HD650 actually just manages to edge out the K701 in outright speed in all frequencies once balanced.  Perhaps the HD800 can benefit also as much from balanced.

 

[grokit]

My experience is that the HD800 likes tubes as well, I can't wait to hear them balanced with the tubes! What balanced amp do you have these days? I saw the lehmann black cube linear in your profile, it supposedly does very well with the HD800. It will be interesting to hear your impressions if you do re-acquire the HD800, as you have some nice amps to compare in your profile. I'm getting ready to dump my balanced K701s myself, they are getting zero head time lately as the HD800 outshines them even in SE mode.