[Hoegaardener70]

The HD800 is highly underrated. Try it with a top end amplifier and you will ask yourself why you need anything else.

I agree ... adding “tube” to the amplifier, and a “S” to the headphone

 

[DenverW]

I agree ... adding “tube” to the amplifier, and a “S” to the headphone

“S”DR mod! With my bottlehead amps I actually preferred the sdr modded 800 over the 800S. The lower cost was just the cherry on top.

 

[MarkF786]

I’m still a fan of Sennheiser, owning all the 6XX series from 580 through 660, the 800S, along with many other products. That said, these “deals” are very minor and I’ve gotten better deals from normal retailers without any special sale. Every product listed in the “deals” I bought cheaper.

Let’s see some real deals. I suspect at these prices, there won’t be many products sold.

 

[purk]

“S”DR mod! With my bottlehead amps I actually preferred the sdr modded 800 over the 800S. The lower cost was just the cherry on top.

Mine has the same mod. Awesome headphones. I also like my modded HD800 over the HD800S. Both are awesome headphones. I love them even out of my modified Sony NW-WM1Z and ZX507.

 

[Baten]

Out of curiosity, have you auditioned the HD820?

I did. It sounds exactly like you'd expect with an odd tonality.

I mean when graphs show weird cavities, you will hear that you know.

 

[fabro77]

I agree ... adding “tube” to the amplifier, and a “S” to the headphone

Ditto. When I took advantage of a very good offer on a demo unit of HD 800 S, finally bought it and hooked it up to my Auris HA-2SE I figured I'd have saved myself quite some money, had I thought of it earlier. Easily an endgame setup for many.

 

[crinacle]

My word, the headphone community is horrible.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

Don't get me wrong @Sennheiser I was a fan of your work 10 years ago. In fact, Sennheiser was my first purchase in this space and I recommended the brand to everyone. However, the steam has really started to slow down, with little to no change over the years. Many 'new products' have recycled chassis and minimal change, other new products are just add a microphone and an 's' to the name, and don't forget all the discontinued headphones that we used to love. Tyll once said that Sennheiser was the most capable headphone maker in the world, now the excitement is near gone. Even the gaming headset and business department is now shared by another company, EPOS. All that's left are the old geezers HD600 series and HD800 series left to carry the flag of a sinking, once-great, ship.

I've been buying and using Sennheisers since 1980 and I have a different view. Personally, I'm disappointed by all the money and efforts wasted on gaming, video, bluetooth stuff. I'd like to see Sennheiser return to basics. They were great because they were a pro audio company that got into hifi. That's their core. I have no idea if anybody at Sennheiser is still from those days. But their developments in studio and broadcast gear are what made their great hifi headphones possible.

 

[Gamerlingual]

My word, the headphone community is horrible.

I wouldn’t jump to conclusions. Not everyone is like that. I thought their HD820 sounded tinny and lacked detail. The MDR-Z1R was much better. But their TWM2 are top notch and get the job done. Loved the sound on their wireless momentum earbuds 2. Just depends on the product.

 

[Evoke]

Before you get a HD820, be sure to check out it's reviews and rankings: https://crinacle.com/rankings/headphone/

No one should get it

One of the most underwhelming headphones I have listened. The 6xx series are way better at 10% of the price

Of course, this is headfi and there will be shillers and fanboys trying to defend this failed product

 

[ChoColostrum]

One of the most underwhelming headphones I have listened. The 6xx series are way better at 10% of the price

Of course, this is headfi and there will be shillers and fanboys trying to defend this failed product

A lot of fanboys indeed, but also a lot of bandwagoners. One's review of a product doesn't necessarily mean it's the only truth. Even if it's Tyll's or Z's or somebody here with 30k posts. They just serve the purpose of giving you how it sounds like. Frequency response graphs are objective, but people being able to hear those differences are not all the same. Soundstage, Imaging and other else are useless if people can't tell the difference. The best way is to hear for yourselves.

 

[seanwee]

I like how this thread is just people **** on the HD820 rather than talking about the sale.

That said, I too disliked the HD820 and I can see why many others disliked it. It took away what made the HD800 special and threw in a worse sound signature.

 

[Krassi]

I suddenly like Crinacle a lot
Well you could also argue that you cant buy german Leopard tanks in germany but dictators get them... Nobody forces you to take their offer and we are arguing over a sale poster

 

[Dopaminer]

I also bought the HD800 a decade ago and loved it to death, was actually a little star struck when I saw Axel Grel in person at a Tokyo show, etc.
But looking at what is going with them these days - the 800S pricing, the 820 sound sig, the crazy price differentials for Senn products on Drop: it is clear to me that the marketing department is setting strategy. Even this thread - the current Drop event is nothing but a marketing exercise without anything new or even any real discounts beyond typical street prices. And as for the Sennheiser web shop recommnended in the opening post, I clicked through and found exactly zero discounts on headphones. So, I can only assume this another of these irritating 'geographically limited' campaigns, USA only I assume, announced here on headfi with its globally distributed membership.
Definitely the kind of tone-deaf thinking typical of marketers. And not very good marketers at that.
This whole thing feels like a scam to me.

 

[Fegefeuer]

Sennheiser got very big over the years but also somewhat detached compared to the old days. Axel Grell was always communicative and patient with millions of questions, very enthusiastic. Most of the time the rest of the guys and girls at all the shows simply seem like marketing and sales people only. No offense to these people of course but this detachment shows through and through.