[Zoom25]

I probably love the HD800 more for it's bass than it's soundstage. Even the vocals on HD800 are more important than the soundstage I'm getting. So bass and vocals tied for the favourite thing about HD800 for me, followed by soundstage. Just beats every headphone I've owned or tried at 2k or under.

 

[astrostar59]

  The 009 to me is in a class by itself with speed, attack, and internal details, and it's a cliche I know, but it's like an open window vs. a shield compared to all phones I have known, even other Staxes.
It's even more naturally open and insightful than the Orpheus (from memory). I own the 009, and this just with a lowly Stax 007t amp (retubed). 

Try the 009s with a KGSShv or BHSE, then the gap widens even more. Agreed, the 009 is an amazing phone, it scales so well with better amps which for me shows how great the design of it is.

 

[ubs28]

The HD800 is the best sounding headphone I have heard for £1000. I have not heard the Stax 009 but it is more money than I have available to spend on a set of headphones so I'm happy in my ignorance!!!!!

Likewise. For that kind of money I rather buy high-end reference speakers.  

 

[elvergun]

 
Likewise. For that kind of money I rather buy high-end reference speakers.  

 
For that kind of money you buy really good set of speakers...not high-end reference speakers.

 

[Acapella11]

  He is right. For me, the bass is actually one of the best HD800 features: the bass is strongly connected to the rest of the spectrum, not an amorphous blob or an separate background noise like you may get with a  bad subwoofer.
A musical instrument that generates bass tones will sound like a single instrument, with the bass as part of it.
And it's very thrilling to hear this affect, and the depth and quantity does not subjectively feel lacking or inadequate in any way. I never even think there is something about the bass that I would change when listening deeply to the 800.
That's a quality I hear in the Stax 009, too.
As much as like the Audeze LCD3 (which I admit is my main go-to phone these days, even though I still use my 800 a lot), the Audeze bass, while very satisfying and resonant, is more hall-ambient than instrument specific.
So while I wouldn't say the HD800 is a phone where it's all about the bass, it's so well integrated, it's a major plus for the phone.

 

  I probably love the HD800 more for it's bass than it's soundstage. Even the vocals on HD800 are more important than the soundstage I'm getting. So bass and vocals tied for the favourite thing about HD800 for me, followed by soundstage. Just beats every headphone I've owned or tried at 2k or under.

 
I agree with the bass being a good feature of the HD800. I compared the HD800 and T1 on a Master 9 and the HD800 had more bass quantity when needed and it actually went deeper also. TheHD800 bass quality is really good, just the components need to be matched as it was said. I also agree that even though the stage is great, I do prefer the T1 stage. I have only heard the Stax 007 on a KGSS amp and even though the "viscerality" and intensity of the sound was amazing, as you could feel the guitar string rather than just hear it, the stage was too small for my liking.

 

[Sorrodje]

 
I thought you were clear enough first time (and English is my native language) 

 
Dunno. it seems preproman didn"t understand me though?

 

[Justin_Time]

 
Likewise. For that kind of money I rather buy high-end reference speakers.  

For that kind of money, you can get a good pair of speakers, but not high-end, and definitely not reference speakers, unless you buy something like the Maggies 3.7i (about $6,000) then you now have to spend beaucoup bucks ($10,000-$20,000 or more) to get a high-end amp with high-enough power to feed the hungry monsters . 
 
High-end speaker systems have long ago escalated in price beyond the reach of mere mortals. That's one of the reasons why I transitioned into high-end headphone systems which are still about 1/5th that of high-end speaker systems.  
 
Of course this fun won't last for ever either as we are starting to see $5,000 headphones and $10,000 headphone amps already.. So let's enjoy the HD800 and the Stax 009 while we still can. 

 

[ubs28]

  For that kind of money, you can get a good pair of speakers, not high-end, and definitely not reference speakers, unless you buy something like the Maggies 3.7i (about $6,000) then you now have to spend beaucoup bucks ($10,000-$20,000 or more) to get a high-end amp with high-enough power to feed the hungry monsters . 
 
