My first impressions, based on probably not enough listening time - so my findings may very well change in te future.
I recently changed from HD800 to HD800 S. I drive the S with my trusted Auralic Aries extreme into Vega into Taurus Mk2, be it from the balanced output this time, whereas the original HD800 was single ended. Actually, I was planning on buying a balanced cable for the original one. I do believe in SE vs balanced drive, be it not so much because of the balancing (which I link with long distance pro XLR cabling rather than my home desktop setup), but most certainly for the different power spec of my Taurus. As I got a good price for my original HD800 and the HD800 S comes with both a SE and a balanced cable, I could more easily justify the upgrade cost by telling myself it was only that much more than buying a separate CH800S (or whichever other quality balanced cable ftm. They often cost even more than Sennheiser's offering). You all know the feeling and the quirky jumps you make your mind do for this hobby
Anyway, I'd like to share some of my findings. Please keep in mind that I never heard both side by side and the different drive (SE vs Balanced) that's being used.
I would not call the difference subtle actually. You don't have to listen for it as you do when comparing some of the better DACs. Could be my exact pairs of course, maybe I have a warm HD800 S and I had one of the sharper HD800 cans. I'm quite sensitive to piercing highs. And hell, could they ruin the whole experience or make me want to yank the HD800 off my head in some recordings (actually quite a lot of them sadly). The new one doesn't cut through my ears and head like that, and that alone makes me very happy with my decision.
When you listened to the original for over a year, you have to re-adjust. Not only your ears, but probably even more so your expectations, your brains.
It's easy to have the impression that the lesser amount of high pitched resonance takes away air from the presentation. However, when you adjust to the new sound and listen closely, you hear it's still all there: the separation, the air around the notes,... So that difference is not subtle as it is quite easily discernable, but they are still twins: almost alike, but if you know them very well, you'll quite easily tell them apart. They're in no way a whole other set of cans though... If I'd have to put my finger on the biggest and most obvious difference: you can't not notice the absence of the knife. (Which doesn't mean that it's not there anymore when the recording is just plainly too sharp (as it is with my Beyerdynamic DT880 Pro as well in those cases). That trigger just isn't so lightly pulled anymore. And it shouldn't be if you ask me. In the end, we hope to get some enjoyment of this hobby after all, don't we?)
Maybe I hear an even better holography now, not so distracted by the even more in your face wideness of the original. Of course the balanced drive could also amount to that. Probably both. (I do also think - unlike others - that my LCD3(F) has a holographic sound driven balanced by my Taurus, sometimes maybe even more so than the HD800, be it in a far less wide soundstage). This can add to some sort of intimacy that I thought the original lacked sometimes. I find myself grabbing my LCD3(F) far less when listening to the HD800 S (given that I was seeking to listen to the sound of the one I grabbed in the first place, not planning to swap every few songs or so).
The bass is indeed a tad more present, or maybe indeed "better visible" in the tonal balance as a whole (probably both again), but I'm sure that even bass haters wouldn't be offended by it. The original went deep, but seemed sometimes a bit bass light to me, leaving me wanting just a hint more. Or maybe better put, it sometimes required me to listen for it, to focus on it. It's like it was all there, but not presenting itself to you, you sometimes had to go look for it yourself. The HD800 S seems more spot-on for me in that regard, with its bass less shy to come to you, a bit more naturally flowing, though in no way pushing (and still a far cry from my LCD3(F) of course, what I'm glad about as they are still the excellent complement of each other that I was looking for). This comes without smearing over the other frequencies and details, so personally I'd call this an improvement.
The highs DO loose some energy. Funny thing, but as much as they bothered me in one song with the original, the first few days I did miss them in some other song. However, I have a feeling they're coming back again to a certain amount. Might be headphone/cable burn in... might be my brains and ears adjusting. And I can't help but think that the original's high pitch energy was somehow a bit artificial, adding some HD800 sauce on top of the music (the highs in reality could be damn sharp, but never as cutting as portrayed by the original HD800). Admittedly, an EQ or sauce can taste really good, but I think that what I hear now is just that bit more "real".
For certain songs, it sure could be called a trade-off if you really dug that sauce, but all this music I get in return, songs that become listenable all of a sudden, more than make up for that. It's a compromise I'm happy to take.
One could argue that I had a bad amp pairing, as the Taurus is somewhat bright, especially stacked with the Vega. However, I like the way it brings my LCD3(F) to life, maybe because of it. Could be that with the HD800 S, it still brings out the highs that get a tad too subdued to other people's liking when paired with their trusted amp, which by the way probably was paired with the original HD800 BECAUSE it slightly tamed the highs.
Lastly, I managed to confine my housemate to headphone listening when watching TV together - especially for tv-shows involving music, talent shows,... to the point that she asks for it herself now
(victory)
I drive my headphones via toslink out of my set top box, into a Focusrite Saffire Pro 24 DSP (actually a recording device). When I'm alone, I prefer my Mojo, but the Saffire has two HP-connections supporting up to 600ohm cans, with separate volume knobs. I like to listen quite a bit louder than her, so this way we both are happy. The DAC section isn't too bad either, especially given the limited source (digital cable tv).
Before the change, I let her use the HD800, because there as well it was just too bright/piercing for me (so not using the Taurus). Me myself grabbed my HD650 or DT880 pro (the LCD3(F) are a bit heavy for hanging in the coach without loosing them sometime, they require you to sit quite straight, as good as they may sound) and made fun of her wearing my expensive gear while I must be happy with the inferior stuff ^^. Now I'm glad to report the roles have changed as the technical master, being the HD800 S, is now on the ears that appreciate it the most.
I would have loved to try the original with the (maybe a bit warmer) Mojo, but it was late to the party, so I can't comment on that.
I'm just trying to say that my problem was probably more with the original HD800 than with the gear driving it - and that the HD800 S solved it, is far more broadly applicable in any case - in MY case. Or I could be fooling myself
Just my gripe on the matter at the moment. Hope it helps
