[shabta]

   
To be fair though, you're listening on a Leben.  With a lot of amps, and even some OTL tube amps (the BH crack is one example), hd800's will still be slightly more fatiguing than hd650's (at equal loudness) simply because there is more treble.
 
The mainline is like the Leben in this regard.  I pulled my anax mod and was delighted to find that I no longer had any listening fatigue with my hd800's, but I think it is reasonable for prospective buyers to dive in knowing that this may or may not be an issue for them.  Thankfully, the anax mod is a very very easy fix if fatigue does prove to be an issue.  Takes away a little of the hd800's air, but they still trounce the hd650's in every aspect of the sound.   
 
Also, in response to other posts, I am among the group that does not find LCD-2's to be a clear upgrade from hd650's.  Better deep bass sure.  But I find instrument timbre and soundstage better on the hd650's, and then there is the weight/comfort issue.  Can't speak to LCD-3's.

Actually, you reminded me I need to change my sig. I sold the Leben, I am listening through the Lehmann BCL, I does have slightly more treble energy than the Leben, but also tighter Bass. An interesting compromise seems to be the vintage NAD 2150 power amp I have, which is a wee bit warmer than the Lehmann ( and doesn't have an L in its brand name unlike the other two amps). But it has a wee bit less air than the Lehmann. 
 
Anyway, I don't find that the Lehmann makes it more fatiguing. It is possible that my aging hearing has lost enough of the highest end and that accounts for the fact that I don't ever find the HD800 treble annoying. Although I do find the treble on the T1s occaisionally annoying. But I digress. 
 
I agree with you about the LCD-2's, completely.
 
In general the Planar-Dynamic are "weigh too heavy"

 for me to wear comfortably for any length of time. Comfort issues aside (which I find insurmountable as I like to listen for hours at a time some days), while the LCD 3 Fazor has a great sound sig, I am still not willing to give up the imaging of the HD800...

 

[cdsa35000]

This is how HD800 was born from women:
[VIDEO]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5es8zggYM7A[/VIDEO]

 

[cdsa35000]

No, its the same old news but new to me.

 

[newtoears]

Hello! Wondering if anyone has tried the HD 800 with the new Soundblaster X7? It seems like quite an all in one device and priced very reasonably for its many functions Currently I'm running my newly arrived HD 800 off a Fiio X3 and it sounds lovely as it is but I guess I'll need a "proper" amp anyway so I'm considering either the Valhalla 2 plus Modi or the SB X7 (for significantly less). Thanks for the advice!

 

[Frank I]

Listening to the HD800 on the Cavalli Liquid Gold balanced with a Nordost Heimdall cable. The synergy is excellent  with Tidal and really enjoying the combination. Fleetwood Mac sounds awesome.  Christine Mcvie's voice on Songbird is  stellar.  Glad she back.

 

[longbowbbs]

  Listening to the HD800 on the Cavalli Liquid Gold balanced with a Nordost Heimdall cable. The synergy is excellent  with Tidal and really enjoying the combination. Fleetwood Mac sounds awesome.  Christine Mcvie's voice on Songbird is  stellar.  Glad she back.

Nice to see you slumming this evening Frank....

 

 

[soullinker20]

That said, does anyone here have an experience in pairing the HD800 with the ALO Reference 16 cable?

I did have achance to audition them but on a very short time, the sound became really thick just as I like coz the 800 sounded very thin to me but that was before i had the hugo

and the cable hasn`t been burned in yet
im not sure if i will still like it this time around but will audition it again

 

[sp3llv3xit]

I did have achance to audition them but on a very short time, the sound became really thick just as I like coz the 800 sounded very thin to me but that was before i had the hugo

and the cable hasn`t been burned in yet
im not sure if i will still like it this time around but will audition it again

Thanks.  I'll consider the added thickness.
 

 

[JackWang]

I have received new HD800 for a few days and basically I found the human voice is great and close to ear, even better than my B&W mm1 speakers and denon D7100, which is against the rumor that HD800 cant handle with human voice well. Also unbeatable symphony performance, highly recommended

 

[GardenVariety]

  I have received new HD800 for a few days and basically I found the human voice is great and close to ear, even better than my B&W mm1 speakers and denon D7100, which is against the rumor that HD800 cant handle with human voice well. Also unbeatable symphony performance, highly recommended

Not sure where you heard that rumor. To my ear, there is no finer reproduction aside from an electrostatic headphone costing twice as much. 

 

[shabta]

 
Not sure where you heard that rumor. To my ear, there is no finer reproduction aside from an electrostatic headphone costing twice as much. 

 
+1
 
Vocals are one place the HD800s especially shine.

 

[whirlwind]

To be honest, after owning this can for close to a year now.....In my experience, if the recording is good....this can sounds wonderful...with just everything that I listen too.

I bought the HD800 as a can to hold me over until the HE560 got sorted out by Hifiman......I kept the HD800 and have forgotten all about the HE560

 

[Frank I]

  Nice to see you slumming this evening Frank....

 

 

I found all the Reference Recordings on Tidal last night. The HD800 was very explosive listen to the Minnesota Orchestra  on RR label with the Liquid Gold. Words like speed, transparency and dynamics are what i would use to describe the sound coming out of the HD800 balanced on the Cavalli Masterpiece.

 

[dxanex]

To be honest, after owning this can for close to a year now.....In my experience, if the recording is good....this can sounds wonderful...with just everything that I listen too.

I bought the HD800 as a can to hold me over until the HE560 got sorted out by Hifiman......I kept the HD800 and have forgotten all about the HE560

I recently sent back a HE-560 demo that I was fortunate to hold on to for a couple of weeks. The HE-560 is a really special headphone, but at the end of the day I wasn't too terribly sad about sending them back once the HD 800 was put back on!

 

[Sorrodje]

 
I recently sent back a HE-560 demo that I was fortunate to hold on to for a couple of weeks. The HE-560 is a really special headphone, but at the end of the day I wasn't too terribly sad about sending them back once the HD 800 was put back on!

 
 
I didn't notice you used a DNA Sonett 2 too. Happy with this amp for all you heaphones ?