[protoss]

HD800 is one of the greatest headphone that was ever created and forever will be!

My scores: (2017)

Imaging 10/10
Soundstage 11/10
Resolution 10/10
Separation 10/10
Accuracy 10/10
Tonality 10/10
Treble 11/10
Weight 10/10
Comfortable 10/10
Stylish 10/10
Bass 7/10
Mids 7/10
Pairing 7/10
Removable parts 10/10

= HD800 Modern king!

 

[bosiemoncrieff]

If you like HD800 for treble and soundstage, wait till you hear K1000 driven by a speaker amp. As James Comey would say, "Lordy!"

 

[FLTWS]

HD800 is one of the greatest headphone that was ever created and forever will be!

My scores: (2017)

Imaging 10/10
Soundstage 11/10
Resolution 10/10
Separation 10/10
Accuracy 10/10
Tonality 10/10
Treble 11/10
Weight 10/10
Comfortable 10/10
Stylish 10/10
Bass 7/10
Mids 7/10
Pairing 7/10
Removable parts 10/10


= HD800 Modern king!

Looks like you run your 800 like I do, without the black liner insert.

Are those custom head band and ear pads? Material looks different from my stock ones.

 

[MattTCG]

Looks like you run your 800 like I do, without the black liner insert.

Are those custom head band and ear pads? Material looks different from my stock ones.

+1 on the question about the headband and pads. Inquiring minds won't to know.

 

[Moochibond]

^^ Intriguing

 

[protoss]

Looks like you run your 800 like I do, without the black liner insert.

Are those custom head band and ear pads? Material looks different from my stock ones.

That picture was taken when I was testing out some mods. Actually I use the dust cover with my HD800. I just had them remove because of the modding process. I did notice a very small 2% treble/resolution increase without the dust cover.

My Green ring HD800 S/N #008xx are the infamous original batch that sounds different than the higher models. It is with the original pads and headband. But the twist was I completely soak and wool soap wash it. It is very hard to describe the feeling now. It almost feels like a very soft, silk, pillow case? Not firm at all. I also notice sound is actually going through the pads 100%. My version could be consider HD800Speaker like now.
I prefer it this way now and could only listen to HD800 this way. My red ring ear pads is just like everyone else.

 

[FLTWS]

That picture was taken when I was testing out some mods. Actually I use the dust cover with my HD800. I just had them remove because of the modding process. I did notice a very small 2% treble/resolution increase without the dust cover.

My Green ring HD800 S/N #008xx are the infamous original batch that sounds different than the higher models. It is with the original pads and headband. But the twist was I completely soak and wool soap wash it. It is very hard to describe the feeling now. It almost feels like a very soft, silk, pillow case? Not firm at all. I also notice sound is actually going through the pads 100%. My version could be consider HD800Speaker like now.

I prefer it this way now and could only listen to HD800 this way. My red ring ear pads is just like everyone else.

Very interesting. So the original pads and headband on these older serial numbers was of a different material, or, was it the same as currently available but you applied the "soak and wool soap wash" to it which changed the feel?

 

[protoss]

Very interesting. So the original pads and headband on these older serial numbers was of a different material, or, was it the same as currently available but you applied the "soak and wool soap wash" to it which changed the feel?

Its the same materials. Yes I applied the 30min to 1 hour warm to hot water soak with wool and cashmere liquid soap. I reapply the process 3 times. And 3 times the bucket of water ended up being pitch black. This process did not destroy the pads/headbands. The plastic attach to the pads are in tack and firm. Noting is tearing or ripping or cut because of this process. The only things it did were, it made it super soft and pillow like, made it smell like cashmere roses and increase the performance of sound quality.
Why i did this? First the pads was getting smelling after 7 years. Second not paying $100 for pads. That's ridiculous.

 

[FLTWS]

Its the same materials. Yes I applied the 30min to 1 hour warm to hot water soak with wool and cashmere liquid soap. I reapply the process 3 times. And 3 times the bucket of water ended up being pitch black. This process did not destroy the pads/headbands. The plastic attach to the pads are in tack and firm. Noting is tearing or ripping or cut because of this process. The only things it did were, it made it super soft and pillow like, made it smell like cashmere roses and increase the performance of sound quality.
Why i did this? First the pads was getting smelling after 7 years. Second not paying $100 for pads. That's ridiculous.

That is interesting, I've got an extra set of pads and headband, I'll have to remember to try this cleaning method when the original pads get funky (only a year old this summer). I examined my pads and they look and feel kind of suede -like, your cleaning process makes it look like an entirely different type of fabric with an almost herringbone looking pattern. Maybe it's the lighting and the nicely detailed camera shots quality showing it up differently.

Those knitted (?) scalp protectors look comfy for cold weather wearing.

Thanks for the response and pictures.

 

[beowulf]

If you like HD800 for treble and soundstage, wait till you hear K1000 driven by a speaker amp. As James Comey would say, "Lordy!"

K1000 are so good at that. Too bad they're just not as practical. Well, even more now, given availability. Would be nice to see something like that come back... an alternative design by now since it would be uncommon.

HD800 is one of the greatest headphone that was ever created and forever will be!

