[BunnyNamedCraig]

I am currently listening to the HD800s for the first time and I have to say Daaaaamn. I was worried about the bass being weak when I put on some infected mushroom but NOPE. Its so clean and precise and gives just enough oomf to satisfy my needs!! The details on acoustic instruments is phenomenal. The comfort is perfect so far--I can barely feel them. I love the open back sound. And wow the mids!! Ozzy Osbourne sounds so real. Theres just so much room to put every little sound its crazy, nothing crammed with anything else. I LOVE THEM!!! I may be gone from head-fi for a bit. Time to relax and listen to music

I love hearing this. These are the feelings that I look for and crave with audio. Glad you dig em!

All a matter of personal preference.

My tastes favor the Audeze house sound. I listened to my LCD-2 more than my HD800. And now that I have spent a few days with the LCD-3, I can tell that will dominate my head-time just as thoroughly.

But I do very much like the HD800. It gives me things the LCD-3 cannot, like detail, clarity, and soundstage. And sometimes that's what I'm in the mood for.

But more often, I crave the smoothness, warmth, and richness of Audeze.

I know the feeling. I love owning the HD800 for the above mentioned, and also having a "laid back" can.

I feel like some people might be hesitant about getting the HD800 because of how engaging it. If you have a second can that covers the other areas (doesn't have to be expensive) then you can fit any mood you're in.

 

[PinkyPowers]

I love hearing this. These are the feelings that I look for and crave with audio. Glad you dig em!

I know the feeling. I love owning the HD800 for the above mentioned, and also having a "laid back" can.

I feel like some people might be hesitant about getting the HD800 because of how engaging it. If you have a second can that covers the other areas (doesn't have to be expensive) then you can fit any mood you're in.

Yep. I was hesitant of the HD800 for a long time. But when I finally heard it, I thought it was amazing, and indeed much less bright and energetic than I expected. Its a really well-balanced experience, particularly with the right amp.

 

[BunnyNamedCraig]

Yep. I was hesitant of the HD800 for a long time. But when I finally heard it, I thought it was amazing, and indeed much less bright and energetic than I expected. Its a really well-balanced experience, particularly with the right amp.

ha you're beating me to the punch! After you said "less bright and energetic" I was thinking about proper amping.

(To everyone new to the HD800 game)-I know this is personal preference but the HD800 sounds exceptional with OTL amps... With the right tubes it can take off some of the brightness and due to 300ohm impedance they have fantastic synergy. Definitely worth looking into if you already like the HD800.

A fairly cheap excellent alternative to this would be the Elemental Watson tube hybrid amp. Takes the edge off the HD800 but it can still keep its speed up which I feel is important.

Here's a link if you haven't heard of it by now
Elemental Watson amp

 

[PinkyPowers]

I would love to hear it with a tube amp. Must be magical.

But even with my NFB-28, the HD800 delivers a much warmer, more relaxed sound than I feared from reading Head-Fi for so many years.

 

[FLTWS]

I find the HD800 and Rogue RH-5 a really fine sounding combo.
Have not yet spent time with the HD800 and LYR-3, in time I will.

 

[bosiemoncrieff]

Multibit is more important than tubes. I expect the gadget will also matter more, at least if the SS is well implemented ala Ragnarok.

 

[FLTWS]

Multibit is more important than tubes. I expect the gadget will also matter more, at least if the SS is well implemented ala Ragnarok.

Glad to see you posting. Things tend to get stiffer and more achy 24 to 48 hrs. after getting well and truly banged up.
I plan to let others be the first on their block to have a Gadget and see how it all shakes out.

 

[buke9]

I would love to hear it with a tube amp. Must be magical.

But even with my NFB-28, the HD800 delivers a much warmer, more relaxed sound than I feared from reading Head-Fi for so many years.

I do find them quite nice with a Bottlehead Crack and even more so from Amps and Sound Kenzie.

 

[WilliamLeonhart]

Since we’re talking tube amps I never knew the HD800 could sound *this* good. I tried it with a lot of solid states and the peak always ruined for me. Now there’s no peak, the soundstage & imaging is as crazily good as normal and overwall there’s a musicality to the sound that I never knew was possible on the HD800.

Best part? This DIY amp costed me around $300 only. Twice, no, three times that amount and I never could find a solid state amp to make the HD800 sing

 

[Catharus]

In case anyone in the US is thinking about warranty repair. Here’s my experience.

Process: My original, new pair (50xxx) went back to fix the too freely moving headband. I read post #12342 about fixing this myself but had little appetite for this. So off to Sennheiser’s website I went. Registering my warranty repair request was easy and resulted in a prepaid UPS label. I also called Sennheiser in Connecticut. An actual human being picked up without me having to go through an automated system. The processing time was estimated at two weeks.
After two weeks and a few days I called Sennheiser again to check on status. Again a friendly voice picked up and promised to have someone look at my headphones within a week. The package arrived in less than a week after that.

Result: The pair I got back had a different serial number #43000. The headband held both ear cups nicely. As a bonus the ear pads were even less noisy against my glasses than my original pair. Possibly, the ear pads don’t fit the ear cups as perfectly as on my original pair but I might be imagining this.

So all in all I’m happy. No cost to me, not even shipping, and I have a better functioning pair than I started with.

 

[buke9]

Since we’re talking tube amps I never knew the HD800 could sound *this* good. I tried it with a lot of solid states and the peak always ruined for me. Now there’s no peak, the soundstage & imaging is as crazily good as normal and overwall there’s a musicality to the sound that I never knew was possible on the HD800.

Best part? This DIY amp costed me around $300 only. Twice, no, three times that amount and I never could find a solid state amp to make the HD800 sing

Count me interested. Has a Bottlehead look to it but I know it’s not. Airiat Audio Heron 5 is one Solid state along with the Liquid Carbon that aren’t too bad either.

 

[Justin_Time]

ha you're beating me to the punch! After you said "less bright and energetic" I was thinking about proper amping.

(To everyone new to the HD800 game)-I know this is personal preference but the HD800 sounds exceptional with OTL amps... With the right tubes it can take off some of the brightness and due to 300ohm impedance they have fantastic synergy. Definitely worth looking into if you already like the HD800.

A fairly cheap excellent alternative to this would be the Elemental Watson tube hybrid amp. Takes the edge off the HD800 but it can still keep its speed up which I feel is important.

Here's a link if you haven't heard of it by now
Elemental Watson amp

One exceptional OTL amp to try is the Apex Teton. Wow! It sounds like this amp was designed with the HD800S in mind: crystal clear and sweet mid and high. But that bass! The Teton gives the HD800s a slight lift in the mid-to-upper bass, just enough to provide a firmer foundation to the sound of the HD800S. Everything sounds fuller, more dynamic. My favorite combo was the Utopia/GS-X Mk2 but the Teton/HD800S is neck to neck with it.

 

[TranceDude]

Are there any differences depending on when these were made, is the serial number important and what does it tell me?

 

[omniweltall]

Are there any differences depending on when these were made, is the serial number important and what does it tell me?

It tells u how old it is. I dont notice any difference between my 16xxx and 49xxx serial no.

 

[480126]

Got Dekoni Fenestrated Sheepskin. Have cut the dust cover and use Sennheiser dust cover! For my old ears the sound have no changed! But more comfort and it Looks "sexy"! And, maybe I´m crazy, I hear most of the music is in my brain!