hmmmmm.......
In the end an HD800 is still an HD800, if you know what I mean.
So to better answer the question, both the HD800S and regular 800's synergy is excellent with the HDVD800. Frankly I have had several amps and none of them have the synergy that I find with the HDVD800. Now the DAC which seem to be overly criticized in my opinion is polite maybe to much, but I think it was done by design. Maybe for the very nature of the HD800 short comings.
The S lost some of the killer trebles top end some, not that it sounds bad, no.
But it lost some of that extra detail the 800 has, the bass is fuller and more but the 800 had good bass, just not the bass in the amounts the S now posses, but its bass was detailed.
For me I always loved the HD800 in its original release the amount of talk about the 6kHz spike never ever bothered me, If I had to do it all over again I would have kept the original but I'm very happy with S.
Currently my setup is mostly used with the Sony HAP and the internal DAC by passed and my main rig I have other gear but this combo is my favorite when I to critical listen, Hope this helps its all just my 2 cents and of course sound is always subjective and this is my personal opinion and experience.
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