[Yog]

I can not say for others but as far as I am concerned, HDVD 800 and HD 800 really is the best combo to my ears. Not to mention, IE 800 can also show you it full potential with HDVD 800.
 
BTW, I do not think that this is the best looking amp I have ever seen. The design and look is simple and elegant but again not the best I have seen. However, they sounded best under all other under 3K amps that I have to my ears. So it's really subjective what do you think is good sound. But they really put my other amps to sleep for now. I don't see waking them up in the near year or so at least.

 

[FxTkd]

I am new to Head-fi equipment and a newbie and would like to share my impressions on the Sennheiser HDVD 800.
 
My setup: MacBook Pro, Cardas Clear USB cable, Sennheiser HDVD800 (spare computer power cable) and HD800, HTS 3600MKII. Still waiting for my Cardas Clear balanced 4 pin cable.
My Music Player Software:, Audirvana Plus 1.4.9.7, Music: All HD files…XRCD, MFSL, CHESKY, higher bit recordings 24/96, 24/192 and High quality 16/44 recordings…..quality of source is everything.
 
HDVD 800: Quality build is exceptional, Loads of power, the Alps potentiometer is highly sensitive, 1mm to the right or left and you will hear the differences, just saying. The design aspect of HDVD800, makes me think of Johnny Ives in the way he designs Apple products, a minimalist approach to the amp. Very nice to look at.
When I first listened to the HDVD800 for the first time I was really not impressed. The reason I say this is that my Mac was sounding equally as good without any assitance as the amp at my listening levels. As the days went on, HDVD800 started to improve every other day.
As recommended by “thinker”, I let it burn in continuously for 7 days as of today and will continue till the end of this month for the DAC to improve. Today is the 7^th day….its seems like everything changed for the better, Wow!
 
The music’s mid frequencies became highly detailed, clearer and smoother. The digital edge completely disappeared. The bass is tighter and has a more visceral impact. The soundstage, the air, it’s just perfect to my ears. It really is breathtaking. Every instrument is decisively heard in its exact location. Absolutely everything is revealed and vocals are truly exceptional. Your attention is drawn to everything being played and not distracted by anything. The amp is dead silent, absolutely no noise.
 
When I am listening the HD recordings, I truly am in amazement that music can sound so perfect to me. It’s intoxicatingly addictive!
As I listened to my music before having HDVD800, it made feel like I was just a spectator in the audience. Now, with HDVD800 my music “Best Audiophile Voices” it’s so much more intimate, especially with the female vocalists. It feels like I am the only one in the room and the band, the vocalist is performing just for me. At the end of the day that’s a very good thing Thanks Sennheiser!
 
I am ecstatic with my purchase of HDVD 800 and the HD 800 combo. Marketing or not, the combination of these two products has the Perfect sound and I’m sold. This is just my impressions gentleman.
A special thanks to “thinker’ for posting his terrific detailed insight. It was very helpful with my decision on my purchase and I recommend reading his post for more info before buying.
 
It would be great to hear from anybody else with the similar setup playing from a Mac and Audirvana Plus.
 
BTW, the members of Head-fi are truly a wealth of knowledge!
Thanks guys.

 

[frix]

Burn in with ss amps? I doubt that.

 

[TheManko]

I haven't noticed any particular change over time with mine. There was a difference between the first and second day (I've had it on pretty much 24/7 since I bought it), and I attribute that to me getting used to the sound. It always takes time to really get used to how any new piece of audio gear sounds, so even if there was a change over time with burn-in it would be near impossible to spot it as you're not used to what the gear sounds like yet.
 
When it comes to the upper frequencies of the HD 800 and how they sound with the HDVD 800, I've found that the HDVD 800 is less fatiguing than the V200 or Auditor. The upper frequencies are much more detailed and cleaner sounding. I did find the upper frequencies a bit thin sounding or fatiguing at times with the other two amps, although it varied a bit depending on my mood at the time. With the HDVD 800 so far the balance is similar-ish, but I've found them much more tolerable. I haven't had a moment yet where I've switched to the LCD-2 because the HD 800 was sounding too thin. I wouldn't say the amp cures the "problems" the HD 800 has, but in my case they've been mitigated to the point where I'm not even thinking about it. Can't say it'll have the same effect for everyone, but that's how I feel about it at least.

 

[hedphonz]

how is the bass with the HDVD800's ?
 
Seeing as how Sennheiser have designed this amp to bring out the best in their headphones I am wondering if the bass with the HD800 has improved. I find the bass underwhelming and often resort to turning up the volume to get that slam/punch sensation with certain types of music, THat and the thinness in the top end are my areas i want to improve on.
 
Still another month away before I can get to demo one for myself !

 

[shuttleboi]

Is there any hiss or other noise from the HDVD 800? Is it dead quiet when no music is playing? I am very sensitive to hissing or humming from an amp.

 

[TheManko]

Quote:

how is the bass with the HDVD800's ?
 

The highs and lows are better compared to what I had before, but the HD 800 sound is still very much intact. Instead of making the warm type of sound I'm sure some might have been hoping for the HDVD 800 is neutral. You'll just have to demo it to see yourself if it does what you want. I'm not sure what your frame of reference is as I haven't heard any of the amps or dacs in your sig.

 

[TheManko]

Quote:

Is there any hiss or other noise from the HDVD 800? Is it dead quiet when no music is playing?

It's completely silent, even with the Momentum which are closed and would make any hissing easier to hear.

