[zilch0md]

You guys are killing me, but I have to admit, I'm laughing, too, reading everyone's response to my use of "ghetto @ass shower caps".
 

 
 

Spoiler: Unexpected reactions...

Quote:

 
Why ?

 
 

  ^^ Love ya Mike, but there is no way I'm putting those ghetto @ss shower caps on my nice hp's. Nope, not gonna do it. I'll suck it up when it's time and replace the pads. 

 
 

 

Originally Posted by zilch0md /img/forum/go_quote.gif

I routinely use these disposable, elasticized covers on the ear pads of all my headphones.
 
http://www.amazon.com/Large-Stretchable-Headphone-Covers-Earmuff-style/dp/B009CDXPCG/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1410925756&sr=1-4&keywords=headphone+covers

You can see them on the HD800 in this photo:
 

 
 
The large size is fine for LCD-2, PM-1, and HD600/650, but it's a little tight with AKG K550 and way too large for Amperior or DT1350, where the small size is preferable.

I find them to be cooling with both leather and velour pads and they have no detectable impact on sound quality. Needless to say, the pads stay in mint condition for potential resale.

Mike

 

This felt like a recurrent nightmare.

My Mom used to put platic covers on our sofas and chaise longue, in the livingroom. This would keep them looking new and clean for our guests, she told me. But...with those platic covers on, the sofas look horrible most of the time, I objected. We never resolved this disagreemkent .

I am afraid that using those covers on my HD800 would send me into a catatonic state that I may not recover from, a least not without extensive and expensive therapy.

No. Thanks for the suggestion, Mike, but it's best for my sanity to just buy a new pair of HD800 once the pair I am using is worn out.

Cheers )

 

  Reminds me of the Everybody Loves Raymond episode where his mother is forced to take the plastic covers off her furniture. HA!

 

  roflmao 

 

   
Shower caps aka ear condoms.

 

  Ha ha ha ha ....man, matt.....this made my side hurt from laughing  

 

 
 
Given the unanimous response, I'm starting to think I must have a fetish.  LOL
 
I might as well stick the other foot in my mouth by adding that I actually use "ghetto @ass shower caps" as raincoats for my camera gear when I shoot landscapes (always with a tripod) in the rain.  
 
I keep two of these in my Lowe Pro camera backpack, I hardly notice the extra weight - and these things are awesome for covering gear between exposures, even in a heavy rain.
 
http://www.amazon.com/Betty-Dain-Plastic-Processing-clear/dp/B005GXQM1M
 
Highly recommended! 
 

 
(ghetto girl not included)
 
Is it just me, or do I detect some measure of embarrassment in her smile - that she's having to pose in that thing?
 

 

[Sorrodje]

L.O.L!

 

[zilch0md]

Getting back on topic...
 

 
Five days later, I'm thinking my modded HD800 is a poor man's version of the LCD-3, but probably with less bass energy, even though I know the LCD-3 doesn't have quite the bass coloration of my LCD-2 rev. 1.
 
I've been listening to whole tracks then swapping between the modded HD800 and LCD-2 rev. 1.  Five days in, I've concluded that I just cannot part with either headphone.  I'd sooner sell the PM-1 with the brighter, more transparent sounding PM-2-style pads, than either the HD800 or LCD-2 - as long as I can keep the OPPO HA-1 and balanced cables on which the LCD-2 is dependent. (The H800 and PM-1 don't really need the HA-1's power.)
 
Strengths of the LCD-2 rev. 1 over the modded HD800 (for my tastes):
 
Bass Energy
Naturalness
Body or fullness
Forgiving nature
Fun factor

Strengths of the modded HD800 over the LCD-2 (for my tastes):
 
Treble energy (no longer fatiguing, thanks to the mod, and certainly preferable to the LCD-2 rev.1)
Resolution
Soundstage
Imaging (separation)
Bass control (speed and texture)
Comfort (not a sonic trait, but it has to be mentioned)
 
 
I can only imagine a headphone that gets everything right, but at this point, if I had to pick just one, it would be the LCD-2 rev.1, because I value its strengths more than those of the HD800, but it's really a close call - and a difficult call, because they are so different from each other.  To score them, I'd give the LCD-2 rev. 1 an 8 out of 10, where the modded HD800 gets a 7 out of 10, for my tastes.
 
Note that I'm comparing these chains - my observations are irrelevant to other contexts:
 
FiiO X5 Line Out > Audioquest Golden Gate mini-to-RCA cable > OPPO HA-1, balanced out > Toxic Cables Silver Poison > modded HD800
 
vs.
 
FiiO X5 Coaxial Out > KabelDirekt Pro Series Coaxial cable > OPPO HA-1, balanced out > Toxic Cables Silver Poison > LCD-2 rev. 1
 
 
Actually, unlike some people, I've never found the Audeze headphones to be too heavy or uncomfortable - they're just fine, but switching between the LCD-2 and HD800, it's impossible not to notice how the HD800 just disappear on your head - a lot like the AKG K550 did for me.

But the sound differences are far more critical for me.

