[wym2]

  Any one here try WyWires cables with the HD 800S?

 
I use the Wywires Platinum cable. This cable opens up the whole soundscape.
 
 
MBP → SDragon → Mojo → AQ Sky → LC → Wywires Platinum → HD 800S

 

[smodtactical]

 

[Gandah]

First track off GoGo Penguin's album Man Made Object. very cool on 800 S

 

[Whazzzup]

 
First track off GoGo Penguin's album Man Made Object. very cool on 800 S

Only the first track? dab rye remix is pretty cool to 

 

[Gandah]

 
Only the first track? dab rye remix is pretty cool to 

They actually remind me of Portico Quartet but a little different......

 

[Whazzzup]

 

 
Only the first track? dab rye remix is pretty cool to 

They actually remind me of Portico Quartet but a little different......

spinner and city of glass is on my hard drive, gave me an excuse to listen to them 

 

[XVampireX]

I'm really a happy owner of the HD800S, more so than the LCD-3
 
Sometimes the higher price difference is not worth it.

 

[NGSKGSncLWHmD9X]

New RHCP album "The Getaway" is out and sounds beautiful with the HD 800 S. Give it a try people.

 

[smodtactical]

To those of you who compared the HD 800 to the HD 800 S... do any of you feel the S sounds slightly veiled compared to the original? I heard both and choose the S but I wasn't listening to a very good source when I made the decision. Just curious if the original is really noticeably less 'veiled'/more detailed.

 

[NGSKGSncLWHmD9X]

  To those of you who compared the HD 800 to the HD 800 S... do any of you feel the S sounds slightly veiled compared to the original? I heard both and choose the S but I wasn't listening to a very good source when I made the decision. Just curious if the original is really noticeably less 'veiled'/more detailed.

 
From a technical POV, it is expected for the new HD 800 S to sound very very slightly less detailed then HD 800. This is due to 2 reasons:
 
1. The addition of the Helmholtz resonator to tame the infamous 6kHz peak. This is the main reason why details around that zone are less audible as any data closer to that range is also tamed, hence less details.

2. The addition of the low frequency (LF) 2nd harmonic distortion to extend the bass. This helped out to turn the so-called “cold and very analytical” character of HD 800 into a bit more musical one, of course at the cost of authoritativeness. This is less important than the first item but still has an impact on the detail resolution as 2nd harmonic distortion tends to make things sound warmer and softer, with rounder edges and unfortunately with less precision. Distortion is distortion after all.
 
Tyll from InnerFidelity prefers a modded and EQed HD 800 over HD 800 S. Out-of-the box, HD 800 S wins.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0QrsBzmVVw

 

[tassardar]

Recently upgrade my desktop setup with a Hugo TT and IHA6 to run my HD800S. This is one great combination. So much air, clarity and great bass. Separation got even better. Loving my hd800s more then before haha.

And on the side note, I used the same setup to play some games, the true test of positioning and small details. It's overkill for playing games but man does it help lol.

 

[smodtactical]

I have an HD 800 S and absolutely love it! Upgraded from HD 650 and man what a huge difference.
 
Right now I am running a Burson Conductor SL 9018 and although it seems like quite a nice DAC + AMP, I can't help but feel the 800 S can do a lot more. Especially since when A-Bing between my motherboard sound card (which has a amp+dac built in) and the Burson I only found the Burson to be slightly better.
 
My budget is up to about 5,000 $ total but less would be great.
 
For Amps I'm thinking of the Simaudio Moon neo 430 HA, Ragnarok, Master 9, Auralis MK 2, headamp gsx Mk 2
 
For DACs I'm thinking On board DAC of the 430 HA, Yggy [Im leaning heavily towards Yggy], Master 7.
 
Any thoughts on these or votes for any other options?

 

[sheldaze]

  I have an HD 800 S and absolutely love it! Upgraded from HD 650 and man what a huge difference.
 
Right now I am running a Burson Conductor SL 9018 and although it seems like quite a nice DAC + AMP, I can't help but feel the 800 S can do a lot more. Especially since when A-Bing between my motherboard sound card (which has a amp+dac built in) and the Burson I only found the Burson to be slightly better.
 
My budget is up to about 5,000 $ total but less would be great.
 
For Amps I'm thinking of the Simaudio Moon neo 430 HA, Ragnarok, Master 9, Auralis MK 2, headamp gsx Mk 2
 
For DACs I'm thinking On board DAC of the 430 HA, Yggy [Im leaning heavily towards Yggy], Master 7.
 
Any thoughts on these or votes for any other options?

Have you tried tubes, or are you trying to stick with solid state?
On the DAC side of the equation, if Yggy is an option, Yggy is the answer 

 

 

[smodtactical]

  Have you tried tubes, or are you trying to stick with solid state?
On the DAC side of the equation, if Yggy is an option, Yggy is the answer 

 

 
Hey Sheldaze, ya I think probably I would prefer SS's crisp precise sound which I tend to enjoy although maybe I would like some tubes? Do you recommend any for the HD 800 S ?
 
I think you are totally right Shel, Yggy might be the way to go.
 
Any thoughts on SS amps or specific tubes?

 

[sheldaze]

 
Hey Sheldaze, ya I think probably I would prefer SS's crisp precise sound which I tend to enjoy although maybe I would like some tubes? Do you recommend any for the HD 800 S ?
 
I think you are totally right Shel, Yggy might be the way to go.
 
Any thoughts on SS amps or specific tubes?

Master 9 is probably quite good. I'm basing that on hearing the NFB-27H, which is the same topology at the Master 11 - just a different DAC. I like the pricing too...
 
The Simaudio Moon NEO 430 HA was also quite good during my brief listening, but...here's the thing. You're going to hear more of the headphone. It is not going to woo you into a warm, glowing, sleepy state. Sometimes you want this, and sometimes you do not. When Tyll speaks of it in InnerFidelity, he speaks of wanting to hear the details, and nothing more. He wants to know what each source and transducer sounds like. My personal taste leans, very slightly, towards a glow. But if you want the precise, crisp sounds, you cannot go wrong with the 430HA.
 
I've had only the most minimal of listening time with the HeadAmp GS-X, but it was no-doubt clean, crisp, and fast too.