[nephilim32]

Hmm its too bad that not many have the Soloist SL. There are nearly no comparisons to other amps making me wonder if maybe other stuff for the same price might be just as good :/

You know what It is it's the Qutest that takes the Burson to a higher level because of the 3 volts RMS . You get way more power and clarity by giving the soloist a high end DAC. The Qutest is not cheap and for good reason .
I have heard very expensive Macintosh solid state amps with MOSFET design and it doesn't slay the Burson with the Qutest.
Lots of solid state amps sound very similar . the only differences are that some solid state amps are more resolving at higher volumes. I like to listen to my music very loud provided I have awesome recordings. The Burson you can absolutely crank with the Qutest. Has a ton of resolve, but again You need a great DAC .

 

[zakazak]

You know what It is it's the Qutest that takes the Burson to a higher level because of the 3 volts RMS . You get way more power and clarity by giving the soloist a high end DAC. The Qutest is not cheap and for good reason .
I have heard very expensive Macintosh solid state amps with MOSFET design and it doesn't slay the Burson with the Qutest.
Lots of solid state amps sound very similar . the only differences are that some solid state amps are more resolving at higher volumes. I like to listen to my music very loud provided I have awesome recordings. The Burson you can absolutely crank with the Qutest. Has a ton of resolve, but again You need a great DAC .

Does the Soloist SL Mk2 also have the Qutest you are refering too? I see you seem to have the Mk1?

 

[nephilim32]

Does the Soloist SL Mk2 also have the Qutest you are refering too? I see you seem to have the Mk1?

sorry .no .it is the SOLOIST SL . Bought it 2014. Still love it because that bloody Qutest took my power supply further .

 

[DavidA]

What is TOTL?

I wouldnt mind if DAC+Amp would cost less than 1500€ I can get the Soloist pretty cheap right now though.
Tube sounds and looks interesting I think I dont want to go tube.

For the HD800 I think tubes are the way to go, more specifically an OTL amp since most OTL amp have slightly higher output impedance it better matches the HD800 but there are a few SS and hybrid amps that I've heard that really pair well with the HD800. Its more a matter of personal preference at this level but I can understand why some will stay away from tubes, it can be quite a rabbit hole but it also can be really fun and rewarding. I like my BH Crack paired with my HD800, T1gen1, HD700, etc and while I've heard my HD800 on better (higher priced) amps (Liquid Glass, DarkStar, EC Balancing Act, EC ZDS2, MicroZOTL, Elise and a few others I'm really happy with the BH Crack since its fairly cheap and sounds great to me. Yes the other higher end amps might sound better to others but to me its just a different flavor, not better IMO.

 

[zakazak]

For the HD800 I think tubes are the way to go, more specifically an OTL amp since most OTL amp have slightly higher output impedance it better matches the HD800 but there are a few SS and hybrid amps that I've heard that really pair well with the HD800. Its more a matter of personal preference at this level but I can understand why some will stay away from tubes, it can be quite a rabbit hole but it also can be really fun and rewarding. I like my BH Crack paired with my HD800, T1gen1, HD700, etc and while I've heard my HD800 on better (higher priced) amps (Liquid Glass, DarkStar, EC Balancing Act, EC ZDS2, MicroZOTL, Elise and a few others I'm really happy with the BH Crack since its fairly cheap and sounds great to me. Yes the other higher end amps might sound better to others but to me its just a different flavor, not better IMO.

Ye I would love to get a BH Crack Speedball but here in Europe its a pain to get it...

sorry .no .it is the SOLOIST SL . Bought it 2014. Still love it because that bloody Qutest took my power supply further .

Uhm Solist SL Mk2 or non-Mk2? I would buy the Mk2 which is the "newest" generarion.

 

[dharma]

The original was pretty much the best you could get at the time, and it is still competive years later, especially at their current price. Others have cought up or surpassed as one might expect, but is is still interesting to see that almost invariably people will compare to the HD800. I have largely moved on from them (at a price), but will still listen to and enjoy them on occasion.

