I think most HP's are missing 'something'....that's why we're always talking about synergy w/amps and DAC's...please correct me.
Sennheiser HD800 S Impressions Thread (read first post for summary)
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Pretty much....
amartignano
1000+ Head-Fier
I don't know, I love how my Hd800S sounds even when connected to my smartphone.
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It's possible that the headphone was stock and simply mislabeled on his FFT plot as "HD 800 DP Mod Left" and "HD 800 DP Mod Right." When I saw that, I simply thought it worth mentioning, just in case a modded headphone measurement was inadvertently selected for the FFT.
Oh, I definitely feel the HD800S sounds fuller, and I actually have a pretty strong personal preference for it (versus the HD800).
Admittedly, I'm not sure what's responsible for the differences. I don't personally hear more distortion in the HD800S's bass versus the HD800. At the levels and frequencies we're talking about (and the fact that it's 2nd order), I'd be curious about a discussion regarding masking thresholds, if anyone wants to comment about that. Again, the centers of the H2 differences we're measuring are around 45 dBSPL lower than the fundamental (at 90 dBSPL).
Also, @csglinux earlier asked a question that I have also been wondering about: "How would one modify a passive driver to selectively add 2nd harmonic distortion?" Perhaps an acoustical engineer reading this would be willing to venture an answer.
Yes, I can do that. I'm now out of the office until after CES, so it may be upon my return. We may have at least one brand new HD800 by then, and maybe another used one or two. (Again, right now, it's the HD800 I'm more interested in measuring.)
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The original HD 800 measurement from 2012 as linked in the 2012 review.
The Headphone Measurements page:
HD 800 E found through Google.
The HD 800S review. The HD 800S measurement linked in that review. The HD 800S and HD 800 measurement booklet.
As you can see the original HD 800 measurement from 2012 and the other HD 800 measurements show lower distortion than the HD 800S on the Innerfidelity GRAS setup. Perhaps both Jude and Tyll should measure the same S/N headphones for the HD 800 and HD 800S.
The Headphone Measurements page:
HD 800 E found through Google.
The HD 800S review. The HD 800S measurement linked in that review. The HD 800S and HD 800 measurement booklet.
As you can see the original HD 800 measurement from 2012 and the other HD 800 measurements show lower distortion than the HD 800S on the Innerfidelity GRAS setup. Perhaps both Jude and Tyll should measure the same S/N headphones for the HD 800 and HD 800S.
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daltonlanny
Headphoneus Supremus
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Not trying to beat a dead horse, but there are also measurements from other sources, which I will not name, that show higher bass distortion on the HD800S than from the regular HD800.
I have no idea why.
I have no idea why.
pietcux
Headphoneus Supremus
Maybe distorted sources......
daltonlanny
Headphoneus Supremus
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FastAndClean
Previously known as presata
You can do better than that. . .
pietcux
Headphoneus Supremus
I meant the measuring devices not the persons publishing the measurements. If you got that the other way round, then sorry.
FastAndClean
Previously known as presata
What if I told you that the 800S have higher distortion in the low bass than the hd800 despite Jude s measurements?
pietcux
Headphoneus Supremus
I have my HD660S on right now. I only hear music. Neither distortion nor grain and it is not shouty at all. I had the HD800 for some month, also then only music.... I have yet to hear a headphone that has all those negative features that some people seem to rotate around. And my headphone quest started in 1975. But you can tell me whatever you want, as long as you let me do the same.
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Again, it's the HD800 measurement in the FFT I'm most interested in, for a couple of reasons. First of all, I think it's the one from which this discussion originated. I'm not sure which of the HD800 serial numbers it was (as both of the ones from that post's measurement booklet do show as having been modified, one of them several times). Second, that FFT shows the HD800 as having higher H3 than H2, and it's labeled "HD 800 DP Mod" (see the red and white arrows below), and this (H3 > H2) seems to be the reason for the biggest difference (and the resultant theory).
As I've said before, I am not saying the HD800 in this FFT was modded -- I'm only pointing out that it was marked as "HD 800 DP Mod," so I think it reasonable to point out.
If you look at the HD800 that is being modded (in the video) with the resonator mod, the HD800 had seen at least one prior round of modifications (as mentioned around 6:45 in the video), and as is clear from the view around the driver:
Here's one that has had no driver or damping modifications performed on it (S/N 00342):
Again, while the FFT in question says "HD 800 DP Mod," I can not confirm whether or not that measurement reflects a modified HD800, a stock-and-never-before-modified HD800, or a modified-and-restored-to-stock HD800. Only InnerFidelity can clarify that.
As I said, so far we have measured two HD800's, both of which have noticeably higher H2 than H3 at varying drive levels. More are incoming, and we'll measure them all -- and perhaps we'll come across one that also has higher H3 than H2.
As for the other InnerFidelity HD800 measurements you linked to, I noticed something in common with all of them (whether modified or unmodified HD800's), in varying degrees, but never insignificant. In all of them there are large spikes at 200 Hz and 2 kHz. Here's what I'm talking about (arrow pointing to the spikes in question):
I am rather certain those are not from the headphone, but from the system, and I do not know how (if at all) whatever is causing those spikes would affect the THD readings. Also, they do not appear on the FFT.
Almost all of the other measurements I have seen have come from DIY measurement systems, most probably having been generated on one of the systems in the many DIY measurement system photos shown below (and in the following post): DIY headphone measurement systems
While I think it's great that people are building rigs for measuring headphones, when it comes to trying to figure this out, I do not believe those systems are up to the standards of precision that should be expected when measuring the THD of a headphone like the Sennheiser HD800 for anything other than personal information or casual discussion.
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Light - Man
Headphoneus Supremus
Jude, I was just about to red flag your post (for the first time ever) for some innuendo that I noticed (I am sure it is unintentional - of course!) but then I realized that you might know some of the Mods on here (before the punk rock era) and I therefore thought that it would probably be a little futile! 
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SilverEars
Headphoneus Supremus
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Very interesting Jude, especially regarding the 200 and 2khz spikes! People reference Tyll's graphs quite often, including distortion.
I'd like to see more of your graphs for other headphones as well. Tyll has a vast library of measurements, and that's part of the draw to his graphs being referenced so often. It's good to have other sources that provide the amount of aspects that Tyll provides(which is the other draw why people reference his graphs).
I'd like to see more of your graphs for other headphones as well. Tyll has a vast library of measurements, and that's part of the draw to his graphs being referenced so often. It's good to have other sources that provide the amount of aspects that Tyll provides(which is the other draw why people reference his graphs).
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