[Topspin70]

I had both for a while and then sold my 650's. I just won't ever reach for them in the presence of an 800S.

I was worried that might be the case if I do get them. Thanks for sharing. Have a feeling this might be the consensus among others too.

 

[ubs28]

That's like a HD100000. I wonder what the cans alone sound like, without the partnering dac/amp. And whether there's any sonic resemblance to the HD800S.

I think the headphone of the HE-1 is more capable than it's current configuration because there are some minor issues that I think are caused by the tubes (heard the same thing with other tube based setups).

 

[Topspin70]

I think the headphone of the HE-1 is more capable than it's current configuration because there are some minor issues that I think are caused by the tubes (heard the same thing with other tube based setups).

Wow. Might be those electronics to move the tubes up and down. Visually impressive but adds nothing to the sound. Perhaps even cause issues instead.

Updated: Read your point again, so if it applies to other tube set-up, the issue lies with the cans?

 

[dadracer2]

I think the headphone of the HE-1 is more capable than it's current configuration because there are some minor issues that I think are caused by the tubes (heard the same thing with other tube based setups).

So what are these minor issues that you detected please?

 

[ubs28]

I won't give detailed impression yet because I need to do more testing before I can say something specific.


But it is something I heard also with speakers that used tube amplifiers so I think it is coming from the tubes.

 

[dadracer2]

I won't give detailed impression yet because I need to do more testing before I can say something specific.


But it is something I heard also with speakers that used tube amplifiers so I think it is coming from the tubes.

So is this only an impression that you have? Is it in specific valve types and combinations or across all valve types? Otherwise what you are saying is a very broad generalisation.
I am interested because I have a valve amp that I use with my speakers and headphones which replaced a transistor powered amp and I prefer this sound in almost every way. Despite this I would not claim that valve amps are better than transistor amps. Then again I prefer the overall sound balance of HD800S to the Focal Utopia so maybe you would feel I am not the best judge........

 

[ubs28]

Well, what I noticed with high-end solid state amplifiers from Esoteric for example, the bass is snappy, clear and excellent impact (if the amplifiers are able to give the power to speakers ofcourse because I heard other setups with bad bass using the same set of speakers)

I never heard tube amplfiers able to do that. Bass always sounds a bit "whooly". I don't know the terminology to describe it.

This is just what I hear between Solid State and Tube based systems usually.

 

[dadracer2]

Well, what I noticed with high-end solid state amplifiers from Esoteric for example, the bass is snappy, clear and excellent impact (if the amplifiers are able to give the power to speakers ofcourse because I heard other setups with bad bass using the same set of speakers)

I never heard tube amplfiers able to do that. Bass always sounds a bit "whooly". I don't know the terminology to describe it.

This is just what I hear between Solid State and Tube based systems usually.

I have not heard any of the Esoteric range so I could not say. The most exotic valve amp I heard most recently was a KR Kronzilla and it certainly did not lack extended tight or dynamic bass. Sadly it is well outside my price range. I am sure that there are valve amps out there with ill defined bass just as there are transistor amps out there that can sound brash, I am sure that it is more dependent on the overall balance of the system and indeed the preferences of the owner. I still don't think you can generalise that all valves sound like this and all transistors sound like that from the small cross section I have heard over the years.

 

[Dobrescu George]

Man I wish I read more things like this on Headfi! Different strokes for different folks. I still think the Hd800/HD800s is still the best fitting headphone out there.... But thats just my opinion ha

I totally agree, HD800S is the most comfortable headphone I had ever touched in my entire life!

 

[Topspin70]

It just occurred to me after being in this thread for a while that the title might have a reference to the proverbial "Sennheiser Veil". I wonder if that was the intended pun.

 

[Dobrescu George]

It just occurred to me after being in this thread for a while that the title might have a reference to the proverbial "Sennheiser Veil". I wonder if that was the intended pun.

That might be, but they didn't have any veil on many other models either - HD600, HD800, ie800, and a few others.

The newly acquired M2 IEBT sure doesn't have any kind of veil, and it is a BT IEM. This is the first time I have ever been so intrigued by a BT IEM.

 

[BunnyNamedCraig]

It just occurred to me after being in this thread for a while that the title might have a reference to the proverbial "Sennheiser Veil". I wonder if that was the intended pun.

LOL wow I never noticed that.... I really hope that was the genius behind it.

 

[Topspin70]

That might be, but they didn't have any veil on many other models either - HD600, HD800, ie800, and a few others.

The newly acquired M2 IEBT sure doesn't have any kind of veil, and it is a BT IEM. This is the first time I have ever been so intrigued by a BT IEM.

LOL wow I never noticed that.... I really hope that was the genius behind it.

Tyll wrote about it sometime back and suggested a possible origin of how that 'veil' came about. (https://www.innerfidelity.com/content/very-important-sennheiser-hd-580-hd-600-and-hd-650)

Honestly I got no idea what a veil sounds like. Muddiness? A dip in certain freq? Lack of detail? I had a close listen to the HD600 and HD650 recently, and I conclude they are warm and thick, and the latter more so than the former, and has less leading edge in the highs. But not sure if the word 'veil' comes to mind.

 

[endgame]

Tyll wrote about it sometime back and suggested a possible origin of how that 'veil' came about. (https://www.innerfidelity.com/content/very-important-sennheiser-hd-580-hd-600-and-hd-650)

Honestly I got no idea what a veil sounds like. Muddiness? A dip in certain freq? Lack of detail? I had a close listen to the HD600 and HD650 recently, and I conclude they are warm and thick, and the latter more so than the former, and has less leading edge in the highs. But not sure if the word 'veil' comes to mind.

It's just a way for people who don't like Sennheiser to hate. People say the lack of treble extension in the 598, 600, and 650 conveys a "veil" that makes them sound muffled like the music is being filtered through a pillow. But then they say the 800 has piercing and artificial treble that only gives the illusion of detail but not real detail like the Utopia (what the hell ever). And then you read the cult of AQ Nighthawk that has a huge dip in upper mids but they say it is perfectly detailed without artificial treble boost. Whatever. It's all snake oil and haterade to defend the product that they're invested in. The simple truth is that the 800S is simply one of the best headphones in existence at any price point. And the fact that the 598, 600, AND 650 are still relevant today, after all this time, speaks volumes to their quality for their price point. And as a former owner of the Nighthawk, I'd take the 50 year old HD 600 or 650 over them any day of the week and twice on Sunday ;-}

 

[Dobrescu George]

Tyll wrote about it sometime back and suggested a possible origin of how that 'veil' came about. (https://www.innerfidelity.com/content/very-important-sennheiser-hd-580-hd-600-and-hd-650)

Honestly I got no idea what a veil sounds like. Muddiness? A dip in certain freq? Lack of detail? I had a close listen to the HD600 and HD650 recently, and I conclude they are warm and thick, and the latter more so than the former, and has less leading edge in the highs. But not sure if the word 'veil' comes to mind.

Excellent read.

I get it now.

Well, I do prefer HD600 over HD650, but neither didn't sound veiled to me. With Sennheiser's Momentum line, there is absolutely no veil to speak about. Maybe there was a bit with their Urbanite line, at least I recall some people saying that, but with HD600, and everything above, and even Momentum, I don't really hear that veil.