[Solarium]

I really don't know why majority of people prefer the 800 over the T1. I find the soundstage to be artificially large, the sound to be too smooth and laid back without T1's edginess, too flat/neutral/unemotional without T1's excitement. Do you guys listen to a complete different genre than I do, am I the only one who thinks this way? I only can find 800 to be a definite winner in classical genre, but with the majority of my music (80% EDM, pop, rock) the T1 is so much more involving. I even bought the m9XX just for the 800 too, but I can't justify spending $300-400 more for just the comfort and the larger soundstage. I even find T1's imaging to be better. Someone please tell me why you prefer the 800 and convince me not to return my 800! 

 

[whirlwind]

  I really don't know why majority of people prefer the 800 over the T1. I find the soundstage to be artificially large, the sound to be too smooth and laid back without T1's edginess, too flat/neutral/unemotional without T1's excitement. Do you guys listen to a complete different genre than I do, am I the only one who thinks this way? I only can find 800 to be a definite winner in classical genre, but with the majority of my music (80% EDM, pop, rock) the T1 is so much more involving. I even bought the m9XX just for the 800 too, but I can't justify spending $300-400 more for just the comfort and the larger soundstage. I even find T1's imaging to be better. Someone please tell me why you prefer the 800 and convince me not to return my 800! 

Different ears & different gear....in the end , it is just what one person prefers....no right or wrong here.

 

[DavidA]

  I really don't know why majority of people prefer the 800 over the T1. I find the soundstage to be artificially large, the sound to be too smooth and laid back without T1's edginess, too flat/neutral/unemotional without T1's excitement. Do you guys listen to a complete different genre than I do, am I the only one who thinks this way? I only can find 800 to be a definite winner in classical genre, but with the majority of my music (80% EDM, pop, rock) the T1 is so much more involving. I even bought the m9XX just for the 800 too, but I can't justify spending $300-400 more for just the comfort and the larger soundstage. I even find T1's imaging to be better. Someone please tell me why you prefer the 800 and convince me not to return my 800! 

I like both, as they say "Different strokes for different folks"  And I think the genre of music has a part in which you might prefer.  FWIW I only like the HD-800/T-1 out of my BH Crack, my Lyr2/Ember don't quite do it for me.  I've heard both on higher end equipment and while both sound better the cost is too far in diminishing returns for me to consider since I'm getting older and my hearing is only going down hill.

 

[Solarium]

  Different ears & different gear....in the end , it is just what one person prefers....no right or wrong here.

 

  I like both, as they say "Different strokes for different folks"  And I think the genre of music has a part in which you might prefer.  FWIW I only like the HD-800/T-1 out of my BH Crack, my Lyr2/Ember don't quite do it for me.  I've heard both on higher end equipment and while both sound better the cost is too far in diminishing returns for me to consider since I'm getting older and my hearing is only going down hill.

 
Spoken some true words. By the way, I see that both of you guys also have the STX sound card. Do you only use it for your speakers, and bypass it altogether when using the headphones? Lol you guys sure do enjoy life similarly too, golfing, family, friends, music 

. DavidA I remember your name in many of my postings, you sure bring some good advice to this community, along with warmth
 
After reading all the reviews, I've decided to use my 800 until the end of its "lease" from amazon at the 1 month mark. I have a feeling it's one of those headphones that you really need to listen for long term to appreciate it. Perhaps at the end of the lease I will change my mind.

 

[joshk4]

  I like both, as they say "Different strokes for different folks"  And I think the genre of music has a part in which you might prefer.  FWIW I only like the HD-800/T-1 out of my BH Crack, my Lyr2/Ember don't quite do it for me.  I've heard both on higher end equipment and while both sound better the cost is too far in diminishing returns for me to consider since I'm getting older and my hearing is only going down hill.

 
That is correct, ultimately it is what you like and what you don't like, no right or wrong.
 
As my signature says...

 

[Moonhead]

HD800 presents the music as it is, very natural thats why it may not give you the wow effect as cans that color the sound, 
could be the same reason some people dont like Stax to, as they are the most natural sounding earspeaker! 
 
I personally dont like Beyer treble peak and find it very annoying and unnatural, now i never listen to T1, but owned T70p and Dt880 
and read somewhere Beyer treble peak is even worse in T1 than T70, I feel Sennheiser is way ahaed of Beyer. 
But as always difference strokes and la di da... and thank god for that! 

