[paulchiu]

My #666 arrived Friday and Stereophile's July issue with the full review of the HD800 (#262) arrived today.

While my listening of the HD800 has been about an hour so far, my reading of the review has prompted me to look up past reviews.
It is important for those considering buying the HD800 to read this review.
I did not have any magazine test to justify for my purchase of the HD800, just great recommendations from this forum, Tyll and George at Headroom and a few readers here.

For those non Americans here, the review of the HD800 in Stereophile is not earth moving. Wes Phillips, the long time headphone specialist over at the magazine, likes the new Sennheiser flagship. Very much so. There are new ways he use to describe the stereo imaging. He compares it with the AKG K1000, the old HD650, as well as with the current K701 and K702.

And toward the end, Wes does compare it to the Dream Team of Hall of Fame level phones. Phones that most readers here have either dreamed of owning, have heard at a show, or lucky enough to have heard in the last 25 years. It will be surprising to read what Stereophile has to say.

Paul

 

[k3oxkjo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulchiu /img/forum/go_quote.gif My #666 arrived Friday and Stereophile's July issue with the full review of the HD800 (#262) arrived today. While my listening of the HD800 has been about an hour so far, my reading of the review has prompted me to look up past reviews. It is important for those considering buying the HD800 to read this review. I did not have any magazine test to justify for my purchase of the HD800, just great recommendations from this forum, Tyll and George at Headroom and a few readers here. For those non Americans here, the review of the HD800 in Stereophile is not earth moving. Wes Phillips, the long time headphone specialist over at the magazine, likes the new Sennheiser flagship. Very much so. There are new ways he use to describe the stereo imaging. He compares it with the AKG K1000, the old HD650, as well as with the current K701 and K702. And toward the end, Wes does compare it to the Dream Team of Hall of Fame level phones. Phones that most readers here have either dreamed of owning, have heard at a show, or lucky enough to have heard in the last 25 years. It will be surprising to read what Stereophile has to say. Paul

(Added to a more appropriate thread)

I read the review today and mostly agree with Wes' comments. He did end up a bit wishy-washy, but consider that Phillips has probably not heard as many phones and combos as the typical head-fi'er (not surprising). Really, headphones are probably not an area of tremendous expertise for him, though he is probably more conversant than most mainstream reviewers. So it would be reasonable to be a bit circumspect in your conclusions under the circumstances.

What I found strange was the comment at the end about their pricing. According to his "associated equiment", the system he uses totals about $130,000. To be fair, I am sure he doesn't actually own all this stuff outright. And the purpose of this is not to bash, just to point out that in the rarified air of audiophiles, a pair of HD-800 are not outrageous, not at all "a dream".

And if, as seems likely, the HD-800 settles into the first rank of phones with time, they will be cheaper than most any of the other "heavyweight contenders" at their original list other than the K-1000's, and this is in 2009 money! (I doubt many head-fi'ers consider AKG K-701 as a contender for the best ever even with a Cardas cable)

Hey, $1400 bucks is $1400 bucks, a serious chunk of change, I understand. I consider myself most fortunate to be able to swing them. But it's certainly not an absurd amout of money in context.

 

[revolink24]

Quote:

My #666 arrived Friday and Stereophile's July issue with the full review of the HD800 (#262) arrived today.

Your devilishness?

Anyway, Ill probably have to go pick this up now.

 

[paulchiu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by k3oxkjo /img/forum/go_quote.gif (Added to a more appropriate thread) ... Hey, $1400 bucks is $1400 bucks, a serious chunk of change, I understand. I consider myself most fortunate to be able to swing them. But it's certainly not an absurd amout of money in context.

So true.
the ridiculous AC cord Wes used in the review is $3,500
MUSICDIRECT - SHUNYATA - KING COBRA CX AC POWER CORD

Imagine that.
power cords that improve the sound floor perhaps 1/4 of 1%

 

[Mitchell.lax]

Whether there's that much improvement is even debatable. But I get what your saying. It'd inflate the review process if there was $130000 worth of gear into the headphones.

 

[parhelictriangle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulchiu /img/forum/go_quote.gif So true. the ridiculous AC cord Wes used in the review is $3,500 MUSICDIRECT - SHUNYATA - KING COBRA CX AC POWER CORD Imagine that. power cords that improve the sound floor perhaps 1/4 of 1%

The King Cobra: now with 31% more Cobra Oil!

This is why I can never take Stereophile (et al.) seriously. Shame, because I know their collective hearts are usually in the right place.

 

[Il Mostro]

^^^^^^^
You don't know what you don't know

 

[Currawong]

I noticed a few magazine audiophile types tend to have K701s. My pair are still stuck in ******* customs.

 

[estreeter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Currawong /img/forum/go_quote.gif I noticed a few magazine audiophile types tend to have K701s.

Sigh - cue intoart and olblueyez ....

You can read the original review of the 701s on the Stereophile site - probably not much in there that will surprise any of the regular Head-Fi crowd. I suspect that the pedestal they were placed on by Stereophile is one of the things that arouses so much passion from their detractors - in Oz, we call that 'tall poppy syndrome'. Fully expect the 800s to be the new tall poppy.

 

[krmathis]

Congratulations with the HD800.

 

[robm321]

Quote:

Originally Posted by estreeter /img/forum/go_quote.gif Sigh - cue intoart and olblueyez .... You can read the original review of the 701s on the Stereophile site - probably not much in there that will surprise any of the regular Head-Fi crowd. I suspect that the pedestal they were placed on by Stereophile is one of the things that arouses so much passion from their detractors - in Oz, we call that 'tall poppy syndrome'. Fully expect the 800s to be the new tall poppy.

True, in Wes's review of the K701, he said it's the best headphone he'd ever heard. I guess he thought it was better than the K-1000

I wouldn't spend a dime from any of their recommendations or reviews. But I would trust the many at headfi that like the HD800. I think after the FOTM period, these will still be viewed as quality phones.

 

[mrarroyo]

I do not understand the backlash on the K701. I have had mine since late 2005 (low S/N 1437) and I love them, more so since I had Alex of APureSound do a V3 re-cable. IMO the K701 destroys the HD580/600/650, ATH-W5000, etc.

I will look for a meet w/ the HD800 and compare them w/ my K701.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

And I felt like a patsy for dropping $99 on a Shunyata Viper power cord.

Anyways, I have a digital subscription to Stereophile thru Zinio and I don't have my copy yet...

 

[IPodPJ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrarroyo /img/forum/go_quote.gif I do not understand the backlash on the K701. I have had mine since late 2005 (low S/N 1437) and I love them, more so since I had Alex of APureSound do a V3 re-cable. IMO the K701 destroys the HD580/600/650, ATH-W5000, etc. I will look for a meet w/ the HD800 and compare them w/ my K701.

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f24/lo...y-11th-429201/

I know it's a bit far for you but you're welcome to come.

 

[paulchiu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif And I felt like a patsy for dropping $99 on a Shunyata Viper power cord. Anyways, I have a digital subscription to Stereophile thru Zinio and I don't have my copy yet...

the $99 is well spent.
you're most probably getting over 98% of the other fat AC cable's goodness.

call stereophile on monday, their customer service is great.