[shabta]

   
Funny enough, the holography isn't what's missing here. Compared to the Eddie Current 2A3MK4 it's the clarity, transparency, detail and transients that are better on the tube amp than on the HE-9. Yeah the sound stage is a bit better on the EC too, but it's surprisingly holographic on the HE-9.

Yeah, I agree that is what caught my eye. Now I want to see if it will catch my ears!

 

[ruthieandjohn]

I am a recent owner of the HD800, and I think the qualities that people speak of in the HD800 come with some time spent letting your brain adjust to its sound signature. I came from the HD600 and the transition wasn't easy - a laid back, smooth, mid centric signature to the forward, articulate, and v-shaped sound from the HD800s. I found it very fatiguing and for a short while I regretted making the upgrade. But it's been a few weeks now and I've had time to adjust to the sound - and no regrets anymore. They sound amazing.

Give it some time. Things like soundstage, frequency response, etc are not always apparent at the start - especially since our minds are interpreting this with respect to whatever we were listening to before (or so I believe). Try to adapt to the sound, give it a few weeks. or else you might be missing out on what may actually be really good sound.

I agree.  I got my HD 800s last July, and it is only over the past month or so that I've started to REALLY appreciate it.  I listen to Grados A LOT (have 12 of 'em), and while they do many things well, one thing that they are light in is bass.  So I started looking at other headphones with more bass, examined the HiFiMAN HE-500 (which I had actually had, sold, bought another, and sold that!), compared the HE-500 to the HE-560 (560 much clearer, with plenty of bass, though not as much as the HE-500), then realized... the HE-560 is very similar in sound to my HD 800s that I already had.
 
That returned me to listening to the HD 800s, realized they had a GOOD amount of bass (when run from my HDVD 800).  I am now exploring ways to also make them portable, i.e. through a portable amp.  I have been using the Sony PHA-1 (good, same bass and sound, but less soundstage), and I have ordered a CEntrance HiFi M8 that should do better.

 

[pearljam50000]

Do you now feel that the HD800 has more clarity than Grado SR80 or not ? 

 

[zilch0md]

  Dont overlook the ifi micro iDSD which is truly excellent (and great value) with the HD800s. I am listening to this combo right now with Tidal on an iPhone. Dusty in Memphis.....fantastic

 

 
Yes it's a perfect match <3
 

 
 
I've compared with Geek Out 1000, but the Geek loose not in terms of SQ, but it loose in feature sets (battery powered, digital filters,awesome inputs instead of only USB like the Geek, 3D crossfeed from iDSD 10 times greater as the Geek crossfeed) and I prefer a full 6,3mm jack instead of using adapters.

 
You guys are killing me. I have wanted to try this combo for quite some time, well before getting the HA-2. And I've read reviews from well-respected Head-Fi contributors such as ClieOS, that lead me to believe the iFi Micro iDSD could be a better match for the HD800 than is the OPPO HA-2.
 
Quoting from the Sony NWZ-A10 Series thread:

   
HA-2 arguably has a better (*though not vastly better) amp section than iDSD micro, despite being much less powerful. It is however much more neutral and transparent. But the DAC section isn't as good. Like all ESS's DAC, the ES9018K2M in HA-2 sounds a bit drier and brighter than it should, where the DAC in iDSD micro is fluid and musical without being colored in any way. As standalone amp, I prefer HA-2 over iDSD micro. But as DAC+amp as a whole, I prefer iDSD micro over HA-2. That being said, they are both excellent DAC+amp of their own right. You can easy pay double the price for another DAC+amp without seeing any real improvement - and that's after I auditioned gears like Sony PHA-3 and Chord Hugo.
 

 
 
As usual with this hobby, I'll have to spend more money to find out which I prefer.  
 
Tick, tock, tick, tock...
 
Mike

 

[Sorrodje]

 I came from the HD600 and the transition wasn't easy - a laid back, smooth, mid centric signature to the forward, articulate, and v-shaped sound from the HD800s. 

 
I mostly agree with that . HD800 are slightly "cold" . Obviously the FR shows a depression around 1-3khz and sonically it's obvious compared to any headphone that offers fuller mids. the HD6X0 is one of these.  I strongly think that those cold mids are why so many people find the HD800 dry , sterile or clinical and I obviously think it's why some tube amps match so well with the Senn.  
 
Fortunately for me, I think HD800 mid are perfecty tuned for me. I listen to mostly Instrumental music and I never cared vocals so much. I've always been a v-shape sound sig lover. 

 

[ruthieandjohn]

  Do you now feel that the HD800 has more clarity than Grado SR80 or not ? 

I think I said *transparency* not clarity. Again, *my* definition of transparency is freedom from the muffled effects one would associate with the cloth in front of a speaker, or a wall between me and the musicians
 
And nope... Grados, including the SR80 and the even more economical SR60, have more "transparency" of the type I mean.
 
