[trellus]

IMO Pricing is the only factor to determine whether a product is an upgrade to another, BY THE MANUFACTURER'S STANDARD. Senn's "ability" to produce HD820 should be about the same as its "ability" to produce HD800S, thus the supply is unchanged. Pricing the HD820 higher reflects the fact that Senn predicts a higher demand for HD820 than for HD800S.

...or a lower demand so the need to compensate by pricing it higher? Or possibly that plus somewhat higher manufacturing costs due to that concave gorilla glass?

 

[Beagle]

I would also strongly suggest against anyone looking for a "HD800, just closed back" as they are fundamentally different designs and will sound different accordingly. I would have thought Sennheiser would change the naming / numbering to reflect this but alas they did not, and thus the name suggests it is an upgrade.

I would agree. If they had called it the HD800CL, it would have had to sound at least similar. And the price would have had to stay around the same. So calling it HD820 lets Sennheiser give it it's own character and, unfortunately, price.

 

[Beagle]

Where are the comments on the sound folks?! The silence is deafening. I'm getting tinnitus from it

 

[Edric Li]

...or a lower demand so the need to compensate by pricing it higher?

Bro no offense but you need to retake freshman economics.

 

[Giraku]

Where are the comments on the sound folks?! The silence is deafening. I'm getting tinnitus from it

Well I made some quick comments on the sound but not a comprehensive one as I have just received mine 3 days ago. I'm sure more comments will trickle in in a next few weeks.

 

[gLer]

Where are the comments on the sound folks?! The silence is deafening. I'm getting tinnitus from it

+1. All I want to know is if it has better bass (more ‘punch’ and weight) and less piercing treble/sibilance than the HD800/S, even at the cost of some ‘stage’ (but not at the cost of imaging and separation), and then we can talk. If the sound doesn’t improve on the open 800s in those areas, I’m not really interested, especially at the price.

 

[pietcux]

+1. All I want to know is if it has better bass (more ‘punch’ and weight) and less piercing treble/sibilance than the HD800/S, even at the cost of some ‘stage’ (but not at the cost of imaging and separation), and then we can talk. If the sound doesn’t improve on the open 800s in those areas, I’m not really interested, especially at the price.

Sounds to me that you need to listen yourself, no escape no shortcut. You know you will. We all know we will have to do that. Listening to my gorgeous Z1R right now. Who said it has no stage no imaging? That couldn't be more wrong.

 

[gLer]

Sounds to me that you need to listen yourself, no escape no shortcut. You know you will. We all know we will have to do that. Listening to my gorgeous Z1R right now. Who said it has no stage no imaging? That couldn't be more wrong.

The Z1R is actually meant to have an excellent soundstage, although I haven’t heard it myself. Then again folks around here say the Elear has no stage, and again I have to wonder what headphones they were listening to because mine has plenty. Nothing like the HD800 of course, but that’s a unique headphone. The HD820 will have to be even more unique to justify what they’re asking for it.

 

[trellus]

Bro no offense but you need to retake freshman economics.

Haha, yeah, you got me... if supply is tight and demand outstrips it, the price goes up, case in point, the Sony XB90EX I just sold are hard to find and the brand new prices on eBay are staggeringly high ($500 to $900), which is far above what they sold MSRP when they were in production... I just don't think that's why Sennheiser priced the HD 820 that high (I think it's because it's their first high-end closed headphone and costs more to produce), but I obviously don't know what went into their pricing strategy.

 

[nigel801]

Are there any comparisons available with Sony Z1R or Ether C Flow tried digging the threads but no luck

 

[heliosphann]

Are there any comparisons available with Sony Z1R or Ether C Flow tried digging the threads but no luck

I have both. What do you want to know?

 

[Mark Up]

Thank you for disqualifiing the Sennheiser amps again. This will bring the used price down. But I feel you are not right in that regard. But that's ok.

I said nothing disqualifying about their amps. I have no idea what you are saying "will bring the used price down". What am I not right about?

 

[Edric Li]

Are there any comparisons available with Sony Z1R or Ether C Flow tried digging the threads but no luck

Haven't heard the HD820 but there's no way the sony can be better than the senns. Ether C Flow might have a shot against HD820. TH900 is too colored to be in this convo.

I just don't think that's why Sennheiser priced the HD 820 that high (I think it's because it's their first high-end closed headphone and costs more to produce), but I obviously don't know what went into their pricing strategy.

IMO there's certainly increased cost of production introducing HD820 to the line-up, but that doesn't make up for the near $1000 price jump. HD820 must be, in Senn's mind, an overall better, more demanded headphone.

 

[trellus]

Haven't heard the HD820 but there's no way the sony can be better than the senns. Ether C Flow might have a shot against HD820. TH900 is too colored to be in this convo.



IMO there's certainly increased cost of production introducing HD820 to the line-up, but that doesn't make up for the near $1000 price jump. HD820 must be, in Senn's mind, an overall better, more demanded headphone.

Or maybe they see the market for closed headphones as being distinct enough from the market for open headphones that they're not pricing the HD 820 relative to the HD 800S so much as positioning it against what they believe it is competing against: other manufacturers' closed headphones.

 

[heliosphann]

Haven't heard the HD820 but there's no way the sony can be better than the senns. Ether C Flow might have a shot against HD820. TH900 is too colored to be in this convo.

The Z1R is a very polarizing headphone and the HD800 line has a lot of detractors as well. So saying one is better than the other without hearing both is you just typing meaningless gibberish.