[AlanU]

  Sennheiser Headphones, even the mid-fi ones last 15-20 years. We have seen all kinds of production issues with some of the newer headphone companies on headphones that cost over a grand! To make headphones that sound so good and last so long they do years of R&D. They have to source materials that they know they can support for many, many years. It is a sadly old fashioned philosophy.
 
It is interesting that so many people are slamming the honesty of Sennheiser when they say it is only a small improvement. It is already one of the best sounding cans on the planet, in some dimensions, the best.... Honesty should be celebrated not dismissed. Most of the differences that people rave about with DACs are not so big, in some cases quite small. yet if you read the forums people go on and on as if there are huge differences.

If your spending $500-1500 dollar range on a DAC  the improvements can be lateral with slight differences. When you start doing an A/B comparison between two DAC's you can hear the difference in how each manufacturer "wants" you to listen to their interpretation of sound. Some create larger sound stage, accentuate frequencies, push the stage more forward or recess etc.......
 
In my case a DAC can create a massive difference in sound quality.  There are reasons why people buy/sell DAC's equally as much as swapping speakers/headphones. For me the differences I get from a DAC is the engagement factor. Listening to "Melody Gardot" with my on board Burson Virtuoso dac to my Tube DAC using the same HD800 headphones is a totally different sound experience. Between different DAC's Diana Krall's raspy voice can be "deeply engaging" to "sounds pretty good". I've performed comparison's and even with friends unfamiliar with the sound signature of the HD800 they've discovered dramatic differences as I swap DAC's. Next step is going to a Tube amp. This is where there is room to customize sound signatures for different types of music.
 
I'd rate the on board Burson Virtuoso "non sabre" DAC chipset to be quite refined, smooth and somewhat organic analog sounding. 
 
Most certainly Headphones can drastically change the sound signature. Also the synergy between the components can make a drastic difference. By spending $500 on a newly manufactured HD650 will be different between  an HD800S. So yes swapping HP can change the feel of the music entirely. HP swapping will certainly give you the most drastic change. 
 
The "tweak" of the HD800S is such a logical step of extending the life of this particular model. Selling my current modded HD800 and repurchasing the tweaked new revision may possibly be a $800+ CDN upgrade. Lots of money that can be sourced elsewhere to change the sound signature. 
 
So far I have been able to make my HD800 quite universal for string/vocals/orchestra to super upbeat electronica.  This is done by swapping tubes or swapping the DAC. Not sure if many experiment with alot of different components. 

 

[knowhatimean]

I find the name of the headphone pretty annoying.  I'll have to say I have a Sennheiser HD800, instead of the sometimes used I own a pair of HD800s.  Even doing a google search for HD800S is a little elusive.


Yeah did anyone actually buy their HD800 at MSRP?  Hell I bought mine with an employee discount for ~$1000 USD (Not a huge discount by any means compared to what you can get them for from a lot of sellers but still good)

I don't believe the "s" version exists as a retail product yet.

What you've been reading is just the typical Head fi pre-release banter. (I'm guessing the prices of the HD800 have only recently moved down from the $1500 / $1600 level once it became known Senn.was making plans to release the "s" version.. I would bet Senn let it's distributors in on the plans on releasing this new version, before
the pubic caught wind of what was "in the wind".

It's called cultivating a healthy relationship with your business partners.

 

[Anjolie]

With vague descriptors like "slightly better" from Sennheiser, this is probably going to address SOME of the problems of v.01. To what extent is still to be seen until someone like Tyll gets ahold of one and does a thorough comparison

I doubt this HD800S is going to cause you to have an eargasm or an ear-boner but YMMV

Someone had mentioned that the "S" suffix added to this iteration sounded much like what Apple does for their iPhones. My guess would be that that is an apt observation since this version is only "slightly better" with an all new successor to the HD800 which will be hinted at this time next year

As for price, that would depend on if they bundle the HD800S with the balance cable. If I were Sennheiser I would make the cable an option due to the fact that you'd alienate existing HD800 owners who more than likely have a set already and would be reluctant to upgrade to the "S" version if they had to pay for it

I would venture a guess that the newer version would be close in price to the original without the added balance cable

Just my 2 cents FWIW

 

[securitybunny]

I am very eager to get my hands on the HD800S as soon as they are available. Unfortunately it seems like it won't be coming out anytime "soon" this year.

 

[shabta]

More time to save up...

 

[dxanex]

Looks like a lot of headfiers gonna buy this hd800s , the for sale forums are flooded with hd800

So silly. People don't even wait for impressions or even price/release date info anymore. Just gimme gimme gimme. I'm nowhere near willing to let my HD 800 go at a significant loss on something that's "a little bit better" -especially not knowing the price yet. This behavior is exactly why companies are driving headphone prices up astronomically. 

 

[raybone0566]

Seems to me this is their nice way of saying we haven't figured out how to make anything better yet. So we"ll offer this as a consolation piece.