I recognize that others (maybe even everyone else in the world) use "transparency" to mean "free from spectral tilt,"  i.e. no enhancement of treble, mids, bass, over other frequencies.  That is NOT what I mean.  HD 800 does that kind of "no spectral tilt" better than the Grados.

 

[christrz]

   
I mostly agree with that . HD800 are slightly "cold" . Obviously the FR shows a depression around 1-3khz and sonically it's obvious compared to any headphone that offers fuller mids. the HD6X0 is one of these.  I strongly think that those cold mids are why so many people find the HD800 dry , sterile or clinical and I obviously think it's why some tube amps match so well with the Senn.  
 
Fortunately for me, I think HD800 mid are perfecty tuned for me. I listen to mostly Instrumental music and I never cared vocals so much. I've always been a v-shape sound sig lover. 

 
I'm more into acoustic music and vocals but I feel the same way. It takes some time to make the transition for sure, but after that it's just amazing sound. And I hope people thinking of making the upgrade will give it the time it deserves before making a decision.

 

[Dadracer]

 

  Dont overlook the ifi micro iDSD which is truly excellent (and great value) with the HD800s. I am listening to this combo right now with Tidal on an iPhone. Dusty in Memphis.....fantastic

 

 
Yes it's a perfect match <3
 

 
 
I've compared with Geek Out 1000, but the Geek loose not in terms of SQ, but it loose in feature sets (battery powered, digital filters,awesome inputs instead of only USB like the Geek, 3D crossfeed from iDSD 10 times greater as the Geek crossfeed) and I prefer a full 6,3mm jack instead of using adapters.

 
You guys are killing me. I have wanted to try this combo for quite some time, well before getting the HA-2. And I've read reviews from well-respected Head-Fi contributors such as ClieOS, that lead me to believe the iFi Micro iDSD could be a better match for the HD800 than is the OPPO HA-2.
 
Quoting from the Sony NWZ-A10 Series thread:

   
HA-2 arguably has a better (*though not vastly better) amp section than iDSD micro, despite being much less powerful. It is however much more neutral and transparent. But the DAC section isn't as good. Like all ESS's DAC, the ES9018K2M in HA-2 sounds a bit drier and brighter than it should, where the DAC in iDSD micro is fluid and musical without being colored in any way. As standalone amp, I prefer HA-2 over iDSD micro. But as DAC+amp as a whole, I prefer iDSD micro over HA-2. That being said, they are both excellent DAC+amp of their own right. You can easy pay double the price for another DAC+amp without seeing any real improvement - and that's after I auditioned gears like Sony PHA-3 and Chord Hugo.
 

 
 
As usual with this hobby, I'll have to spend more money to find out which I prefer.  
 
Tick, tock, tick, tock...
 
Mike

The beauty of the ifi Micro iDSD is that is it future proofed for some considerable time having so many potential digital inputs, and then the ability to tailor it to your requirements with filters and power modes for different efficiency headphones. Also you can tweak the SQ with X bass and 3D if you feel the recording needs it. I doubt you will feel the need as it blends so well with the HD 800s to the point where I haven't fired up my main HiFi system in the past 10 days now that I have this (and Tidal!!!). It is very simple to use with just a camera connection kit from an iPhone (other phones are available) directly into the iDSD and the HD800s 6.3mm jack plug. Its so easy even I can do it! 

 

[pearljam50000]

Is the valhalla 2 a big step over Vali, with HD800?
Stock tubes if course.
I can't really afford the valhalla 2 right now, so either I buy the Vali now, or wait for a while, save and get the Valhalla, it's just I'm not sure the price difference is worth it since I'm on a budget.

 

[Mr Rick]

Is the valhalla 2 a big step over Vali, with HD800?
Stock tubes if course.
I can't really afford the valhalla 2 right now, so either I buy the Vali now, or wait for a while, save and get the Valhalla, it's just I'm not sure the price difference is worth it since I'm on a budget.

 
I own them both, and truth be told I don't hear a great deal of difference between the two. However the Valhalla 2 does have features the Vali does not.

 

[inseconds99]

   
I own them both, and truth be told I don't hear a great deal of difference between the two. However the Valhalla 2 does have features the Vali does not.

A lot of people feel this way, in fact, a lot say that there are serious diminishing returns when it comes to Dacs/Amps and that there only minuscule differences between a lot of higher quality dacs/amps. I am not speaking from experience here as I have only heard a few personally, more hopefully tomorrow at the NY meet (if I can make it). Apparently there is a ton of "new, higher price" placebo, coloration of sound (which seems to undermine the point owning an analytical and transparent headphone" and overspending on upgrading to keep up with the Joneses.
 
My X7 is what I will use with this headphone for a while (if I even keep the headphone), I will then purchases a Valhalla 2 in a month or two. This way I will appreciate the upgrade and truly decide whether the upgrade was actually an upgrade and not just a "new purchase" placebo.

