[chimney189]

800S owner here who has never heard the 800: should I chase a pair of HD800 up? I always felt that I might be missing something by not trying it out and I now feel triggered again.

I've owned both. I don't think owning the original is necessary.
If I were you I'd look for a headphone to compliment the HD 800S if anything.

 

[FiGuY1017]

I may be in the minority but that’s to bad they discontinued it ,because I perfer the 800 stock no mods ,so I’m guessing the S wouldn’t be for me.

 

[chimney189]

I think that this would be a great chance for Sennheiser to lower the MSRP on the HD 800S.

 

[treebug]

800S owner here who has never heard the 800: should I chase a pair of HD800 up? I always felt that I might be missing something by not trying it out and I now feel triggered again.

I found I could hear details clearer on the HD800. Soundstage slightly wider too.

 

[omniweltall]

I've owned both. I don't think owning the original is necessary.
If I were you I'd look for a headphone to compliment the HD 800S if anything.

Lets put it this way. HD800 can be tuned like HD800S, but not the other way around.

 

[treebug]

Shouldn't have sold my old HD800. Picked a new one up today and this ain't goin' nowhere!

 

[Joong]

I listened to hd800 first time, and my expectation for brightness and bass shyness was wrong.
Tones very well balanced, and the tonal density is high.
My musical preference is classical orchestral music, and this phone brings me home.
I am coming from Nighthawk as my favorite phone which has very thick sonic layers with dark shifted, whereas HD 800 has the same thickness of layers with tonal balance not bright shifted that was one of my worries.
It's bit surprise that there are more similarity to Nighthawks than dissimilarity, which is well balanced of hd800 rather darker in case of Nighthawk.
Nighthawk requires its complimentary due to the dark nature, but HD 800 needs the complimentary in far less degrees.
It is really wonderful for my taste.
I think I am home.

[edit]
My other worry was its being pickiness for headphone amplifier. It is not picky at all.

 

[johnjen]

I concur as well.
The 800 S is not for me either.
It lost some of the magic that can be heard from the original 800.

And as noted an 800 can become (effectively) an 800 S, and not the other way around.

This, at least for me, is a backwards move on Senn's part, that is unless they have a new design in the works, in which case the 800 can potentially become a statement piece.

JJ

 

[Nik74]

I think it’s time to go to my nearby distributor and hear the 800 and 800S side by side.

 

[JaZZ]

Never heard the «S», but since I equalize (and modify) anyway, I'd have no use for it. Fortunately I have two pairs of the classic HD 800 – one inherited from a friend. Bad move from Sennheiser to just keep the more expensive variant in the product range.

 

[omniweltall]

Never heard the «S», but since I equalize (and modify) anyway, I'd have no use for it. Fortunately I have two pairs of the classic HD 800 – one inherited from a friend. Bad move from Sennheiser to just keep the more expensive variant in the product range.

Agreed. Just like the HD600/650, Senn has room to keep both HD800/800S.

 

[RCBinTN]

I concur as well.
The 800 S is not for me either.
It lost some of the magic that can be heard from the original 800.

And as noted an 800 can become (effectively) an 800 S, and not the other way around.

This, at least for me, is a backwards move on Senn's part, that is unless they have a new design in the works, in which case the 800 can potentially become a statement piece.

JJ

I agree, John. The magic about the HD800 is the clarity and level of detail presented.
Great, for me, on all music genres (even metal) but really shines on acoustic and symphonic.

I heard the HD800S at a meet ... they sounded like the HD800 with a sock stuffed inside.

I can not imagine Sennheiser just walking away from an open, highly resolving, headphone ...
They must have an ace in the works

 

[Jose R]

I can not imagine Sennheiser just walking away from an open, highly resolving, headphone ...
They must have an ace in the works

Hmmm, buy a backup HD800 or wait for a real potential replacement (that is not the HD800S)? 1st world decisions...

 

[treebug]

Hmmm, buy a backup HD800 or wait for a real potential replacement (that is not the HD800S)? 1st world decisions...

I think it will be a long wait. Sennheiser told me that the HD800S is the successor. The choice is HD800S or HD820 now.

 

[RCBinTN]

Hmmm, buy a backup HD800 or wait for a real potential replacement (that is not the HD800S)? 1st world decisions...

Thanks, Jose. I already own two pair of the HD800. First world anticipation!