[BarDash]

I can understand a person not considering it an upgrade. Just like I can consider how someone could like the HD800 or S better or worse than a Focal Utopia based on system and preferences.

For example my first experience with an HD800 was with my now sold HUGO and to be blunt couldn't wait to send the HD800 back. I was pretty disappointed given the raves from most and chalked it up to my preferences and the HUGO. Now with my Liquid Gold and T&A DSD DAC I tried the HD800S and could never go back to my Audeze or Fostex both now gone. I can't compare to the HD800 BUT I can guarantee you I would like the HD800 much more with my current system than the HUGO and probably never would have sent them back.

For my tastes I couldn't ask for more with what I can achieve with my system and have little impetus to try anything "better". It hits all my high notes as I'm sure the HD800, Audeze, Fostex etc so for others. Everything is an "upgrade" if it sounds better to the end user IMHO.

Which Audeze did you used to have?

 

[Priaptor]

Which Audeze did you used to have?

The LCD-X

Was great with the HUGO but when I went with the Liquid Gold and T&A my overwhelming preference was the HD800S

 

[BarDash]

The LCD-X

Was great with the HUGO but when I went with the Liquid Gold and T&A my overwhelming preference was the HD800S

I have not tried the X but with my current set-up (iFi iCan Pro and Schitt Yggdrasil) I find myself switching between my LCD3's and HD800S depending on what I'm listening to.
The sound signature is so different IMO that it's hard for me to favor one over the other.
I was interested in the Liquid Gold but the timing was off on its availability at the time. Is it a pretty warm sounding amp? 

 

[vrln]

I'm actually considering a degrade. I own the HD800S and I've tried the HD800. I find the shape and the size of the soundstage are quite different between them. I buy the HD800/s for mainly classical music appreciation. Things like orchestra and piano solos. I really want a huge soundstage like listening to a live orchestra on stage. However, I found the soundstage of 800 S surrounding me instead of performing in front of me on stage. Also the 800 S lack some kind of excitement on the highs, so maybe I do need a "degrade" ?

 
Difficult situation... To be honest right now I would agree that the original HD 800 is better than the new version for classical where the treble spike doesn´t ruin the show, but I haven´t heard the S version out of as many setups vs. the original so it could also be a question of finding better amp/source synergy. For other genres I clearly prefer the S version (more genre bandwidth). The soundstaging is a bit different vs. the original, more open and wide in front vs. a bit closer and around you. I can see that working better for classical.

 

[likwacheng]

Difficult situation... To be honest right now I would agree that the original HD 800 is better than the new version for classical where the treble spike doesn´t ruin the show, but I haven´t heard the S version out of as many setups vs. the original so it could also be a question of finding better amp/source synergy. For other genres I clearly prefer the S version (more genre bandwidth). The soundstaging is a bit different vs. the original, more open and wide in front vs. a bit closer and around you. I can see that working better for classical.

Difficult situation... To be honest right now I would agree that the original HD 800 is better than the new version for classical where the treble spike doesn´t ruin the show, but I haven´t heard the S version out of as many setups vs. the original so it could also be a question of finding better amp/source synergy. For other genres I clearly prefer the S version (more genre bandwidth). The soundstaging is a bit different vs. the original, more open and wide in front vs. a bit closer and around you. I can see that working better for classical.

I've sold the HD800S for the original Hd800 and I'm quite glad that I did it. The HD800 is definitely a better classical performer with deeper soundstage and more clarity. As I have the mdr-z1r for other genres, I don't really need HD800S as an all rounder. If I have to listen to pop or rock, the MDR-Z1r is definitely a better choice compare to HD800S

 

[MacedonianHero]

I've sold the HD800S for the original Hd800 and I'm quite glad that I did it. The HD800 is definitely a better classical performer with deeper soundstage and more clarity. As I have the mdr-z1r for other genres, I don't really need HD800S as an all rounder. If I have to listen to pop or rock, the MDR-Z1r is definitely a better choice compare to HD800S

 
More clarity? Is that 6kHz peak more clarity; because it is certainly not there on the recording. 

 

[likwacheng]

More clarity? Is that 6kHz peak more clarity; because it is certainly not there on the recording. 

The 6khz peak might not be in the recording, but the peak does make the recording sounds clearer and airier. There are some micro details that HD800 is presenting much better than HD800S. Of course, 800 may sound peaky for pop or rock or some vocals, but for classical or instrumental music, I just found 800 better than 800 S. I'm not saying that 800 is better than 800. Actually 800S is better overall, but for the specific classical genre, 800 is better than 800S。And because 800 Better than 800S in classical and MDR-Z1R better than 800S for pop/ rock/ vocals, I have no reason to keep the HD800S

 

[ubs28]

The 6khz peak might not be in the recording, but the peak does make the recording sounds clearer and airier. There are some micro details that HD800 is presenting much better than HD800S. Of course, 800 may sound peaky for pop or rock or some vocals, but for classical or instrumental music, I just found 800 better than 800 S. I'm not saying that 800 is better than 800. Actually 800S is better overall, but for the specific classical genre, 800 is better than 800S。And because 800 Better than 800S in classical and MDR-Z1R better than 800S for pop/ rock/ vocals, I have no reason to keep the HD800S

Creating resonance in the sound only makes it brighter. The Utopia for example is clearer than both the HD 800 and the HD 800 S despite not being as bright.

