[NightFlight]

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I have heard the HD800 sharper at times and smoother at times than the HE-6. It depends on the other gear, IME. For instance, HD800 with Phonitor has a smoother (i.e. more velvety) presentation, while the HE-6 on F3 is really crisp and presents a very well defined and crisp image with great extension into treble as well as bass.

 
During my research before jumping into the world of quality headphones, I came up with the HD800 for this very reason. I saw time and time again different results from the HP based on what its connected to. This told me is that the HP is extremely revealing because it can't help but just deal with what its given. As a transducer I believe that is pretty much the goal. If you need to suit to taste, the equipment can be modified. The benefit is that when you do find quality recordings, you can actually hear it rather than it being impeded by coloration.  But I think I might be preaching to the choir in this thread.

 

[NightFlight]

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I think that the inner cover has a purpose. Otherwise the manual suggest you can remove it in order to clean it.

 
I believe it would be okay to try, just long term your increasing your chances of dirt and damage. I don't think a good listen once would hurt anything. I'm bald though, so not much gets dragged into the phones.  I only removed them initially because I thought I was hearing a rattle in one channel, then I pulled out both to have a look. Then I figured... why not? Yeah.
 
I put them back in today. I'm not missing anything.... heh. I'll just keep saying that over and over again.

 

[NightFlight]

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Don't worry Currawong, there'll be no more Tom foolery, buffoonery or downright silliness now that I'm here!  

 
Mine came today! s/n 212XX 
 
I'll post some impressions when I've let them run in a little. 

I only got mine beginning of February and they are 204XX. Sales can't be too bad.  I hope Sennheiser is starting get past their break even point. I would have to guess that their flagship releases fund successively.

 

[LugBug1]

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I only got mine beginning of February and they are 204XX. Sales can't be too bad.  I hope Sennheiser is starting get past their break even point. I would have to guess that their flagship releases fund successively.

Yeah I was surprised at the 21XXX, must be selling like hotcakes! 

 

[paradoxper]

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Thanks
 
Haha, not that hard to swallow... Once its coated in butter!
 

Hot sauce and lack of pride fixes everything.

 

[NightFlight]

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So, I just recently discovered an actual good hi-fi store near where I live (screwing awesome) and they had the HD 800s available to demo.  I think that was the first time I'd actually been floored by headphones, I literally could not stand because they sounded so clean.  Without a doubt I can honestly say that these are the greatest headphones that I, personally, have EVER listened to and I am now even more jealous of anyone that has a pair.

 
...and another head-fier is born. God help you if they open a Stax demo.

 

[NightFlight]

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Being a long time "tube guy", I gotta say the GS-X is simply a worthy endgame amp....period. 

 
Hey, I think the market has done a flip. Tubes used to be at the other end of the cost performance spectrum. Not saying they still aren't. But to "Get there" many years ago, it would be pretty much expected you would hit a tube or two somewhere in your setup.  Now you can get get good performance for your $ with hybrid tube amps.

 

[toschek]

...and another head-fier is born. God help you if they open a Stax demo.

Stax are so freaking cool, I would be so nervous with that much voltage though. I sweat a lot in the summer and I would probably ruin the headphones in a matter of weeks.

 

[zigy626]

I know that Tyll described the HD800 as an F1 car and after listening to them for the last 3 days  I know why.  They are very revelling and with my current setup they sound harsh. Can't seem to wear them for a long time. Is there any way of reducing the harshness or make them sound a bit mellow. I am using the Audiolab m-dac and Meier corda jazz. Should I put a cheap tube per-amp in the chain? Something like the Bravo audio ocean blue.

 

[toschek]

I have never noticed any harshness with mine. I usually use a tube amp with them, but even when I listen on my solid state AVR there is no harshness.

It could be a problem with your source material? There is also the Anax mod to tame treble spikes, search the thread and you will find it. Personally I haven't done it, because I don't feel a need to, but other people swear by it.

 

[Frank I]

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I know that Tyll described the HD800 as an F1 car and after listening to them for the last 3 days  I know why.  They are very revelling and with my current setup they sound harsh. Can't seem to wear them for a long time. Is there any way of reducing the harshness or make them sound a bit mellow. I am using the Audiolab m-dac and Meier corda jazz. Should I put a cheap tube per-amp in the chain? Something like the Bravo audio ocean blue.

I believe for amps usually you get what you pay for. IMO tube amps like the Decware CSP2 is excellent for the HD800. The V200 solid state amp also is outstanding and not hard and has musicality/. The hd800 will reveal everything in your system so you should get the best  amp you could afford to buy with the best source you could also afford to buy,

 

[LugBug1]

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Hot sauce and lack of pride fixes everything.

Ditto
 
If I could just ask everyone; who prefers solid state over tubes with these? I've only heard them on my two SS amps and they don't seem to be lacking anything. My Audio gd c2.2 is powering them well (I think!). I'm getting a lovely warm sound. Even my bedside M-stage is powering these surprisingly well. I do want to try tubes again at some point like I did with the 650's, but I'm thinking that I don't want to colour the sound or lose any sharpness.. 
 
One other thing I've noticed, they seem quite sensitive. I have the same volume (more or less) with these as my K701's? low gain on both my amps!   

 

[Maxvla]

They are fairly easy to drive on average, but they have a crazy impedance plot that will test even the best of amps.

 

[mink70]

Quote:

I know that Tyll described the HD800 as an F1 car and after listening to them for the last 3 days  I know why.  They are very revelling and with my current setup they sound harsh. Can't seem to wear them for a long time. Is there any way of reducing the harshness or make them sound a bit mellow. I am using the Audiolab m-dac and Meier corda jazz. Should I put a cheap tube per-amp in the chain? Something like the Bravo audio ocean blue.

I tried the HD800s with a DacPort LX and couldn't listen to them. Then I realized that the headphone was simply showing me how the LX sounds—I've always found it a bright DAC, but most headphones roll off the top. The HD800 doesn't—it reveals everything—so the trick is to find a combination of source and amp that doesn't err on either side of the frequency spectrum. In my system, replacing the LX with a MHDT Havana solved the problem. By themselves, I don't find the HD800s bright or harsh in the least. To me they sound balanced, neutral, and correct.

 

[zigy626]

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I believe for amps usually you get what you pay for. IMO tube amps like the Decware CSP2 is excellent for the HD800. The V200 solid state amp also is outstanding and not hard and has musicality/. The hd800 will reveal everything in your system so you should get the best  amp you could afford to buy with the best source you could also afford to buy,

I agree with you. And think I will opt for the V200 by now have heard many good things about it.