[raypin]

A little birdie told me at CanJam SoCal that another high-end headphone manufacturer will be coming out with one (and maybe two) TOTL closed-back headphones possibly by the end of the year.

So it looks like high-end closed-backs are becoming a trend.

Mm..because there are so few closed-back that is as good as an open-backed (LCD XC, Ether C/Flow C and Sony Z1R). I'd love to have a totl closed-back from Sennheiser and Focal.

 

[YesThisIs]

Mm..because there are so few closed-back that is as good as an open-backed (LCD XC, Ether C/Flow C and Sony Z1R). I'd love to have a totl closed-back from Sennheiser and Focal.

I always feel like when using closed cans. You are always making some compromises. Usually it is in the soundstage/imaging department.

Yes to some, closed cans are pretty much "only opinion" (Insert angry girlfriend here when using open cans)

But i always had the feel that, if you can use open headphones. You should. But this is just based on my previous experiences with closed headphones. But i haven't heard headphones like Z1R. I have only read things about it.

So i am confused why call it HD820? They called 598 closed variant "HD 598 CS". Maybe people complained about the HD800S -naming because when you are talking about the HD800 it "confuses" people about which headphone you are talking about....

But if it is HD820. I can think only one section where HD800S could be "improved". Bass. And that's personal opinion. Not better.

But then it comes to things like soundstage and imaging. And you could easily mess up these sections with closed headphones. And in TOTL headphones, this is important.

There is a reason why the original Orpheus and HE-1's are as open as possible.

Let's just see what they can do in Germany.

 

[chimney189]

I'd like to add Mr. Speaker's Alpha Prime headphones in the category of TOTL closed headphones. I agree that soundstage is compromised when having a closed headphone, but only in terms of width. From experience I find that depth can be maintained. The depth of soundstage for the Alpha Prime headphone is quite impressive, as I find myself feeling as if music is coming from every direction including background to forefront and vice versa. In this sense it seems to me that imaging is also maintained.

One thing that I think closed headphones have over open headphones is intimacy or closeness when listening to music. Furthermore, I'm finding that closed headphones accurately portray sound that is reproduced in a headphone, rather than trying to sound like speakers which is what I find the HD 800 strives to do. I sometimes forget that I am wearing a headphone when I'm listening to the HD 800 (this is definitely a positive), but I never forget that I am wearing a headphone when listening to the Alpha Primes.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[AxelCloris]

I've removed several posts that have no place in this thread. Please keep the discussion on topic and non-personal. I would prefer not to lock the thread permanently.

 

[ubs28]

A closed back version of the HD 800 / HD 800 S could be interesting.

I hope Sennheiser can keep a good looking design and not too big (so not a Z1R please).

Else I will wait to see what Focal will do.

 

[VandyMan]

The ear cups look quite large to me (based on that tiny low-res picture!). I'm betting they will be wireless and iPhone ready.

 

[Dillan]

I'm actually wondering how efficient it will be. Wonder if it will require an amp (more than likely).. still would be cool if they changed it up and put a spin on it other than just making an 800S sealed

 

[WoodyLuvr]

I'm actually wondering how efficient it will be. Wonder if it will require an amp (more than likely).. still would be cool if they changed it up and put a spin on it other than just making an 800S sealed

Exactly why I am thinking that Senn will be targeting the mobile/portable markets at <USD800 or <USD1000 or even lower with a much more efficient model and although many may be "clueless mass consumers" as you say they are still not a very large buying market as would say be <USD800 or <USD500.

 

[raypin]

Mm...Sennheiser already sells a LOT of budget fi and mid-fi headphones. Dozens. All you have to do is to look at their website. So, I am hoping that Sennheiser will introduce a new flagship dynamic, closed or open and, yes, it will probably be in the multiple thousand bucks price range. It needs a new hero device/headphones to carry the Sennheiser banner at a time when other companies, big and small, have already introduced theirs.

