Got to listen to the HD 800S today. Never heard the original 800, but these were very impressive. I liked them more than the LCD-X I tried too. The soundstage was incredible, i actually took them off because I thought some speakers were playing! In direct comparison to the HD 650, these had much better soundstage, but believe it or not, similar tonality. Except for the mids and lower treble. I felt the 800S were actually less intimate sounding and were more distant. The bass was pretty much the same. Also, I felt that they were not harsh in the slightest, to my ears. And keep in mind, I'm used to the 650s. The LCD-X were a little dull in comparison, and they didn't fit me correctly at all unfortunately. I would love to own a pair of HD 800S in the future, and to HD 650 fans, definitely try these!