[CYZZM]

I recommend an iCan Pro (used). I want to get one myself.

I currently have an iCan (non Pro version) and thanks to the xBass function I can use the HD800 to play any type of music. Listening to something like the Black Eyed Peas without xBass is not a very enjoyable experience. I could switch headphones...or I can flip a switch.

I am gonna take a look at that since I am not so familiar with IFI products. Thank you!

 

[dleblanc343]

Focal Clear pro , Sennheiser HD660S , Hifiman Ananda Bluetooth and if funds allow Meze Empyrean.

What's your chain like. I don't want to be mean, but I think selling your 800(s)'s was a mistake. It's truly incredible and arguably better than even the Empyrean in my testing. I made the mistake first hand in selling my early S.N HD800 when Clear came out, and found the clear to be a wonderful upgrade.

Then recently, had the chance to hear 3 pairs of HD800 in an A/B/C with Clear. One stock (terrible fatiguing treble and lack of body as I remembered), one SDR modded (marginally better than Clears overall, but less agreeable) and then playing with EQ with simili-Harman EQ - it's truly astonishing.

I can handedly say the only headphone that I have that are still better than HD800 are my Susvara and D8000 Pro. After that my HEKv2 and my ex HEKse are a bit better. My ex LCD4 is a toss up, they're way too different but I prefer HD800 and sold LCD4. HD800 was also outclassed by my HE6 and K1000 (bass heavy), but not anymore, except HE6 4 screw is very close.

After getting a used HD800, I even bought an HD800S to do a thorough analysis, and can comfortably say HD800 scales higher than the S, with EQ. But in stock form, HD800S is more agreeable, despite them being really much more similar than different.

My HD800 with dekoni hybrids and Oratory1990's eq is the best I've heard HD800 in the last decade, and am extremely content. If I have to sell all my headphones and keep one, it wouldn't be Susvara, it would be this.

No. Initially it kinda seemed to be more dynamic and that's potentially true due to the bigger amount of power, but in A/B testing both amps sounded about the same. This is why I don't do source differences. Most of it is just your brain trying to justify your purchase.

Sadly Topping's gear kind of sounds lifeless and is really all about neutrality and amazing distortion figures. In this sense, your HD800 comes through as intended, and it's a very crisp monitor. I really do vouch for tube amps on a stock HD800, it's near mandatory unless you have something very dark. Now if you do input Oratory's parametric EQ, you'll be able to enjoy them, but keep in mind they'll sound much more different.

 

[Ichos]

Sorry but I don't use EQ.
I have tested the HD800/sdr/S with more than a dozen amps , dacs and combos.
The best was with V280 but still a badly turned headphone.
First time I A/B the Clears with HD800S , I returned the Clears.
Then I kept them more than a year but something was always bugging me.
Of course it was the tonality and some other points like decay etc.
At the end I sold them and kept walking....
Now I am into the Empyreans all the way up.
I am willing to sell my car to buy them!

 

[491838]

Sadly Topping's gear kind of sounds lifeless and is really all about neutrality and amazing distortion figures. In this sense, your HD800 comes through as intended, and it's a very crisp monitor. I really do vouch for tube amps on a stock HD800, it's near mandatory unless you have something very dark. Now if you do input Oratory's parametric EQ, you'll be able to enjoy them, but keep in mind they'll sound much more different.

That's what I wanted: neutral sound. I am using them with oratory's 5-band profile and you can definitely tell the unit variation is so good that with this profile it follows the Harman target pretty much perfectly.

If I wasn't chasing that neutral coherent sound that works with all genres of music maybe I'd be into tube amps. I don't really think sources should color the sound of headphones.

 

[JaZZ]

From the Chord page, Power output @ 1kHz 1% THD: 94mW 300Ω

Looks kinda marginal. I think you would get some significant improvement with a lot more gutsy amp.

Given the HD 800's high sensitivity, the Hugo₂'s power reserves are luxurious. Enough is enough. But you can't have enough purity and transparency, which you inevitably compromize with re-amplifying the signal – something you kindly omit in your argumentation.

I own both the HD 800 and the Hugo₂, just for clarification. And I own a bunch of headphone amps – which I never use anymore since my Chord DAC phase, although I could.

 

[MacedonianHero]

From the Chord page, Power output @ 1kHz 1% THD: 94mW 300Ω

Looks kinda marginal. I think you would get some significant improvement with a lot more gutsy amp.

The Hugo2 is definitely gutsy enough. I've owned this combination for a few years (still own the Hugo2 though) and was completely satisfied. Here are the numbers for the HD800/800S (300ohms and 100 dB/mW):

So 94mW puts the sound into almost the "Painful" category of 120dB SPL.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

The Hugo2 is definitely gutsy enough. I've owned this combination for a few years (still own the Hugo2 though) and was completely satisfied. Here are the numbers for the HD800/800S (300ohms and 100 dB/mW):



So 94mW puts the sound into almost the "Painful" category of 120dB SPL.

