Sennheiser HD800 S Impressions Thread (read first post for summary)
Jun 15, 2019 at 10:19 PM Post #4,681 of 8,481
A fuller sound from the HD 800 S is probably more easily achieved by purchasing a different headphone. However, if you insist on keeping the HD 800 S, the HDV 820 is the best I have heard at any price (and I tell you this having owned equipment that spans from low end to the extreme high end).
Well, i do eq my HD800. It sounds fuller already. Reason me selling these amp/dac is getting new 240V gears since ill be moving to my country that is 240V
 
Jun 15, 2019 at 10:29 PM Post #4,682 of 8,481
Well, i do eq my HD800. It sounds fuller already. Reason me selling these amp/dac is getting new 240V gears since ill be moving to my country that is 240V
Get a used Gumby A2 and Schiit will convert volatge for $25 + shipping and with rest of the fund get a used liquid platinum for 800s. That's the best you can do for $1500. I see LP gets posted here for around $600. LP uses SMPS so global voltage.This setup will cost you around $1600~1700. Otherwise you can get Lyr3 as well for $499 new. Pairs well with 800s
Gumby has dense tonality so you may get what you are looking for.

Or you can get AIO like Soekris 1541 etc
 
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Jun 15, 2019 at 10:54 PM Post #4,683 of 8,481
Get a used Gumby A2 and Schiit will convert volatge for $25 + shipping and with rest of the fund get a used liquid platinum for 800s. That's the best you can do for $1500. I see LP gets posted here for around $600. LP uses SMPS so global voltage.This setup will cost you around $1600~1700. Otherwise you can get Lyr3 as well for $499 new. Pairs well with 800s
Gumby has dense tonality so you may get what you are looking for.

Or you can get AIO like Soekris 1541 etc
Cool options! First, i need to find buyers! The heron5 sounds really smooth too btw. So, anything that is on par will be GREAT!
 
Jun 15, 2019 at 11:19 PM Post #4,684 of 8,481
Cool options! First, i need to find buyers! The heron5 sounds really smooth too btw. So, anything that is on par will be GREAT!

For a fuller sound you could also consider tube or hybrid amps.
 
Jun 16, 2019 at 12:48 AM Post #4,685 of 8,481
Well tbh, i use a lot of 320kbps spotify streaming and also MQA from Tidal. Does $1000 DAC play so much role on that?

Planning getting the schiit stack for both 240V since im going back for good!

The Schiit dacs don't do MQA. However, the multibit dacs retrieve a staggering amount of true timbre instruments, vocals, and sounds from 16/44. I've had YggyA and now YggyB, and all my rips are 16/44 AIFF files. The 16/44 FLAC files from Tidal sound great, only slightly eclipsed by the same album ripped.
Since I got Yggy, I don't buy any "Hi-Rez" albums of any kind.
 
Jun 16, 2019 at 10:27 AM Post #4,687 of 8,481
I don't like the stock pads for the 800S, I just don't like the material used. I linked some of you to misodiko lambskin leather pads for the 800/S, they are exactly the same size as the stock pads but in leather, very good quality and price. £36 from Amazon.
.............

Maybe a little late to the party but got these AHS for Fathers Day......same as the Misodiko lambskin (*) leather pads....they are supper comfy and feel a bit more secure on my head and hopefully give them a serious listen this eve.
AHS Pads.jpg


(*)...of note....they all say Lambskin or Sheepskin but no real way of knowing unless undoing the seams or taking a flame to them to really determine if they are not actually pleather. (Like to be wrong but I'm thinking the latter)
 
Jun 16, 2019 at 12:53 PM Post #4,688 of 8,481
The one's I have, misodiko they do not feel like pleather, they look and feel the same as my dekoni sheepskin pads.

My Audio Technica's have pleather pads and the difference is huge. I will admit I did think they might be pleather when I ordered them, but I've pulled at the leather to see if it would crack or if the top layer would come off like pleather pads, and nothing. They react, look and feel the same as my much more expensive dekoni pads.

I would be very surprised if the misodiko's were pleather, as they just do not feel or resemble the pleather pads that I have on a few different headphones, plus I've worn them alot and they look and feel the same as they did when I bought them.

They are much more comfier than the stock pads and don't affect the sound since they are the exact same size and shape as the stock ones.

Hope you enjoy them!

https://misodiko.com/

They sell loads of pads, most are fabric or pleather and I think only the hd800 pads are classed as leather.
 
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Jun 16, 2019 at 1:44 PM Post #4,689 of 8,481
The one's I have, misodiko they do not feel like pleather, they look and feel the same as my dekoni sheepskin pads.