 

[hedphonz]

Quote:

The highs and lows are better compared to what I had before, but the HD 800 sound is still very much intact. Instead of making the warm type of sound I'm sure some might have been hoping for the HDVD 800 is neutral. You'll just have to demo it to see yourself if it does what you want. I'm not sure what your frame of reference is as I haven't heard any of the amps or dacs in your sig.

thanks for that -my DAC is known for neutrality and so is my BCL amp so I'm not sure i need another neutral amp even though with better SQ.
 
However I may listen to it and love it so open mind it is

 

[FxTkd]

Has anybody who owns the HDVD800 made any adjustments to the gain setting in the back of the amp?

 

[Frank I]

Quote:

Has anybody who owns the HDVD800 made any adjustments to the gain setting in the back of the amp?

I see them on the back but I have not had a chance to mess with it yet.  

 

[PhilW]

Quote:

I am ecstatic with my purchase of HDVD 800 and the HD 800 combo. Marketing or not, the combination of these two products has the Perfect sound and I’m sold. This is just my impressions gentleman.

 
Wait till you get the balanced cable!! :-D

 

[GSARider]

Picked up my HDVD800 this afternoon from Custom Cable - great sound and awaiting the XLR Cable as soon as it's available, should hopefully get it at the end of the month...

 

[Nordwestlicht]

The output impedance of the HDVD800 is 43 ohms. (Sennheiser was asked and someone measured it)
 
And IMHO that's the main, well maybe it's even the only reason, why the HDVD800 sounds slightly different compared to other amps, I mean really audible for the human ear.
 
(Sometime this year I'll put a 43 ohms resistor path between my 0 ohms Cantate.2 and HD800 to see/hear, how it sounds then. I did that with other resistors before, but never with exactly 43 ohms.)
 
Other measurements of the HDVD800 are slightly better compared to the Lehmann BCL Pro, while the ganging (sorry, don't know if this is the right English technical term for the German "Gleichlauf") is only mediocre, tested with US Ed.8 headphones.
 
You can read something about the measurements of the HDVD800 here (it's in German):
 
http://www.hifi-forum.de/viewthread-110-14032-4.html
 
Greetings from Bavaria

 
 
Quote:

cs2001 wrote @ Hifi-Forum.de
 
So, ich hatte den HDVD800 nun mal ein paar Stunden zum Messen (Prism Sound dScope III). Hoeren konnte ich nur Kurz - ich hatte nur meinen Ultrasone Edition 8 dabei).

Zum Vergelich hatte ich den den Lehmann Audio Black Cube Linear Pro.

Also endlich mal ein paar Fakten (die meisten Messwerte beim Sennheiser waren nahezu identisch per XLR Analog in, USB und Toslink / Gemessen wurde nur der unsymmetrische KH Ausgang).

Die Ausgangsimpedanz beträgt 43 Ohm (gemessen). Da die High-End ist, konnte ich gleich den Produktmanager dazu befragen: Man hat wohl die Entwicklung durchaus mit 10 Ohm begonnen, aber bei A/B-Blindhoertests mit denn Sennheiserer Hoereren (HD600-800), aber auch ein paar Fremdfabrikaten wurde dann wohl die 43 Ohm Variante deutlich präferiert. Ist für mich persönlich eine Aussage, mit der ich leben kann.

Andere Messwerte: In den meisten Disziplinen misst sich der HDVD800 deutlich besser als der Lehmann.
Intermodulationsverzerrungen
SMPTE bei 150 Ohm: 0.0004% Sennheiser / 0.0018% Lehmann
SMPTE bei 18 Ohm: 0.0006% Sennheiser / 0.002% Lehmann
CCIR bei 150 Ohm: 0.005% Sennheiser / 0.02% Lehmannn

Wie auch bei vielen anderen Messwerten: Es spricht dafür, dass der Sennheiser ein hervorragend konstruiertes Gerät ist.

Frequenzgang
Lehmann mit leichten Einbruchen in den Höhen und Bass, aber extrem gering. Sennheiser schnurgerade. Beide bis 5 Ohm. Beim Sennheiser ist bei Maximalpegel kein Clipping festzustellen. Der Lehmann clipt, allerdings bei bei weitaus höheren Spannungen, als sie der Sennheiser überhaupt liefern kann. Unspannendes Thema.

Klirr + Noise

Verlauf bei ueber die Frequenz zwischen 0,003% bei 20 Hz und 0,0015% bei 20 kHz. Beim Lehmann eine Groessenordnung schlechter. Bei beiden wohl irrelevant.

Gleichlauf

Beim Lehmann zwischen -0.3 dB und +1 dB (im Vergleich zu anderen sehr gut). Beim Sennheiser mässig zwischen -0.7 dB und 0 dB. Leider in durchaus im normalen Hörlautstärkenbereich (schlechter als 0.5 dB unterhalb von 200mV an 150 Ohm). Da wäre mal die Serienstreuung interessant: Meiner Erfahrung nach schwankt das bei allen Geräten und auch bei den verwendeten Alps Potisiv recht stark.

Hörtest

Wie gesagt ich hatte nur wenig Zeit und erst recht keine Ruhe. Ich hatte nur den Ultrasone Edition 8 dabei (recht Konstante Impedanz um die 35 Ohm). Erstmal konnte ich keine Unterschiede raushören. Bassüberhöhung sollte sich beim Edition 8 ja auch in Grenzen halten.

Interessant wäre für mich ein weiteres Exemplare zu bekommen um ihn am HD800, TH900 und LCD-3 zu hören und nochmal den Gleichlauf zu messen.

Lg

Btw: Zumindest 1 Exemplar des beyer A-20 auf der Highend hatte ganz deutlich hoerbare Gleichlaufprobleme. Vielleicht ist es einfach Zeit die klassichen Potis in Rente zu schicken.

 

[Frank I]

Can anyone translate the German article?