[thecrow]

Ok so never more than one pair of shoes, trousers, underwear, socks, headphones, teeth, spectacles or anything? Fair enough then but I can also understand why you need an occasional "wake up" call.....  

Why would anyone buy more than two pairs of underpants? What a waste of money

 

[Zombie_X]

The first gen amps Modi/Magni would drive the HD800 perfectly fine, but it wouldn't sound all the impressive. The Magni seems to make them brighter than they are normally. 
 
As others said, the Vali 2 is a much better option. Though I don't think the HD800 sounds better with tubes.

 

[thecrow]

Is the first-gen Modi/Magni enough to drive the HD 800?

Would this be an upgrade coming from an HD 650 driven by the Magni/Modi?

Hi. I'm with most people here. You can get away with the magni/modi, or as I initially did with the o2/odac, but better amps will allow the hd800 to shine even more.

I went from the o2/odac to the soloist/irdac combo to now using a tube amp (the wa2) which is a great amp for the hd800. I also bought a top end dac (Metrum hex) and now I'm set. Everything was second hand except the tube amp.

Since I loved the hd800 when I heard and confidently decided these were what I wanted I took the advice of slowly building my system around it.

The hd800 is still going to show what it does with the magni/modi (soundstage, detail, and all that stuff) but it will just get better as you upgrade your stuff to better and more suitable products that will really open it up more.

As people are always upgrading their stuff you can save 30% off on second hand good gear and move on to a bigger levels for minimum losses when you resell them (in a lot of cases).

Good luck with your journey on it.

By the way the hd650 also sounds better with better gear but they won't have the detail or balance of the hd800.

 

[thecrow]

Hi. Reposting the post as I had no response in the anax mod thread that has been dormant for a year or two:

New to the idea of modding my hd800's but, hey .......why not.

I just picked up some 1.8mm smooth foam sheets (with aggressive backing). The felt sheet on the tip of that, that for example tyl uses, how important is that and what does it do or add?

I guess this is a sick and see approach but is there a theory to the using of that felt and any ideas/experience here?

Thanks

 

[Dadracer]

How aggressive is the backing on those foam sheets?

 

[thecrow]

How aggressive is the backing on those foam sheets?:blink:

I chose foam sheets that are quite smooth.

 

[Solarium]

  Well I am super impressed with my HD800. I've heard them on several occasions ( my old gear and at meets), but on my V800 DAC and Phonitor Mini... it's just amazing. You'd think having a T1 and HD700 would give you an idea of what to expect...but It's so drastically different from what I remember hearing. Maybe it was the Music Hall DAC and X-CANV8P limiting the HD800 in the past... but it's different now.
 
Full impressions are here: http://www.head-fi.org/t/398829/the-sennheiser-hd-800-the-first-listen-the-first-review/5850#post_12371321

I've had the same upgrade path, had the HD700, then the T1 and now the HD800. Honestly there's no need to have the HD700 anymore after having both T1 and HD800, and I sold it recently. T1 still sounds better with EDM genre and definitely more exciting and engaging, and has more tighter bass and more impact as well. However, I do agree that overall the HD800 may be a better overall headphone, and sounds absolutely superb with any intrumentals. In fact it changed my taste in music, as it leans more towards Chillstep/ambience EDM than what I've listened to before which is more house and dance. I'm not sure why people say both headphones are similar, to my experience that sound drastically different. It also respond to changes upstream better than the T1, as I notice more of a change going from my STX II to the m9XX using the HD800 than the T1. Honestly I am extremely impressed with the m9XX and think it's practically built for the HD800, and all these talks about not having enough amp juice to power definitely don't apply to the HD800 as I use only 70-72 volume on it (and I believe the control is decibel based). I don't agree that the HD800 is worth more than $300 than the T1 though, as I think the T1 is still a very capable phone and has a more "realistic" soundstage and better imaging than the HD800, tighter and more bass impact, more liquid and organic texture to the sound, more involving and emotional as well. I do agree with the general consensus that the HD800 can sound a bit too clinical, but the overall presentation as a whole package is more appealing. At this point I'm not ready to let my T1 go yet, maybe at a point where I find myself consistently reaching for the HD800.

 

[bosiemoncrieff]

You might upgrade from T1 to HE6. I haven't heard the T1, but i can't imagine something imaging with more pinpoint accuracy than the HD800. It's just supremely accurate.

 

[Moonhead]

I agree with Bosie.. As I used to own 009 and then 007MKI,
Stax are more true to the Sound of the any instrument, but nothing beats HD800 in timing/pinpoint accuracy.
I Would take HD800 in any Electronica genre, but for Real life instruments i Would take Stax 007.

 

[bosiemoncrieff]

Maybe the original omega? But even that's a stretch, and frankly irrelevant because so few exist.

 

[Moonhead]

I doubt that Omega could match HD800 accuracy, but Never listen to it so My opinion is invalid plus I really don't care for ridiculous priced headphone that's out of production.

 

[paulchiu]

I doubt that Omega could match HD800 accuracy, but Never listen to it so My opinion is invalid plus I really don't care for ridiculous priced headphone that's out of production.

 
The old Stax, Omega and Lambda do not match current HD800's accuracy. I still have them.  

 

[Sorrodje]

I agree with Bosie.. As I used to own 009 and then 007MKI,
Stax are more true to the Sound of the any instrument, but nothing beats HD800 in timing/pinpoint accuracy.
I Would take HD800 in any Electronica genre, but for Real life instruments i Would take Stax 007.

 
HD800S or modded HD800 brings IMO some substantial improvements for timbre accuracy but yea I still pick my HE60 if I want the best and the most accurate timbres. Never heard seriously the 007 so I can't know for that one. 

 

[Zombie_X]

 
I've had the same upgrade path, had the HD700, then the T1 and now the HD800. Honestly there's no need to have the HD700 anymore after having both T1 and HD800, and I sold it recently. T1 still sounds better with EDM genre and definitely more exciting and engaging, and has more tighter bass and more impact as well. However, I do agree that overall the HD800 may be a better overall headphone, and sounds absolutely superb with any intrumentals. In fact it changed my taste in music, as it leans more towards Chillstep/ambience EDM than what I've listened to before which is more house and dance. I'm not sure why people say both headphones are similar, to my experience that sound drastically different. It also respond to changes upstream better than the T1, as I notice more of a change going from my STX II to the m9XX using the HD800 than the T1. Honestly I am extremely impressed with the m9XX and think it's practically built for the HD800, and all these talks about not having enough amp juice to power definitely don't apply to the HD800 as I use only 70-72 volume on it (and I believe the control is decibel based). I don't agree that the HD800 is worth more than $300 than the T1 though, as I think the T1 is still a very capable phone and has a more "realistic" soundstage and better imaging than the HD800, tighter and more bass impact, more liquid and organic texture to the sound, more involving and emotional as well. I do agree with the general consensus that the HD800 can sound a bit too clinical, but the overall presentation as a whole package is more appealing. At this point I'm not ready to let my T1 go yet, maybe at a point where I find myself consistently reaching for the HD800.

 
On my Phonitor Mini, the HD800 has more bass quantity and impact than the T1, but is less tight. It's odd really. 
 
But the HD700 isn't going to be sold off at all. I still use them for gaming and they work really well for it!

 

[leng jai]

I actually can't imagine any headphones sounding better than the HD800s when it comes to orchestral music and soundtracks. The Force Awakens OST, Inception and The Dark Knight sound ridiculously good on these things.