[John Buchanan]

There appears to be a major dip in the response between about 200 and 400 Hz (see Crinacle's graph database).

 

[Rob80b]

There appears to be a major dip in the response between about 200 and 400 Hz (see Crinacle's graph database).

Haven't noticed it myself.......

The steep drop that starts <200 Hz is there by design. If you want to better understand why it's there, make sure to watch this presentation by Axel Grell of Sennheiser from CanJam NYC 2018 (for discussion of this specifically, start watching at around the 27:00 mark):

 

[pbui44]

I’m just under 10 miles from Birmingham, but unfortunately i’m housebound, so i can never audition & have to decide by reviews & take a chance. ( Of course, there’s returns, but that in itself would be a hassle for me. ) I have purchased from before & i find them very good, with points rewards, for further purchases.

So one possible scenario that you could negotiate with them is you giving the Audio Affair for that location a deposit equivalent to a demo model price for that demo model HD820 to have someone pick up that HD820 and bring it to your home to audition for three or four days. If you don't like it, then you can have someone send that demo model back and have Audio Affair refund the deposit back to you when the HD820 is back on their demo shelf.

 

[Rob49]

So one possible scenario that you could negotiate with them is you giving the Audio Affair for that location a deposit equivalent to a demo model price for that demo model HD820 to have someone pick up that HD820 and bring it to your home to audition for three or four days. If you don't like it, then you can have someone send that demo model back and have Audio Affair refund the deposit back to you when the HD820 is back on their demo shelf.

Thank you for that suggestion, but i literally have no one that could do that. I’m basically on my own.

 

[pbui44]

Thank you for that suggestion, but i literally have no one that could do that. I’m basically on my own.

Since this is a demo model HD820 deposit for about half price, you can offer someone that works at Audio Affair some gas money (20 quid each way?) to drop it off for you and if you don't like it, then have them pick it up from you for the same fee and give your deposit back.

 

[Rob49]

Since this is a demo model HD820 deposit for about half price, you can offer someone that works at Audio Affair some gas money (20 quid each way?) to drop it off for you and if you don't like it, then have them pick it up from you for the same fee and give your deposit back.

Thanks, I could have a conversation with Audio Affair. I’ll look into it……

Do you own the HD820’s ? I guess so, being “A member of the trade”.

 

[pbui44]

Thanks, I could have a conversation with Audio Affair. I’ll look into it……

Do you own the HD820’s ? I guess so, being “A member of the trade”.

Yes...but I do not think that it is because I am “a member of the trade”.

 

[Rob49]

Yes...but I do not think that it is because I am “a member of the trade”.

……and what’s your thoughts ? ( Do you happen to have a Sony DMP-Z1 player ?? )

 

[pbui44]

……and what’s your thoughts ? ( Do you happen to have a Sony DMP-Z1 player ?? )

I do not have a Sony DMP-Z1. However, @coloboxp said their thoughts about the HD820 pairing with his Sony ZX-707:

Ok, joined the club

Went to test them to a boutique and my DAP was able to handle it quite well

 

[Vamp898]

Haven't noticed it myself.......

I never thought that this was an mistake.

So the explanation is that they don't like how things sound in real life.

Well that's not accurate, a more accurate interpretation of that explanation is "Audiophiles like when everything sounds insanely clear and detailed and rather prefer an sound that's horrendously wrong but detailed then accurate and too warm/thick"

A mix of that and in addition to that, they solved issues they caused themselves in the first place.

So "We caused issues and found no better way to fix it, but had to fix it because audiophiles with big budgets don't care if things sound good, they have to sound wide and detailed"

It's nice that they give an explanation and it's not like it doesn't work. It does sound wide and detailed, but there are closed headphones which can do that too without sounding broken...

For 2400 MSRP they could have put more time and thinking into it imho. It's not like it's an bad headphone, not at all, it's just not 2400 good. I got mine, back then, for 1600€ and even that still felt overpriced. There are headphones for 700-1000 who outperform it and it's an very simple and cheap design too. There is absolutely no reason for this price point.

The competition for the same price is designed, build and manufactured so much more complex with much more RnD, the HD820 is just priced wrong

 

[Rob80b]

I never thought that this was an mistake.

So the explanation is that they don't like how things sound in real life.

Well this hobby is and can be highly subjective and I have not heard all the closed backs available, but from the ones I was able to the HD820 did sound the most natural "to me" and checked the majority of boxes, obviously there will always be compromises.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sennheiser-hd820.846244/page-256#post-17510442

but there are closed headphones which can do that too without sounding broken...

