[Fegefeuer]

 
oh btw, do you guys use Virtual Surround Tech like SBX, Dolby Headphone? 

 

[Oldfella]

HD 800 treble peak?. At 76 years old,struggle to hear a siren when i am standing next to it. What treble peak?.

 

[harmonix]

WHy can't people who own the classic HD 800 not accept that the HD 800S Is a improvement over the classic one and is the better HP. Every review i know of comes to that conclusion .

I think this happens to everything not just the HD800. When someone invests all that time (pre and post purchase) and/or money into a a piece of equipment - some will get married to it and their ego and credibility have become merged with that piece of equipment and become one and the same. It is then very painful even to entertain the idea that something you have/are is now second best. This I find less so with pros... 
 
Perhaps with the HD800 more than any other flagship headphone it was the first non-esoteric, mass production headphone to break the $1k barrier (i.e. Stax, Orpheus and K1000 not withstanding but those are different animals) and arguably has been a top contender AND continues to be so for all those years when other high end headphones have continued to pop out at much higher price points. Think it was fair to say that none of them could completely crush the HD800 in terms of sound quality and ergonomics & weight. So all the more painful when an improved version comes out - it is not easy to accept. 
 
I don't have an HD800 - but on previous trials I liked it more than many top end cans. To me treble bias or peak to me was less of an annoyance an to me more of "signature or quirk". Perhaps that changes with longer term listening and ownership as we tend to "zoom in" on small things later. It annoys me much less than say the weight and comfort of many other top end cans (i.e. the clamp force and weight of LCD's) - to me not wanting to listen within 10 minutes due to discomfort is a death sentence for any headphone irrespective of SQ...

 

[DavidA]

WHy can't people who own the classic HD 800 not accept that the HD 800S Is a improvement over the classic one and is the better HP. Every review i know of comes to that conclusion .

Because everyone hears differently and have different preferences, to me they are just different sound signatures, not one being better than the other.

 

[Gandah]

WHy can't people who own the classic HD 800 not accept that the HD 800S Is a improvement over the classic one and is the better HP. Every review i know of comes to that conclusion .

And this is why Sennheiser should of named it HD850 or HD900..... HD800 S has some similarities too HD800 but as for overall sound signature its a different Senn headphone...... You could live and enjoy both quite easily, which I'm sure some people will do.
 
As far as which is better, that's just a ridiculous statement it comes down to personal preference.......

 

[odanovich]

Just received my beautiful HD800S in the mail the other day.... ohhhh maannn I'm having a blast so far! The comfort of these compared to my LCD-3 is simply fantastic!

 

[Svatopluk]

   
Are you sure you're not mistaking more treble = details here? I'm not hearing new things in the recordings when I use the HD 800. The HD 800 S is more neutral according to my ears, so I don't see how the HD 800 is more accurate.

 I based the statement pertaining to accuracy on my experience listening to both live and recorded acoustic stringed instrument music. The Mandolin, Dobro, Acoustic Bass and Violin all have a distinct sound when played in the environment of a small bluegrass band. In my opinion, the HD800 is accurate in that respect.
 
As far as the HD800S and it's ability to render the feel of a live performance, I do agree with your opinion pertaining to it being accurate in that respect.

 

[james6333]

Just received my beautiful HD800S in the mail the other day.... ohhhh maannn I'm having a blast so far! The comfort of these compared to my LCD-3 is simply fantastic!

Lol Audeze has the worst fit on the market. They even make grados seem comfy.

 

[odanovich]

Very true about Audeze fit... however I have tried their $200 carbon fiber headband and must say it fixes all my complaints. That being said, I shouldnt have to oay $200 more dollars for their product to set properly atop my head.

 

[silversurfer616]

Funnily enough, I prefer the Audeze fit to the HD800S.
The Sennheiser are just too light and I always have the feeling this "bleeds" into the sound/bass!

 

[Kyle 491]

WHy can't people who own the classic HD 800 not accept that the HD 800S Is a improvement over the classic one and is the better HP. Every review i know of comes to that conclusion .

 
It is not an improvement, and I own both for that matter. Its merely a trade-off with a higher price tag. What you get with the HD800S is a smoother, less abrasive treble on average masters, a more defined & clearly delineated soundstage, and slightly thicker bass notes. What you get with the HD800 is harder sounding, more impactful bass, an expansive if somewhat nebulous soundstage, greater dynamic contrasts due to the FR and a more vivid performance with massed strings and large-scale orchestras in general.
 
If it was a true improvement, it would retain all of the above mentioned qualities of both headphones with none of the down-sides, like softer bass and muted string instruments. YMMV, but the HD800S improvements for pop, rock and mainstream genres still isn't enough to make it a compelling listen for those genres compared to other headphones that specialise in them, as the mids are bit too distant and possess a slightly lean character. The mids feel more distant and reserved compared to the stock HD800 for female vocals too. The HD800S is still a tonally cool-sounding headphone, but now its less exciting sounding to boot and is weaker at the HD800s core strengths.
 
As previously mentioned by posters above me, people have different preferences and priorities in sound reproduction, so that's why people who own both will not necessarily accept that the HD800S is an improvement, regardless of how many reviews are written.

 

[Oldfella]

Regarding headphone fit, both the HD 800,and HEK,are equally comfortable for me. Sound wise?. I enjoy both. The only problem with fit, has been the 846.

 

[GearMe]

It is not an improvement, and I own both for that matter. Its merely a trade-off with a higher price tag...

 

[Gandah]

To tell you the truth I was expecting the new S to be more like the Classic 800 because of the S...... However it isn't, its more of a all-rounder, mean its more able to sound better with more genres and different setups.
 
HD800 Classic is a pain in the ass when it comes to the right dac and amp setup, which is the main reason people prefer the S, because they haven't heard the HD800 on a capable system that knows how to control and tame the HD800.
 
Speaking for myself the HD800 isn't right with my setup to be called a go-to phone, the S is..... However I would still love to own the HD800 Classic for certain genres Jazz, Classical, etc:-  Soundstage, Airness, and instrument separation is quite better on the HD800 Classic.
 
HD800 S is less amp picky and sounds amazing "Overall" with all genres

 

[Fegefeuer]

No good gear in the world resolves the peak by itself. yes, you could warmen up everything with cetain tubes or EQ etc..however it's questionable if that's what "good or capable" gear is about. 
good gear let's the HD800 show its full potential but the peak will remain, it only can't get worse.
 
The 6khz peak is inevitable if you don't mod it where it happens - at the headphone itself, which is well documented. Sure you could EQ the peak but you can't solve the whole problem only at FR level due to cup/mesh resonances for instance.