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The (new) HD800 Impressions Thread
Sep 14, 2013 at 6:08 PM Post #5,536 of 29,017
Just pulled the trigger on my new rig. Been researching for about two-three months and today was the day I decided to settle down and start listening to music.

Picked up a WA6-SE used. Got it arriving this week along with a new Bifrost and HD800s. Upgrading from O2/ODAC and HD600s. The wait is going to test me...
 
Sep 15, 2013 at 1:37 AM Post #5,544 of 29,017
Very brief (<1 hr) listening impressions of the Luxman/HD800/DP-1: Very nice sounding...best ss I've heard with the HD800, although it's transparency is lacking slightly behind the Woo and way behind the ZDSE. The tonality is excellent-even better than the Woo, although they are both very good in that regard. They both have a little more 'meat on the bone' than the ZDSE, which seems to work better with some genres but not others. Bass is pretty good, similar to the Woo in that it's rounded a bit, but slightly better impact. ZDSE (with right tube) trounces them both in this regard.Treble is excellent-better than both the tube amps-either that or it's just rolling off the oft piercing highs of the Senns.
 
I wouldn't really call it warm or dark...but more kinda lacking some transparency if that makes sense. Guess it's the 'color' people refer to with this amp. I feel the Woo is a little more neutral-it can still be sharp in the highs-the Luxman...never does, yet.
 
Bah...more listening to do...strings and bass guitar on this thing are outstanding. Soundstaging still isn't on the level of the ZDSE, but I kind of expected that. Dynamics are good, better than the Woo (partly due to lower noise floor), but still not up to ZDSE levels. I'd say it's on par with the Bryson for dynamics, but not transparency...but much better tonality and about the same detail...more to come.
 
-Daniel
 
Sep 15, 2013 at 1:41 AM Post #5,545 of 29,017
bourneperfect said:
  Very brief (<1 hr) listening impressions of the Luxman/HD800/DP-1: Very nice sounding...best ss I've heard with the HD800, although it's transparency is lacking slightly behind the Woo and way behind the ZDSE. The tonality is excellent-even better than the Woo, although they are both very good in that regard. They both have a little more 'meat on the bone' than the ZDSE, which seems to work better with some genres but not others. Bass is pretty good, similar to the Woo in that it's rounded a bit, but slightly better impact. ZDSE (with right tube) trounces them both in this regard.Treble is excellent-better than both the tube amps-either that or it's just rolling off the oft piercing highs of the Senns.
 
I wouldn't really call it warm or dark...but more kinda lacking some transparency if that makes sense. Guess it's the 'color' people refer to with this amp. I feel the Woo is a little more neutral-it can still be sharp in the highs-the Luxman...never does, yet.
 
Bah...more listening to do...strings and bass guitar on this thing are outstanding. Soundstaging still isn't on the level of the ZDSE, but I kind of expected that. Dynamics are good, better than the Woo (partly due to lower noise floor), but still not up to ZDSE levels. I'd say it's on par with the Bryson for dynamics, but not transparency...but much better tonality and about the same detail...more to come.
 
-Daniel
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great impressions, seems kinda like what i was expecting from what other people have said.
 
i love the woo audio bass. rounded and good impact. very musical. 
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 the fact that you said WA5 kinda sharp in the highs kinda bothers me, maybe its better for me to stick with WA2 and WA22, for the warmth and smoothness. i never find them bright, even with the worst recordings. the GSX does pretty good with this as well, though its more unforgiving. (also partly cause of my mytek, its extremely true to the recording and doesn't cover up anything in the treble, works well with warm amps cause of this).
 
Sep 15, 2013 at 1:49 AM Post #5,546 of 29,017
One thing with the Woo is that everything sounds...big. Not the soundstage really, but instruments, vocals...makes the soundstage seem somewhat lacking in depth because of this. I don't know how to explain it...I keep picturing the vocalist's face as a miniature blimp floating over the stage. Gosh that sounds lame but I can't think of how else to explain it. Like a giant helium balloon that is floating halfway to the ceiling because it's losing it's gaseous(?) properties (lacking depth as it deflates). Weird, I know, but there you have it.
 
The Luxman OTOH, has a more 'proper' presentation if you will-better depth and tonality than the Woo. The Woo peeled 1 more layer away from the music than the Lux, whereas the ZDSE peels like 5 layers away. Maybe that's just what a good OTL can do, idk.
 
-Daniel
 
Sep 15, 2013 at 2:08 AM Post #5,547 of 29,017
that might be the 300B sound people talk about, maybe thats why people say, either you like it or you don't.
 
and i love OTL sound, though the zana seems to sound quite different depending on tubes. i loved it with sophia 6sl7, did not like with the sylvania tube, was way too fast sounding for me. 
 
with the headamp gsx mk2, there are no layers, only music 
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, its amazing what transparency is, everything in nothingness, the sound of nothingness, its like ego death, trippy and you just kinda have to experience it for yourself 
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Sep 15, 2013 at 2:15 AM Post #5,548 of 29,017
I would still hope there are 'layers' within the music however-which is a good strength of tube amps imo-at least the ZDSE anyway. That said-I'm gonna put my deposit down on a GSX soon-hoping for it as my end game ss like I'me hoping the Levi will prove to be my end game tube amp.
 
-Daniel
 
Sep 15, 2013 at 2:41 AM Post #5,550 of 29,017
'cept everyone just says "it's good-it's great"-never really much impressions. Just throw out the 'wire with a gain, it's sounds precisely like your source' throwup repeated 1000 times. So DG-what's your source sound like? :wink:
 
-Daniel
 
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