[lovethatsound]

Actually, when people say the dac section is pretty bad for HDVD800, I was wondering if any one has tried it on another amp?

I believe the HDVD800 only has balance xlr output, so has anyone tried it on an GSX MKII, Dark star, Head amp Three or B22?


Very curies to find out how is the DAC compare to other sub $1000 dollar DACs like DAC1 or DAC2 from W4S

I don't think the dac in the hdvd800 is poor,in fact 4 the money ur paying 4 it,it's pretty good, but if u have more money 2 get better dac then u will hear the improvement in sound.i use a naim dac with a psu,and it sounds fantastic, but then again it should 4 what I payed 4 it.

 

[AlanHell]

Quote:

I don't think the dac in the hdvd800 is poor,in fact 4 the money ur paying 4 it,it's pretty good, but if u have more money 2 get better dac then u will hear the improvement in sound.i use a naim dac with a psu,and it sounds fantastic, but then again it should 4 what I payed 4 it.

Well, here is the thing, you are pumping the dac into the HDVA600 amp. I am more interested in how the HDVD800 drive other balance amps. I wanted to know how much tuning they got into dac alone~~~
 
So far, as HD800 goes, it sounds the best on the HDVD800 combo for me. So, I just want to know if the DAC has some contribution to it~~~
Personally, I do not think there is any information been lost in HDVD800 DAC, it is more like a change of presentation. It tends to make the sound more compact other than losing it. As a result the instrument will sound closer. For many people, this is a sign of losing sound stage, air and separation. But for me, the detail is still there, just not as easy to pick up as before due to the more compact sound. I think it makes the phone suitable for wider range of musics. I use to use Koss for pop and T1 for rock then ED8 for some instrument. Now, I can use HD800 all the time because the added warmness and the focus of the sound make vocal and pop more enjoyable. I think Sennheiser is trying to add more music sense into the HD800 other than make it even more analytical.
 
Hence, I really want to know that the DAC is bad in a way that it is just not as detailed as others, or it is "bad" because it "Shrink" the sound stage~~~~~ One is on the ability side, the other is more on the design side~~~~~~

 

[Speedy Pedro]

Does anybody know if Sennheiser has released a fix/solution for the HDVD's noise problems with a 24-192kHz files?
 
It has been quite some time and I would have thought Sennheiser would have wanted to fix this embarrassing problem as soon as possible.
 
Thanks
 
 
Pedro

 

[AlanHell]

I think their R&D team is still trying to track down who in the HK company is responsible for this issue
I believe this is what happened when you out source the DAC design to a third party company~~~~~~
 

 

[lovethatsound]

Well, here is the thing, you are pumping the dac into the HDVA600 amp. I am more interested in how the HDVD800 drive other balance amps. I wanted to know how much tuning they got into dac alone~~~

So far, as HD800 goes, it sounds the best on the HDVD800 combo for me. So, I just want to know if the DAC has some contribution to it~~~
Personally, I do not think there is any information been lost in HDVD800 DAC, it is more like a change of presentation. It tends to make the sound more compact other than losing it. As a result the instrument will sound closer. For many people, this is a sign of losing sound stage, air and separation. But for me, the detail is still there, just not as easy to pick up as before due to the more compact sound. I think it makes the phone suitable for wider range of musics. I use to use Koss for pop and T1 for rock then ED8 for some instrument. Now, I can use HD800 all the time because the added warmness and the focus of the sound make vocal and pop more enjoyable. I think Sennheiser is trying to add more music sense into the HD800 other than make it even more analytical.

Hence, I really want to know that the DAC is bad in a way that it is just not as detailed as others, or it is "bad" because it "Shrink" the sound stage~~~~~ One is on the ability side, the other is more on the design side~~~~~~

I'm using the hdvd800 my friend, I can use both dacs,this is why I've said what I've said,I've listened 2 both dacs, with the same music and the difference is night and day,the naim dac wins hands down.

 

[wisemanja]

Quote:

Does anybody know if Sennheiser has released a fix/solution for the HDVD's noise problems with a 24-192kHz files?
 
It has been quite some time and I would have thought Sennheiser would have wanted to fix this embarrassing problem as soon as possible.
 
