[ytfmichaelxu]

  Yeah, I'd stick with the Beats...they really rock! 

 

facetious jon snow, I may not be as audio savvy as most, but I do have certain standards.

 

[anetode]

  Do you hav
Would you have any tracks to recommend? I pay very close attention when I listen to music, I can discern the separation of different instruments when listening to classical, the space between instruments however.... As for binaural recordings, you can locate sounds with any half competent headphones, so that wouldn't set the HD800 apart. There are certain parts of some tracks that fooled me into thinking the sound is coming from outside of the headphones, however, only certain part of certain tracks.

 
There's kind of a cheesy but enthralling "space age" 60s track I like to use - Esquivel's "Brazil" from See It in Sound. I like to sit back and let my ears do the watching and observe the distinct (artificial) environs.
 
For something a little more natural there's Bill Evans' Waltz for Debby. Same approach, just spread over an hour spent in a chill jazz club.
 
Alternately find a good recording of your favorite classical piece. I like to sit back and absorb Wagner's Tristan und Isolde for such purposes.

 

[MacedonianHero]

I may not be as audio savvy as most, but I do have certain

Didn't you hear that the Beats were happening?

http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/time-rethink-beats-solo2-excellent

 

[MacedonianHero]

facetious jon snow, I may not be as audio savvy as most, but I do have certain standards.

Didn't you hear the Beats were happening?

http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/time-rethink-beats-solo2-excellent

 

[ytfmichaelxu]

Didn't you hear the Beats were happening?

http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/time-rethink-beats-solo2-excellent

Whoa! never would have thought the beats line would start to make quality products.

 

[BournePerfect]

  Hi. Everyone, I've had the HD800 for over a week now. I like how they sound overall, except the treble can be a little harsh on certain tracks. One thing that puzzles me is that everyone keeps talking about how the HD800 sounds more speaker like than other headphones, like how they have a wide soundstage and the music sounds like it's coming from afar.
 
I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED THIS AT ALL with the HD800, or any other headphones for that matter. I am powering them with the Mayflower Objective 2 O2 DAC/amp. Is this amp the problem? I don't understand, I have plenty of Flac files of pop, rock, vocal, trance, acoustic, classical music. All of these which sound like they are coming from next to my ears. Sure the music sounds "airy", but I know I would recognize that all the music comes from right next to my ears, even if someone hit me on the head with a baseball bat and I was drunk. Why doesn't the soundstage effect work for me?Please help.

 
So you're running your $1500 headphone out of a hundred dollar amp, and wonder why you're not getting better results?
 
Gotcha.

 

[Maxvla]

It's not so much the $100 amp, but which $100 amp. Tack on $20 and get a Vali instead.

 

[Cankin]

  Hi. Everyone, I've had the HD800 for over a week now. I like how they sound overall, except the treble can be a little harsh on certain tracks. One thing that puzzles me is that everyone keeps talking about how the HD800 sounds more speaker like than other headphones, like how they have a wide soundstage and the music sounds like it's coming from afar.
 
I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED THIS AT ALL with the HD800, or any other headphones for that matter. I am powering them with the Mayflower Objective 2 O2 DAC/amp. Is this amp the problem? I don't understand, I have plenty of Flac files of pop, rock, vocal, trance, acoustic, classical music. All of these which sound like they are coming from next to my ears. Sure the music sounds "airy", but I know I would recognize that all the music comes from right next to my ears, even if someone hit me on the head with a baseball bat and I was drunk. Why doesn't the soundstage effect work for me?Please help.

 
The fact is, HD800 sounds more speaker like than other headphones but it is still a pair of headphone.
 
Your amp is not the problem.

 

[Sorrodje]

   
The fact is, HD800 sounds more speaker like than other headphones but it is still a pair of headphone.
 
Your amp is not the problem.

 
 
This.
 
That  been said, the imaging capabilities of the HD800 improve a lot with better amps IME. Soundstage becames more cohesive ( lest left/right) & more holographic.  The Beyerdynamic T1 offers a very very good soundstage too but more "headphone like" . very precise pinpoint imaging , very layered but nothing like the holographic presentation of a well amplified HD800.
 
But, one more time, claiming the HD800 offers a speaker like soundstage is Marketing BS. To have a Speaker soundstage , go to speakers.
 li
The closes headphones I heard who offer "speaker like" soundstage are the K1000 and The abyss and ever a Stax SR303. the three are more earspeakers that headphones IMO . the AByss is somewhere in between and it the best imaging "headphone/earspeakers" I heard to date but its close to the HD800 and  doesn"t offer the same experience than speakers. 
 
I hadn't said Speaker presentation is better though.  IMO Speakers and heaphones  are hard to compare because they're very different.  both are extremely enjoyable.

 

[BournePerfect]

It's not so much the $100 amp, but which $100 amp. Tack on $20 and get a Vali instead.

True, but the Vali is hardly the last word in soundstage and imaging-though at it's pricepoint it sure is. Ime, soundstaging is one of the easiest things to notice with higher end gear imo.

-Daniel

 

[hekeli]

Only gear that will change headstage dramatically is Realiser. Yadda yadda amps and dacs are subtle improvements compared to that, yeah you can get some more "airyness" and sense of space but it's still between your ears.
 
There's always some crossfeed dsp etc if you want some cheap front projection.
 
But yeah I haven't heard anything nearly as holographic as HD800 so far.. sometimes it feels like I'm floating inside the music..

 

[BournePerfect]

Nope.

 

[Sorrodje]

Nope.

 
Where's the question ?

 
hekeli : yeah subtles improvements with amps but real in my opinion. As bourneperfect said, I think that better soundstage and imaging is the first point I notice with great amps especially tube ones.
 

  But yeah I haven't heard anything nearly as holographic as HD800 so far.. sometimes it feels like I'm floating inside the music..

 
Ohhhh yeaaaaah. that's real HD800 for sure

. Give a try to an Abyss if you have an opportunity. it's even better.

 

[Twangsta]

The fact is, HD800 sounds more speaker like than other headphones but it is still a pair of headphone.

Your amp is not the problem.

True, your average near field monitor will give you a way better sound stage, in my case my humble KRK 5s though their lower mids are a bit emphasised. Great for a pleasurable listen but if you want that treble sweet spot you got to sit still in position. That's where the 800s come in, it's like removing a veil but it's resolution is the best I've heard.

My Lehmann BCL just arrived yesterday. I'm in the honey moon phase I suppose. I did manage to put in a good few hours with the pair. This BCL is previously owned, well broken in but in pristine condition. I let it warm up before listening, got to say It really warmed up the 800s considerably, goes to show my apollo twin HP amp sounds hollow in comparison. I'm being schooled here and I can see a hifi DAC in my near future. The pro audio gear is very analytical. I'm beginning to understand what you all are on about!

This amp is many things...the reviews I read about are pretty accurate. Smooth without harshness, warm creamy lower mids, excellent transient attack, wider and accurate soundstage and impressive layering at all frequencies. This in comparison to my UA interface's HP out. I'm happy, thrilled really since I got the BCL at good value.

I'm currently using A+ up-sampling to 24/192 on various resolution media. My dad loved the set up, bobbing his head to classical which I've never seen him do!

 

[Moonhead]

Studio monitors are the only speakers that can perform on the same level as High-end Headphones. 
 
KRK are sentiently very coloured and fare from the better active speakers, to much bass response. 
Yamaha HS8 on the other hand is a whole different speakers on a whole different level and the natural balance is very much similarly to HD800. 
IMO the best speakers money can buy and the best part, anyone can afford them.