2 years ago I sold my HD800. Today I bought a used pair here in Sweden. You have to part sometimes to see how much you miss a thing.
At this time I had a Auralic Vega DAC and a Master 9 and Silver Poison cables. All the untamed energy from the Sabre DAC was thrown into the amp and into the cans via silver cables. That was simply to much and really fatiguing. Instead of selling the DAC I bought a LCD-X then and was quiet happy for a short while.
Now I have a Totaldac DAC/Server - better cabling (just searching for a good balanced cable, maybe Norne or DHC - somebody who will sell?
) and things sound just right through the Master 9 which opens upp the HD800 quiet a bit for the sweetness of the Dac. I feel that the HD800 now will get more listening time than my LCD-3F.
What I want to say is that there are so many discussions about the right amp for the HD800. But for me was the key to get the right source - DAC. I feel that R2R-DACs suit very well with the HD800.
I really thought I should buy one of the really hyped Ethers or Odins (even if Kennerton Odin just is hyped in France
) when I realized that they maybe sound better than the HD800
with cheaper amps because they are less power hungry and more forgiving (?). Maybe the HD800 has a bigger potential though with better sources - this is what I suppose. There are still unique characteristics (airiness, detail, soundstage) that make the HD800 hard to beat.
For me it took 2 years to realize that and I had to invest much money to come to a point there everything (OK...nearly everything - I have to accept a little sibillance with some music) sounds right and involving with the HD800. I regret that I sold it. I should have chosen another strategy. But it is never to late...