Sennheiser HD800 S Impressions Thread (read first post for summary)
Mar 13, 2019 at 7:06 AM Post #4,351 of 8,574
The 800S has been wonderful for me from day 1. I've tried many other cans in similar price range and have come to the realization that while there are different flavours, none of them seem to be a clear upgrade.
When you factor in reliability, I just get scarred looking at anything else in the 1000+ price range.
I haven't tried headphones in the next pricing tier like the Abyss, Empyrean, LCD4s, Susvara, Utopia, etc.
For those who have tried the above, are any of these a clear upgrade to the 800S or are most people waiting for the next Sennheiser hoping that will be a clear cut upgrade to 800S?

Cheers,

I prefer the LCD3 over the LCD4, and the Clear over the Utopia. I put the HD800S in the same league as the LCD3 and Clear.
 
Mar 13, 2019 at 9:19 AM Post #4,353 of 8,574
The 800S has been wonderful for me from day 1. I've tried many other cans in similar price range and have come to the realization that while there are different flavours, none of them seem to be a clear upgrade.
When you factor in reliability, I just get scarred looking at anything else in the 1000+ price range.
I haven't tried headphones in the next pricing tier like the Abyss, Empyrean, LCD4s, Susvara, Utopia, etc.
For those who have tried the above, are any of these a clear upgrade to the 800S or are most people waiting for the next Sennheiser hoping that will be a clear cut upgrade to 800S?

Cheers,

Many of us including me are waiting for a HD900, but it appears even sennheiser themselfs dont know how to make a clear upgrade just yet (not including HE1) and have only released "side models" to the HD800.
 
Mar 13, 2019 at 9:19 AM Post #4,354 of 8,574
Or a good server. Course that’s big doe.
 
Mar 13, 2019 at 12:51 PM Post #4,356 of 8,574
Many of us including me are waiting for a HD900, but it appears even sennheiser themselfs dont know how to make a clear upgrade just yet (not including HE1) and have only released "side models" to the HD800.

When you go above $1000 its a side upgrade at this point.
 
Mar 13, 2019 at 4:19 PM Post #4,358 of 8,574
Mar 13, 2019 at 4:33 PM Post #4,359 of 8,574
sequential.

Are you referring to just the number stamped on the headband, which seems to be the last five digits of a 10-digit serial number printed on the invoice? Is there some way to determine when a pair was made?

I ask because I got a new pair that has a higher five-digit number on the headband than my old pair. But if you look at the full 10-digital serial number on the invoice, the newer one’s first five digits are actually lower than the older pair’s first five digits.
 
Mar 13, 2019 at 4:40 PM Post #4,360 of 8,574
head band I'm 920 early adopter in canada i mean right at launch.
 
Mar 13, 2019 at 4:48 PM Post #4,361 of 8,574
To those who have ordered HD800S's lately:

Did yours come in the silk-lining box and with an XLR4 cable?

I just got a pair direct from Sennheiser that supposedly is brand new from the factory. There’s no silk on top of the foam, and there’s no XLR included, but there’s a card with a coupon code to order a free XLR cable.
 
Mar 13, 2019 at 7:53 PM Post #4,362 of 8,574
Good to hear that it's mostly sidegrade journeys from here on - no wonder Sennheiser hasn't come out with a completely new unit yet with a fair price.

I recently acquired Sonarworks - gives some weight to the the 800S and makes them sound even better than stock. In fact, it makes me question owning the 820, probably should get rid of that one and wait for a proper upgrade over the 800S.

Be nice if we could get some insight into the HD1000 or whatever it is that's coming. How can it be that nobody knows what else is coming O_O - I hope they're not spending all the research money on 3d audio processing or some over fancy tech...

Re: questions about pad rolling for the HD800S, I would skip and spend the money on sonarworks, at least that one can be used with other cans if you end up not liking it.

Cheers,
 
Mar 13, 2019 at 8:28 PM Post #4,363 of 8,574
Which Dekoni pad would u recommend for added low end & warmth for HD800S? Elite hybrid as well? Guess a copper cable would help too

The cables and pads Sennheiser provides for the HD800S are fine. Instead consider trying a Schiit Loki to boost bass and low mids. If you don't like it you can return within the 15 day window Schiit offers. The only phones I have heard and consider a real step up from the HD800S are the Abyss AB-1266 at $5000. That's crazy money for a set of phones I could use instead for a nice set of active monitors or an Eddie Current Studio Junior 300B amp. And the Abyss weigh almost twice as much as the Senns, not phones I could wear all day. The HD800S aren't perfect but they are really hard to beat for the price. Just pair them with a good tube amp.
 
Mar 13, 2019 at 9:41 PM Post #4,364 of 8,574
The cables and pads Sennheiser provides for the HD800S are fine. Instead consider trying a Schiit Loki to boost bass and low mids. If you don't like it you can return within the 15 day window Schiit offers. The only phones I have heard and consider a real step up from the HD800S are the Abyss AB-1266 at $5000. That's crazy money for a set of phones I could use instead for a nice set of active monitors or an Eddie Current Studio Junior 300B amp. And the Abyss weigh almost twice as much as the Senns, not phones I could wear all day. The HD800S aren't perfect but they are really hard to beat for the price. Just pair them with a good tube amp.

$5000 is a lot. What might u say is a real step up from 650? 800S?
 

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