[IPodPJ]

So your Zune has a 1/4" input? The STOCK HD800 only comes with a 1/4" plug so you would have to reterminate your cable or get some kind of adaptor.

 

[Kees]

Quote:

Originally Posted by IPodPJ /img/forum/go_quote.gif So your Zune has a 1/4" input? The STOCK HD800 only comes with a 1/4" plug so you would have to reterminate your cable or get some kind of adaptor.

Brilliant!

Who would have thought of that....

 

[Drumonron]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kees /img/forum/go_quote.gif Brilliant! Who would have thought of that....

LOL...I just burst out laughing at this!

 

[immtbiker]

Play nice. The other boys in the sandbox need lovin' too.

 

[k3oxkjo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kool bubba ice /img/forum/go_quote.gif The HD800 should be better then the DT48. I'm not suprised. Fair analysis. I'm hoping for more DT48/HD800 comparisons to see how much headphone technology has improved since 1937. Just makes me want the HD800 even more. The DT48 already had a disadvantage going in since they are closed.

I suspect that the general quality of mid-fi gear is better today due to modern materials and computer design, but at the high end of things the best of the old stuff is pretty comparable for similarly priced (including inflation) products.

Think about it; DT48 is probably in the top 10% of headphones. Quad ESL-57 still has one of the best midbands for home speakers (from late 1950's). Spendor BC-1 is still one of the better bookshelf speakers (early 1970's). LS3/5A is still a wonderful mini-monitor (mid 1970's). I have a pair of Stax (yes, that Stax) ELS-8x that are still one of the best overall electrostatic speakers (late 1970's). I don't think many tube amps are better than Marantz 9's (early 1960's) and don't sell short the Marantz 7 preamp. I could go on, but you get the idea. Of course, this is the cream of the crop from that era. But they were out there to be had.

Don't get me wrong, time marches on and there are lots of great products today. But it's a peculiarity that in many circles it's like the products of the past no longer exist.

For Head-fi'ers, this is not so true! (to your great credit...) The AKG K-1000 (1989), Sony R-10 (also 1989), HE-90 (early 1990's?) are considered amoung the all-time best cans ever made. To that list you could add a few Stax models, maybe a Grado or two, and perhaps someday history will add the HD-800 (too soon to tell IMHO).

I am sure that I am missing some world class phones here, but I suspect that few thoughtful listeners would say that ANY currently available headphone "blows away" any of the 3 listed above, now nearly 20 year old designs!

 

[NWRain]

Quote:

Originally Posted by IPodPJ /img/forum/go_quote.gif So your Zune has a 1/4" input? The STOCK HD800 only comes with a 1/4" plug so you would have to reterminate your cable or get some kind of adaptor.

I don't understand the argument. Why is using an adapter from 1/4" to 1/8" so wrong? Am I missing sarcasm IPodPJ's post?

 

[k3oxkjo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by IPodPJ /img/forum/go_quote.gif So your Zune has a 1/4" input? The STOCK HD800 only comes with a 1/4" plug so you would have to reterminate your cable or get some kind of adaptor.

Well done! That's exactly what I did (the adaptor). I know it's not the optimal solution, but I was Jonesin' to hear my Senn's...

What would be really cool would be to change the connector on the ZUNE to 1/4". That would really mean you are serious!

 

[IPodPJ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by k3oxkjo /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well done! That's exactly what I did (the adaptor). I know it's not the optimal solution, but I was Jonesin' to hear my Senn's... What would be really cool would be to change the connector on the ZUNE to 1/4". That would really mean you are serious!

Yeah, there's nothing wrong with using an adaptor for your media player. I was just commenting on what was said in the article about using it with an iPod, that it's impossible to stick a 1/4" plug into an 1/8" hole, obviously -- and the fact that anyone who buys the HD800 to use strictly with an iPod has got their priorities mixed up (but hey, if it works for you then cool). The iPod Touch 2nd gen is probably the best sounding media player to date (except for the new Hi-Fi Man) but I would never use it to source my HD800.