Yeah but that's only at max volume and 1% THD is enough to hear, especially out of an 800. And what is not shown in the specs is how fast the amp can respond and other things that affect how good a headphone can sound that we don't really know how to measure. The Hugo 2 spec listing shows the max output voltage of 3V which is also not enough. It's enough power to hurt your ears turned all the way up. It is likely not enough to get the best out of these cans.

 

[JaZZ]

Yeah but that's only at max volume and 1% THD is enough to hear, especially out of an 800. And what is not shown in the specs is how fast the amp can respond and other things that affect how good a headphone can sound that we don't really know how to measure. The Hugo 2 spec listing shows the max output voltage of 3V which is also not enough. It's enough power to hurt your ears turned all the way up. It is likely not enough to get the best out of these cans.

Note that my rating and appreciation for this combination is based on listening experience, not just numbers. And when it comes to fast reaction to the input signal, the Hugo₂ alone is definitely faster than with any additional amplification stage in the signal path – also and particularly to my ears, not just theoretically. Like many you seem to mix up the sound from adding an amp with a technically more accurate signal reproduction. The HD 800 with its treble emphasis and low-bass roll-off may benefit from the colorations (harmonic distortion) generally added by all amps, a mechanism that suits the taste of many listeners, but is achieved by signal degradation and loss of transparency – often interpreted as technical superiority nonetheless. Personally I have distanced myself from this «equalizing by euphonic amplifier distortions» concept long ago and use equalizers instead – with clearly better results and no regret.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

Note that my rating and appreciation for this combination is based on listening experience, not just numbers. And when it comes to fast reaction to the input signal, the Hugo₂ alone is definitely faster than with any additional amplification stage in the signal path – also and particularly to my ears, not just theoretically. Like many you seem to mix up the sound from adding an amp with a technically more accurate signal reproduction. The HD 800 with its treble emphasis and low-bass roll-off may benefit from the colorations (harmonic distortion) generally added by all amps, a mechanism that suits the taste of many listeners, but is achieved by signal degradation and loss of transparency – often interpreted as technical superiority nonetheless. Personally I have distanced myself from this «equalizing by euphonic amplifier distortions» concept long ago and use equalizers instead – with clearly better results and no regret.

Ok, I appreciate that comment. I have no experience with that combo so I can only guess. I do have experience with other amps with output rated higher than that which don't sound good so I have a general sense that the 600/800 need more amp than the specs would suggest.

edited: lame spelling error totally changed the meaning

 

[MacedonianHero]

Note that my rating and appreciation for this combination is based on listening experience, not just numbers. And when it comes to fast reaction to the input signal, the Hugo₂ alone is definitely faster than with any additional amplification stage in the signal path – also and particularly to my ears, not just theoretically. Like many you seem to mix up the sound from adding an amp with a technically more accurate signal reproduction. The HD 800 with its treble emphasis and low-bass roll-off may benefit from the colorations (harmonic distortion) generally added by all amps, a mechanism that suits the taste of many listeners, but is achieved by signal degradation and loss of transparency – often interpreted as technical superiority nonetheless. Personally I have distanced myself from this «equalizing by euphonic amplifier distortions» concept long ago and use equalizers instead – with clearly better results and no regret.

You can add me to listening experience first also...those measurements pretty much showed that the Hugo2 wasn't breaking a sweat with the HD800S.

 

[491838]

Hmmm... the more I listen to the HD800 the more I start to think that its bass is better than the bass on the LCD-2 (I had the Fazor). What's evidently clear is that the HD800 has much better clarity across the board (yes, including bass). There are two issues with it though. It is slightly warm above 100 Hz (typical dynamic behavior) and also slightly rolled off, but it reacts well enough to EQ. But I think I can hear the sub bass rumble better than I did on the muddy sounding LCD-2. Yeah, Audeze have thick bass but does it really sound that tight?

That actually confused me when I first heard the LCD-2. I couldn't quite grasp how detailed the bass was because it sounded thick. I have a much better idea on the HD800 with its superior clarity. Just wish I still had the LCD-2 to compare but I think the HD800 would win on impact and detail potentially (though it can paradoxically sound a little weak on some songs that leverage the sub bass extension of Audeze planars; I'm guessing that's a trick).

 

[elvergun]

New headband arrived from an ebay seller in England -- it took forever to get here. I'm good for the next five years or so.

 

[joseph69]

New headband arrived from an ebay seller in England -- it took forever to get here. I'm good for the next five years or so.

If you don't mind me asking, are you located in the US?
If so, how long did it take to arrive?
Thanks

 

[elvergun]

If you don't mind me asking, are you located in the US?
If so, how long did it take to arrive?
Thanks

Yes, in San Diego. I purchased it May 16 and it arrived today. I actually thought it had been lost in transit.

 

[JamieMcC]

Covid would have added a substantial delay normally takes 14 days with roughly half the time stuck in the que waiting for customs clearance.