 

[iDesign]

With vague descriptors like "slightly better" from Sennheiser, this is probably going to address SOME of the problems of v.01. To what extent is still to be seen until someone like Tyll gets ahold of one and does a thorough comparison

I doubt this HD800S is going to cause you to have an eargasm or an ear-boner but YMMV

Someone had mentioned that the "S" suffix added to this iteration sounded much like what Apple does for their iPhones. My guess would be that that is an apt observation since this version is only "slightly better" with an all new successor to the HD800 which will be hinted at this time next year

As for price, that would depend on if they bundle the HD800S with the balance cable. If I were Sennheiser I would make the cable an option due to the fact that you'd alienate existing HD800 owners who more than likely have a set already and would be reluctant to upgrade to the "S" version if they had to pay for it

I would venture a guess that the newer version would be close in price to the original without the added balance cable

Just my 2 cents FWIW

Good post. As I said earlier the HD-800S is akin to the iPhone 6 and 6S and the differences between the HD800 and HD-800S are not significant enough for the majority of Sennheiser HD-800 owners to upgrade. This is why companies like Sennheiser need to embrace the culture of modifying and create upgrade programs as I suspect many HD-800 owners would pay to have their headphones upgraded to the HD-800S specification. And if the upgrade program was priced and structured correctly, it would also make sense for Sennheiser economically because they could reduce manufacturing costs and they would see a larger number of enthusiasts paying for the upgrade than they would see buying an all new headphone. If Sennheiser does not offer an upgrade program, the HD-800S needed to be more boldly distinguished and offered as an limited edition that is built in low volumes to create the same psychology and exclusivity that makes car collectors spend more for the same cars. Keeping with Axel Grell's Porsche analogy, the HD-800S shouldnt have represented the difference between 911 and 911 S, it should represent the difference between 911 GTS and 911 GTS Rennsport Reunion Edition. As much as Sennheiser might like to think, the acoustic absorber and black paint isnt the difference between 997.2 GT3 RS and 997.2 GT3 RS 4.0. 

 

[coletrain104]

 
Good post. As I said earlier the HD-800S is akin to the iPhone 6 and 6S and the differences between the HD800 and HD-800S are not significant enough for the majority of Sennheiser HD-800 owners to upgrade. This is why companies like Sennheiser need to embrace the culture of modifying and create upgrade programs as I suspect many HD-800 owners would pay to have their headphones upgraded to the HD-800S specification. And if the upgrade program was priced and structured correctly, it would also make sense for Sennheiser economically because they could reduce manufacturing costs and they would see a larger number of enthusiasts paying for the upgrade than they would see buying an all new headphone. If Sennheiser does not offer an upgrade program, the HD-800S needed to be more boldly distinguished and offered as an limited edition that is built in low volumes to create the same psychology and exclusivity that makes car collectors spend more for the same cars. Keeping with Axel Grell's Porsche analogy, the HD-800S shouldnt have represented the difference between 911 and 911 S, it should represent the difference between 911 GTS and 911 GTS Rennsport Reunion Edition. As much as Sennheiser might like to think, this isnt the difference between 997.2 GT3 RS and 997.2 GT3 RS 4.0. 

While an upgrade program might be the "right" or even reasonable thing to do, it isn't feasible. The driver is an all-new production piece, and the baffles are of a different color. For an existing product, that means replacing these parts, which means the only thing that can stay is the headband, hardly a source of value in a $1500 headphone.

 

[Anjolie]

 
Good post. As I said earlier the HD-800S is akin to the iPhone 6 and 6S and the differences between the HD800 and HD-800S are not significant enough for the majority of Sennheiser HD-800 owners to upgrade. This is why companies like Sennheiser need to embrace the culture of modifying and create upgrade programs as I suspect many HD-800 owners would pay to have their headphones upgraded to the HD-800S specification. And if the upgrade program was priced and structured correctly, it would also make sense for Sennheiser economically because they could reduce manufacturing costs and they would see a larger number of enthusiasts paying for the upgrade than they would see buying an all new headphone. If Sennheiser does not offer an upgrade program, the HD-800S needed to be more boldly distinguished and offered as an limited edition that is built in low volumes to create the same psychology and exclusivity that makes car collectors spend more for the same cars. Keeping with Axel Grell's Porsche analogy, the HD-800S shouldnt have represented the difference between 911 and 911 S, it should represent the difference between 911 GTS and 911 GTS Rennsport Reunion Edition. As much as Sennheiser might like to think, the acoustic absorber and black paint isnt the difference between 997.2 GT3 RS and 997.2 GT3 RS 4.0 and it fell short. 

It will be interesting which direction Sennheiser will go.  As an aside, how do you like your Analixus modded HD800?

 

[Mentis]

The next thing you know is next year they announce hd850, then hd850s the year after, then......

 

[shultzee]

  HD800 MSRP price just increased not long ago.  So lowering their price only goes back to their non inflated original price  It's probably part of their setup to slowly adjust the price for their HD800S...  anyhow, seems like they just screwed their HD800 customers by releasing HD800S.  Especially the new HD800 owners...

I am a fairly new HD800 owner and I don't feel screwed at all.   Best headphone I have owned....and I have owned a few.

 

[shultzee]

  I think it's their way of fixing their flagship, without admitting there was a problem to begin with.
 
Am not tipping a price rise - same price, but with a cable. Existing one drops in price - to just above what it would cost if you bought it with a cable separately.

The amount of HD800's sold says there wasn't much of a problem.   It is still one of the best 5-6 headphones in the world.     I am not even sure if Senn is dropping the current HD800.

 

[VandyMan]

  The next thing you know is next year they announce hd850, then hd850s the year after, then......

Is that a BAD thing?

 

[lovethatsound]

I am a fairly new HD800 owner and I don't feel screwed at all.   Best headphone I have owned....and I have owned a few.

totally agree with you I've had my hd800 for about 2 year's now and I've never had any trouble with them,don't use any mods on them at all.so i won't be upgrading 2 hd800s,really dont feel the need 2.