The (new) HD800 Impressions Thread
Jan 27, 2015 at 7:03 PM Post #16,576 of 29,017
  snip
 
And yeah - I'm VERY grateful to have two friends that are electricians up here  - when we moved out the first time years ago they gave me an isolated 250a breaker as well.
My buddy J did the same thing here I believe - I just asked him to mimic what he did at our old house. It's crazy because I swear, even with the SAME SYSTEM, all variables (like when I move my WA7 between my home office and up-front) that it sounds different. Alexandra heard it too - and it's not over-the-top, but detail retrieval and especially bass control are different. I actually did an A/B test like that to show a buddy he had problems in his AC line when we set his stereo up. He installed some conditioning and was able to remedy it without spending much $$. This is our first house (that we own) so the investment was worth it!

"it's not over-the-top, but detail retrieval and especially bass control are different."  Emphasis mine…
 
These are 2 changes I've noticed as well, due to the nature of the ac power distribution system.
I've been monitoring and recording the 'performance' of the feeds that power my system for a little bit now and those 2 acoustical traits (among others) can take a mother may I step up in SQ, if we feed our systems 'more suitable' power.  And it's not an all or nothing situation.  There seem to be various levels of tweak (or as some might say, levels of comittment… 
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) that can be applied, in stages, over time.
 
Just a thought or 2
 
JJ
 
Jan 27, 2015 at 7:49 PM Post #16,578 of 29,017
  "it's not over-the-top, but detail retrieval and especially bass control are different."  Emphasis mine…
 
These are 2 changes I've noticed as well, due to the nature of the ac power distribution system.
I've been monitoring and recording the 'performance' of the feeds that power my system for a little bit now and those 2 acoustical traits (among others) can take a mother may I step up in SQ, if we feed our systems 'more suitable' power.  And it's not an all or nothing situation.  There seem to be various levels of tweak (or as some might say, levels of comittment… 
atsmile.gif
) that can be applied, in stages, over time.
 
Just a thought or 2
 
JJ

right on.
Glad you hearing similar changes when the AC is different. I have another friend who built a project studio in his house (recording studio - where I do a great deal of mixing actually) and the first thing I asked him when I saw it for the first time was about dedicated power. Unfortunately - his response went something like: "wha?". Well, he learned the hard way that the contractor really screwed him once I started installing the rack gear and console, etc... Poor guy had to have all sorts of walls and such destroyed...
 
Funny thing is - that same friend used HD800s all the time when he's referencing his mixes (he plays bass in a ska band). He got the pair from a couple he was moving (he also has a small moving business on the side) - for NOTHIN! Imagine that...
   
250A
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?? 
I guess 25A would be sufficient for 110V in SF isn't it or are you also arc welding in your office?
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I don't know why J went so hefty on the power  - straight up.
I left it to him as he took care of my power in my last home and he did a GREAT job.
 
Might be because we have a machine shop next door that we rent out to my neighbors (they're truck-drivers) - though its isolated.
I'll ask him when I'm back at his studio next week. He built one of the nicest in-home recording studios I've ever seen, including big-name bands that have much more money than he does! I just infected him w/ the personal audio bug recently 
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Jan 28, 2015 at 4:30 AM Post #16,579 of 29,017
If I remember well , some people were interesed in K812 vs HD800 impressions here so I copy/paste here what I wrote in the K812 thread :
 
  Here's my impressions of the K812 compared to the HD800 :
 
- A bit warmer with a more downward FR (This K812 has a close to perfect balance IMO)
- Very good soundstage less wide and deep than the HD800 but as holographic. Imaging is not near as good as the HD800 though. Both soundstages share the same diffuse and laid-back nature. 
- Bass are less clean and precise than the HD800. That contrbutes to the warmth but the shortcoming is a slight boominess. very slight. I'm nitpicking here bit Hey we're talking about a TOTL 1500€ headphone.
- More sub bass than the HD800 . I really like the K812 with Electronic music.
- Issues in the treble. sometimes it's really annoying/fatiguing, sometimes not so. Depends on recordings. Overally I have difficulties with this treble.
- Serious lack of dynamics (macro and micro dynamics)  so the K812 fails to suck me into the music compared to my Stax  or my HD800. I always need to crank up the volume without finding What I look for except harsher treble. with the treble it's the biggest flaw of the K812 imo.
- lack of dynamics induce a serious lack of resolution. K812 didn't offer me the same "true to life" feeling and level of engagement than my HD800 or even the Stax SR404.
 
I used my Octave/Sonett Rig mostly.
 
Not a bad headphone overally but not in the same league than the HD800 or my Stax SR404 and too expensive for what it offers. This AKG would be a very recommandable headphone at 6/700€.  I place it on par with the Beyerdynamic T1 although I much prefer the K812 for my personal tastes. I prefered the Ultrasone Edition 12 to both. but the Ultrasone is overpriced too.
 
I would have been really interested to compare the K712 and this K812. I loved my old K501 when I owned it but I didn't appreciate so much the K701.  
 
My  2 cents, IMO, YMMV
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Jan 28, 2015 at 7:34 AM Post #16,581 of 29,017
 
Based on my own ears, I found the iFi Micro iDSD and the Valhalla 2 pairing, which costs a total of $1000 in Canada, to be ~90% there in terms of sound quality to the best combination for me, which was the Vega and Ragnarok ($5500 total in Canada). 

 
As someone who has the Valhalla 2 on backorder (purely on the recommendations of headfi-ers) and intending to pair it with the ifi micro DSD, just want to ask did you listen to the micro's headphone amp out as well? If so, what was your opinion of the Valhalla 2 against the micro's amp? 
 
Jan 28, 2015 at 1:51 PM Post #16,583 of 29,017
The hd800 is the best high end headphone of 2015!
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http://www.cnet.com/topics/headphones/best-headphones/high-end/

 
AND then they go say Beats Studio Wireless as the best bluetooth set for $380!!!
 
a $40 Bludio H+ turbine will probably sound as good if not better 
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Jan 28, 2015 at 2:29 PM Post #16,585 of 29,017
Well, I can only comment on the hd800's but think it's a pretty good endorsement for them anyway.

 
I'm down for anything that will get Senn. more $$ to develop their next good phone ^_^
 
Jan 29, 2015 at 10:47 AM Post #16,587 of 29,017
Jan 29, 2015 at 12:21 PM Post #16,589 of 29,017
  Hi! I want to upgrade my amp later this year. At the moment I have BH Crack and I love it. My budget is around 1200$. Something like WA6se, BH Mainline? Something else? Shoot! 
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I heard very good things on the WA6se, may worth checking it out. It's supposed to be a warmer sounding amp which pairs well with HD800s for a more pleasing sound.
 

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