 

[pearljam50000]

   
I own them both, and truth be told I don't hear a great deal of difference between the two. However the Valhalla 2 does have features the Vali does not.

That's great news , 200$ saved 

So i'm thinking my "end game" rig for the next 3 years or so lol, will be Geek Out---->Vali--->HD800
I will always wonder how they sound on better rigs, or how  much i am missing to be exact

But i have to be realistic about what i can afford. 

 

[olor1n]

Geek Out to a Vali looks like a good modest setup for the HD800. Enjoy it.

 

[pearljam50000]

Thanks a lot 

 

 

[mrmarano]

   
I'm more into acoustic music and vocals but I feel the same way. It takes some time to make the transition for sure, but after that it's just amazing sound. And I hope people thinking of making the upgrade will give it the time it deserves before making a decision.

 
I took nearly seven years to decide, and even then, hadn't really planned on trying them.
 
Spent a long time researching the 800s, reading all the reviews I could find in popular audiophile journals and forums like this. I hadn't any way to try them, so had to rely on hearsay. Couldn't afford them at the time, really. Decided I'd rather save a few dollars and settle on a less expensive pair that compared well. I figured that, based on what I'd read, there was little difference between what I'd bought and what the 800s offered. Perhaps I thought my past rig wasn't the right match, or the bass was reported too thin, or the treble too harsh. I talked myself out of spending a lot of money, and ended up spending even more, anyway.
 
A few years passed. I upgraded my primary source. Fell in love with the sound. I was okay with what I had.
 
But in the end, the pair I bought - though very, very good - inflicted the same comfort woes as all the previous sets I owned. The problem abbreviated my listening sessions so badly I walked away from the hobby for too long a time. I decided I didn't want to feel I'd wasted decades accumulating a CD collection I hesitated to use, so I opted to change up yet again. I dug around online for solutions. Took another look at the 800s. Read some fresh material that reopened old perspectives and presented fresh ones. Found a retailer with a solid reputation and a generous return policy. I inhaled. I bought a pair.
 
I must be among a certain lucky few who loved them right out of the box. Oddly, I wasn't sure I wanted to. I didn't want to be in a place where I couldn't decide among three good cans based on liminally perceptive differences. I didn't want to be forced to sacrifice one or two among equals. I wasn't keen on the idea of selling cans I'd gotten to know pretty well, despite my problems wearing them.
 
The 800s quickly settled all that for me.
 
Was there a difference? Yes. Did the difference make a difference? Oh, my. Yes.
 
Deep, muscular lows. Clear, alert, mids. Tightly controlled, airy highs. Clear, detailed, spacious, swift, lively sound. All that. And finally - finally - lush comfort. First audition I wore them 3x hours with no pain whatever. I guzzled all the kinds of music I could: vintage jazz, modern classical, experimental, folk, rock, opera, chamber, skronk. It all lit up. It all sparked. I found fun again. I felt then, still feel weeks later, I have at last reached the spot where I can wring out everything there is to hear on my recordings, and I can spend more time enjoying the music than fretting over the gear.
 
 
To satisfy my curiosity, I did experiment with the 800s a bit. Their transparency certainly makes them appear a most finicky creature.
 
Running a CD (or the same recording in SACD) on my Sony XA5400ES (DSD) through my Headroom Max analog with crossfeed? Spacious, silken audio bliss.
 
By comparison, running the same CD on my Rotel RCD-1072 through my Headroom Max DAC (PCM) without crossfeed? Arid, congested, brittle, flat. Kind of remote.
 
These cans seem to fly well enough close to the ground, but really soar gaining higher altitudes. They're rare birds. They require really solid thermal columns to get that last little bit of higher.
 
I hate to say it, but the 800 is not a versatile headphone. It doesn't play well on all setups. They need a very high resolution digital or well-tempered analog source. They need an amp with at minimum a trace of warmth to tame the fatigue factor out of the (unmasked) highs. Beyond that, I think they may make good use of a good crossfeed circuit to cohere and more firmly gel the soundstage. (The Headroom Max Crossfeed does both, and pumps just a trace extra kick in the bottom.)
 
Unless you can provide that vast, rising column of warm air, the 800s won't really fly where they're happiest. And they'll let you know it. And it's all of a pity because they're so bloody comfortable.
 
If you really want a pair of HD800, do it. But do realize they can't live in a vacuum. Do your research. Save your resources. Attend meets and get your mitts on as much good stuff as you can. Make use of forums like this. Pay attention. Get lucky. Buy low. If you have to, buy ugly. But be patient. It takes time to get there. And above all, have fun doing it, whatever way you find it, or what's it all for?
 
 
Well, I've wasted enough of your time. Time to go waste some of my own.
 
Ken Vandermark? Vic Dickenson? Glenn Gould? Scott Ross? William Parker? Cecil Taylor? Sarah Vaughan? ... ... ...