[phonomat]

   
That would have been smart.   So smart.   I guess they're greedier than they are smart. 

 

 

  It's out in Germany. Haven't heard it yet, no time this week. Short impressions from someone I phoned with were: no sharpness on percussion anymore, generally smoother treble curve, however interesting: more kick/slam on the bass (no elevation or push, just more tactile and going down lower). Was particularly impressed with electronic music and how the slam was noticably harder on the S. NO loss on soundstage, detail retrieval seems to be finer, less gray. 
 
Not my impressions.

 
That sounds pretty good. Pret-ty, pret-ty good.

 

[ubs28]

$1699 is only $100 more from their current price of HD800. It's not too bad... Honestly, I wished Sennheiser to reduce the price of HD800 to $1299 and offer HD800S for $1499.

These HD800 are way too cheap. The HE-1000 which is technically inferior to the HD800 sells for over $3000. And you want it even cheaper? Luckly Sennheiser doesn't charge $2000 or more which they probably can pull off in this market.

 

[robm321]

Technically inferior LOL. 

 

[ubs28]

  Technically inferior LOL. 

Look at those THD levels of the HE-1000. Tyll has also mentioned it on his site than the HD800 is technically superior to the HE-1000. 

 

[plakat]

I didn't like the HE1000 either... neither its sound signature nor its build quality are what I'd expect for me at that price point. YMMV... but I definitely prefer the HD800S and would still take it if both cost the same.

 

[ogodei]

 
These HD800 are way too cheap. The HE-1000 which is technically inferior to the HD800 sells for over $3000. And you want it even cheaper? Luckly Sennheiser doesn't charge $2000 or more which they probably can pull off in this market.

 
Another way to say this would be 'The HE-1000 are way too expensive."
 

  Technically inferior LOL. 

 
I'm with you.  Should have been absolutely inferior.

 

[ubs28]

Here is the quote from Tyll by the way.
 

"The HD 800 lacks the bass weight of the HE1000, and therefor seems less integrated across the whole of the music. HD 800 is more precise however, producing a wider deeper image and a properly articulate transient response; the difference in analytical comparative listening was pretty clear. But where it really matters, the music enjoyment, the HE1000 was far more pleasant and enjoyable. The HD 800 was agressive and analytical, while I just wanted to snuggle up to my music with the HE1000. I think I might have even sucked my thumb just a bit while listening.
So, while I think the HE1000 falls a bit short on technicalities, it's long on pleasurable listening. In the Big Sound finale where I tally the participant scores, the HE1000 with 10 points came in a close second to the HD 800 with 12

Read more at http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/exceptionally-pleasing-hifiman-he1000-planar-magnetic-headphone-page-2#G0OYjTBeSCatbKPl.99"

 
 
So the HD800 is an absolute steal for the current price it sells. I'm surprised Sennheiser didn't raise the price of the HD800S significantly in this current market.  Whether or not you like the signature is a matter of taste though. 

 

[Dadracer]

In fairness the HD800 won over a lot of excellent TOTL headphones including the HE1000 and was the 2nd lowest in price so it remains strong value for money. I do wonder despite what Tyll says that the HE1000 would be comfortable to wear for a couple of hours at a time.

 

[Psalmanazar]

  By marketing and main source media, some of us have been program to believe new is always better, especially when it comes to mainstream consumable items like iPhone's oops.. I meant mobile Phones.  Also planned obsolescence adds to this way of thinking as well. Planned obsolescence is where a product is programmed or designed to fail after a certain period of time.
 
Anyhow back on topic, I also prefer the HD650 over any other Sennheiser HP, I'm hoping the HD800S will change that but I have my doubts.

The HD 600 is slightly bright, the HD 650 slightly dark. Both are neutral as hell compared to the HD 800's 6khz spike and treble mountain and the HD 650 black driver model sounds completely different from the modern silver drivers. I don't think it's worth buying within the HD 6xx line if you have a working HD 580, 600, or silver driver 650 but the current 650 has the cleanest bass with the best upper mids even if could use more high treble air but out of studio gear/the Schiit MM stack it sounds the best to me. The HD 600 sounds better out of warmed over old receivers and CD players.
 
Sennheiser doesn't seem to believe in planned obsolescence unless one model is better than the prior one in every possible way like how the HD 580 smoking the 540 and 560 and the 600 eventually replacing the less sturdy 580. They still pumped out the HD 250 though until the actual molds to make the housings fell apart and the profit from selling them wasn't worth justifying making new ones.
 
I'm hoping the HD 800S damps the treble in addition to removing the 6kHz spike. The HD 800 is one of the only flagships that actually offers higher fidelity (more faithful to the recording on monitor speakers) sound in a few areas other than linear planar bass extension. The problem is treble response is just godawful and worse than a DT 990 at realistic (80-90 db average) levels. Well recorded shimmering cymbals are way too loud and painfully forwardly represented and too much air highlights recording artifacts that are there but just not a big deal with more neutral transducers.

 

[jefmohd]

I'm in the market for a new headphone may be HE-1000 or Abyss and now comes the HD800S.
I had listened to the HD800 before and it was not my "cup of tea". Still having and loving my HD 650 though.
At the current "crazy" pricing of headphones I have to hold on to my wallet before listening to the HD800S.
 
From youtube ..

 

[AlanU]

  I'm in the market for a new headphone may be HE-1000 or Abyss and now comes the HD800S.
I had listened to the HD800 before and it was not my "cup of tea". Still having and loving my HD 650 though.
At the current "crazy" pricing of headphones I have to hold on to my wallet before listening to the HD800S.
 
From youtube ..

Very likely the house sound of the HD800S will not be for you either if you dislike the HD800......Sounds like you'll be a happy owner of an HE-1k or Abyss.....

 

[Dobrescu George]

And here I was, thinking that I was of the few that really liked HD800 sound more than most other headphones out there!
 
For two things, I actually avoided trying to get closer to buying HD800 because I heared a sharp spike that was way distracting in metal music, it made some distortions, so I would love that solved, but I want the rest of the treble there. By any means, I would not wish for another dark dark headphone like HD650, or LCD-3 

.

 

[Beagle]

Quote:

 
So the HD800 is an absolute steal for the current price it sells. I'm surprised Sennheiser didn't raise the price of the HD800S significantly in this current market.

Quote:

 
Another way to say this would be 'The HE-1000 are way too expensive."

Quote:

In fairness the HD800 won over a lot of excellent TOTL headphones including the HE1000 and was the 2nd lowest in price so it remains strong value for money.

 
Sennheiser was designing and building nice sounding headphones before any of these overpricing wannabes were even born.

 

[jlbrach]

I am going to give the HD800s a listen,I had the 800 and sold it to get the HE1000 which to my ears is far better,that said I am a fan of the 800 sound signature.....all of these headphones are now overpiced but that doesnt mean that the more expensive ones arent the very best....best for the buck is a different issue

 

[Psalmanazar]

  I am going to give the HD800s a listen,I had the 800 and sold it to get the HE1000 which to my ears is far better,that said I am a fan of the 800 sound signature.....all of these headphones are now overpiced but that doesnt mean that the more expensive ones arent the very best....best for the buck is a different issue

The point is that many flagships price cans are not even close to the best headphones their manufacturer makes (hello Beyer), have various tradeoffs like any other headphone, and won't be making your listening setup really any higher fidelity when compared to a 300-600ish headphone. The way to do that would be to buy speakers, not to drop 1000-5000 dollars on what might even be a downgrade in some ways. The price of certain flagships is already close to the cost of a pair of mid-field monitors and room treatment which is ridiculous.