 

[vpivinylspinner]

Well I finally got to join the club as my HD800s showed up last night. I got to listen to them a bit before I dropped them and the HF-2s off at the Dr.'s this morning for balancing.

I listened to some SACDs I have heard 100s of times through the Emm Labs stack and the M^3 and I really like what I hear so far. Spent most of the evening listening to them through the Ultra Micro stack out of my Mac and found it thoroughly enjoyable.

I signed up online for the frequency charts and got the response that they would be mailed to me and I would receive them in about three weeks.

 

[k3oxkjo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by IPodPJ /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yeah, there's nothing wrong with using an adaptor for your media player. I was just commenting on what was said in the article about using it with an iPod, that it's impossible to stick a 1/4" plug into an 1/8" hole, obviously -- and the fact that anyone who buys the HD800 to use strictly with an iPod has got their priorities mixed up (but hey, if it works for you then cool). The iPod Touch 2nd gen is probably the best sounding media player to date (except for the new Hi-Fi Man) but I would never use it to source my HD800.

IPodPJ, I get where your coming from, but I figure no-holds barred. I will use it with whatever source I have in a given situation that is at all suitable, understanding that the best performance comes from the best source.

With regard to the Zune/Ipod, I would say that the Zune definately doesn't bring the best out of the HD-800, but the HD-800 brings the best out of the Zune! None of my other headphones sound as good through the Zune.

So I don't think it makes too much sense (to me) to limit my enjoyment of the HD-800 to home (where I have some excellent speakers available to me). But I am going to look for an appropriate portable amp. I have a Marantz PM-94 in the bedroom for home but probably will eventually look for a desktop so that I can use cans on my best source in the living room.

 

[Beagle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Wong /img/forum/go_quote.gif I feel like this comment is really unwarranted and unfounded; Stereophile takes a lot of bashing with regard to being in the pocket of advertisers on the Internet, but, they go out of their way to be ethical--people should be so lucky to have guys with the integrity of John Atkinson around. I know Wes and John personally, so you can feel free to dismiss my thoughts on this as being prejudiced, but, it bothers me to see these falsehoods perpetuated.

I respect both these individuals for their knowledge and experience for things audio. And I have enjoyed Wes' reviews and agree that he is on our side and has done a lot for the headphone community. He sounds like a great guy with a nice sense of humour.

I just find that what started out as honest reviewing (HD580 review) gradually became contradictory. He would seem to backtrack on a rave for a headphone when reviewing each subsequent headphone. There is a thread I started a few years ago regarding this. Some things didn't even make sense.(Like, what is a "lowered noise floor" on a headphone? Is a noise floor not something that lurks underneath the music, as in tube or transistor hum or surface noise on a vinyl LP?)

I also find it odd of Stereophile to practically ignore Grado 'phones in terms of full formal reviews. I think the last formal one was June 2002 for the SR125. There was a capsule review for the 325i a few years ago but there has been nothing for the GS or PS1000. Nothing on the PH-1 phono amp. (they finally reviewed the Grado Gold cartridge, ten years on). The Absolute Sound has formally reviewed all of these (except the PS1000 which I'm sure they will). Why not promote good ol' US of A products? Or does John Grado have a beef with Stereophile (or they with him) and is not sending anything for review? Or is it because Grado does not advertise (and never has, except for briefly in UK mags in the 80's)? I don't know. I just find it rather odd. It seems certain headphones manufacturers/distributors get formal reviews by Wes Phillips while others are relegated to brief mentions in Sam Tellig's column.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jude /img/forum/go_quote.gif Sorry, Beagle, but this is absurd. I don't think Sennheiser is a big advertiser on Stereophile. (I haven't looked at my back-issues to see how regularly they come up, but I don't recall too many big Sennheiser ads.) Also, many feel it's a great headphone, so it's not like Wes' review says anything that hasn't been said by many others--it is also, in my opinion, an even-handed review, and I'm wondering if you even read it.