So it's fake clarity what you hear on the HD800.

 

[likwacheng]

Creating resonance in the sound only makes it brighter. The Utopia for example is clearer than both the HD 800 and the HD 800 S despite not being as bright.

So it's fake clarity what you hear on the HD800.

Ok then, 800 sounds brighter than 800 S which makes 800 sound better than 800 S in classical music. Screw those wordings, 800 sounds better in classical, the end lol. This is all I want to say.

 

[windcar]

Creating resonance in the sound only makes it brighter. The Utopia for example is clearer than both the HD 800 and the HD 800 S despite not being as bright.

So it's fake clarity what you hear on the HD800.

I am not sure if the utopia is indeed clearer than the HD800 but to my ears they are about on par, both are very fast cans. However, the utopia does have a stronger lower mids presence which makes many recordings sounds fuller, hence perhaps, an illusion of more details. I know some people equate more details = more clarity. Because different people have different roll-off hearing at different points of frequencies, certain phone can definitely complement a person's hearing range better. To me, the utopia's certain frequencies at the high mids are slightly accentuated, making vocal very shouty at times. The dynamics are so high, vocal that are singing at normal loudness suddenly increase in loudness at higher pitch. I know some people like this kind of signature, calling it excitement but I am not a fan of this. 
I am not saying the Utopia is a bad phone, in fact, I very much prefer it's signature(due to its lower mids) over to HD800S. It is very clean sounding, very fast and more engaging than the sennheiser's.

 

[ubs28]

I am not sure if the utopia is indeed clearer than the HD800 but to my ears they are about on par, both are very fast cans. However, the utopia does have a stronger lower mids presence which makes many recordings sounds fuller, hence perhaps, an illusion of more details. I know some people equate more details = more clarity. Because different people have different roll-off hearing at different points of frequencies, certain phone can definitely complement a person's hearing range better. To me, the utopia's certain frequencies at the high mids are slightly accentuated, making vocal very shouty at times. The dynamics are so high, vocal that are singing at normal loudness suddenly increase in loudness at higher pitch. I know some people like this kind of signature, calling it excitement but I am not a fan of this. 

I am not saying the Utopia is a bad phone, in fact, I very much prefer it's signature(due to its lower mids) over to HD800S. It is very clean sounding, very fast and more engaging than the sennheiser's.

On the Chord Dave, the Focal utopia does go deeper in the recording. The HD 800 and HD 800 S are bit more fussy. For example with background elements in a song, it's easier to track it within the soundstage on the Utopia while it's more unclear and undefined on the HD 800 and HD 800 S.

It's like an other layer between the recording and the headphone has been lifted.

It's not due to frequency response because the HD 650 is more comparable to the Focal Utopia in terms of frequency than the HD 800 S yet, the HD 650 is below both in terms of clarity and details.

 

[acap13]

Put aside on Utopia because its not my cup of tea, does anybody here whi have tried HD800S on audio gd amp? How does the pairing goes so far?

 

[Mr G]

My setup is as follows: Laptop - Foobar (Asio out) + Audio GD DI-V3S (TCXO upgrade and DI-PSU) + Audio GD DAC19DF (acss output) + Audio GD NFB-1 HEADPHONE AMP (balanced out) to HD800S. Love the sound.

 

[sheldaze]

Put aside on Utopia because its not my cup of tea, does anybody here whi have tried HD800S on audio gd amp? How does the pairing goes so far?

Not entirely certain what level of amplifier you are discussing. I would inject (opinion) that by the time you are referencing Master 9, Master 11, or NFB-27H, that many headphones work suitably on these amplifiers - including the HD800S. I've heard the NFB-27H and say it works quite well.

 

[MacedonianHero]

The 6khz peak might not be in the recording, but the peak does make the recording sounds clearer and airier. There are some micro details that HD800 is presenting much better than HD800S. Of course, 800 may sound peaky for pop or rock or some vocals, but for classical or instrumental music, I just found 800 better than 800 S. I'm not saying that 800 is better than 800. Actually 800S is better overall, but for the specific classical genre, 800 is better than 800S。And because 800 Better than 800S in classical and MDR-Z1R better than 800S for pop/ rock/ vocals, I have no reason to keep the HD800S

 
As you mentioned, the 6kHz peak isn't there...so what you're hearing is less transparent to the recording and in fact the "more details" you're hearing are only in that specific frequency range and as they are pushed forward, instruments that don't play in this range will be pushed back and you'll actually hear less details in the lower / mids. As I mentioned, I owned the HD800 for over 6 years and rarely used them and if not for the sound staging, I would have sold them after a year or so. The HD800S actually offer identical micro detail retrieval when I A-B'd both for a solid week...then I sold off my HD800 in favour of the more transparent HD800S. With regards to classical, I also prefer the HD800S as I mentioned, there is so much more to classical music than violins and flutes...trombones, tymphanies, cellos, etc... would all get drowned out by the HD800 6kHz peak and push other instruments in front. That's why a flat FR curve is always preferable...improved transparency across the board and not fake improved detail retrieval that in the end isn't there if you really focus on it. Just my 2 cents...
 
The only difference between the 2 is the Helmholtz resonator on the driver to mop up these superfluous frequencies in the 6kHz range...so in terms of speed, detail and sound staging, I found them far more similar than not.