[The Monkey]

Why are people surprised that a headphone like the HD800 would be demanding with respect to upstream components?

Why am I even bothering asking this?

 

[Bojamijams]

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Monkey /img/forum/go_quote.gif Why are people surprised that a headphone like the HD800 would be demanding with respect to upstream components? Why am I even bothering asking this?

Its sad I know... some things being asked/expected here makes me think that some of the people here are going to be using these with 128kbps mp3's from their shuffles and are looking for a step up from the stock buds

 

[Richter Di]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bizkid /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi Richter Di, i wouldnt overrate these amp choices. The way i see it, and i'm here since 2003 and have heard dozens of amps: Most people on head-fi are looking for coloration in their amplification, especially for headphones in the broad "neutral" category. So tube amps, amps with output transformers and balanced amps are very popular. I guess that Prof Sennheiser likes to listen to his headphone and not his amp, so he likes the Black Cube Linear. From most HD800 posts till now and earlier posts regarding headphones like the K701 or W5000 and especially the K1000, people are just looking for the biggest "wow" effect to mate their headphone with. This has nothing to do with how well controlled a headphone is. Just how much of a, for the particular listener, pleasent coloration it introduces to the audio signal so that it makes "click, thats it!" in the head of the listener. Thats a perfectly allright way to choose your amp but it just doesnt say anything about these amps quality. Sorry i couldnt help you any further but i would be surprised if the HD800 sounds much different on any of the uncolored solidstate amps (Black Cube, Symphony, Lake People G100, SPL Phonitor etc).

Hm, good point. There could actually be some truth. Hard to judge for me at the moment to be honest.

 

[mopps]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fafner /img/forum/go_quote.gif Personally, I hate "consuming" my amp's tubes just because headphones need tons of burn in to sound at their best...

Isn't this the reason why we all have more than one amp on hand, at least one solid state?
But an ancient radio or a not-so-audiophile iPod or PC should work just as well.
Come on, it's only for a couple of days!

 

[A.Thorsen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Monkey /img/forum/go_quote.gif Why are people surprised that a headphone like the HD800 would be demanding with respect to upstream components? Why am I even bothering asking this?

You know why.

 

[donlin]

Just sold my Denons. I'm in all the way now.

 

[Denaturat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vvanrij /img/forum/go_quote.gif But they do make a FR chart per driver :|

That can be easy done by pulling the QA measurements into a database, so apart from having to write the corresponding software it requires no additional human effort to have them published (with QA/drivers matching being the regular procedure anyway)

 

[vvanrij]

Still I think the suggestion that headphone manufacturers could burn in the headphones say 50hours, before sending them out isn't that far fetched when talking about a 1000+dollar headphone. Remember the crazyness that happened when people found out the PS1000 didn't come in a wooden box

 

[Fafner]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vvanrij /img/forum/go_quote.gif Still I think the suggestion that headphone manufacturers could burn in the headphones say 50hours, before sending them out isn't that far fetched when talking about a 1000+dollar headphone. Remember the crazyness that happened when people found out the PS1000 didn't come in a wooden box

I think the reason for this crazyness wasn't that the PS1000 wasn't coming in a wooden box, but that a wooden box for it was being sold separately, with the headphone coming in a frankly ridicolous "box" which seem to be crafted to explicitly call for an upgrade (at least for those who like keeping their headphone in a box). Grado fans won't agree with me, but I still think this is really poor marketing strategy. I guess some of the same crazyness would be there should Sennheiser decide to introduce some special HD800 premium box, although the default box at least is much more decent than Grado's ridicolous pizza box. But I doubt Sennheiser will do it.

 

[vvanrij]

I guess the consumer will always ask for more, and the companies will always tell us they can't afford it

 

[John Willett]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vvanrij /img/forum/go_quote.gif I guess the consumer will always ask for more, and the companies will always tell us they can't afford it

No, they'll ask if you are prepared to pay the extra it will cost.

 

[The Monkey]

Aesthetics aside, I would be interested in some more nuts & bolts observations regarding the build quality of these phones. Specifically, I'd like to know how durable they feel. Do they seem fragile? Are you terrified to bump them into something? Does it seem like they could survive a drop?

 

[A.Thorsen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Monkey /img/forum/go_quote.gif Aesthetics aside, I would be interested in some more nuts & bolts observations regarding the build quality of these phones.

Excellent.

Quote:

Specifically, I'd like to know how durable they feel.

Very.

Quote:

Do they seem fragile?

I wouldn't play basketball with them in the role of the ball but no they don't seem fragile at all.

Quote:

Are you terrified to bump them into something?

No.

Quote:

Does it seem like they could survive a drop?

Kind of already have.

 

[The Monkey]

^Thanks. I don't want to have to treat these things like a newborn child IF I get them.

 

[donlin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Monkey /img/forum/go_quote.gif Aesthetics aside, I would be interested in some more nuts & bolts observations regarding the build quality of these phones. Specifically, I'd like to know how durable they feel. Do they seem fragile? Are you terrified to bump them into something? Does it seem like they could survive a drop?

There is one area that seems pretty fragile and that is the exposed diaphragm around each of the drivers. Typically this is enclosed, but on the 800's is exposed on the outside. It feels like a very thin plastic that could easily be creased or punctured which I'm sure would affect the sound.