[Law87]

Somewhere in America right now a silver haired ex-headphone reviewer is reading this thread and thinking: “Who the fudge is Tyler!?”

Tyll*

see buddy you are good for something, good job.

 

[gLer]

Tyll*

see buddy you are good for something, good job.

Thanks, I know right!

By the way you may want to pick and choose which FR chart you use to make your point, because the ones you picked can’t decide what the stock HD800 sounds like, or what effect the SDR mod actually has**. I’d use the word contradictory but I think it’s been used too many times and rather incorrectly in this thread already.

**By the way have you actually heard an HD800 with the SDR mod? Judging by your comments and reliance on FR charts, I suspect not.

 

[JamieMcC]

I can agree to this statement, however you can say that by investing in a different set of headset with your current configuration is a better cost alternative rather than selling everything you have for one headset that may or may not work for you.

Its horses for course isn't it really and half the fun of the hobby is box swapping and finding what you like at which point you might decide to stop searching and spend some time with gear that suits personal tastes. I would assume the majority of the happy hd800 users have ended up where they are after trying out a considerable amount of other kit prior.

My own can list would be ignoring the lesser ones and not in any order Senn hd650, Senn hd600, Beyer T1, Beyer 770, Oppo PM3, ATH W1000x, Mezze 99 classic, AKG Q701 Quincy Jones Signature. Meters Music OV-1, Hifiman 400 Hifiman HE-6, Audioquest Nighthawks,

For some time the T1 was my favourite headphone, personally I think its more fickle than the HD800 when it comes to matching with synergistic gear get it wrong and it would turn into a thin sounding wailing sibilant banshee of a can that would be hard to listen to. On the other hand with the synergistic gear it could be sublime with pin point sound staging and beautiful mids. fwiw I had the T1 and hd800 at the same time and keeping just the hd 800's was a easy decision.

The cans I still own and intend to hang on to for the foreseeable future are the Oppo PM3, HD800 and Hifiman HE-6 while I have tried the LCD 2 & 3 and liked them very much the HE-6 and HD-800 really have my needs covered and excel with my tastes in music. The Oppo PM3 has the bases covered when away from my main system.

I would say that performance wise for sure both the HD 800 and HE-6 have their flaws but on the other hand what they excel at very few other cans can match at any price so they have become my own bench mark when considering what next Empyrean, LCD4 or maybe Stax SR009 or maybe even some high end iem's but the diminishing return factor seems to be going sky high rapidly which makes the choice much harder for those of us who are financially challenged.

 

[340519]

Well, I've read a ton of reviews on the 800s now, and for the most part, their detail and revealing nature is praised. I really have been searching for that veil to be pulled back from the music in an endgame can, so the 800s coupled with my Benchmark dac2 ought to be very aurally exciting.

 

[Law87]

Thanks, I know right!

By the way you may want to pick and choose which FR chart you use to make your point, because the ones you picked can’t decide what the stock HD800 sounds like, or what effect the SDR mod actually has**. I’d use the word contradictory but I think it’s been used too many times and rather incorrectly in this thread already.

**By the way have you actually heard an HD800 with the SDR mod? Judging by your comments and reliance on FR charts, I suspect not.

and which chart is that?

 

[Law87]

Well, I've read a ton of reviews on the 800s now, and for the most part, their detail and revealing nature is praised. I really have been searching for that veil to be pulled back from the music in an endgame can, so the 800s coupled with my Benchmark dac2 ought to be very aurally exciting.

you already bought the Hd800 might as well try to listen to it, you might like it but fact is fact, the hd800 is picky and have treble issues along with other smaller things such as sibillance.

I believe even sennheiser admit this issue with the treble peaks.

 

[Maxx134]

This is why most, in the know, go for hd800sdr over hd800s. You could say it's the best of both worlds.

This is a bit incorrect.
The SDR mod strives more for neutrality.
It is NOT similar to the 800S.
It is more similar to an 800 with less trebles

The 800S is having a decidedly increased lower spectrum, although not as "clean".

So, If you want the best of both worlds, (that being an 800S with the cleanness of the 800), you would install the Sennheiser foam mod, which I posted as part of my overall modification, which I have listed in my sig..