High-end speaker systems have long ago escalated in price beyond the reach of mere mortals. That's one of the reasons why I transitioned into high-end headphone systems which are still about 1/5th that of high-end speaker systems.  
 
Of course this fun won't last for ever either as we are starting to see $5,000 headphones and $10,000 headphone amps already.. So let's enjoy the HD800 and the Stax 009 while we still can. 

The new reference line of KEF which can be had under 10k sounded much better than much more expensive B&W and Focal speakers to me. They are high-end to me which I'll probably be getting.

 

[Zoom25]

Active monitors...no need to worry about amps.

 

[GardenVariety]

I thought one of the major selling points of headphones was privacy and portability. I don't even know why we would discuss having $10K headphones instead of speakers unless there was a very good reason. Most people with that kind of money have both. 

 

[astrostar59]

   
For that kind of money you buy really good set of speakers...not high-end reference speakers.

You ain't gonna get high end reference speakers for the money of the 009s. I would pitch the 009s at 50K speakers upwards, easily.

 

[fpsoft1]

   
 
I agree with the bass being a good feature of the HD800. The HD800 bass quality is really good, just the components need to be matched as it was said.

I listen electronic, new wave, pop, rock, all genres wich need much impact. One year ago i bought an HifiMan He-500 for its known bass impact (I've had all top Sennheisers in 40 years, last one was HD600). I amplified HifiMan HE-500 with Emotiva 50+50w, the bass impact was very good but the headphone lacked in all other sectors (bass quality and clarity, highs extension, sensitivity, headstage, wearability).
 
Not satisfied from HE500 (bass included) and having owned only Sennheisers for 40 years, I decided to give a chance to the HD800, though many people told it was lacking bass and so was not good for my genres and that it was for classical-lyrical music (not my genre).
 
From the first moment i listened to HD800 (attached to an old vintage Nikko integrated amp, so nothing special) I was really (really!) impressed from this headphone, particularly for the clarity and extension of bass (totally unexpected) and highs quality and extension.
 
4 weeks after, I bought the Sennheiser HDVA600 amp and the Sennheiser balanced headphone cable. From that moment on, the HE500 was left alone, then i sold it after some months with no regrets. Surely the HE500 impact was more than the hd800 (but not that much), but to me the HD800 bass is fantastic, is right and well amalgamated with other frequencies. You can easily follow bass riff, impossibile with the other headphones I've had.
 
This is just my experience regarding HD800 bass, a surprise for me and I love it everyday more, toghether with all the other HD800 characteristics. I love listening Giorgio Moroder (70-80's) particularly with this headphone, that's all said.
 
It's the first headphone for which i don't feel the need of an external equalizer and it's the first headphone in 40 years (Sennheisers included) that makes me difficult to stop listening sessions, this is the only issue I found with HD800 (seriously).

 

[koiloco]

^
I personally prefer HE-500's bass over HD800's.  Overall, HE500 offers a different sound signature.  
There're not many headphones that could technically compare with HD800 but when it comes to personal preference and listening taste, HD800 might not be everyone's cup of tea.

 

[pearljam50000]

If i want the same SQ and level of details that the HD800 has , in speakers, how much would they cost?

 

[fpsoft1]

  ^
I personally prefer HE-500's bass over HD800's.  Overall, HE500 offers a different sound signature.  
There're not many headphones that could technically compare with HD800 but when it comes to personal preference and listening taste, HD800 might not be everyone's cup of tea.
 

Yes, I have some friends which have sold the HD800 and have kept the hifiman (he500 or he6), note that in one case the hd800 sold was amplified with Woo Audio Wa5 with B300 tubes. The person to which i sold the He500 prefers that to the HD800 (he owns both amongst others).
 
I've seen that you amplify the He500 with Emotiva Mini x-a100, just like i did. I found it too harsh in highs, that's one of the reasons i sold the setup.