[Suntory_Times]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pepsi /img/forum/go_quote.gif Add me to this thread. I've loved mine ever since i laid my hands on them.

x2

 

[joomongj]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pepsi /img/forum/go_quote.gif Add me to this thread. I've loved mine ever since i laid my hands on them.

Enjoy.

 

[pabbi1]

Long have I been away from this thread, mainly bacause I have searched for the proper amp for the hd800. My balanced Bijou wasn't quite there, so the search was on.

I started with building a balanced push-pull hybrid with really expensive iron, which still is yet to have it's day, but in the meantime, Dr. Cavalli allowed me the honor of building the first prototype of a SS FET amp. Since this was a new design, we decided to try SE first, then balanced after the kinks were worked out of the design.

Well, it worked well enough I have kept it SE - me advocating a SS, SE amp? For the hd800, in my system, yes.

After also trading my SS source for a (far pricier) tube source, and changing out the wretched EH tubes, source provides a bit of warmth that was lacking in the ice princess Azur 840c.

The hd800 needs a firm hand - oh, it'll do what you say, but to do it well, or exceptionally, it needs to be driven. I've known that all along.

So, now I love the hd800 all over again, and wanted a true head to head comparison with the he60, it's cousin. That has been MY personal objective all along - to have one stat rig and one dynamic rig, equal within a small margin of error. I *think* I'm there, but it is really hard to do a side by side, as both topologies have an acclimation period. Granted the electrostats grab you immediately, but the hd800 bass extends far better, which really changes the whole presentation, with perhaps a preferred visceral impact.

Sadly, I just don't think you can make this type comparison in a meet setting (not enough time), but dynamic to dynamic comparisons will be quite interesting.

Either way, I have a solid candidate to be THE hd800 amp, and a contrasting solution coming online, maybe by CJ.

Finally, I was considering selling the hd800, and just getting a backup pair of he60, but not now.

Oh, and that 'sterile, analytical' rap - complete rubbish. It is either the source or the amp, or both. I'll be able to make a pretty substantial case for this in Chicago.

 

[Shahrose]

Love mine. The most transparent headphone I've ever heard.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

pabbi1, I agree with you, the HD800 with proper source/amp are a good compliment to the HE60 with a proper source/amp.

 

[Suntory_Times]

I am getting a benmark dac1 to use as my source for my HD800's what amps whould I be looking at. My budget is probably around $2000 but could probably streach out another $500, and I thought it would be interesting to see what people on this thread felt. I am leaning towards a beta22, but other recomendations would be grand. Also, is there a sound quality improvement going from SE to balanced with this headphone?

(Untill I get an amp for them I will be using the enternal amp of the Benchmark dac1, could it be an idea to plug my headphones into the balanced outputs at the back, or would that be dangerous o the headphones?)

 

[K_19]

I've joined the club as well.

I had to fiddle around with some tubes for my WA6 (switched off the harsher sounding newer RCA 6DE7's for the vintage RCA's that are smoother) as well as some interconnects (switching it all to a very warm one basically), but I've got it to a point where I'm loving it for my Hiface -> DA100 -> WA6 combo. There is still some harshness out of the box with certain songs but these are nearly new out of the box so I'll be patient with the burn in process. They bring new dimension to the music that I've never heard before (I'm in heaven with any classical/jazz/acoustic stuff!), and fit and look beautiful. I've tried it out of the Gilmore Lite and they still sound good and powers it acceptably, but WA6 is unquestionably much better with it to my ears.

 

[Shahrose]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Suntory_Times /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am getting a benmark dac1 to use as my source for my HD800's what amps whould I be looking at. My budget is probably around $2000 but could probably streach out another $500, and I thought it would be interesting to see what people on this thread felt. I am leaning towards a beta22, but other recomendations would be grand. Also, is there a sound quality improvement going from SE to balanced with this headphone? (Untill I get an amp for them I will be using the enternal amp of the Benchmark dac1, could it be an idea to plug my headphones into the balanced outputs at the back, or would that be dangerous o the headphones?)

You know when someone is considering a Beta, there's no need to sway them in any other direction.