Thanks
 
 
Pedro

 
Yes, it has been a whole month since Frank I got the email (posting #1126 in this thread) from Axel that they were working on a fix.
 
- Jeff

 

[Frank I]

I have heard nothing to help you guys. I finished my review and my publisher  sent it to Sennheiser for a fact check so hopefully it published soon.  

 

[wisemanja]

Quote:

I have heard nothing to help you guys. I finished my review and my publisher  sent it to Sennheiser for a fact check so hopefully it published soon.  

 
Your review wouldn't by any chance have a statement in it to the effect "Although advertising indicates that the HDVD800 will support 24/196 speeds on all ditgital interfaces, the optical (i.e., TOSlink) interface in reality is limited to 24/88.2"? 

 

[AlanHell]

Quote:

I'm using the hdvd800 my friend, I can use both dacs,this is why I've said what I've said,I've listened 2 both dacs, with the same music and the difference is night and day,the naim dac wins hands down.

So you use both DACs to the same amps right?
Do you try Both DACs for the others amps? I am just trying to find out how the DAC acts in the system.
 
 
Well, I think even the DAC1 I have is a better DAC than the HDVD800 on board one in its own way. However, its makes my HDVD800 sounds more like an Rudistor RPX35 which is way too flat as a music phone~~~~ It does provide a lot of space and air, but in the same time also gets rid of some fun added by the HDVD800 too.

 

[Frank I]

Quote:

 
Your review wouldn't by any chance have a statement in it to the effect "Although advertising indicates that the HDVD800 will support 24/196 speeds on all ditgital interfaces, the optical (i.e., TOSlink) interface in reality is limited to 24/88.2"? 

The review clearly indicated there was a issue with the dac and the files I tried over 24/96 had a hiss I only write what I hear and clearly there is a an unresolved issue and the review mentions it in detail. I was very clear in the review about the issues.Since I did not try the optical or toslink I could not comment on it.

 

[elwappo99]

Quote:

Quote:

the DAC is better than the headphone section 

 
I listened to HD/HDVD800 with a different dac. I thought it sounded alot better than with the build in dac.
 
- Alot more seperation.
- More detail.
- More depth.
- Quiker and more powerfull sounds (specially bassy sounds).
- Better soundstage, atleast more clearly placed.
 
But that's what I heard and prefered.

 
Sorry I've been away for a few days, and couldn't keep up with this thread. 
 
Maybe the store you went to felt the same, and that's the reason they hooked up the unit to the CD player? I'd also still guess that the tracks they had you demo in store were excellent recordings that really emphasized spacing of instruments. 
 
If you're still in your return window, and you're not happy, then heck return it. There's a lot of money in this hobby and you should be happy with what you're getting. Just my thoughts

 

[kazsud]

Can't wait to read it!

 

[BlancoTheBull]

Hey elwappo,
 
Thanks and yes I returned it. I wanted to keep it, but it was just to expensive for what i got. What I heard for me was worth 1000Euro not 2100E (for HD/HDVD800), every person that listened to it (at my home) also thought it was not worth the money (I paid 900E less because it was a demo model, so it would have been 3000E). So I'm gonna stay on this thread and read about any changes and updates.
If I get the opportunity to listen to a better combo for the HD800 I will probably buy that. And I think that could be a HDVD600 with good dac combo.
So I will try to find as much info about that as I can.
 
Btw there are more people not happy with the dac of the HDVD800. So its taste or maybe not all HDVD800 sound the same.
Also what I heard was almost similar to my HD598 + Fiio E17 combo wich only costs 300E. Compared to what I already have I know what I want better, wich is a combo of what I heard in the store and what I heard at my home.
 
So basically my search continues

 

[GSARider]

Just tried a dsd file bought from Blue Coast Records and the same hissing noise. Works perfectly on my AK120.
 

 

[Speedy Pedro]

I am beginning to suspect that it is not an easy fix and they might have to "recall" their units.
 
Sennheiser obviously has egg on their face, but I wish they would just get on with it, i.e. apologise and take the necessary steps to fix the problem which is simply not going to die away.
 
I am in the market for a headphone amplifier for my HD 800 so the faster Sennheiser fixes the problem the better.
 
Otherwise it is not an viable option for me and will be looking at alternatives like April Wine Eximus, Auralic etc.