[pekingduck]

According to an interview (in Chinese) with Marc Vincent, the President of Greater China of Sennheiser, they are working on an amp specifically designed for the HD800, scheduled to be launched in 2012.
 
Marc also talks a bit about the future direction of their mid- to hi-end headphones (the last paragraph below).
 
Google translation of the relevant part:

.........
 
[Here Marc says the Lehmann BCL was used as the reference amplifier in the design of the HD800, but he prefers the SPL Phonitor himself etc]
 
Marc in the process of answering this question, and even revealed an exciting news is that sound of the sea has now embarked on a new expansion of R & D ear, the upcoming next year.  Just ask the author to further expand the sound of the sea the details of the new ear, Marc said that this was the first secrecy, let us breathe. However, Marc and I'd have no generous sharing of HD800 headphones relevant information and the future.
 
........
 
The future sound of the sea will further introduce more new top-level headphones, go with the HD800 sounds like electrostatic headphones to give the feeling of a wide frequency response, while the price of cover between the price to high price, to meet different groups of consumers.
 

 
"sound of the sea" = "Sennheiser" in Chinese...
"a new expansion of R & D ear" means "the R & D of a new headphone amplifier"...LOL

 
Source: http://blog.yam.com/hifihivi/article/37441518

 

[Uncle Erik]

Shame Sennheiser didn't decide to go with tubes.

Reading between the lines, I wonder if Sennheiser if Sennheiser is plotting to kill the HD-600 and/or the HD-650.

I have heard rumors of a new Sennheiser 'stat.

 

[Yog]

Good news. I too think that Phonitor is the amp that suits best with HD 800. BCL was my first amp that I bought for HD 800 and I still love it regardless... Though I own several of valve and solid state amps, Phonitor remains my favourite one to this date....
 
If the news is true then I am looking forward to it...

 

[Xymordos]

"Sound of the Sea" - that sounds so much better than what the actual Chinese name should be translated into...Forest Sea Plug "insert word with no meaning"

 

[pekingduck]

Actually the official name IS "Sound of the Sea". Sennheiser revoked the dealership of Art Sound last year and at the same time changed the official name.
 
Quote:

"Sound of the Sea" - that sounds so much better than what the actual Chinese name should be translated into...Forest Sea Plug "insert word with no meaning"

 

 

[charli3]

Sennheiser is a great headphone brand. We will see how good they are when it comes to amps. 

 

[cifani090]

Hopefully they come out with a pair of headphones (HD700) that is compared in the aspects of quality as on the HD800's. I would really love a metaly made headphone by Sennheiser is the $600ish range

 

[pekingduck]

Rumor says they are indeed working on something sitting in between the HD800 and HD6X0.
 
Quote:

Hopefully they come out with a pair of headphones (HD700) that is compared in the aspects of quality as on the HD800's. I would really love a metaly made headphone by Sennheiser is the $600ish range

 

 

[fhuang]

it was the spl amp that stop me from thinking of getting hd800 so.....