[pietcux]

  I got mine for $875 used incl shipping...okay deal, not quite excellent, especially since I needed to replace ear pads and headband. Is a 6xxx serial number considered "early"? I know DavidMahler makes a clear distinction between the 'full sound' of the early units and 'airier sound' of the later units in his flagship battle thread.

It is a pain that you needed to replace the pads and the headband. Mine could be cleaned easily with a good wool wash fluid. Makes my deal even better. I could compare my pads quality to the pads of a bran new HD800S and the overall quality is still like new.

 

[Thenewguy007]

   
There's substantial differences.  Vali 2 is better. More refined, more open sounding, less forward. More transparent as well. Still fun and easy to listen though.  I owned the Vali Twice and I Currently have the Vali 2.  that little beast is sensitive to tube rolling as well so it's easy to tune the sound. Funny but expensive. THe best to do is to stick to 6BZ7/6BQ7a tubes instead of  E88CC/6DJ8 family.  6BQ7a are cheap whereas 6DJ8 ubes can get pretty darn expensive.
 
My 2 cents. 

 
Any specific 6BZ7/6BQ7a brands worth recommending?

 

[Thenewguy007]

  I friend did this with his HD700. I really like the paint job and pondering if I should have him do it to my HD800. I constantly change headphones and just curious if people think it would change the value of the HD800 if they were painted like that.
 

 
Colorware does this professionally.
 
http://www.colorware.com/p-289-sennheiser-hd-800.aspx
 
I would say it would add value, as the default matte silver color on the HD800 is hideous.
 
BTW how did he go about painting it?

 

[62ohm]

I would argue otherwise - the default silver looks discreet to me; subtle yet sophisticated. Red color scheme looks conspicuous and ostentatious (in other word, a bit gaudy).

 

[MrMan]

   
Colorware does this professionally.
 
http://www.colorware.com/p-289-sennheiser-hd-800.aspx
 
I would say it would add value, as the default matte silver color on the HD800 is hideous.
 
BTW how did he go about painting it?

 
Colorware charges a pretty penny. Peterek does it for a reasonable price in comparison and his paint jobs are done professionally with a much better turn around time. 

 

[ruthieandjohn]

  I would argue otherwise - the default silver looks discreet to me; subtle yet sophisticated. Red color scheme looks conspicuous and ostentatious (in other word, a bit gaudy).

What you mean, GAUDY???  My HD800 AND HDVD800 look perfect in my car!!!
 

 
They go perfectly with my in-car audio vinyl source...
 

 

[defbear]

I think the red looks especially nice. It would also lower the value. Definitely used, not original, messed with. But enjoyable to own.

 

[Fido2]

Is that turntable a Fiat option now?

 

[ubs28]

Won't the needle jump due to engine vibrations or when you hit a speed bump? 

 
 
But it looks really nice.

 

[Solarium]

Got my HD800 finally after getting the Grace Design m9XX. I finally understand why this is called the king of dynamics. It pairs so well with the m9XX as well. Compared to my T1, it's more accurate in an analytical sense, airy, has a larger soundstage, smoother, less bright, comfortable, but less emotional and exciting. I can see why people are either part of the T1 or a 800 crowd, they are both amazing headphones and not in the sense "better" than the other. However, given the overall presentation of the HD800, and if both are the same price, I would currently go with the 800. I have a feeling I can listen to much larger doses of the 800 than the T1 due to treble fatigue. Strange people call this headphone bright though, while brighter than the 700 for sure, it's definitely darker than the T1.

 

[sheldaze]

  Got my HD800 finally after getting the Grace Design m9XX. I finally understand why this is called the king of dynamics. It pairs so well with the m9XX as well. Compared to my T1, it's more accurate in an analytical sense, airy, has a larger soundstage, smoother, less bright, comfortable, but less emotional and exciting. I can see why people are either part of the T1 or a 800 crowd, they are both amazing headphones and not in the sense "better" than the other. However, given the overall presentation of the HD800, and if both are the same price, I would currently go with the 800. I have a feeling I can listen to much larger doses of the 800 than the T1 due to treble fatigue. Strange people call this headphone bright though, while brighter than the 700 for sure, it's definitely darker than the T1.

That was truly one of the more surprising pairings I enjoyed on my HD800, with the m9XX. To my ears, the AKG and Beyers only get the highs right - the Senns make every effort to cover the full spectrum.
 
Hope you enjoy!

 

[longbowbbs]

Sunday morning with the HD800's
 

 

[bosiemoncrieff]

  Got my HD800 finally after getting the Grace Design m9XX. I finally understand why this is called the king of dynamics. It pairs so well with the m9XX as well. Compared to my T1, it's more accurate in an analytical sense, airy, has a larger soundstage, smoother, less bright, comfortable, but less emotional and exciting. I can see why people are either part of the T1 or a 800 crowd, they are both amazing headphones and not in the sense "better" than the other. However, given the overall presentation of the HD800, and if both are the same price, I would currently go with the 800. I have a feeling I can listen to much larger doses of the 800 than the T1 due to treble fatigue. Strange people call this headphone bright though, while brighter than the 700 for sure, it's definitely darker than the T1.

Fostex TH900 and AKG K812 are a couple of other nominees for 'king of the dynamics,' as is of course the discontinued AKG K1000, but the HD800 does so much so well—and for a lower price than either TH900 or K1000—that its kingship is unlikely to be questioned. The Sony MDR-R10, of course, is the only dynamic that is widely regarded more favorably, but there are so few units worldwide that it can only ever be a niche toy for the exceptionally well-heeled.

 

[Kyle 491]

The K812 wouldn't win the 'King of mid-fi' let alone the 'king of dynamics'. It has less resolution than a HD600 and high mid-range distortion combined with a zingy treble which makes it sound 'hard' with massed vocals or complex instrumental music with a lot of treble presence.

 

[Kiats]

The K812 wouldn't win the 'King of mid-fi' let alone the 'king of dynamics'. It has less resolution than a HD600 and high mid-range distortion combined with a zingy treble which makes it sound 'hard' with massed vocals or complex instrumental music with a lot of treble presence.

Haha! I wouldn't be so harsh. I have both and I'm happy with both. Both are stunning in their own right. At the end of the day, it depends on what sig you want at that point in time.