At the time they were in the top price bracket - I recall thinking how crazy expensive they were at the time, and I did hesitate. Now the market has developed such that there are one or two tiers of pricing above it where people (including me) seem willing to spend. So there is room for an “HD900”, and it’s would be interesting to see if they choose to enter this end of the market.

Of course they have done the HE1 but that’s is a niche product. I wonder if they could do something like the old HE90.

___
It seems, that Sennheiser is going on with 80x the same way as it did with 6x0... this means 'for years to come'. So I am keeping too my 'old' 800 going on with my listening habits and also for editing my video soundtracks (mostly cultural events and lecturers i.e. maybe most important: a human voice).
Sure, I would not be against something that would combine 800 strengths with a 'hint of non fatigue smoothness in upper part'.
Also hoped that there will be some 'stripped-down'/'consumer level' HE1, but it seems that Sennheiser keeps again 'traditional' position: top of the line 'electrostatics' are not 'simplified' [or would I better say 'downgraded'] to a consumer level?

 

[DavidA]

Ye I would love to get a BH Crack Speedball but here in Europe its a pain to get it...



Uhm Solist SL Mk2 or non-Mk2? I would buy the Mk2 which is the "newest" generarion.

Since your budget is quite high the Elise is made in Poland so it might be easier to get and its a pretty good pairing with the HD800 even with the stock tubes. Its a fairly versatile amp that can roll many different tubes that will alter the sound quite a bit so in that sense it can be made to pair with a wider variety of headphones where the BH Crack is a bit limited in this since its output impedance is quite high 75-120 ohms (depends on power tubes) while the Elise is quite a bit lower IIRC.

Two of the better reasonable SS pairings that I liked with the HD800 was the original Hugo which can be had quite a bit cheaper these days and also the Liquid Carbon (not the massdrop one).

 

[nephilim32]

[QUOTE="



Uhm Solist SL Mk2 or non-Mk2? I would buy the Mk2 which is the "newest" generarion.[/QUOTE]

The MK2 is newest however the SL is more expensive .

 

[nephilim32]

Anyone find that the HD 800 is quite non fatiguing when listening to well mastered recordings? I do . I can listen for hrs and hrs on end provided the recordings are nice.
I know very well as the many of you do that the 800's absolutely suck when you have poor sources, especially music recordings .
Honestly . Try listening to a Disturbed album at 50 db . I bet none of you would last 5 mins with that crap . The 800's are certainly the most critical headphone I know. I love them and hate them for that characteristic . They taught me a lot about how my music should really sound, but at the same time that is both a curse and a blessing to know such things .
Since 2009 has their ever been a more critical and reavealing headphone? I think not. Some argue that the stax 009 would match the 800 for sterile criticism, however due to the unatural width that the 800's have I think they are the most revealing.
Just my 2 cents, since we are approaching 10 years since this wonderful headphone has been around. It has been a pleasure. I have had my 800's since 2012 and have catered the best I could a system built for its needs .I have to say it was not easy and money had to spent...a lot of it but my god it was and still is to me...totally worth it.

Happy listening everyone .

 

[Deftone]

Ye I would love to get a BH Crack Speedball but here in Europe its a pain to get it...

cshop87 on Etsy sells pre build bottlheads for people in europe.

 

[Deftone]

Anyone find that the HD 800 is quite non fatiguing when listening to well mastered recordings? I do . I can listen for hrs and hrs on end provided the recordings are nice.
I know very well as the many of you do that the 800's absolutely suck when you have poor sources, especially music recordings .
Honestly . Try listening to a Disturbed album at 50 db . I bet none of you would last 5 mins with that **** . The 800's are certainly the most critical headphone I know. I love them and hate them for that characteristic . They taught me a lot about how my music should really sound, but at the same time that is both a curse and a blessing to know such things .
Since 2009 has their ever been a more critical and reavealing headphone? I think not. Some argue that the stax 009 would match the 800 for sterile criticism, however due to the unatural width that the 800's have I think they are the most revealing.
Just my 2 cents, since we are approaching 10 years since this wonderful headphone has been around. It has been a pleasure. I have had my 800's since 2012 and have catered the best I could a system built for its needs .I have to say it was not easy and money had to spent...a lot of it but my god it was and still is to me...totally worth it.