My scores: (2017)

Imaging 10/10
Soundstage 11/10
Resolution 10/10
Separation 10/10
Accuracy 10/10
Tonality 10/10
Treble 11/10
Weight 10/10
Comfortable 10/10
Stylish 10/10
Bass 7/10
Mids 7/10
Pairing 7/10
Removable parts 10/10

= HD800 Modern king!

Don't try the Z1R. It will destroy your perception of comfort. I rate my 800 as an 8/10 at that, maximum. It's super comfy, until you realize how much more it can get. The Z1R is the solid 10/10 benchmark. It's like heavenly pillows for your ears and head
Some of the other scores are spot on, tho.

 

[protoss]

K1000 are so good at that. Too bad they're just not as practical. Well, even more now, given availability. Would be nice to see something like that come back... an alternative design by now since it would be uncommon.




Don't try the Z1R. It will destroy your perception of comfort. I rate my 800 as an 8/10 at that, maximum. It's super comfy, until you realize how much more it can get. The Z1R is the solid 10/10 benchmark. It's like heavenly pillows for your ears and head
Some of the other scores are spot on, tho.

I tired the Z1R. In my opinion I have a very negative view towards them. From massive coloration of a sound to the heated sweaty earpads. It is a nice looking headphone. But man... Comfy? Yes for short periods. I am pretty sure you have listen to dozens of pairs of headphones as of others here and the Z1R is relevantly comfortable but noticeable. I always knew I had something on my head wearing the Z1R. The HD800 I sometimes forget I am wearing a headphone. I have the Ether C Flow. Now heres a battle ! Ether Vs Z1R. This is a more proper fight. And I consider the Ether C Flow way better for value and comfortable regions than the Z1R. I also have the PM-1 for a bit. I find those super nice but and some serious ear pains later and that's a darn shame because its sounds very nice.

Also do not watch Tyll review on the Sony Z1R. Man Tyll will make every Z1R owners cry.

 

[beowulf]

I tired the Z1R. In my opinion I have a very negative view towards them. From massive coloration of a sound to the heated sweaty earpads. It is a nice looking headphone. But man... Comfy? Yes for short periods. I am pretty sure you have listen to dozens of pairs of headphones as of others here and the Z1R is relevantly comfortable but noticeable. I always knew I had something on my head wearing the Z1R. The HD800 I sometimes forget I am wearing a headphone. I have the Ether C Flow. Now heres a battle ! Ether Vs Z1R. This is a more proper fight. And I consider the Ether C Flow way better for value and comfortable regions than the Z1R. I also have the PM-1 for a bit. I find those super nice but and some serious ear pains later and that's a darn shame because its sounds very nice.

Also do not watch Tyll review on the Sony Z1R. Man Tyll will make every Z1R owners cry.

Variety in choices and impressions is what makes the hobby interesting.

I find the Z1R to be epically comfortable. The pads are thick, yet soft and the lamskin is very smooth. Of course, they do get hot if ambient temperatures are high, but that is going to happen with any other model with leather pads and closed format. Not perfectly comfortable in hot rooms.

I love the colors and comfort of the HD800 and even that feels itchy, heavy and plasticky after a switch.

The Ethers are great, but just like the Eikon I think they're not up to the same standard as the Z1R in build and sound,totally different leagues,built by people with very different levels of expertise.

Tyll had an interesting post, but I think he had an outlier pair. His finding are not matching many others from people in the field. Actually, there's a post from Jude on the front page about it at the time I'm writing this.

Anyway, my point was that the 800 are super comfy, but having both there's no way I put them at 10/10 in comfort after ten months with the Z1R. There's a reason I keep the 800 tho

Ps. Nice paint work! I should mod my 800

 

[P+D-MI]

That picture was taken when I was testing out some mods. Actually I use the dust cover with my HD800. I just had them remove because of the modding process. I did notice a very small 2% treble/resolution increase without the dust cover.

My Green ring HD800 S/N #008xx are the infamous original batch that sounds different than the higher models. It is with the original pads and headband. But the twist was I completely soak and wool soap wash it. It is very hard to describe the feeling now. It almost feels like a very soft, silk, pillow case? Not firm at all. I also notice sound is actually going through the pads 100%. My version could be consider HD800Speaker like now.
I prefer it this way now and could only listen to HD800 this way. My red ring ear pads is just like everyone else.
Wasn't the original batch 1 through 500?

 

[P+D-MI]

Wasn't the original batch 1 through 500?

 

[protoss]

Wasn't the original batch 1 through 500?

What I meant was that back in the days the HD800 had a controversy that the sound of the first wave of batches had a different sound signature than the later version has. I believe after S/N#1500 to the present has the same exact sound but before that people complain it sounded different comparing ones from the S/N# 000 to the 0000 versions.

Also to my knowledge of first batch. It was #001 to #100. and I believe the second batch was from #101 to #500 and so forth. But once hitting up in the thousands people notice a sound differences. Many factors could be said about this. From thousands of burn in time to usage to a secret revision 2. I don't believe HD800 ever had a revision 2 not like the craziness of the LCD-2 and LCD-3 series.