I had contacted Misodiko and AHS confirming if they are indeed leather, both replied they were so let's take their word for it as either way they look, feel and work great...so far preferring them over the stock. May just be my imagination as I'm not about to swap the pads back and forth but imaging appears even more precise....sound stage appears about the same....and possible a bit more base.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MXB8XKQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/misodiko-Rep...ords=misodiko&qid=1560708054&s=gateway&sr=8-2
 
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Jun 16, 2019 at 2:22 PM Post #4,690 of 8,481
Maybe a little late to the party but got these AHS for Fathers Day......same as the Misodiko lambskin (*) leather pads....they are supper comfy and feel a bit more secure on my head and hopefully give them a serious listen this eve.


(*)...of note....they all say Lambskin or Sheepskin but no real way of knowing unless undoing the seams or taking a flame to them to really determine if they are not actually pleather. (Like to be wrong but I'm thinking the latter)

Would love to know how these alter the sound compared to the stock pads.
 
Jun 16, 2019 at 3:08 PM Post #4,691 of 8,481
I had contacted Misodiko and AHS confirming if they are indeed leather, both replied they were so let's take their word for it as either way they look, feel and work great...so far preferring them over the stock. May just be my imagination as I'm not about to swap the pads back and forth but imaging appears even more precise....sound stage appears about the same....and possible a bit more base.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MXB8XKQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/misodiko-Rep...ords=misodiko&qid=1560708054&s=gateway&sr=8-2

I love them, I used to wear the dekoni's but our earpads are excellent. Every HD800/S owner I know, I've told them that they should buy a pair because they don't alter the sound and are much better than the stock pads. I have another set in a box with all my headphone spares.

When they first arrived after I ordered them, I couldn't believe how good they were :) i did notice that their is a few brands on amazon that look like they are selling exactly the same earpads, but with a different brand name.
 
Jun 17, 2019 at 5:32 AM Post #4,692 of 8,481
I'm using the HD800S with a Bryston BHA-1, a Pass HPA-1, the Sennheiser HDV820. Sources are Yamaha and Luxman SACD/CD players. I'm listening to the 800S balanced with the Senn amp and the Bryston, and single-ended with the Pass, which is all it allows.

To oversimplify, I'm hearing the Bryston as too bright, the Pass as too boring, and the Sennheiser as too warm. Of course, by the same token, I'm hearing the Bryston as the most detailed, the Pass as the best compromise, and the Senn HDV820 as the most musical.

Is it this simple? I can really only keep one amp. A Focal Utopia is coming for me to try, which complicates things.

My question is, is the Sennheiser amp really in the same class of quality as the other two amps? Am I hearing correctly? Are these just three different flavors, all good, all carefully passed along by the HD800S?

Damn good headphone!
 
Jun 17, 2019 at 3:30 PM Post #4,693 of 8,481
I'm using the HD800S with a Bryston BHA-1, a Pass HPA-1, the Sennheiser HDV820. Sources are Yamaha and Luxman SACD/CD players. I'm listening to the 800S balanced with the Senn amp and the Bryston, and single-ended with the Pass, which is all it allows.

To oversimplify, I'm hearing the Bryston as too bright, the Pass as too boring, and the Sennheiser as too warm. Of course, by the same token, I'm hearing the Bryston as the most detailed, the Pass as the best compromise, and the Senn HDV820 as the most musical.

Is it this simple? I can really only keep one amp. A Focal Utopia is coming for me to try, which complicates things.

My question is, is the Sennheiser amp really in the same class of quality as the other two amps? Am I hearing correctly? Are these just three different flavors, all good, all carefully passed along by the HD800S?

Damn good headphone!

Interesting perspective on the Pass, I've always had a penchant for this amp (i wish i could afford it) but there aren't too many user reviews available. Thanks for sharing this.

I have a slightly different take on the Bryston; i prefer to describe it as 'lean'. I feel it lacks body as well. Otherwise it is definitely clean, clear, precise and detailed. I like it with planars, it has sort of a cleansing effect on them.

The HD800 is somewhat lean to begin, therefore i don't think the Bryston is the ideal amp for it.
Have you considered a really good tube amp?
 
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Jun 17, 2019 at 4:07 PM Post #4,694 of 8,481
The only tube amps I'm familiar with are Woo.

I'd definitely consider tubes. What is being recommended for the 800S? I remember some of the names recommended for the original 800.
 
Jun 17, 2019 at 4:15 PM Post #4,695 of 8,481
The only tube amps I'm familiar with are Woo.

I'd definitely consider tubes. What is being recommended for the 800S? I remember some of the names recommended for the original 800.

My tube amp experience is limited as well. I currently use a modest Woo Audio WA6 which I'm very satisfied with. Compared to the Bryston it offers fullness, a little bit more warmth and most of all; midrange 'bloom'. It should be noted that i am a midrange freak...i love well recorded jazz with creamy trumpets and fatty saxophones.
Even my transportable ALO CDM* (hybrid) has that midrange bloom and i prefer it over the Bryston.

*Amp section only and fed by a full size R2R PCM 1704 DAC.
 

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