[Nikorasu]

Hello everybody. I rented the HD 800 from Lumoid and I can't find the 6Khz treble spike people keep talking about. I had yet to hear a high treble pitch that really hurted my ears. Why can't I hear it? My hearing is fine lol, i'm 21 so I'm still young. My ears also isn't damaged from loud listening.

 

[ezekiel77]

Hello everybody. I rented the HD 800 from Lumoid and I can't find the 6Khz treble spike people keep talking about. I had yet to ear a high treble pitch that really hurted my ears. Why can't I hear it? My hearing is fine lol, i'm 21 so I'm still young. My ears also isn't damaged from loud listening.

 
What music do you listen to? Probably your ears aren't as sensitive to the spike as others. For me the HD800 is fine until I listen to modern pop/rock songs that are poorly-mastered. Then it sounds like nails to a board.

 

[DavidA]

Hello everybody. I rented the HD 800 from Lumoid and I can't find the 6Khz treble spike people keep talking about. I had yet to ear a high treble pitch that really hurted my ears. Why can't I hear it? My hearing is fine lol, i'm 21 so I'm still young. My ears also isn't damaged from loud listening.

The 6khz spike of the HD-800 doesn't bother me but the 4-5khz spike of the HD-600 does.  Everyone is different so it might just be that the 6khz spike does not bother you.  Also, as @ezekiel77 noted it could also be the genre of music that you listen to. 

 

[shultzee]

Hello everybody. I rented the HD 800 from Lumoid and I can't find the 6Khz treble spike people keep talking about. I had yet to hear a high treble pitch that really hurted my ears. Why can't I hear it? My hearing is fine lol, i'm 21 so I'm still young. My ears also isn't damaged from loud listening.

The so called spike doesn't effect me either so your not alone.  

 

[mcteague]

 
The so called spike doesn't effect me either so your not alone.  

I have never understood all the fuss either. Before I got the HD800s I was nervous about the possible brightness as I have always hated speakers with an edge but, at the same time, like the clarity. However, my music collection is all CDs and primarily Classical. I would have to listen to early 60s rock/pop to hear something that I felt was harsh. My old Thiel speakers were wonderful except for a tendency to make some treble sound too harsh. When I moved to Linkwitz Orions, all that went away. I am surprised at how close the sound signature is between the Orions and HD800s.
 
Tim

 

[FLTWS]

 
I have never understood all the fuss either. Before I got the HD800s I was nervous about the possible brightness as I have always hated speakers with an edge but, at the same time, like the clarity. However, my music collection is all CDs and primarily Classical. I would have to listen to early 60s rock/pop to hear something that I felt was harsh. ...
 
Tim

 
Same here. I guess it's a matter of degree and it's all recording quality dependent. I've got plenty of classical recordings with hyped highs. Back in the day the monitors used to master and mix didn't have the smooth high frequency or detailed deep bass capabilities of today's monitors, so I believe they compensated as best they could to provide a satisfying end result.
 
As for bass, I listened to Mahler 1 yesterday, Zinman/Tonhalle/RCA Red Seal (2006), on the 800. The opening of the 4th movement has so many bass drum thwacks it will put a crease in your skull even at a 70-75DB listening level peaks as measured on my sound level meter. Given that the lowest frequency of the Harp is almost 30Hz, the Tympani around 90Hz, Double Bass around 40Hz, Contrabassoon around 30Hz, I'm not sure what the bass-lite is all about when referring to HD800. I think it depends on the recording and how much limiting of dynamic range is applied in the process.
 
I've never heard any headphone can do no more than give a sense of the air pressure behind the deepest notes as only the eardrum gets vibrated and not the whole body. A lot of the headphones I've auditioned sound as if they beefed up the low frequency impression somehow in an attempt to compensate and losing the detail or getting muddy sounding in the process. Comparing the FR plots I see in reviews to comparing the actually headphones I hear large differences I wouldn't expect to hear below a 100Hz to 300Hz based on what I see in those plots.
 
But, everyone's ears hear differently. 

 

[Nikorasu]

I listen to all sorts of genres such as classical, pop, rock, metal, country, gospel, and video game soundtracks.  

 

[Nikorasu]

   
What music do you listen to? Probably your ears aren't as sensitive to the spike as others. For me the HD800 is fine until I listen to modern pop/rock songs that are poorly-mastered. Then it sounds like nails to a board.

I listen to all sorts of genres such as classical, pop, rock, metal, country, gospel, and video game soundtracks. 

 

[Nikorasu]

Sorry for the double post. There's no way for me to delete them.  

 

[ezekiel77]

  I listen to all sorts of genres such as classical, pop, rock, metal, country, gospel, and video game soundtracks. 

 
I wouldn't call HD800 an all-rounder, but if you're enjoying them, then there's no issue, and I'm glad.

