[Steven31]

Without proper amplification, Sennheiser's are nothing special - IMHO. I had the HD700 and only heard it at it's best when I used it with exquisitely designed high end audio equipment that had top tier audio circuitry inside. It was an immensely bipolar headphone, sounding like crap with everything I used with it except for the aforementioned equipment. I have never heard the HD800 series but suspect it's much the same deal with those, meaning that you have to spend absurd amounts of money to get them to sound anywhere near acceptable. The cheaper Sennheiser's with the tiny 30mm drivers don't have these problems due to the severe limitations they have with their sound (HD600 for example with it's extremely narrow soundstage).

 

[gikigill]

So you're commenting on stuff you have never heard?

As an owner of the HD800 from the 26XXX and 50XXX series and the HD8XX, the HD700 are nothing like the HD800.

The drivers and enclosure are very different as if they were from different companies.

 

[dstarr3]

My first audiophile headphone was a Senn 558. Still have it. Perfectly efficient and sounds great out of anything. Same with my PX-100

 

[Steven31]

So you're commenting on stuff you have never heard?

As an owner of the HD800 from the 26XXX and 50XXX series and the HD8XX, the HD700 are nothing like the HD800.

The drivers and enclosure are very different as if they were from different companies.

Have you ever heard a HD700? have you held a HD700 in your hands, seen one with your eyes?
It is a very similar design to the HD800, the same design concept and similar chassis, the drivers in the HD700 are suspended in the same way as the HD800. Because i'm intelligent and have done thousands of hours of reseach and study on these things, I can surmise the differences in my head, I have a pretty good idea of what the HD800 sounds like based on my time with their little brother the HD700. These are the kind of things you can do when you accumulate experience in this hobby.
I think you'll find that the only reason the HD800 sounds different to the HD700 is because the HD800's drivers are 14mm larger. This gives the HD800 the bass and soundstage to distinguish between the two models. If the HD700's drivers had been 10mm larger it would probably sound indifferent. When people talk of the large, airy soundstage and holographic imaging of the HD800, I can relate to that, because I heard that with the HD700 when I used it with the high end equipment I had.

And no, i'm not commenting on "stuff i've never heard". I am not passing judgement on the HD800 based on it's sound. Don't try to play that card, making me out to be a fool, I certainly am not.

 

[kman1211]

Have you ever heard a HD700? have you held a HD700 in your hands, seen one with your eyes?
It is a very similar design to the HD800, the same design concept and similar chassis, the drivers in the HD700 are suspended in the same way as the HD800. Because i'm intelligent and have done thousands of hours of reseach and study on these things, I can surmise the differences in my head, I have a pretty good idea of what the HD800 sounds like based on my time with their little brother the HD700. These are the kind of things you can do when you accumulate experience in this hobby.
I think you'll find that the only reason the HD800 sounds different to the HD700 is because the HD800's drivers are 14mm larger. This gives the HD800 the bass and soundstage to distinguish between the two models. If the HD700's drivers had been 10mm larger it would probably sound indifferent. When people talk of the large, airy soundstage and holographic imaging of the HD800, I can relate to that, because I heard that with the HD700 when I used it with the high end equipment I had.

And no, i'm not commenting on "stuff i've never heard". I am not passing judgement on the HD800 based on it's sound. Don't try to play that card, making me out to be a fool, I certainly am not.

There is more difference in the drivers than just the size difference between the two. The HD 800 has the ring radiator, no dome basically. The voice coil is also quite a bit larger in diameter even considering their size difference. Both these things will have an impact on their sound not to mention the numerous other differences in the drivers. The two headphones sound quite different, more than you may think. The HD 700 is basically more of an updated version of the HD 600/650 driver using elements of the HD 800 chassis design but the driver is fundamentally different and Sennheiser hasn't really scaled down the HD 800 driver (could be technical reasons for this, maybe the ring radiator doesn't work as well on smaller driver designs, etc.).

