[nephilim32]

Good tubes are not expensive. Volkshods are much better than stock tubes and can be gotten fairly cheap (just be sure they are matched and tested for noise). As far as SQ the Lyr is great. The HD800 isn't as amp picky as people have been led to believe. It will sound like the HD800 no matter what its plugged into... with varying levels of quality depending on the amp, but it even sounds good ouy of the HP jack of my laptop (using JRiver and Process Lasso to clean up CPU processing noise). I find the 800 is more fussy about stuff like AC power, dirty cables, noise floor issues, noisy computers etc., which can compromise the sound. It is fairly easy to drive these phones to potential. Of course there are amps out there that squeeze every last drop of performance out, but those tend to be over $1K. Most well made amps under $500 are going to be fine as long as they are not too bright. Alot of this is just going to come down to preference.

Great post. Agree with a lot of it, however I feel it's the 3 to 4k amps that are the real potential squeezers.

 

[Moochibond]

Does anyone based in the UK have a pair of standard male connectors they are willing to sell?
 
If you don't have a pair, do you know where I may buy a pair, in the UK?
 
Please find attached a couple of photographs showing the standard type connector I would like to buy.
 
Thanks 

 

 

 

[caravanapalace]

Hi there head-fi. Long time lurker, first time (almost) poster here.
 
I pulled the trigger on HD800 with Magni/Modi combo about a week ago. I previously owned high end headphones, Sennheiser Momentum 2s, they were awesome, I loved their sound signature, warmth, comfort.
 
Walking out of the store I couldn't believe I actually did it, but one week later my mind has been blown every day from how ridiculous these sound. For the first time in my life I'm actually hearing musical instruments. Overly striking to me are drums, I love how you can hear their sounds fade out. Everything about this headphones is incredible. Except maybe they slide down when I tilt my head but I can live with that.
 
I listen to wide variety of genres, though mostly EDM. I read somewhere on the internets that HD800 excel in complex music, which makes sense, so I'd like to ask you head-fi, what songs would you recommend listening to to experience these on top of their game?
 
Many thanks

 

[Moochibond]

 
what songs would you recommend listening to to experience these on top of their game?
 
 

 
 

 

[ColtMrFire]

Hello, congrats, best purchase I ever made in this hobby. Did you get the Modi multibit? If not I would HIGHLY recommend, much better than Modi 2, and no slouch next to Yggdrasil, their $2200 statement DAC. Modi MB was something of a game changer in its price range.

As far as demo music...

Lenny Kravitz "5"

Aphex Twin "Syro"

Charles Mingus "Mingus Ah Um"

Wagner Ring Cycle (Solti version). Best Opera/classical I ever heard, something of a gold standard of the genre

Chicago "17" (MFSL version), probably my favorite 80s synth pop record

Jerry Goldsmith "Explorers" (Expanded edition), probably my best sounding movie score

Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald "Porgy and Bess", incredible example of how good 50s/60s sound engineering was

David Holmes "Oceans 13" (track #12 wow)

Really the list of music to show off the HD800s strengths is endless. Anything that was well mastered, but those are some of my top recordings SQ wise.

Welcome to the club.

 

[Moochibond]

 

[OldSkool]

 

 

[nephilim32]

Hi there head-fi. Long time lurker, first time (almost) poster here.

I pulled the trigger on HD800 with Magni/Modi combo about a week ago. I previously owned high end headphones, Sennheiser Momentum 2s, they were awesome, I loved their sound signature, warmth, comfort.

Walking out of the store I couldn't believe I actually did it, but one week later my mind has been blown every day from how ridiculous these sound. For the first time in my life I'm actually hearing musical instruments. Overly striking to me are drums, I love how you can hear their sounds fade out. Everything about this headphones is incredible. Except maybe they slide down when I tilt my head but I can live with that.

I listen to wide variety of genres, though mostly EDM. I read somewhere on the internets that HD800 excel in complex music, which makes sense, so I'd like to ask you head-fi, what songs would you recommend listening to to experience these on top of their game?

Many thanks

First and foremost. May I say that this is a great post. I love hearing about these amazing and enthusiastic stories that revolve in night and day audio transformations.
Also, congrats on the HD 800's. I had the same feeling as you about 5 yrs ago when I bought mine. I remember leaving the store knowing and feeling I really just took a great audio leap and there would be no going back for me. Call it 'love at first listen.'
Now getting to your music tastes being centered around electronic and deep bass sounds there are of course many many incredible recordings out there and I've heard a ton with my 800's, but mainly I will be brief to share what recordings are truly meant for these headphones of ours in the EBM scene. The production and sense of space in the soundstage is out of this world with these recordings I find.

Depeche mode --(remixes 1981-2004)
The Prodigy-- The Fat of the Land ( 15th ann. Remaster edition)
Nine Inch Nails-- Pretty Hate Machine (20th ann. remaster edition)
BT-- These Reimagined Machines
Fear Factory-- Hatefiles. (This is brilliant!!)

That should keep you busy for a while. Feel free to let me know if you want more later on.
Once again, congrats and enjoy the music.

 

[Yoga]

Look for specific producers and engineers to hear the best stuff (musical taste aside).
 
Elmhirst, Masserati, Timbaland, Spike, Danger Mouse, Marroquin, Pensado etc.
 
Producers and especially mix engineers are the peeps responsible for that amazing hi-fi experience.

 

[RCBinTN]

  Hi there head-fi. Long time lurker, first time (almost) poster here.
 
I pulled the trigger on HD800 with Magni/Modi combo about a week ago. I previously owned high end headphones, Sennheiser Momentum 2s, they were awesome, I loved their sound signature, warmth, comfort.
 
Walking out of the store I couldn't believe I actually did it, but one week later my mind has been blown every day from how ridiculous these sound. For the first time in my life I'm actually hearing musical instruments. Overly striking to me are drums, I love how you can hear their sounds fade out. Everything about this headphones is incredible. Except maybe they slide down when I tilt my head but I can live with that.
 
I listen to wide variety of genres, though mostly EDM. I read somewhere on the internets that HD800 excel in complex music, which makes sense, so I'd like to ask you head-fi, what songs would you recommend listening to to experience these on top of their game?
 
Many thanks

 
Since you like EDM, perhaps try anything from Daft Punk.  Random Access Memories sounds great, to me, on the HD800.  
 
Enjoy your music!
RCB

 

[ColtMrFire]

The Brainfeeder artists are also pretty great for EDM.
 
Flying Lotus, Samiyam, Daedelus, Gaslamp Killer, Lapalux, Mono/Poly, Teebs...

 

[bosiemoncrieff]

easiest way to make this thread lose its schiit: "hey i just got HD800 what should I listen to?"

 

[LugBug1]

Clocking in with a new HD800 serial 42*** (second hand). My second pair. Just had a two year break getting by with older Senn flagships.
 
Daddies home  

 

[Sorrodje]

Hey Mate . Welcome back here  

 

[LugBug1]

  Hey Mate . Welcome back here  

Thanks mate good to see you! I see you've been quite busy as well. Loved your HD800s review and the work you've done regarding SDR mods etc - very helpful.