[Hopstretch]

The HD-800s blew me away on first listen.

Maybe I should have turned the pot all the way down before plugging in, rather than all the way up?

 

[donunus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by oqvist /img/forum/go_quote.gif what is this booring thing? I never understood that? For me a headphone or speaker that sounds real is damn exciting. And colouration generally puts me off until I get used to it. So for me it seem to work the other way...

I agree 1000%

 

[sling5s]

Can Jam HD800 impressions:
1. 701 family: I know some people will hate me but the HD800 had more in common and sounded more like a refined 701 than HD600 or HD650. More upper midrange and treble presence. It's got all details and clarity to die for but it's got no body and warmth to them. To me it lacked the upper bass that warms up the sound and gives all the details the body it needs to sound musical. (it maybe because my ears have been accustomed to ue11 and ah-d7000)

2. Bad on solid state: I didn't like them with any solid states. Even with the best I heard, apache, headroom's top of the line. They sounded thin, dry and even harsh at times. Again, lack the warmth and musicality.

3. Shines with tubes: I will say that they sounded great with tubes. I think tubes are a must for these. They need the upper bass, lower midrange increase that tubes give to make them sound warm and musical. I tried the raptor, b52 (which sounded really amazing) and woo's on them. I found myself liking them only with tube set ups.

Overall, I now wish I had tubes; always been a solid state man... now I may have to change or give up the hd800.

 

[The Monkey]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sling5s /img/forum/go_quote.gif Even with the best I heard, apache, headroom's top of the line. They sounded thin, dry and even harsh at times. Again, lack the warmth and musicality.

HeadRoom does not make the Apache. That amp is made by Ray Samuels Audio. Or did you mean the Apache AND HR's top of the line? If you just meant the Apache as the best you listened to, what other SS amps did you listen to? Not everyone likes the Apache.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

For my first HD800 listen, I first prepared by listening with my HD600 on the Balancing Act (Sat AM) for a minute or two and was really liking the sound. Then I switched to the HD800I was struck by the improvement in soundstage, extension, detail, and speed. The HD800 make the HD600 sound slightly veiled in the same way an RS-1 or Stax Lambda series will do to the HD600 in comparison. But, without the colorations in mids or treble of the RS-1 or Lambda series.

It wasn't an OMG moment like the first time you hear an R10 on the RSA B-52, or an HE90 on an A-10 or ES-2 - but after just a minute or two the R10 starts to sound a little bit like a closed can, and the HD800 keeps chugging along sounding natural and real and "open". The R10 are very fun and dynamic, but not as open.

I'll take the HD800 anyday over an R10, modded Denon, modded Edition 9 or any other closed can simply due to the unfettered uncolored open and transparent sound, regardless of whether my first impressions is more stunning with the other cans at first listen. I listened to more HD800 on more rigs at CanJam Saturday than any other headphone except my HD600 and K1000. I am confident that the HD800 are simply going to grow on me and get better and better with time, while the other dynamic cans will start to sound more flawed over time.

 

[madmax7]

Did some more listening last night. This time I loaded up Genesis "Selling England by the Pound" DVD-A. I was blown away. I have never heard this disc sound so rich and detailed, ever. I could not take them off my head and had to listen to it twice. Now, I know I don't have a nice stand alone DAC, or a two thousand dollar amp, but I was asking myself, do I need it to sound any better than this?

I say let them burn in a bit before you cast "final" judgement, and listen to the MUSIC not the equipment.

 

[donunus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif For my first HD800 listen, I first prepared by listening with my HD600 on the Balancing Act (Sat AM) for a minute or two and was really liking the sound. Then I switched to the HD800I was struck by the improvement in soundstage, extension, detail, and speed. The HD800 make the HD600 sound slightly veiled in the same way an RS-1 or Stax Lambda series will do to the HD600 in comparison. But, without the colorations in mids or treble of the RS-1 or Lambda series. It wasn't an OMG moment like the first time you hear an R10 on the RSA B-52, or an HE90 on an A-10 or ES-2 - but after just a minute or two the R10 starts to sound a little bit like a closed can, and the HD800 keeps chugging along sounding natural and real and "open". The R10 are very fun and dynamic, but not as open. I'll take the HD800 anyday over an R10, modded Denon, modded Edition 9 or any other closed can simply due to the unfettered uncolored open and transparent sound, regardless of whether my first impressions is more stunning with the other cans at first listen. I listened to more HD800 on more rigs at CanJam Saturday than any other headphone except my HD600 and K1000. I am confident that the HD800 are simply going to grow on me and get better and better with time, while the other dynamic cans will start to sound more flawed over time.

now that some bold shyte! me likey! me wants hd800! Die Wallet Die!