. The HD800 isn’t the be all and end all. Yes it’s the best headphone I’ve heard at some things. Other headphones (some that I own) do some things better, to my ears. The Auteur has better timbre and more lifelike vocals, for example. It also has deeper (though not necessarily better) bass. Nothing comes close to the HD800 - in its price range - when it comes to soundstage, resolution and clarity.

All of the above is my option. All of the above is ok

About the vocals, the midrange becomes better or more prominent on the higher impedance tube amps, and on speaker amps.

In both cases the HD800 is probably getting the juice it needs, because its impedance, at 600ohm is actually actually an average, so the demands vary with frequency.
Although theoretically, this shouldn't be a problem for an amp, in reality "suppy-n-demand" is not linear.

The Various response of an amps power supply, or "power-on-tap" reserves will make an amp sound different to the HD800.

The HD800S does seem to alleviate the situation with more mids, for those that prefer it.

 

[340519]

you already bought the Hd800 might as well try to listen to it, you might like it but fact is fact, the hd800 is picky and have treble issues along with other smaller things such as sibillance.

I believe even sennheiser admit this issue with the treble peaks.

They are in transit my dude.

I will have the hd650s next to the 800s, so if I can't handle the honesty of the 800s in that particular album, I'll switch to the 650s.

 

[340519]

This is a bit incorrect.
The SDR mod strives more for neutrality.
It is NOT similar to the 800S.
It is more similar to an 800 with less trebles

The 800S is having a decidedly increased lower spectrum, although not as "clean".

So, If you want the best of both worlds, (that being an 800S with the cleanness of the 800), you would install the Sennheiser foam mod, which I posted as part of my overall modification, which I have listed in my sig..



About the vocals, the midrange becomes better or more prominent on the higher impedance tube amps, and on speaker amps.

In both cases the HD800 is probably getting the juice it needs, because its impedance, at 600ohm is actually actually an average, so the demands vary with frequency.
Although theoretically, this shouldn't be a problem for an amp, in reality "suppy-n-demand" is not linear.

The Various response of an amps power supply, or "power-on-tap" reserves will make an amp sound different to the HD800.

The HD800S does seem to alleviate the situation with more mids, for those that prefer it.

I'm not remotely handy enough to attempt your mods. They look great and all, but I'd destroy the headphones.

 

[Maxx134]

I'm not remotely handy enough to attempt your mods. They look great and all, but I'd destroy the headphones.

I understand.
that is why I only suggest the Sennheiser foam, if you are already capable of doing the SDR insert

 

[nephilim32]

Really great that the HD 800’s thread has revived nicely again.

I feel that, since their inception 10 yrs ago, the 800’s still provide certain details in one’s music that no other headphone can achieve...yet.

The 800’s are masters of width of a soundstage and dynamics. Have not heard better in those categories. They grab so much detail and are amazingly source dependent for easy listening.

They are a bargain to buy, but the rest of your sound chain won’t be.

 

[340519]

I've read on various sites that owners of the Benchmark dac/amp combos are very happy with the synergy with the 800s. I'll be trying both the dac1 and dac2 with the 800s, and also the JDS O2 and Element dac. It's going to be fun to experiment with all of this.

 

[Law87]

They are in transit my dude.

I will have the hd650s next to the 800s, so if I can't handle the honesty of the 800s in that particular album, I'll switch to the 650s.

what do you mean "honesty"? If anything the HD800 is more unforgiving than HD800s.

 

[340519]

what do you mean "honesty"? If anything the HD800 is more unforgiving than HD800s.

Sorry I meant 800. I do not have the S version.

 

[gLer]

Sorry I meant 800. I do not have the S version.

Honesty is the perfect word for the HD800. Makes you realise just how poorly mastered some of your recordings are, and rewards you endlessly when something is well recorded. That’s why it’s probably best as a part of a 2-3 headphone collection. I have the ZMF Auteur which, while also fairly neutral and highly resolving, is gentler on poor recordings with its slightly added warmth and cohesiveness of sound. I enjoy both off a transparent solid state amp and NOS R2R dac that delivers all the detail and space I could want without becoming overanalytical or dry. It’s always a fine balance but once you find it, you’re set.