Speaking of which - and getting to recent posts, above - there are some albums in my library - just a few - where I much prefer the modded HD800 to the LCD-2. And here's the kicker - they tend to be among those that also sound the best on the LCD-2.  It's the recordings that do not require the LCD-2's (or PM-1's) forgiving nature.

I was listening to Brad Mehldau's Highway Rider (jazz) with the LCD-2, totally enjoying it, telling myself, "Oh yeah, this is why I love my LCD-2," when I decided to switch to the modded HD800 for confirmation of that assessment. Oops! No contest! The HD800 absolutely takes the lid off that album!

But another jazz album I love is Gerald Albright's Pushing the Envelope, which at first listen with the LCD-2, is every bit as well-recorded  as the Brad Mehldau album (no distortion in the treble or elsewhere). But switching to the more revealing (modded) HD800, everything is too forward and seems to have an etch - like an over-sharpened photograph (remember, I'm using the HA-1):

But which is the better recording? The one that can tolerate scrutiny under the HD800 microscope or the one that sounds best under a more typical, under-resolving headphone like the LCD-2? And is it possible that the HD800's speed and short decays are "sharpening" things excessively? Or is it something else in my chain?
 
Do so many HD800 users end up with tube amps because there's a problem with the HD800 or is it a problem with the majority of their recordings?

Moral of the story: No one will ever find a single rig that makes the most out of every recording in their library - no matter their personal tastes.

And thus, having only one headphone is possible only for those willing to make concessions as they play through their library.  I've concluded that the easiest way to avoid dissatisfaction for those who want to use only one headphone is to "soften" some portion of the chain (the PM-1 can play almost anything), but softening the HD800 is, in my opinion, a huge waste of money - like putting a 600 HP motor in a car with mediocre suspension and brakes for slalom runs.  
 
I'd much rather limit the (modded) HD800 to a small playlist of recordings that are deserving, where it can outshine every other headphone in my inventory, than "smoothing" it with inexpensive tube or hybrid amps, or retaining its spectacular resolution while removing the edginess with an $1800 to $3500+ tube amp - which, in truth, are probably still best served by a restricted playlist.

In the end, and again, I'm saying this for my tastes, the relatively short playlist demanded by the modded HD800 (on the chain I'm using)  is still an expensive proposition, even with an "affordable" solid state DAC and amp, not just because the HD800 itself is expensive, but because, in the absence of gear that softens it, the HD800 can only outperform the less expensive competition with less than 5% of my library - where, admittedly, it completely steals the day - so much so, that I don't want to part company with it.
 
Mike

 

[Sorrodje]

Sorry but  tube = softening is a misconception.
 
And another misconception is to consider thant searching the good amp or dac is trying to soften the HD800.  Many people here built their "(close to) end game HD800 setup with detailed and revealing dacs or amps because that's their preference.
 
The global misconception is precisely the idea that the HD800 needs absolutely to be "soften".  I thought so a few month ago but I was wrong.

 

[Canadian411]

For me, my cheap Burson HA160DS helped HD800 to produce smooth trebles and gain the bass synergy.
And I don't think HD800 is a cheap version or poor man's version of the LCD3 but more comfortable version of Audezes.

 

[Justin_Time]

Alright lads!


 


the chance to have two, two hour listening sessions on the new (20,000plus serial number) HD 800 this week.


 


I only listened to FLAC files and it was driven by the hdvd 800 amp.


 


This was the first time I'd listened to this headphone, and it's something I've been waiting to do for a long while. I felt like a kid on Christmas day when I first walked in the room and saw them.


 


Plus sides:


 


1. The soundstage was incredible. The placement of instruments and massive feel they give you is something I'd never experienced before, and it completely took me off guard, no matter how many reviews I'd read beforehand.


 


2. Clarity and detail were second to none. There was nothing this headphone was gonna miss on a song. Not a thing.


 


3. Classical, specifically piano and orchestral pieces sounded spectacular - enough to make me buy them just t be able to listen to that genre alone.


 


Jazz also sounded very impressive but seemed to lack warmth.


 


Downsides:



 


1. I felt it struggled hugely with Reggae, Pop and Rock (I preferred Reggae on my ps500e's by quite a margin)


They seemed to lose their life within the shuffle of each track.


Very thin, cold and anemic sounding.


 


2. I'd heard that the 800's can be quite harsh and have quite a bit of sibilance with vocals. To my delight in the first listening  session I had I didn't experience any. That was until the last 5-10 minutes, just before I left, when I decided to listen to some Diana krall.


Her voice hit me like a bloody thunderbolt, like someone had taken an icepick and driven right into my dome!


I went through a few more tracks and again spike that came with some of the vocals were quite shocking.


 


This pretty much broke my heart. And I decided not purchase.


 


I did come back the next day and had an hour comparing them with hd650's, just for ****s and giggles.


 


Sorry I couldn't really go into details as I struggle to articulate experiences with headphones in the same depth some of you ''audiophiles'' do - I just thought I'd let you know how I felt.


 


It's a shame such an incredible headphone has such a huge flaw.

 


It is often helpful to take a more holistic perspective: we are not listening to just the headphone but to the entire chain. So while the HD800, it is also reproducing the "sound" of the entire chain while also additing its own voice, of course.

