[Arniesb]

No experience with Clear, just Utopia and the HD800S. Due to the price difference and the Utopia's questionable reliability record, I'd say the HD800S would be the better purchase. Just my opinion.

+1 Utopia is better headphones than my HD800S loved it tonal balance, soundstage sucked for ME though, but... Money dont grow on a trees and to get driver failure after warranty period is scary thought, on top of that Headband is not changeable for cheap.
Just hope Sennheiser release something like Utopia someday...

 

[Rayzilla]

Hey everyone, i'm in a predicament and i'd like to ask people here their opinion or experience and possibly it could help me with my possible outcome.
first let me setup the groundwork, i used to have a FiiO X5 Gen 3 DAP and it was ok but i sold it to get a better dap under 1,000$.
I've come to a choice now between the Astell & Kern SR15 or the Sony ZX300.
now while trying to decide between these, a friend of mine is selling his HD800S because he wants to get the HD820.
hes going to sell them to me if im interested for a "friend price" which i wont disclose but it makes it quite alluring for me as i've never owned a pair of senns before and the only one i've ever tried and listened to were the HD660s.

my question is as follows, have any of you tried the HD800S on the aforementioned two DAPs i've mentioned. how would you guys think they would scale? i'm fully aware the HD800S are 300 ohm and thats quite a tall task to ask for a DAP to power decently.

Thanks for your time

Not one of the two DAPs you are considering but I would suggest DX200 with AMP7 or AMP8. It will give the HD800S a nice little bass bump.

 

[exdmd]

Hey everyone, i'm in a predicament and i'd like to ask people here their opinion or experience and possibly it could help me with my possible outcome.
first let me setup the groundwork, i used to have a FiiO X5 Gen 3 DAP and it was ok but i sold it to get a better dap under 1,000$.
I've come to a choice now between the Astell & Kern SR15 or the Sony ZX300.
now while trying to decide between these, a friend of mine is selling his HD800S because he wants to get the HD820.
hes going to sell them to me if im interested for a "friend price" which i wont disclose but it makes it quite alluring for me as i've never owned a pair of senns before and the only one i've ever tried and listened to were the HD660s.

my question is as follows, have any of you tried the HD800S on the aforementioned two DAPs i've mentioned. how would you guys think they would scale? i'm fully aware the HD800S are 300 ohm and thats quite a tall task to ask for a DAP to power decently.

Thanks for your time

If you have heard the HD800S and like their sound signature they are headphones you can live with for years and will scale as you buy better associated gear. I think using DAPs with those phones is not ideal, also realize they are open backs so not designed to be used in public as anyone around you will also be listening to your music.

From my experience the least expensive amp that does justice to the HD800S is the Schiit Vali 2 for $149. The HD800S love tubes, even tube hybrids like the Vali 2. Pair the Vali 2 with a Modi Multibit or Bifrost Multibit for a budget system that is however not portable.

Is there any reason you have to stick with a DAP? If you do prefer a DAP long term I would look into a good pair of custom fit IEMs that have a low input impedance like the Ultimate Ears Reference Remastered.

 

[Tsukuyomi]

If you have heard the HD800S and like their sound signature they are headphones you can live with for years and will scale as you buy better associated gear. I think using DAPs with those phones is not ideal, also realize they are open backs so not designed to be used in public as anyone around you will also be listening to your music.

From my experience the least expensive amp that does justice to the HD800S is the Schiit Vali 2 for $149. The HD800S love tubes, even tube hybrids like the Vali 2. Pair the Vali 2 with a Modi Multibit or Bifrost Multibit for a budget system that is however not portable.

Is there any reason you have to stick with a DAP? If you do prefer a DAP long term I would look into a good pair of custom fit IEMs that have a low input impedance like the Ultimate Ears Reference Remastered.

Im using the dap for more than just transit but also around the home and lounging in the backyard. The daps are what id prefer for their price range and portabity. I dont like iems to be fair and im not a fan of schiit audio despite the alluring bang for buck. Ive seen issues before from friends who have bought from them.

 

[exdmd]

Fair enough. IEMs can be a nice change especially if you have noisy neighbours you need to block out once in awhile I have never had a problem with any of the Schiit gear I have owned.

 

[Rayzilla]

Im using the dap for more than just transit but also around the home and lounging in the backyard. The daps are what id prefer for their price range and portabity. I dont like iems to be fair and im not a fan of schiit audio despite the alluring bang for buck. Ive seen issues before from friends who have bought from them.

I totally get your preference for a DAP for the reasons that you stated. I'm interested in picking up a used TH900 and I see that you used to own one. Just wondering why you have moved on from that HP.

 

[Rayzilla]

Fair enough. IEMs can be a nice change especially if you have noisy neighbours you need to block out once in awhile I have never had a problem with any of the Schiit gear I have owned.

Seems like I am agreeing wihh everyone in this thread but before this past summer I was a HP only guy. Then to deal with the summer heat in Hong Kong, I finally gave IEMs a try and I do not regret it one bit and so glad that I gave it a go. I even use them at my desk on occasions too now.

 

[Tsukuyomi]

I totally get your preference for a DAP for the reasons that you stated. I'm interested in picking up a used TH900 and I see that you used to own one. Just wondering why you have moved on from that HP.

Comfort primarily, and i felt the sound signature wasnt for me. perhaps in future i might check out the TH909 i've heard it scales nicely to amps and dacs.
but it was really about comfort for me, if its not comfortable i'll get rid of it.

 

[Rayzilla]

Comfort primarily, and i felt the sound signature wasnt for me. perhaps in future i might check out the TH909 i've heard it scales nicely to amps and dacs.
but it was really about comfort for me, if its not comfortable i'll get rid of it.

Then in my opinion, you can't go wrong with any variant of the HD800. It is the most comfortable of any headphone I have ever tried as well.

 

[Tsukuyomi]

Then in my opinion, you can't go wrong with any variant of the HD800. It is the most comfortable of any headphone I have ever tried as well.

A friend is willing to sell me his hd800s so well see what happens.

 

[llcook51]

Then in my opinion, you can't go wrong with any variant of the HD800. It is the most comfortable of any headphone I have ever tried as well.

Agreed.

 

[Luke Thomas]

Do many eq the music played through the 800S

 

[Whazzzup]

Do many eq the music played through the 800S

either one does or doesn’t in general. I don’t but a server took the need away

 

[Lay.]

Do many eq the music played through the 800S

Nope. I tried to play with True-Fi couple of times but I did not feel like it needed any eq

 

[Luke Thomas]

800s is known to need a tad more bass.