[tamleo]

I find the HD800S a bit fatiguing even off my bottlehead crack (modded with ho lee specs). Tried denafrips terminator and north star design 192 dac. Same thing.

Any amps you find help make 800S more musical, warm and control treble more? I think prima luna evo 300 did that well but that was just a loaner unit. I may end up grabbing one at some point.

My ifi zen signature stack with its mids forwardness and subdued treble fits my Hd800S quite well imo.

 

[MFranzen]

On my chain PC>> RME ADI-2>> Woo WA2 I wouldn't think to call them anywhere near fatiguing and I'm really treble sensitive. Just smooth and detailed sound.

 

[S Crowther]

I find the HD800S a bit fatiguing even off my bottlehead crack (modded with ho lee specs). Tried denafrips terminator and north star design 192 dac. Same thing.

Any amps you find help make 800S more musical, warm and control treble more? I think prima luna evo 300 did that well but that was just a loaner unit. I may end up grabbing one at some point.

I am using the HD800S with the Terminator and no fatigue with the Artemis amp and the XDUOO TA-20 amp with Amperex tubes. Both are on the warm side of neutral. The Artemis was developed using the HD800S as reference.

 

[gefski]

I definitely don’t use the dac as a tone control or in any way “match“ it to any of my headphones. When I went to Yggy several years ago, almost everything downstream improved, true timbre, texture, real instruments or sounds in the (perceived) space. If that revealed characteristics in my any of my cans that I didn’t like, that was just something to live with, or not. (IMO in my system).

 

[Matro5]

Just a quick post to mark my subscription to this thread. I picked up the HD800S a few days ago as an upgrade to my HD6XX and a companion to my Focal Clear OG. I'll be powering them with a Leben CS300SX when I want to relax and listen and a Topping A90D when I'm working and using them for background listening / focus music.

I've been drawn to the HD800S for a long time after a surprisingly positive experience with the much-maligned HD700. I used the HD700 my home office as an all-day work headphone and what I remember most about the 700 was its supreme comfort ( the treble spikes never bothered me on my amp at the time, a Lyr2 with Bugle Boy tubes ). I bought the HD800s hoping to reclaim some of that comfort and take my folk / jazz / and postmodern albums to the next level. Now, a few days into owning the HD800S I am thrilled with how light and comfortable they are, and find them absolutely wonderful to listen to. Could not be happier with my purchase. I'll try to take some worthy photos soon and post them here.

Many thanks to all here for their insight into the HD800S and how to get the most out of these excellent headphones.

 

[Swolenasty]

Holo Audio May -> ZMF Decware OTL -> HD800S is a sublime pairing. Huge holographic soundstage and great dynamics. Not harsh at all.

My HD800S gets more headtime than my ZMF Atrium these days. Such an airy, ethereal, and effortless sound.

I think the HD800s punches so much above its used price point. On a good tube amp and R2R DAC, the HD800s is quite comparable to the higher end ZMF offerings. Still a little thin sounding compared to the ZMF house sound but just as enjoyable in my opinion.

 

[Remusz911]

Just a quick post to mark my subscription to this thread. I picked up the HD800S a few days ago as an upgrade to my HD6XX and a companion to my Focal Clear OG. I'll be powering them with a Leben CS300SX when I want to relax and listen and a Topping A90D when I'm working and using them for background listening / focus music.

I've been drawn to the HD800S for a long time after a surprisingly positive experience with the much-maligned HD700. I used the HD700 my home office as an all-day work headphone and what I remember most about the 700 was its supreme comfort ( the treble spikes never bothered me on my amp at the time, a Lyr2 with Bugle Boy tubes ). I bought the HD800s hoping to reclaim some of that comfort and take my folk / jazz / and postmodern albums to the next level. Now, a few days into owning the HD800S I am thrilled with how light and comfortable they are, and find them absolutely wonderful to listen to. Could not be happier with my purchase. I'll try to take some worthy photos soon and post them here.

Many thanks to all here for their insight into the HD800S and how to get the most out of these excellent headphones.

How does the HD800S compare to the Focal Clear OG in your opinion?

 

[johnnypaddock]

Holo Audio May -> ZMF Decware OTL -> HD800S is a sublime pairing. Huge holographic soundstage and great dynamics. Not harsh at all.

