pietcux
Headphoneus Supremus
But aren't the pads softer and thicker?
Sennheiser HD820
- Thread starter Dulalala
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Hifiearspeakers
Headphoneus Supremus
I’ve read that before. You didn’t say much other than they sound open for a closed headphone.
Oh wait, nevermind. I haven’t seen this post before. Good stuff.
Yeah, one of the great things about the 600/650/800 headphones is that so many people have them or heard them, the serve as a touchstone for comparison for every other headphone.
I logged about 15 minutes on the 820 -- 10 minutes, then 10 minutes in the Orpheus, and another 5 on the 820. Even with the Orpheus, and all of its brilliance, sandwiched between my listening sessions, my respect for the 820 was not diminished. It is an amazing set of cans. If I didn't already have the Utopia, I probably would have waited for the 820 to be released. I went another direction in closed backs and got the LCD-XC instead at the AV Boutique while on a trip to Vegas. Ha! It's probably the first time I came home from Vegas with something that didn't need to stay in Vegas.
Hifiearspeakers
Headphoneus Supremus
So if the 800/800s and the 820 were all lying in front of you and you could have one of them for free, but were never allowed to sell it, which one would you pick and why?
If I could only own one of those and no other headphones, I'd take the 820 due to its greater versatility in different environments. My wife can hear my Utopia while she's upstairs in the bedroom with the door closed.
pietcux
Headphoneus Supremus
You are such a tease.... but the HD660S that sits on my head right now is good enough for now.We’re ready to see everyone at the Sennheiser booth!
Aeon Flow Open for me.
While the hd800 might seem more lightweight, the pressure on the jaw bone was far too unbearable for me.
franz12
Headphoneus Supremus
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Hope I hear more impressions about hd820 over this weekend!
Audioholic123
500+ Head-Fier
The same could be said about any other headphone manufacturers products though.
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baiyy1986
100+ Head-Fier
Thank you so much!I'm a little late to the party but I got a chance to listen to the HD820 at CES and talk to Axel Grell about them. The show floor is not the best place for auditioning headphones but did serve as a good spot to hear the difference in isolation between the 820 and 800s.
The 820 sounds a lot like the 800s. They are just as detailed and resolving. There seemed to be a touch more bass as expected but it could have been because the 820 is way more isolating. At a reasonable volume, I could barely hear the background noise and at higher volumes, I couldn't hear anything but the music. With the 800 you could hear everything even at high volumes.
The soundstage on the 820 is the widest I've heard on closed back sets. I'd say it compares favorably to the Utopia. Maybe a bit more expansive. It's not as wide as the 800s. When I remarked on the wide soundstage to Axel, he said, "Well, that was the challenge. To recreate the sound with the closed back design."
I also learned that the increase in cost is due to several factors: 1) they source flat sheets of Gorilla Glass and then send it to a glassworks to make the concave shape; 2) they include additional accessories; and 3) due to the weight increase from closing the backs, they had to use a different plastic to reduce weight while maintaining strength and stiffness. With consumer durable goods, any production cost increase usually results in at least a 4-5x increase in retail price. Everyone in the distribution chain needs to make their margin.
In my opinion, the 800s and 820 are co-flagships. If you have a dedicated listening space and don't have to worry about sound leakage, the 800s is a better buy. If you want to listen at work, on the go, or have a spouse with demon ears, the 820 is the way to go. You buy the 820 if you are a collector -- they are beautiful cans -- or if you need the isolation.
Here's some pics (bonus Orpheus):
There is a new serif in town!!!
TonyNewman
Headphoneus Supremus
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I really, really like the HD800S. Shares my favorite spot with the ported HEKv2.
A closed back version with decent isolation and a similar sound signature appeals to me, but the price is a little steep. Think I will wait a while for some user feedback to build up and for some special deals to come online.
