[joseph69]

I may be interested in buying an original 800.
Can anyone confirm that the photo below is an authentic Sennheiser outer box sleeve with "HD 800 Crafted For Perfection" in red text?
I've only seen the fine silver text which is written across the ear cup on their outer box sleeve.
Thanks.

 

[P+D-MI]

Yes, it looks exactly like mine, #004xx.

 

[joseph69]

Thank you very much for the confirmation, I appreciate it.
Just pulled the trigger.

 

[protoss]

I may be interested in buying an original 800.
Can anyone confirm that the photo below is an authentic Sennheiser outer box sleeve with "HD 800 Crafted For Perfection" in red text?
I've only seen the fine silver text which is written across the ear cup on their outer box sleeve.
Thanks.

Yes its real. Here is mine

 

[joseph69]

Thank you as well.
Glad to see another with the red text. Mine should be arriving by the end of the week.

 

[protoss]

Thank you as well.
Glad to see another with the red text. Mine should be arriving by the end of the week.

The only problem is you might of got a 10 year old pair. I be interested in the S/N# ?

My pair is s/n#000xx

Sounds worn out and warm and tame in the highs. Feels like a million hours went through the drivers lol

My favorite pair overall!

 

[joseph69]

The only problem is you might of got a 10 year old pair. I be interested in the S/N# ?

My pair is s/n#000xx

Sounds worn out and warm and tame in the highs. Feels like a million hours went through the drivers lol

My favorite pair overall!

S/N 218xx so not to far behind yours.

 

[dleblanc343]

S/N 218xx so not to far behind yours.

Protoss literally has one under S.N 100, that's impressive!

My first HD800 were 14xxx... sold them and now have a 32xxx on the way

 

[RCBinTN]

Y'all should read the legendary David "Mahler" review of flagship HPs from back in 2007. A bit old, I know, but his review of the HD800 is very interesting ... David claims there were (at that time) two different sound signatures to the headphone. He owned two pair ... SN 297 and 10333. I copied out his main point below. I own two pair myself, both in the SN 31xxx range and they sound identical. If you read his full review, scroll down - the HD800 are #6 on his list of flagship headphones.

"I own two pairs of the HD800: serial #297 and serial #10333. Serial #297 was made during the first production run while serial #10333 was manufactured approximately two years later. Initially, I purchased a second pair because the headband of my original pair encountered a recurring squeak issue. Despite several repair attempts, this problem has never been resolved to my full satisfaction.

However, what I've found is that the two HD800s have some very noticeable sonic differences. The earlier pair (#297) has a fuller tone and is slightly more laid-back in the highs. This is, in my opinion, not a result of burn-in; I've owned the later pair for nearly two years and I still maintain this view. While many people are of the belief that there will always be differences from model to model (a belief I most certainly don't disagree with), I have had the opportunity to hear several early models and several later models of the HD800; in my opinion, the earlier ones have a slightly fuller tone. I am not certain as to when the sonic transition took place or what may have caused it.

Despite the earlier model's fuller tone, if I had to pick which of the two pairs was my preference, I would choose the later. I feel that the later model (#10333) offers a greater degree of transparency and puts more air around the instruments. The noted differences are not so drastic, but I have done several blind tests and I always know which headphone is which."

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/battle-of-the-flagships-58-headphones-compared.634201/

Cheers,
RCB

 

[paradoxper]

Yes, subjective anecdotal data-points. Conversely many over the years have sent their HD800 to Purrin for measurements with consistent results.

Personally, I've owned 8 pairs of HD800 and felt their performance were quite consistent. Try this with an Audeze and you'll pull your hair out.

 

[Ichos]

Wow eight pairs!

 

[paradoxper]

Wow eight pairs!

But. Never again!

 

[joseph69]

But. Never again!

Why is this?

 

[paradoxper]

Why is this?

Time. I feel the HEDDphone is the true successor to the HD800.

 

[joseph69]

Time. I feel the HEDDphone is the true successor to the HD800.

Interesting.
I just heard both, my HEDD and another members 800 via my WA33 this past weekend, which is what made me hunt down and purchase a BNIB NOS 800. I've borrowed the 800 +/-4yrs ago from The Cable Company 2x and always enjoyed them but never bought them (I don't know why?).
I them purchased the 800S (again, I don't know why?) and didn't care for it much so I let it go.