You had initially really liked the HD820 so obviously I had to do a quick search as to why they may sound as you say " broken" ......
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sennheiser-hd820.846244/page-240

I noticed that with several acoustic albums, that the volume of certain instruments was off.

For example when listening to Adam Agee, the Acoustic Guitar (or Banjo, depending on song) on the left was way quieter than the violin on the right.

At some orchestra recordings where the Cello is supposed to have the same volume than the flute, the flute was right but the cello was way to quiet.

.......and will take a closer listen.....may be down to fit and seal with some listeners?

Which ones can you recommend that try to achieve the same goals as the HD820 in trying to replicate the HD800/S? The Sony Z1R is mentioned fairly often, but again a different sound signature.

 

[RoninChaos]

I never thought that this was an mistake.

So the explanation is that they don't like how things sound in real life.

Well that's not accurate, a more accurate interpretation of that explanation is "Audiophiles like when everything sounds insanely clear and detailed and rather prefer an sound that's horrendously wrong but detailed then accurate and too warm/thick"

A mix of that and in addition to that, they solved issues they caused themselves in the first place.

So "We caused issues and found no better way to fix it, but had to fix it because audiophiles with big budgets don't care if things sound good, they have to sound wide and detailed"

It's nice that they give an explanation and it's not like it doesn't work. It does sound wide and detailed, but there are closed headphones which can do that too without sounding broken...

For 2400 MSRP they could have put more time and thinking into it imho. It's not like it's an bad headphone, not at all, it's just not 2400 good. I got mine, back then, for 1600€ and even that still felt overpriced. There are headphones for 700-1000 who outperform it and it's an very simple and cheap design too. There is absolutely no reason for this price point.

The competition for the same price is designed, build and manufactured so much more complex with much more RnD, the HD820 is just priced wrong

What headphones for 700-1000 outperform them?

 

[exhale]

I never thought that this was an mistake.

So the explanation is that they don't like how things sound in real life.

Well that's not accurate, a more accurate interpretation of that explanation is "Audiophiles like when everything sounds insanely clear and detailed and rather prefer an sound that's horrendously wrong but detailed then accurate and too warm/thick"

A mix of that and in addition to that, they solved issues they caused themselves in the first place.

So "We caused issues and found no better way to fix it, but had to fix it because audiophiles with big budgets don't care if things sound good, they have to sound wide and detailed"

It's nice that they give an explanation and it's not like it doesn't work. It does sound wide and detailed, but there are closed headphones which can do that too without sounding broken...

For 2400 MSRP they could have put more time and thinking into it imho. It's not like it's an bad headphone, not at all, it's just not 2400 good. I got mine, back then, for 1600€ and even that still felt overpriced. There are headphones for 700-1000 who outperform it and it's an very simple and cheap design too. There is absolutely no reason for this price point.

The competition for the same price is designed, build and manufactured so much more complex with much more RnD, the HD820 is just priced wrong

I understand your frustration, i really do. You wanted to like them but sadly, they weren’t meant to be. Such is life, sometimes .
The thing is, there are FEW companies that do invest in R&D as much as Sennheiser does. Furthermore, the HD820’s design is so advances that i doubt there’s anything on the market that even comes close to them (a lot of “patend pending” stuff around but neither actually ground breaking).
In the 700-1000 price bracket i have yet to find anything closed-back that even remotely reaches the HD820s quality, both in sound as well as in build. Plastic =/= bad quality. Not necessarily. But if i’m mistaking, please, do correct me and at least give me a few examples of better closed-backs at this price point (any price point, for that matter) and i promise i will check them out.
Also, do bear in mind that frequency graphs =/= final sound.
Cheers

 

[Rob80b]

What headphones for 700-1000 outperform them?

Not to mention....

The competition for the same price is designed, build and manufactured so much more complex with much more RnD, the HD820

I could be wrong but next to Beyerdynamic (1937), I believe Sennheiser has one of the longest and most sophisticated R&D departments when it comes to open back headphones, believe Axel Grell mentioned the design for an acceptable (to his standards) closed back like the HD820 started back in 2012 after years of trial and error.

 

[Rob80b]

I understand your frustration, i really do. You wanted to like them but sadly, they weren’t meant to be. Such is life, sometimes .

Sounds like my long jaded affair with the HD650s (x 4).