 

[DavidA]

  HD800 presents the music as it is, very natural thats why it may not give you the wow effect as cans that color the sound,
could be the same reason some people dont like Stax to, as they are the most natural sounding earspeaker!
 
I personally dont like Beyer treble peak and find it very annoying and unnatural, now i never listen to T1, but owned T70p and Dt880
and read somewhere Beyer treble peak is even worse in T1 than T70, I feel Sennheiser is way ahaed of Beyer.
But as always difference strokes and la di da... and thank god for that!

I agree that some Stax headphones will sound to boring to some, my SR-009 fits that description some times but for well mastered classical it can't be beat.  I also have a old Stax SR-40, much more musical, better bass than SR-009 to me, and depending on what I'm listening to, better than the HD-800 in some ways.

 

[Moonhead]

Thanks DavidA 
 
I use to own 009 and then 007MKI and both is certainly more transparent than HD800 and presents the bass in a much more subtle way, I would describe it as a mild bass bloom thats very organic sounding, where HD800 is more aggressive dominant and fun! 
 
I would love to listen to some Stax 207 with Stax 323, I have a feeling that could be best bang for buck in a headphone setup, Birgir like them alot! 

 

[whirlwind]

 

  Different ears & different gear....in the end , it is just what one person prefers....no right or wrong here.

 

  I like both, as they say "Different strokes for different folks"  And I think the genre of music has a part in which you might prefer.  FWIW I only like the HD-800/T-1 out of my BH Crack, my Lyr2/Ember don't quite do it for me.  I've heard both on higher end equipment and while both sound better the cost is too far in diminishing returns for me to consider since I'm getting older and my hearing is only going down hill.

 
Spoken some true words. By the way, I see that both of you guys also have the STX sound card. Do you only use it for your speakers, and bypass it altogether when using the headphones? Lol you guys sure do enjoy life similarly too, golfing, family, friends, music 

. DavidA I remember your name in many of my postings, you sure bring some good advice to this community, along with warmth
 
After reading all the reviews, I've decided to use my 800 until the end of its "lease" from amazon at the 1 month mark. I have a feeling it's one of those headphones that you really need to listen for long term to appreciate it. Perhaps at the end of the lease I will change my mind.

I used my STX for headphones before I purchased a headphone amp, never tried the HD800 with the STX though.
 
Yes, now I just use it for my speakers.
 
It is a wonderful sound card.

 

[bosiemoncrieff]

For EDM/pop/rock I would have expected your vote to go to the planers, whether HE-6 or LCD series. 

 

[shultzee]

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.

You must have owned a different type of K812 than I did lol.  Its a pretty good HP.  Definitely blows away the mid level Senns.   And I am a Senn fan.

 

[Solarium]

  For EDM/pop/rock I would have expected your vote to go to the planers, whether HE-6 or LCD series. 

I actually went with HE-400 for my 1st planars, absolutely loved it, but gave me a terrible neck ache. Trying out different headphones made me realize that I can't really tolerate anything that weighs over 350g, which eliminates all of Audeze's offerings and most of the Hifiman's. I did eventually go back to the Hifiman's a second time to try out the 400i after they announced that it was much lighter than the original, but it didn't sound anything like the original (especially the bass) and too claustrophobic like the 650 which I also didn't enjoy. I ordered the Fostex TH-X00 after hearing the praises and getting caught in the hype, it'll be my 1st closed cans and I'm looking forward to hearing it with my EDM's.

 

[62ohm]

 
 
Haven't get the chance to try out the HD800S yet, but here I am still enjoying my HD800 just like the first time I got it, if not more.

 

[X1XNobleX1X]

Proud owner of a new pair of HD800s.
 
 
Sounds great, using a VALI and Modi 2.
 
 
 
 
EDIT:
 
Just received my frequency response chart, wouldn't have a clue what it means, but here it is below:
http://s28.postimg.org/9tg4zz25p/HD800.png
 
 
Not sure why it won't let me use the insert image option

 

[sheldaze]

  Only issue, that I have found is that when playing through Foobar and other players, a lot of the instruments are coming out of the left ear rather than both. Is this what is suppose to happen?
 
It doesn't happen with all music, but most of my collection.

Does not seem right - do you have another headphone you can use to play the same song to test?
 
If this is your only headphone, you may simple need to adjust to the idea that headphones do separate the music differently than speakers. Music played out of only the left channel cannot be heard on the right ear, which is quite different from speakers.