Justin_Time
500+ Head-Fier
You might reconsider that view if you've heard the HE-6 properly driven and the SR009. I own all three headphones and have lived with them for about a year on TOTL amps, i.e. the Woo WA5 and EC 4-45. The HD800 shines for live instrumental recordings and depicts the soundstage with an uncanny naturalness and realism unparalleled by the SR009 and HE-6. Yet, even when modded, the HD800 lacks flesh, body and soul when it comes to vocals.
That being said, the HD800 is a fine contender for vocals - just not quite the top dog when it comes to that aspect.
When unmodded and paired with solid state amps and delta-sigma DACs, some find the reproduction of vocals by the HD800 grainy or even sibilant. This can be remedied by the Anax mod, use of OCC copper cables, tube amping (the 4-45 is the best I've heard, so is the Teton I've read) and most importantly, the use of a smooth DAC (most likely an R2R DAC).
As above. Not a rumour, but pretty much a (relative) fact if you compare the HD800 to planars and electrostatics. The HD800 remains the best dynamic I've heard so far, though.
I concur on both points. +1