Happy listening everyone .

I have around 500 albums and only about 7 of them have excellent dynamic range and mastering. HD800 gives me the ugly truth so i have to rely on my HD650 to "beautify" my CDs so i can actually enjoy them through HiFi.

 

[nephilim32]

I have around 500 albums and only about 7 of them have excellent dynamic range and mastering. HD800 gives me the ugly truth so i have to rely on my HD650 to "beautify" my CDs so i can actually enjoy them through HiFi.

Hi there.
You gotta look to and by original sound recordings from the 80's .
Don't buy remastered or reissued cds. For instance . Look at Iron Maiden albums compared to the 1998 and 2015 remasters. Compression is an ugly thing, especially with the 800's.
Anyhow .there are so many nicely recorded albums out there provided you like 80's and some early 90's music .
I will give you 3 albums to listen to with your 800's and you tell me if they sound bad fidelity wise .

Bryan Ferry-- Boys & Girls (1985) (pop, groove rock)
Iron maiden-- The X Factor or No Prayer for the Dying. (1995, 1985) (prog metal,)
The D.O.C-- No one can do it better ( 1989) (old school hip hop)

Get originals on cd. Trust me .if you like how these sound I can give you plenty more!

 

[Deftone]

i do buy original copies when available to avoid bad remasters but nearly all my music is 1995 onwards and i only like metal and all its sub genres maybe a bit of rock really so its just a difficult place to be stuck in, still with that said ill take my crappy modern metal recordings of well recorded 1950s jazz and classical because its just not my thing.

 

[nephilim32]

i do buy original copies when available to avoid bad remasters but nearly all my music is 1995 onwards and i only like metal and all its sub genres maybe a bit of rock really so its just a difficult place to be stuck in, still with that said ill take my ****ty modern metal recordings of well recorded 1950s jazz and classical because its just not my thing.

Sure . I understand and I feel where your mind is at .
So 1995 and onwards the cd starts to get massively mistreated . the loudness wars really took full force by 1997 . Deadly compression rears its ugly head in just about every music genre, especially metal! In fact, metal is the biggest culprit for that shrill, crushed sound .
As I said . You gotta get original 80's pressings. You said you like metal .
Okay. Try Sepultura, Megadeth, Iron Maiden, The first 3 Paradise Lost albums, Artica, Anthrax, queensyrche, Fates Warning and The first 2 dream theater and rage against the machine albums .

Get all their albums from the 80's up to early 90's. Tons of dynamic range .
Great recordings . Very warm and inviting. Some aren't perfect recordings but at least they are highly listenable because they are recorded at much lower volumes.
I feel your pain though . There really is not a ton of metal out there that is even listenable. It is a tough genre but their is some that is utterly fantastic that you can crank as loud as you want.

Oh and the DIO albums!! They are great! From 1983 to 1995. All are awesome .

That should tie you over .

 

[omniweltall]

You know what It is it's the Qutest that takes the Burson to a higher level because of the 3 volts RMS . You get way more power and clarity by giving the soloist a high end DAC. The Qutest is not cheap and for good reason .
I have heard very expensive Macintosh solid state amps with MOSFET design and it doesn't slay the Burson with the Qutest.
Lots of solid state amps sound very similar . the only differences are that some solid state amps are more resolving at higher volumes. I like to listen to my music very loud provided I have awesome recordings. The Burson you can absolutely crank with the Qutest. Has a ton of resolve, but again You need a great DAC .

Fat margin and dealer fee?

We're talking about audio here, mate. In reality, nothing really slays anything. I have heard over $100k piece of DCS stack. it doesn't slay anything too. In fact, I struggled to find noticeable strengths over much cheaper gears.