 

[dallan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quadrangulum /img/forum/go_quote.gif Would you please go into more detail about the sound from the P-200/HD800 combo? What was the source?

Like the statement above, the 800s seem to sound better with a tube amp. Maybe the there is a top of the line Solid State that will step up. It actually wasn't bad with the apachy (sp) and i like it on the Symphony. Mieirs audio of PJ's as i said before. Tubes really did it though.

 

[MooBin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by donunus /img/forum/go_quote.gif when technology comes out where cans can automatically adjust to individual hrtf, we will have the ultimate cans

Not exactly ! I hope we will not need to wait that long

If I put on the cans and cannot tell if my favorite musician is in the room with me right there or if it is just a reproduction then that's what I call ultimate - and I do not believe that this is somthing individual.

With some non headphone setups we come already VERY close to that.

...I agree therefore absolutely with John Willet on the basic idea...but not on the statement that "Impressive" equals "coloured". To me, impressive is "like live" - what else should music reproduction be all about ? ...and yes - I could not listen to them yet - no wonder isn't it ? How about delivering them on a bigger scale ?

 

[mbd2884]

Was thinking, shouldn't the HD800 for $1,400 have a lifetime warranty like Koss provides for their headphones? 2 Years seems kinda gimpy for that price. But then I'd like lifetime warranty on my HD650 also.

@ MooBin: Problem is, to get the sound as close to life, whether it be in the studio or concert or intimate recital, my room's acoustics is wrong with speakers to do that. And I don't think headphones design and enclosure will ever be able to mimic the atmosphere and environment of those situations.

 

[HeadStrong]

Has anyone paired the HD800s with a HeadRoom Desktop - either balanced or SE? I'm using a balanced with 650s now and would like to know if it works well with the 800s also. Pabbi1 - looking forward to your impressions of the balanced V3 cable.

 

[peanuthead]

I really don't agree with all the people here saying HD800 sounds better on Tubes...that simply was not my experience at all!
To me, HD800 sounded just as good or better on solid state amps, and I especially liked them on HeadRoom amps (first time listening to those - very impressed).
Also, I didn't see a discernable jump in sound quality with balanced HD800.

 

[pearljam5000]

Wow,cool.
could you please do more comparison with K1000 if you have the time?do the HD800 sound as real and as speaker like as K1000?
with the K1000,it was the first time i felt that everything sounded real,and that's really special to me.
Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif For my first HD800 listen, I first prepared by listening with my HD600 on the Balancing Act (Sat AM) for a minute or two and was really liking the sound. Then I switched to the HD800I was struck by the improvement in soundstage, extension, detail, and speed. The HD800 make the HD600 sound slightly veiled in the same way an RS-1 or Stax Lambda series will do to the HD600 in comparison. But, without the colorations in mids or treble of the RS-1 or Lambda series. It wasn't an OMG moment like the first time you hear an R10 on the RSA B-52, or an HE90 on an A-10 or ES-2 - but after just a minute or two the R10 starts to sound a little bit like a closed can, and the HD800 keeps chugging along sounding natural and real and "open". The R10 are very fun and dynamic, but not as open. I'll take the HD800 anyday over an R10, modded Denon, modded Edition 9 or any other closed can simply due to the unfettered uncolored open and transparent sound, regardless of whether my first impressions is more stunning with the other cans at first listen. I listened to more HD800 on more rigs at CanJam Saturday than any other headphone except my HD600 and K1000. I am confident that the HD800 are simply going to grow on me and get better and better with time, while the other dynamic cans will start to sound more flawed over time.

 

[Fafner]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sling5s /img/forum/go_quote.gif I tried the raptor, b52 (which sounded really amazing) and woo's on them. I found myself liking them only with tube set ups.

This makes me VERY happy.

Now, if only it started shipping in Europe too...

 

[sling5s]

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Monkey /img/forum/go_quote.gif HeadRoom does not make the Apache. That amp is made by Ray Samuels Audio. Or did you mean the Apache AND HR's top of the line? If you just meant the Apache as the best you listened to, what other SS amps did you listen to? Not everyone likes the Apache.

No I meant, Apache and...I was in both the HR and Ray's rooms.