[Gandah]

   
This.
 
 
And this.
 
It feels like we have been through this a gazillion times in this thread alone. It's not a new headphone, it's a tweaked version of the HD800. (You might just as well call it a fix, but I won't go there ...) That's what Sennheiser says, and that's what I hear. You might hear it differently, but come on, folks, in all seriousness, the difference is marginal at best. The infamous peak has been addressed; it's not a different sound signature. Axel Grell explained it months ago in the video. There is no use pulling arbitrary numbers out of our hats, just because an HD600 and an HD650 happen to exist. It is what it is. No use crying over spilt milk, as they say, but in this case, try as I might, I can hardly see the puddle on the kitchen floor.
 
And just imagine what would have happened if they would have gone and called it the HD850: People would have been all over them for trying to sell a headphone under a new moniker that has just the same sound sig as the HD800. "Scammers! Fraud!" Their reputation might have taken quite a blow. Sorry, but we all know that the internet as a whole loves to go into hysterics. Sennheiser played it safe, and as I see it, they were honest about what they were doing, for which I commend them. Fair game, methinks.

No one is crying over spilt milk Bud.... It's a discussion thread we are discussing point of views..... I don't agree its just a tweaked version like you and many other people do, but that's ok.
 
If I could ask you or anyone with the same view "its just a tweak" Do you hear the same soundstage, airness, and instrument placement on both Classic and S versions?

 

[Sorrodje]

  . It's not a new headphone, it's a tweaked version of the HD800. .

 
Amen. 

 

[phonomat]

 
No one is crying over spilt milk Bud.... It's a discussion thread we are discussing point of views..... I don't agree its just a tweaked version like you and many other people do, but that's ok.
 
If I could ask you or anyone with the same view "its just a tweak" Do you hear the same soundstage, airness, and instrument placement on both Classic and S versions?

 
I'm sorry, but I'm afraid this is pointless. How different is different? How much of a difference warrants a renaming? There can be no answer, since it's a subjective matter. For me, personally, they sound about the same; two shades of grey, if you like, but certainly not grey and black or grey and white. Perhaps my ears are not be the best, but since Sennheiser seems to be on the same page, that's good enough for me. I imagine their situation as follows: They think they have a great product, to which most people agree, but complaints about the peak and the missing bass keep coming up, so they think, how can we tweak this without changing the overall nature and sound signature of our renowned flagship headphone that we are fine with in general terms and would like to keep as a brand? They found a way, they did it, headphone tweaked. Endy story.
 
So since I'm fine with the state of things as they are, I don't really have the need to discuss this or try to prove anything, nor can I. All this will ever prove is that you hear things differently and have a different opinion when it comes to the two subjective questions above, which is fine with me. Celebrate diversity!

 
 
(It should, however, be clear that if one is not content with the given status quo and finds that change is in order, one should be able to clearly demonstrate exactly why this is the case. Which, given the subjective matter of these things, would be as impossible for you as it is for me to conclusively demonstrate you that there is no need to change the name. So the real question is, well, how much time and energy one is willing to invest in discussions of this kind.

)

 

[andromeda1954]

No one is crying over spilt milk Bud.... It's a discussion thread we are discussing point of views..... I don't agree its just a tweaked version like you and many other people do, but that's ok.

If I could ask you or anyone with the same view "its just a tweak" Do you hear the same soundstage, airness, and instrument placement on both Classic and S versions?

I had the 800 and now the 800S the soundstage on de 800s is more accurate and realistic imo than on the 800. On the 800 it was almost endless and overdone and not in accordance with the reality. If you go to classic live concerts like me, you will know what I mean. The 800S gives a better impression of the dimensions of the space and is more 3 dimensional. About the airinessof the 800 ; I think it this is a pseudo effect ,caused by the treble pieck ,with is often confused with more airiness. The 800S is als more realistic about this imo. Instrument separation on the 800 is a little bit more observable than on the 800S but only by a small margin . But here also the question "what is more real "?
Based on my live concert experiences I will say the 800S is more realistic . In a live concert you never hear every single instrument apart . The soundstage , airiness and instrument separation are still exceptional on the 800S and the 800S is less fatigue and more all round .So for me it's definitely an improvement over the 800 .

 

[Gandah]

My take if you want..... I prefer HD800 S because it ultimately sounds better for more genres and is less amp picky, however I could easily live with both and use classic just for certain genres Classical, Jazz, etc:- which I've said previously above.
 
I'm not bias ether way I own the S not the classic, but I can honestly say with my ears the Classic still offers more with specific genres, the S is a better all-rounder

 

[Rob80b]

I had the 800 and now the 800S ...............

The soundstage , airiness and instrument separation are still exceptional on the 800S and the 800S is less fatigue and more all round .So for me it's definitely an improvement over the 800 .

ditto.