My HD800S gets more headtime than my ZMF Atrium these days. Such an airy, ethereal, and effortless sound.

I think the HD800s punches so much above its used price point. On a good tube amp and R2R DAC, the HD800s is quite comparable to the higher end ZMF offerings. Still a little thin sounding compared to the ZMF house sound but just as enjoyable in my opinion.

I agree 100%... My chain is Sonnett Digital Audio Pasithea > DNA Stratus > HD-800S and I am finding them to be a perfect compliment to ZMF headphones. In direct comparison they have less body, but the overall sound is equally enjoyable.

 

[steve468]

I have been loving the HD800S on my Cayin HA-300. The Senn on 300b tubes creates the best soundstage I’ve ever heard. It definitely belongs among the TOTL pantheon for that one trick. But even on a humble Crack(atwoa in my case), the Senns just have a lovely purity of tone, like there’s nothing between you and the music.

Not to rag on other headphones, but since it was asked, once I got into tubes the HD800S left my now sold Clears in the dust. They just scale so well. On a good tube amp, in my opinion the Senns are closer to the Utopia.

 

[johnnypaddock]

I have been loving the HD800S on my Cayin HA-300. The Senn on 300b tubes creates the best soundstage I’ve ever heard. It definitely belongs among the TOTL pantheon for that one trick. But even on a humble Crack(atwoa in my case), the Senns just have a lovely purity of tone, like there’s nothing between you and the music.

Not to rag on other headphones, but since it was asked, once I got into tubes the HD800S left my now sold Clears in the dust. They just scale so well. On a good tube amp, in my opinion the Senns are closer to the Utopia.

I've owned the Utopia twice with different system configurations. It's a great headphone, but I have a clear preference for the HD-800S. The resolution combined with such a spacious presentation is tough to beat.

 

[Matro5]

How does the HD800S compare to the Focal Clear OG in your opinion?

I haven't compared head-to-head yet but will post impressions once I do...

 

[Matro5]

I have been loving the HD800S on my Cayin HA-300. The Senn on 300b tubes creates the best soundstage I’ve ever heard. It definitely belongs among the TOTL pantheon for that one trick. But even on a humble Crack(atwoa in my case), the Senns just have a lovely purity of tone, like there’s nothing between you and the music.

Not to rag on other headphones, but since it was asked, once I got into tubes the HD800S left my now sold Clears in the dust. They just scale so well. On a good tube amp, in my opinion the Senns are closer to the Utopia.

That Cayin is a beauty for sure. I don't *think* I'm in the market for a new integrated at the moment but the Woo Audio WA5 has always loomed large in my imagination. It's got a lot in common with your spectacular amplifier and I'd love to hear either of them on my speakers or, of course, my new headphones. Enjoy!

 

[duas2noites]

Hi,

I'm thinking to buy my next headphone for music and gaming, Hd800s is the best option for gaming? My other option is Dan Clark Stealth, I need a good headphone for music, but for gaming too, because I spent a lot of time playing computer games.

 

[Swolenasty]

How does the HD800S compare to the Focal Clear OG in your opinion?

I prefer the HD800S for its ability to scale better with higher end gear. Clear OGs sounded very much the same no matter what I plugged them into. I would say on a lower end/budget set up the Clears may edge the HD800S out but once you start upgrading your chain, the 800s start pulling ahead.

One thing I can't get over on the Clears is how small soundstage is. I never really get lost in the music on the Clears in the same way I do on the HD800s. Of course, part of the effect is due to how light and comfortable the HD800S to the point I can sometimes forget I even have them on.

The Clears are very punchy and detailed but have a very in your ear type of presentation. I don't really mind the metallic timbre of the Clears but they can be a bit shouty and fatiguing for vocal music.

Personally I like the Clears but all my friends that aren't into high end audio preferred the HD800s over the Clears. One of them even said the Clears didn't sound any different from his Airpods

 

[Whazzzup]

Hi,

I'm thinking to buy my next headphone for music and gaming, Hd800s is the best option for gaming? My other option is Dan Clark Stealth, I need a good headphone for music, but for gaming too, because I spent a lot of time playing computer games.

Hd800S needs a good source and dac amp to get the scaled musicality potential. So computers as they are may not provide such, as a source….If you got that figured out, then why not. Course for explosions n such closed might be preferable, but hd800s would do just fine, wouldn’t it?