 

[bosiemoncrieff]

   
I wouldn't call HD800 an all-rounder, but if you're enjoying them, then there's no issue, and I'm glad.

yeah HE-6 is much more of an all-rounder, ditto TH900, maybe LCD-X

 

[fjrabon]

 
yeah HE-6 is much more of an all-rounder, ditto TH900, maybe LCD-X

I wouldn't call the TH900 an all arounder.  Its treble is probably worse than the HD800's, which is why most people don't consider the HD800 an all arounder.  

 

[Nikorasu]

Guys, it has been my third day with the HD 800 from Lumoid. I have to send the package back 29th. My previous pair of headphones is the HD 598. I've been listening to many tracks lossless and mp3 comparing and contrasting between the pairs. I notice that I can raise the volume on the 800 much higher than the 598 without them getting distorted or fatiguing compared to the 598. I also noticed the soundstage is bigger on the HD 800 and the audio is much clearer. I've also been playing games and the HD 800 sounds better because of the sound stage. The treble, midrange, and bass are a tiny bit better on the HD 800. The bass on the HD 598 sounds like its distorted at higher volume vs HD 800. The timbre of instruments sounds more realistic and clearer on the HD 800 vs 598. However, I'm sad that I have yet to find any new hidden details in my music with the HD 800. I'm trying really hard to find new things yet to be heard in my music over the HD 598. All though the HD 800 does produce better treble, midrange, and bass I can't seem to find anything new in my music and I have over 1000 songs on my external hard drive. I don't know why. I'm just wondering is it even worth spending $983.76 on the HD 800 on Amazon. I thought I would have an eargasm from listening to the HD 800. My whole plan all along was to buy the new HD 800 S when I get my financial aid check, but seeing how the HD 800 is only 5 % better then my HD 598 I'm wondering if it even worth it. The HD 800 S is suppose to be more detailed according to Sennheiser. It is suppose to have bass that goes deeper. All though the HD 800 bass was more clearer than the HD 598 it didn't go as deep. I felt that it was lacking. I believe the reason I can't hear any new nuances and details in my music is because the HD 800 lacks the change that's in the HD 800 S. According to Sennheiser  "The enhanced sound reproduction of the HD 800 S is achieved through the addition of the innovative absorber technology that was pioneered in the Sennheiser IE 800 – a breakthrough that preserved the audibility of very high frequency sounds by eliminating a phenomenon known as the “masking effect”, where the human hear struggles to hear frequencies of sound when lower frequencies of a higher volume occur at the same time. By absorbing the energy of the resonance, Sennheiser’s patented absorber technology prevents any unwanted peaks and allows all frequency components – even the finest nuances – in the music material to become audible. This innovation was a key element in making the IE 800 the world’s best sounding in ear headphone, and in the HD 800 S it helps to bring even greater purity and precision"

Notice how they said "preserved the audibility of very high frequency sounds by eliminating a phenomenon known as the “masking effect”, where the human hear struggles to hear frequencies of sound when lower frequencies of a higher volume occur at the same time. By absorbing the energy of the resonance, Sennheiser’s patented absorber technology prevents any unwanted peaks and allows all frequency components – even the finest nuances – in the music material to become audible" 

I'm going to send the HD 800 back to Lumoid which is the 29th. I'm going to buy the HD 800 S on Amazon and test them out hoping and praying that when I test them and have them burn in that I will be able to hear "even the finest nuances", and that they become audible according to Sennheiser. The lower frequency was also extended in the HD 800 S so it should have better bass. I couldn't hear the 6khz treble spike on the HD 800 so the fact that its fixed according to Sennheiser won't be anything new to me. So overall, my plan is to buy the HD 800 S and send it back to Amazon if there's no big difference over the HD 800 I rented from Lumoid.

 

[Rozenberg]

@Nikorasu It's odd. I had prior experience with 598 before and from memory, the HD800 is a really big upgrade from the 598.
I think you should've known already, but do you have the proper setup to drive the HD800? HD800 is harder to drive than 598 and totally benefits from good amping. Yes, this is normally the reason people throw to someone unimpressed by the HD800 at first. I thought it was bullschiit too, but in the end I experienced it myself.
 
As for details in songs, that will depend on what your song is. I normally don't expect much details from pop, rock or something. Only time I'm immersing myself in the music is normally with classical or orchestra. Those kinds of music have really small details like the sound of instruments bumping on something or some ticking that could distract me.

 

[DavidA]

@Nikorasu, I have to agree with @Rozenberg, the HD-800 is a picky headphone when it comes to amps and DACs.  The genre of music will also make a difference, large orchestra classical, jazz and blues will take advantage of the HD-800 technical abilities while pop, classic rock, and rock will not usually take advantage of the HD-800's abilities.