Sennheiser does not advertise regularly but their dealers do. I guess it was a coincidence that the review came out right around the time that the HD800 finally became available. Maybe it was just perfect timing, but I'm not so sure, considering the HD800 was advertised in Stereophile three months ago then stopped.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AudioDwebe /img/forum/go_quote.gif They generally don't come right out and say a product sucks.

They used to.

Read some of the reviews back around '92, especially the ones by Corey Greenberg, who describes the Dana loudspeakers as "distorted satanic awful pathetic garbage...THESE SUCK!!!" And Atkinson basically trashed a Cary tube amp as a "giant unreliable tone control". Nowadays everything plays it safe.

 

[Yikes]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beagle /img/forum/go_quote.gif I just find that what started out as honest reviewing (HD580 review) gradually became contradictory. He would seem to backtrack on a rave for a headphone when reviewing each subsequent headphone.

He wasn't backtracking, as new higher performance models were released the paradigm shifted. What was a great headphone became only a very good headphone because what constituted Great had changed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beagle /img/forum/go_quote.gif I also find it odd of Stereophile to practically ignore Grado 'phones in terms of full formal reviews. I think the last formal one was June 2002 for the SR125. There was a capsule review for the 325i a few years ago but there has been nothing for the GS or PS1000. Nothing on the PH-1 phono amp. (they finally reviewed the Grado Gold cartridge, ten years on). The Absolute Sound has formally reviewed all of these (except the PS1000 which I'm sure they will). Why not promote good ol' US of A products? Or does John Grado have a beef with Stereophile (or they with him) and is not sending anything for review? Or is it because Grado does not advertise (and never has, except for briefly in UK mags in the 80's)? I don't know. I just find it rather odd. It seems certain headphones manufacturers/distributors get formal reviews by Wes Phillips while others are relegated to brief mentions in Sam Tellig's column.

It's probably a combination of many reasons. Grado may not be submitting headphones for review. It also might be that Wes knows that the Grado sound is not totally to his liking (Conjecture) and that he doesn't want to give a bad review to a product that he realizes doesn't suit his tastes.


Quote:

Originally Posted by Beagle /img/forum/go_quote.gif They used to. Read some of the reviews back around '92, especially the ones by Corey Greenberg, who describes the Dana loudspeakers as "distorted satanic awful pathetic garbage...THESE SUCK!!!" And Atkinson basically trashed a Cary tube amp as a "giant unreliable tone control". Nowadays everything plays it safe.

Agreed. Stereophile strives to find the positive in every product. If you know how to read their reviews you can usually tell when a product is less than a stellar deal.

As far as using a 1/8" to 1/4" adapter goes; It's certainly less than ideal, and it puts tremendous strain on the 1/8" jack. It will eventually lead to premature failure of the 1/8" jack.

 

[madmax7]

I have used the HD800s with my RSA Hornet M, several times now and it sounds pretty damn good if you ask me. High gain selection of course.

 

[IPodPJ]

This is what you need to use:

Seems like it would cause a great strain like Yikes said.

But this one is better and won't cause strain:

 

[Jeff Wong]

Beagle - I think what Yikes pointed out makes sense. If you read the reviews carefully, you'll catch plenty of info--sometimes subtles digs or not so subtle ones. Sometimes companies don't offer review samples for a variety of reasons. A bad review might hurt business; a good review could even hurt business if the company is small and cannot keep up with demand!

A relatively recent As We See It by JA might explain some of your concerns:

Stereophile: The Law and the Prophets: Stereophile's Review Policies

I would think you're going to get a higher percentage of likable products presented in a magazine than not; if a reviewer is going to spend a few weeks, or a few months of his time (or even spare time in some cases), why would he want to check out gear that he has to suffer through? Wouldn't you rather select something that interests you that you think might be good? With the limited amount of space in the magazine, as a reader, I'd rather know about something potentially good that I might like than something that was chosen because it might suck and would happen to please the conspiracy theorists. Life is short, tell me about something I should check out, not avoid.