 

[.Sup]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pepsi /img/forum/go_quote.gif Add me to this thread. I've loved mine ever since i laid my hands on them.

Do you listen with your hands?

 

[achristilaw]

It's been a year already (at the end of the Month) that myself and many others have been enjoying the HD800. When I acquired the phone initially I thought I had competent gear already in place...BOY, was I mistaken! It's honest to a fault...and some folks didn't like the honest Nature and blamed the phone. When I listen to any phone, I refer back to the HD800 to understand the shortcomings of the phone in question. That constitutes a reference I feel.

A total dismantling and reinvention of my associated gear was needed.

I have it right now...and the road wasn't cheap! This damn phone has it going on!

Only the best, for the best, to deliver the best...

This last year has been an awakening for the possibilities of Headphones, and the HD800 is the leader of the pack! Your playback is only as good as the handling of the most demanding OR worst recording. Any system will play Diana Krall credibly, and sound good doing it.

But if your needs and expectations are for a transducer that leans toward collecting the most information, with the least amount of harm to the original signal (providing you can muster and deliver a good signal with appropriate gear). The HD800 might be your answer! Never a dissatisfying listen!

 

[Shinsengumi]

I want to join the club! I have been listening to my HD800 for 2 months now and I really love them. I have K701 and did some comparisons to the T1s, but I like HD800 more. Now I am waiting for my WA22 and hopefully I will like the phones even more.

 

[Suntory_Times]

Quote:

Originally Posted by achristilaw /img/forum/go_quote.gif Any system will play Diana Krall credibly, and sound good doing it.

Dianna Krall's an anomoly as her cd's are easy to make sound good, but very hard to make sound marvelous. The HD800's can deffinatly make them sound marvelous.

 

[rangen]

Quote:

I am getting a benmark dac1 to use as my source for my HD800's what amps whould I be looking at. My budget is probably around $2000 but could probably streach out another $500, and I thought it would be interesting to see what people on this thread felt. I am leaning towards a beta22, but other recomendations would be grand. Also, is there a sound quality improvement going from SE to balanced with this headphone?

In general, I'd be cautious about combining the mercilessly-revealing HD800 with a solid state amp, unless you've listened to the combination first, because I'd be wary of a poor mesh between solid-state stolidness and the WYSIWYG quality of the HD800. But I'd definitely make an exception for the Beta22, because I heard the combination at a Bay Area meet, and was most impressed. If you've gotten (got? I'm not sure of the Australian usage) this far, you probably know that the Beta22 is a challenge to get right, so serious skillz or a serious builder are a prerequisite.

At that same meet, I learned that a Bottlehead S.E.X. amp, using tubes to power 2W into the HD800, is capable of raising remarkable bass on the thing. I never heard Little Feat's "Spanish Moon" bass line so well on a headphone, ever. You've got a pretty free budget, but if you didn't, I'd hint in this direction. Beta22 miracles aside, the HD800 loves tubes, and I think it loves power, too.

 

[kwang411]

I got my HD800 this morning, can't believe UPS just left it on the front porch without ringing the doorbell or anything!

What can i say? The HD800 sounds fantastic. When I listened to K701 it often sounds like the music is floating in midair, with no sense of weight to it. The highs are sometimes are too sharp while the mids are a bit recessed. HD800 has the crystalline transparency of the K701 but is even more balanced, more prominent mids and reduced treble compared to K701. What strikes me most is that HD800's instrument/vocal separation is absolutely amazing, I can easily pick out any instrument if i want to. HD800 soundstage has better depth than k701, but I'm not really getting the 'wow' from it. i don't think it sounds exactly holographic like many people have said here, maybe i was expecting too much?

One complaint though, is that the paint job isn't that great. There's some blemishes, and i can see small bubbles in some areas. Other HD800 owners have the same problem?

For example, I have bubbles like this on both sides at the exact same location

 

[Mr.Sneis]

I'm not so convinced Sennheiser has invested yet in a paint booth. I wouldn't be surprised of workers sitting in a workshop spray painting these by hand and airbrush without legit paint shop ventilation or equipment.

Lots of imperfections in the paint; the hd600 and 650 on the other hand look pretty good but are mass produced.