[jamesino]

  Like @fjrabon I'm not a fan of the X or XC, but the 2 and 3 are good if that is a sound signature that you like.  If I had to pick one from LCD-2 or HD-800 I would take the HD-800, mainly for comfort reasons and the fact that you can EQ the HD-800 to almost any sound signature you like while it LCD-2/3/X are not as flexible with EQ.
 
A term like "musicality" means different thing to different people so it depends on the genre for me between the LCD series or HD-800/S which I would use. 

I have a Windows 10 laptop and listen to music via Spotify Premium and Foobar2000. Do you recommend a software that provides system-wide EQ or individual plug-ins separately for Spotify and foobar? Any recommendations?

 

[cycle53x12]

 
how do the hd600s stack up against xc?

The HD 600 is a little bigger in sound stage, which I guess would make sense because it is an open can versus the XC which is closed.  But the 600 cannot touch the 800 when it comes to sound stage. I am currently running the HD 800 with Sonarworks and it is perfect. Sonarworks with the 600 is a lot less noticeable since I believe it is closer to neutral. 
The 600 has a really nice sound very similar to me as the 800 just a little less in some areas.
The XC is warmer and but does not have the airiness of either Sennheiser, but with that said they are very enjoyable and have a nice bass to me.
And the XC is a sealed can so you will be able use them in some settings where the HD's will bleed into the room and vice versa.
For the price I think the HD600 is an excellent can and from what I have read, it scales really well too. 
Right now with my setup I can choose one or the other and after a few minutes really forget some of the differences with the right music.

 

[DavidA]

  I have a Windows 10 laptop and listen to music via Spotify Premium and Foobar2000. Do you recommend a software that provides system-wide EQ or individual plug-ins separately for Spotify and foobar? Any recommendations?

Sorry, I don't use any EQ, hope some others can help with your question about EQ

 

[akg fanboy]

I use dmg audio equilibrium with jriver but its a vst plugin so it should work with foobar and winamp etc as well. Don't think it will work with streaming services 

 

[JaZZ]

  I have a Windows 10 laptop and listen to music via Spotify Premium and Foobar2000. Do you recommend a software that provides system-wide EQ or individual plug-ins separately for Spotify and foobar? Any recommendations?

 
I use xnor's ⅓-octave graphic equalizer for foobar2000, fully satisfied with it.

 

[i019791]

  I have a Windows 10 laptop and listen to music via Spotify Premium and Foobar2000. Do you recommend a software that provides system-wide EQ or individual plug-ins separately for Spotify and foobar? Any recommendations?

Equalizer APO is a free of charge, parametric and very good system-wide one.

 

[Ani1000]

Is there any Grado that comes close to HD800 sound quality?

 

[bosiemoncrieff]

Is there any Grado that comes close to HD800 sound quality?

No.

 

[fjrabon]

Is there any Grado that comes close to HD800 sound quality?

the subjectivity of sound preferences might allow some people to prefer some Grados to the HD800. But in terms of technical performance, no, no Grado comes even remotely close.

 

[Ani1000]

I read somewhere on head- fi that PS1000e was more detailed than HD800, so i was surprised because i have auditioned the RS1 and GS1000 and didn't like them at all.
Not to mention the build quality, they felt like they would break in a year max.
I also auditioned some Audeze headphones and wasn't that impressed.

 

[fjrabon]

I read somewhere on head- fi that PS1000e was more detailed than HD800, so i was surprised because i have auditioned the RS1 and GS1000 and didn't like them at all.
Not to mention the build quality, they felt like they would break in a year max.
I also auditioned some Audeze headphones and wasn't that impressed.

The PS1000e has an extreme 10kHz spike and scooped mids. For some people that equals "detailed." The PS1000e has much more distortion and a jagged impulse response, which are the "technical" aspects of "detail." Some people think it's more detailed because they hear more high frequency than they're used to, because it's just louder at 10kHz. But if you equalize the two headphones the HD800 destroys it in resolving ability.

 

[JaZZ]

 

I read somewhere on head- fi that PS1000e was more detailed than HD800, so i was surprised because i have auditioned the RS1 and GS1000 and didn't like them at all.
Not to mention the build quality, they felt like they would break in a year max.
I also auditioned some Audeze headphones and wasn't that impressed.

The PS1000e has an extreme 10kHz spike and scooped mids. For some people that equals "detailed." The PS1000e has much more distortion and a jagged impulse response, which are the "technical" aspects of "detail." Some people think it's more detailed because they hear more high frequency than they're used to, because it's just louder at 10kHz. But if you equalize the two headphones the HD800 destroys it in resolving ability.

 
I agree. For me it was no contest.

 

[ColtMrFire]

Man, Soundgarden's "Core" really shows what the 800 can do with a well mastered rock album.  Schiit goes hard.

 

[MickeyVee]

If you're a Mac person, +1 on Audirvana + Sonarworks.  Been testing it for the last week or so and it's a killer combo. Totally agree with @Zoom25's observations!
 
Quote:

  I highly recommend Audirvana Plus users to read this:
 
post #539
 
Essentially, due to OS upgrade to Sierra, I was forced to turn Direct Mode OFF. As a results, the Sonarworks experience got a lot better. The linear mode sounds excellent now without the pre-ringing and lack of punch. In fact quite the opposite. Very tight image and bass that goes really deep. Mids are clearer than before and punches in all the right places. Might be worth checking out even if you don't use Sonarworks.

 

[DivineCurrent]

How do you guys feel about Sennheiser's choice to add more 2nd harmonic distortion to the bass on the HD800-S? Why couldn't they just change the driver a little or something to add more bass instead of adding distortion? I haven't heard the original HD800 to hear the difference between the two, but I just find it a poorly thought out thing to do, especially since Sennheiser is focused on sound quality over anything.