 

[Rob80b]

If we are to believe Sennheiser and so far I do as I really feel that that "S" version allows the listener more insight into the recording. I can only go by aural memory having no longer the originals (sorry) but IMHO I'm intrigued by the amount of  layering and depth that is even more apparent on the "S"s but perceived in a natural and unforced way.
 
http://en-ca.sennheiser.com/global-downloads/file/6582/HD800_HD800S_Manual_01_2016_EN.pdf
"Absorber technology of the HD 800 S
The enhanced sound reproduction of the HD 800 S is achieved through
the addition of the innovative absorber technology that was pioneered in
the Sennheiser IE 800 – a breakthrough that preserved the audibility of
very high frequency sounds by eliminating a phenomenon known as the
“masking effect”, where the human hear struggles to hear frequencies of
sound when lower frequencies of a higher volume occur at the same time.
By absorbing the energy of the resonance, Sennheiser’s patented absorber
technology prevents any unwanted peaks and allows all frequency compo
nents – even the finest nuances – in the music material to become audible.
This innovation was a key element in making the IE 800 the world’s best
sounding in ear headphone, and in the HD 800 S it helps to bring even gre-
ater purity and precision."

 

[ph58]

The treble peaks on the HD800S are reduced but not eliminated , i can still   hear ( more than mild ! ) Sibilance  on :  Diana Krall , Katie Melua  voices ... My combo Dac Amp are the Audio GD NFB 27 H + the Nuprime Dac 9 pairing with the NFB 27H . I think that the AKM Dac Chip on the Nuprime Dac 9 will be the cure for the sibilances but not at all , it is not better than the ESS Sabre on the NFB 27 H  .  Should i go for warmer sounding Tubes HeadAmp ? Thanks

 

[Sorrodje]

  The treble peaks on the HD800S are reduced but not eliminated , i can still   hear ( more than mild ! ) Sibilance  on :  Diana Krall , Katie Melua  voices ... My combo Dac Amp are the Audio GD NFB 27 H + the Nuprime Dac 9 pairing with the NFB 27H . I think that the AKM Dac Chip on the Nuprime Dac 9 will be the cure for the sibilances but not at all , it is not better than the ESS Sabre on the NFB 27 H  .  Should i go for warmer sounding Tubes HeadAmp ? Thanks

 
 
Diana Krall and Katie Melua recordings exhibit inherent sibilances. Some Katie Melua's recordings are maybe the worse i heard but I use Krall when I want to check sibilances rendering.  To try to color the HD800S enough to make those sibilance disappear is a wrong and expensive choice whereas you have som much darker headphone available on the market. 

 

[ubs28]

  The treble peaks on the HD800S are reduced but not eliminated , i can still   hear ( more than mild ! ) Sibilance  on :  Diana Krall , Katie Melua  voices ... My combo Dac Amp are the Audio GD NFB 27 H + the Nuprime Dac 9 pairing with the NFB 27H . I think that the AKM Dac Chip on the Nuprime Dac 9 will be the cure for the sibilances but not at all , it is not better than the ESS Sabre on the NFB 27 H  .  Should i go for warmer sounding Tubes HeadAmp ? Thanks

I listened to a song of Katie Melua. Even on the HD 650 I can hear sibilance in certain sections (it's less than the HD 800 S, but if I can hear it on the HD 650 than the recording is bad). The "S" is pronounced a few times in the song. 

 

[rotorwiz]

I would love to get my hands on these

Sent from my LGLS990 using Tapatalk

 

[MacedonianHero]

  Peter, I value your opinion and honesty on most reviews and impressions you do, But I have to disagree with the HD800S being very much like the HD800, Both are amazing phones in their right... no question...... However to me both are also very different, the magic of the HD800 is it's soundstage, airness and instrument separation, which the S isn't as good at, on the other hand overall the S is more pleasing with a wider variety of genres, its bass, treble, and overall warmth signature is more appealing also to a wider audience.
 
The magic the excitement isn't present with the S, but it makes up for it in a completely different way....
 

 
What you don't agree with me? How dare you?
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No worries....that's life. We cool. 

 

 

[Emerald Core]

I am a happy new owner of  the HD800 S. Funny thought is that my iPhone 6s Plus runs the headphone seamlessly without DAC/AMP using Tidal HiFi. I have compared it with a Cavalli LC owner and he was impressed. 

 

[ubs28]

  I am a happy new owner of  the HD800 S. Funny thought is that my iPhone 6s Plus runs the headphone seamlessly without DAC/AMP using Tidal HiFi. I have compared it with a Cavalli LC owner and he was impressed. 

Try out a good DAC. Then you'll start to hear bigger differences. 
 
According to my ears the Chord Hugo even sounds better than the HDVD 800 which supposedly has a very good amplifier in it which shows how important a good DAC is. 

 

[Priscilla Rose]

O2+Odac+HD 800S very happy with it!