 

[WoodyLuvr]

USD 500-1000 = Budget ???

HD600 | HD650 | HD700 = Albeit awesome cans they are all getting long in the tooth and beginning to show their technology age

HD800S is still rather new

Some of the newest headphones making big waves right now are all under USD800 so I am still erroring on the side that a new mobile market will be targeted heavily by many companies. Sennheiser didn't make millions off it's flagship but rather the mid-tier HD5XX & 6XX series and of course the budget cans you mentioned.

 

[raypin]

Mm...Sennheiser sells as low as 39.00 usd. That qualifies as budget fi. What I meant was Sennheiser bread and butter headphones covering the low-end, consumer segment is very, very, very well-covered. Same thing with the mid-fi (the Urbanites, 600, 650 etc.). For the high-end, there's only one: the HD 800/S. For closed-back, possibly their best closed back is the HD 630 VB (under usd 500.00). But I don't consider those as TOTL closed-back. At least, not in the same league as the Sony Z1R or the Ether Flow C, Audeze LCD XC or the Beyerdynamic T5P Gen 2. It is a gaping hole in their line-up. Which, to me, is strange for a very large headphones company.

 

[WoodyLuvr]

Mm...Sennheiser sells as low as 39.00 usd. That qualifies as budget fi. What I meant was Sennheiser bread and butter headphones covering the low-end, consumer segment is very, very, very well-covered. Same thing with the mid-fi (the Urbanites, 600, 650 etc.). For the high-end, there's only one: the HD 800/S. For closed-back, possibly their best closed back is the HD 630 VB (under usd 500.00). But I don't consider those as TOTL closed-back. At least, not in the same league as the Sony Z1R or the Ether Flow C or the Beyerdynamic T5P Gen 2. It is a gaping hole in their line-up. Which, to me, is strange for a very large headphones company.

Gotcha

 

[YesThisIs]

Pretty much what @raypin said.

Sennheiser has bunch of mid-fi closed headphones. There is HD 630VB and there is PXC 550 (which Sennheiser is pretty proud of considering the marketing) They already have pretty compete closed headphones in the sub 1000$ category.

Pretty recently, Sennheiser has partnered with DJ. Martin Solveig (Last year). And in punch of images he has been using HD800's as an mixing headphone. Sennheiser doesn't have "reference class" closed headphone. This would be ideal to studio environment.

One thing to consider is that the headphone would look "so big" is that in order to get some kind of soundstage in closed headphone. You will have to put drivers as far apart from the ear as possible. This is why Sony Z1R looks so funky.

And again, it seems likely that the name would be HD8**. If it would be low ohm and Bluetooth, it wouldn't be named 8-series. And if it starts with number 8, it will not be budget oriented.

 

[Dexon]

The fact it's named the HD820 indicates it will be a dynamic headphone, rather than an electrostatic.

It also indicates it will be ring radiator as well.

 

[Dillan]

Mm...Sennheiser sells as low as 39.00 usd. That qualifies as budget fi. What I meant was Sennheiser bread and butter headphones covering the low-end, consumer segment is very, very, very well-covered. Same thing with the mid-fi (the Urbanites, 600, 650 etc.). For the high-end, there's only one: the HD 800/S. For closed-back, possibly their best closed back is the HD 630 VB (under usd 500.00). But I don't consider those as TOTL closed-back. At least, not in the same league as the Sony Z1R or the Ether Flow C, Audeze LCD XC or the Beyerdynamic T5P Gen 2. It is a gaping hole in their line-up. Which, to me, is strange for a very large headphones company.

Yep I gotta agree with raypin. It would make a ton of sense to release a closed back top of the line headphone from Sennheiser. Everyone else is doing it/has done it. The price will be between $1k and $2k if I were to guess. Like you said.. their budget stuff is super covered. The only obvious gap is a high end close can.. which is interesting for sure. I hope they get it right, I love the 800S.