[piaudio]

Since HD800s is an "Improvement" version, I afraid it will be $2.2k to $2.5k to be compete with HIFIMAN HE1000 pricing and HD800 is not EOL.

 

[Audio addict19]

Got my eyes on these. If they keep the amazing soundstage and imaging and they're not sibilant or as brutal in the 6K reigon these will be great.

 

[yaluen]

Victim of the news release reporting in

(http://www.head-fi.org/t/785666/fs-sennheiser-hd-800-new-unused)
 
I wonder if tweaked pads are responsible for the extended bass response, like with the AKG K7__ series.

 

[jibzilla]

  Victim of the news release reporting in

(http://www.head-fi.org/t/785666/fs-sennheiser-hd-800-new-unused)
 
I wonder if tweaked pads are responsible for the extended bass response, like with the AKG K7__ series.

 
There is allot that can happen sq wise twerking with the ear pads. That has always been the biggest downfall of the hd800 to me. I like the ear pads they are just such a pain to replace imo. Still the price for the upgrade should be no more than $100 diy and $200 factory installed. That is what Lawton charges for Level 1 fostex/denon upgrade and I think it is well worth it.
 
Anymore than that will really turn me off and I have zero interest in the headphone since I just got my btg audio hd800 cable. Will def. wait for a hd850/900 if no upgrade package becomes available. 

 

[iDesign]

I'm not sure I understand Sennheiser's communication strategy for the HD-800S. They issue no press release or any specific information but they allow the owner and founder of Head-Fi to post a quasi-announcement with little technical information that causes 21+ pages of speculation. Very strange. 

 

[BirdManOfCT]

  I'm not sure I understand Sennheiser's communication strategy for the HD-800S. They issue no press realse or any specific information but they allow the owner and founder of Head-Fi to post a quasi-announment with little technical information that causes 21+ pages of speculation. Very strange. 

But it seems to be working. 

 

[Mach3]

Can't wait for please to start posting frequency charts for the HD800s

 

[raband]

  I'm not sure I understand Sennheiser's communication strategy for the HD-800S. They issue no press realse or any specific information but they allow the owner and founder of Head-Fi to post a quasi-announment with little technical information that causes 21+ pages of speculation. Very strange. 

 
And probably lurking in the wings, getting a feel for what pricing would seem to be acceptable and for ideas on the best blurb to launch/release it with.

 

[Mortalcoil]

  Can't wait for please to start posting frequency charts for the HD800s

 With all the discrepancies in the 6k region...

 

[Dithyrambes]

Hmm can't wait for this and the He-x. Hope they give enough competition to not drive prices into oblivion

 

[daltonljj]

   
There is allot that can happen sq wise twerking with the ear pads. That has always been the biggest downfall of the hd800 to me. I like the ear pads they are just such a pain to replace imo. Still the price for the upgrade should be no more than $100 diy and $200 factory installed. That is what Lawton charges for Level 1 fostex/denon upgrade and I think it is well worth it.
 
Anymore than that will really turn me off and I have zero interest in the headphone since I just got my btg audio hd800 cable. Will def. wait for a hd850/900 if no upgrade package becomes available. 

 
Having an upgrade policy would be an amazing idea IMHO. If lets say base on what was announce that its ideally the same headphone with just different tuning and acoustic absorber. So ideally it just adding 2 additional into the manufacturing operation. Having an upgrade policy might just help ease the bottleneck at the other production stages (Which is usually the bottleneck compared to assembly stages) in addition Sennheiser will still get to earn money. That would most definitely be a win-win situation for buyer and seller. Assuming all my assumptions are right  

 

[raypin]

  I'm not sure I understand Sennheiser's communication strategy for the HD-800S. They issue no press realse or any specific information but they allow the owner and founder of Head-Fi to post a quasi-announment with little technical information that causes 21+ pages of speculation. Very strange. 

 
 
mmm.....I disagree. I think you should be more patient and wait for your favorite headfi drug dealer to have demo units of the HD 800S for you to audition. That should settle the "no press release or any specific information" questions that we all have. All will be revealed in due time........

 

[jibzilla]

   
Having an upgrade policy would be an amazing idea IMHO. If lets say base on what was announce that its ideally the same headphone with just different tuning and acoustic absorber. So ideally it just adding 2 additional into the manufacturing operation. Having an upgrade policy might just help ease the bottleneck at the other production stages (Which is usually the bottleneck compared to assembly stages) in addition Sennheiser will still get to earn money. That would most definitely be a win-win situation for buyer and seller. Assuming all my assumptions are right  

 
If it really is driver modifications or driver swap I would be willing to shell out a extra couple hundred. Just pads and acoustic absorbers should not have to cost allot imo. There is already a few people out there that can paint your hd800 black so I do not see that as a "must have" thing but it would be a nice bonus.
 
Thing is I really like the way my hd800 sounds stock out of my Teton/Pavane. I did get an aftermarket cable but more aesthetics and ergonomics than sq., plus a limited 15% off discount is the icing on my hd800 cake, unless the upgrade is less than $400 and includes driver modifications/swap I'm probably out. 

 

[iDesign]

   
And probably lurking in the wings, getting a feel for what pricing would seem to be acceptable and for ideas on the best blurb to launch/release it with.

Exactly. This is the reason many companies do not talk about forthcoming products and have official product launches. Rumors about the HD-800S have spread beyond Head-Fi and the tenor of those conversations are negative because people assume the "acoustical absorber" is nothing more than a blatant copy of the Analixus modification and no other technical changes were made. And yes, Sennheiser's is very obviously reading every comment in this thread. 

 

[raband]

And posting as well.
 
As I suggested earlier for a price (if it's bundled with the cable - RRP of the current HD800 plus RRP of the cable less ~5% for the bundle discount).
 
$1849 if they round down, $1899 if they round up.
 
It's an incremental update, not a new HP - things like that happen all the time and don't deserve a new PLU - V2, V3 or manufacture date differences etc are not uncommon - sometimes with a token price increase (or price drop even)
 
The bundling of the cable does nothing but make it murkier - no reason for Headphones to include "bloatware". Especially not if it creates a premium price regardless as to whether the "included extras" are actually wanted or not by the end user.
 
If they really thought the HD800 was not EOL and still a valid product they should sell it alongside the HD800S on equal terms (yeah - a 5% increase in price on the new unit would be believable). Either reduce RRP of the old model, or price the new model a bit higher.
 
Note: we have no real info on the changes done - but if it is pretty much just a tweak, then it's a "Version 2" and should be priced in the same ballpark as the V1. If there has been some massive re-working done under the hood to the point where they are basically different beasts that look the same, then yeah - a price differential could show the differences.