The HD800 tend t soud a little bright. I like to think of it as being very revealing of whatever signlas upstream. The main reason for this persepective is that every time I hooked the HD800 up to higest quality gears, the brightness end away!

What you heard with Diane Krall's voice was clearly a problem with other gears--it is a stridency problem above 1KHz.--as I heard nothing with beautiful singing in my system last night.

I'll do some experiments and get back with you on this.

 

[nigeljames]

The HD800 is what it is with it's own strengths and weaknesses just like any other phone.
 
If anyone feels that they need to change it's basic character then they have bought the wrong phone for their tastes and system.
 
I withheld even thinking about buying the HD800 due to my musical tastes, having a neutral SS amp and neutral DAC. When I bought it I fully expected to return it for a refund but I loved it from day 1.
 
All the issues people were having like brightness, lack of bass or body, lifeless and analytical were just non-existent.
 
I guess I just got lucky 

 

[Sorrodje]

HD800:
 
First you buy it
Then you love it
Then you hate it and try to soften it
Then you understand that's the wrong path and understand that all it needs is better upstream material
Then your wallet die.
 
That's the sad story of HD800 owner.

 

[nigeljames]

  HD800:
 
First you buy it
Then you love it
Then you hate it and try to soften it
Then you understand that's the wrong path and understand that all it needs is better upstream material
Then your wallet die.
 
That's the sad story of HD800 owner.

 
Luckily for me steps 3-5 do not apply

 

[Somphon]

Alright lads!


 


the chance to have two, two hour listening sessions on the new (20,000plus serial number) HD 800 this week.


 


I only listened to FLAC files and it was driven by the hdvd 800 amp.


 


This was the first time I'd listened to this headphone, and it's something I've been waiting to do for a long while. I felt like a kid on Christmas day when I first walked in the room and saw them.


 


Plus sides:


 


1. The soundstage was incredible. The placement of instruments and massive feel they give you is something I'd never experienced before, and it completely took me off guard, no matter how many reviews I'd read beforehand.


 


2. Clarity and detail were second to none. There was nothing this headphone was gonna miss on a song. Not a thing.


 


3. Classical, specifically piano and orchestral pieces sounded spectacular - enough to make me buy them just t be able to listen to that genre alone.


 


Jazz also sounded very impressive but seemed to lack warmth.


 


Downsides:



 


1. I felt it struggled hugely with Reggae, Pop and Rock (I preferred Reggae on my ps500e's by quite a margin)


They seemed to lose their life within the shuffle of each track.


Very thin, cold and anemic sounding.


 


2. I'd heard that the 800's can be quite harsh and have quite a bit of sibilance with vocals. To my delight in the first listening  session I had I didn't experience any. That was until the last 5-10 minutes, just before I left, when I decided to listen to some Diana krall.


Her voice hit me like a bloody thunderbolt, like someone had taken an icepick and driven right into my dome!


I went through a few more tracks and again spike that came with some of the vocals were quite shocking.


 


This pretty much broke my heart. And I decided not purchase.


 


I did come back the next day and had an hour comparing them with hd650's, just for ****s and giggles.


 


Sorry I couldn't really go into details as I struggle to articulate experiences with headphones in the same depth some of you ''audiophiles'' do - I just thought I'd let you know how I felt.


 


It's a shame such an incredible headphone has such a huge flaw.

 


It is often helpful to take a more holistic perspective: we are not listening to just the headphone but to the entire chain. So while the HD800, it is also reproducing the "sound" of the entire chain while also additing its own voice, of course.

The HD800 tend t soud a little bright. I like to think of it as being very revealing of whatever signlas upstream. The main reason for this persepective is that every time I hooked the HD800 up to higest quality gears, the brightness end away!

What you heard with Diane Krall's voice was clearly a problem with other gears--it is a stridency problem above 1KHz.--as I heard nothing with beautiful singing in my system last night.

I'll do samoe experiments and get back with you on this.

What highest quality gear are you referring to?

 

[MickeyVee]

True that.  I'm on step 4 avoiding step 5 (McIntosh MHA100).  Is there an HD800 recovery/support group?
Quote:

  HD800:
 
1. First you buy it
2. Then you love it
3. Then you hate it and try to soften it
4. Then you understand that's the wrong path and understand that all it needs is better upstream material
5. Then your wallet die.
 
That's the sad story of HD800 owner.

 

[Sorrodje]

   
Luckily for me steps 3-5 do not apply

 
UK is an old and wise nation indeed.

 

[Sorrodje]

@MickeyVee: Anonymous HD800holics ? 

 

[dogears]

Anyone here who has tried the HD800 with the Geek Out 1000? Feedback please? TIA!
I'm currently liking the HD800 with (just) the Dared MP5

 

[potkettleblack]

Thank you for the response.
 
Anything beyond just the headphones and music files I'm lost!
 
Amps, DAC's etc, I really have very little experience with, but it's something I'd love to know more about.
 
Like I said - for the most part I didn't really hear much harshness at all, but a few tracks really took me by surprise and couldn't be overlooked for the price I'm considering spending.