[lin0003]

Congrats!

 

[magiccabbage]

  Good to read that the Hugo Chord sounds close to your WA2. Now I can't wait till my Chord Hugo arrives.
 
I originally ordered it for my Shure SE846, but now I'll use it for the HD800 too probably 

I hope you enjoy it as much as i did. The detail with HD800 is very impressive.

Very nice review. Looking forward to your stratus impressions when it arrives.

I can't wait for the Stratus - I will do a full review of that as well. A nice long write up and will add to it when I roll tubes. 

   
I personally find the Hugo/HD800 pairing somewhat too bright for my tastes.  Unfortunately It becomes fatiguing for me very quickly.

It is brighter than HD800 for sure but I personally never found it harsh except on a few rare tracks for example the track - Wynton Marsalis, Live at the Village Vanguard, "the legend of buddy bolden". The rest of the album is fine but that one track has slight treble harshness. 
 
The simple fact is you can always find certain tracks on albums that sound shrill regardless of the headphone you are using. I have never really found the HD800 to be overly bright but if you look at the 2 flagships I own - HD800/T1 maybe I just don't have that sensitivity that others do. 

 

[White Lotus]

I actually can't believe how good the HD800 sounds. It's not as "painfully bright" as I remember.. The amount of detail and comfort is absolutely beyond any headphone I've ever heard. It's a clear step up from all other headphones I've owned.
 
 
Truly amazing.

 

[whirlwind]

  I actually can't believe how good the HD800 sounds. It's not as "painfully bright" as I remember.. The amount of detail and comfort is absolutely beyond any headphone I've ever heard. It's a clear step up from all other headphones I've owned.
 
 
Truly amazing.

 
Yep, a great can

 

[skeptic]

Pick one could be anything, people are always skeptical and takes it way to personal if you come with a honest opinion of some over hyped gear.

Trying to put this as gently as possible, but you are kind of coming across like you're shilling for questyle.

What totl tube amps have you actually auditioned at length with hd800s to back up your unqualified dismissal of tube amps across the board?

 

[skeptic]

 
I can solder and have the equipment so how does it compare with some of the higher end amps (DNA)?

 
Nice!  I'm sorry to say that I haven't had a chance to audition DNA's stuff, but to my ears, the mainline does compare very favorably with other high end tube amps I've heard.  Here are some comparative impressions I posted a while back: http://www.head-fi.org/t/683012/bottlehead-amplifier-discussion-comparison-thread-crack-sex-mainline#post_9831594  Nearly a year later, I am still thrilled with this amp and how beautifully it pairs with hd800's.  
 
A little bit of interesting history: the mainline and ecp l2, which has also been highly praised as a match for hd800's (among other phones), both [size=12.8000001907349px]derive from a meeting held in Doc's basement back in 2003.  (B[/size]oth amps are excellent single gain stage, regulated, c4s loaded 6c45pi, parafeed amps with quality output transformers.)  Tomb, who works with Doug on the torpedo kits, is the one who first pointed out the similarities.  I made reference to this info/his comment, and it yielded a very cool exchange between Doc and Doug regarding the evolution of the design: http://www.head-fi.org/t/683012/bottlehead-amplifier-discussion-comparison-thread-crack-sex-mainline/735#post_10604677

 

[Priidik]

   
Nice!  I'm sorry to say that I haven't had a chance to audition DNA's stuff, but to my ears, the mainline does compare very favorably with other high end tube amps I've heard. 

It would be most fortunate for us blind-folded folks here next to Russian border if you could arrange a mini-meet with someone with BA, Stratus or/and Rag 

 

[Hopup]

I would like to hear your experiences if any of you have used Burson Conductor or Asus Xonar Essence One Muses edition with hd800.

 

[ruthieandjohn]

My Audio Nirvana continues!
 
I've now had the color-matched Sennheiser HD 800 headphones and HDVD 800 DAC/amp  (see avatar picture) for about two months. 
 
I find that you cannot really appreciate its differences in a quick listen... you must live with it.  But it is worth it, and I am particularly glad I paid what I considered a high price for the amp.
 
And I still have the incremental 10% purchase of a Sennheiser balanced cable to look forward to to further improve things.
 
Even though the HD 800 is not regarded as particularly bass-y, it still communicates bass most effectively, probably both because it communicates the harmonics so well and that it gives a realistic, not enhanced, level of bass.  I unserstand that there may be a bit more (1 - 2 dB) when I eventually get the balanced cable.
 
I even have my special Headphone Listening Chair!
 

 

[White Lotus]

 

[preproman]

  My Audio Nirvana continues!
 
I've now had the color-matched Sennheiser HD 800 headphones and HDVD 800 DAC/amp  (see avatar picture) for about two months. 
 
I find that you cannot really appreciate its differences in a quick listen... you must live with it.  But it is worth it, and I am particularly glad I paid what I considered a high price for the amp.
 
And I still have the incremental 10% purchase of a Sennheiser balanced cable to look forward to to further improve things.
 
Even though the HD 800 is not regarded as particularly bass-y, it still communicates bass most effectively, probably both because it communicates the harmonics so well and that it gives a realistic, not enhanced, level of bass.  I unserstand that there may be a bit more (1 - 2 dB) when I eventually get the balanced cable.
 
I even have my special Headphone Listening Chair!
 

 
 
Did colorware paint your amp as well?

 

[ruthieandjohn]

   
 
Did colorware paint your amp as well?

Yes indeed they did, and at the same time, in the same colors.  I bought both the amp and the headphones from Colorware, a licensed Sennheiser distributor, and so they maintain both the Sennheiser 2-year guarantee on the headphone and amp as well as their own guarantee on the coloring.  The paint they use is actually more chip-resistant (I'm told it is automotive paint) than the original Sennheiser surfaces.  And when you get the Sennheiser parts direct from them, it is only $100 each to color, rather than the $300 or $400 they charge for each if you send in your own.
 
And of course physics teaches us that Red Headphones Sound Best! 

 

[kothganesh]

 
Yes indeed they did, and at the same time, in the same colors.  I bought both the amp and the headphones from Colorware, a licensed Sennheiser distributor, and so they maintain both the Sennheiser 2-year guarantee on the headphone and amp as well as their own guarantee on the coloring.  The paint they use is actually more chip-resistant (I'm told it is automotive paint) than the original Sennheiser surfaces.  And when you get the Sennheiser parts direct from them, it is only $100 each to color, rather than the $300 or $400 they charge for each if you send in your own.
 
And of course physics teaches us that Red Headphones Sound Best! 

Dont I know you as the person who has color-matched the HD 800 and the car?

. Great looking car BTW. 
 
Regards from a Wolverine.

 

[screwdriver]

 

With Norne Audio Draug 2

 

[Canadian411]

 
 

With Norne Audio Draug 2

 
I don't believe in cable but it's one nice cable ! very nicely braided.