 

[T 1000]

Have you ever heard a HD700? have you held a HD700 in your hands, seen one with your eyes?
It is a very similar design to the HD800, the same design concept and similar chassis, the drivers in the HD700 are suspended in the same way as the HD800. Because i'm intelligent and have done thousands of hours of reseach and study on these things, I can surmise the differences in my head, I have a pretty good idea of what the HD800 sounds like based on my time with their little brother the HD700. These are the kind of things you can do when you accumulate experience in this hobby.
I think you'll find that the only reason the HD800 sounds different to the HD700 is because the HD800's drivers are 14mm larger. This gives the HD800 the bass and soundstage to distinguish between the two models. If the HD700's drivers had been 10mm larger it would probably sound indifferent. When people talk of the large, airy soundstage and holographic imaging of the HD800, I can relate to that, because I heard that with the HD700 when I used it with the high end equipment I had.

And no, i'm not commenting on "stuff i've never heard". I am not passing judgement on the HD800 based on it's sound. Don't try to play that card, making me out to be a fool, I certainly am not.

Each of us has different preferences about the sound, but I strongly disagree with your presentation of facts. I owned an HD 700 that has the same driver sizes as the HD 540 RG, but they sound completely different, IMO HD 540RG is much more musical and technically more capable.

 

[dstarr3]

Because i'm intelligent

Never a good sign when you feel the need to explain this to strangers on the internet

 

[Steven31]

Each of us has different preferences about the sound, but I strongly disagree with your presentation of facts. I owned an HD 700 that has the same driver sizes as the HD 540 RG, but they sound completely different, IMO HD 540RG is much more musical and technically more capable.

Well, as for me, I certainly preferred the HD600 to the HD700. But that doesn't mean I liked the HD600 all that much. My favourite Sennheiser I have ever heard is the closed back one I currently own - the HD206. It is not overly bright sounding like imo the HD558 and 598 I used to own, has better soundstage and imaging than the HD600 I owned, and a nicely balanced, more pleasing tonality compared to the dark sounding HD700 that to my ears had zero bass response below 25 - 30 hertz.

 

[Steven31]

Never a good sign when you feel the need to explain this to strangers on the internet

Is it take the mickey time now? you can't help yourself.

Some of you guys can't help yourself, you can't take the slightest bit of objection or criticism without resorting to insults and verbal attacks.

 

[HipHopScribe]

I don’t have any in reserve, but I have all 800S , except the original 800. My collection is now consisting of 800S, Anniversary, and 820. Then again, the 820 is an abomination that is totally different than the 800s family LOL!!! Like it is in the family but totally a different beast

Every family has one of those lol

 

[T 1000]

Well, as for me, I certainly preferred the HD600 to the HD700. But that doesn't mean I liked the HD600 all that much. My favourite Sennheiser I have ever heard is the closed back one I currently own - the HD206. It is not overly bright sounding like imo the HD558 and 598 I used to own, has better soundstage and imaging than the HD600 I owned, and a nicely balanced, more pleasing tonality compared to the dark sounding HD700 that to my ears had zero bass response below 25 - 30 hertz.

Proof of how different we are.
I had both HD 206 (a month) and HD 598 (a year)
In my opinion, the HD 206 is a toy for children compared to the HD 598, and the HD 598 is far behind the HD 700
Just my opinion
But this of course is not in conflict with yours, it is important that we find our enjoyment in a particular pair of headphones
Enjoy the music

 

[Steven31]

There is more difference in the drivers than just the size difference between the two. The HD 800 has the ring radiator, no dome basically. The voice coil is also quite a bit larger in diameter even considering their size difference. Both these things will have an impact on their sound not to mention the numerous other differences in the drivers. The two headphones sound quite different, more than you may think. The HD 700 is basically more of an updated version of the HD 600/650 driver using elements of the HD 800 chassis design but the driver is fundamentally different and Sennheiser hasn't really scaled down the HD 800 driver (could be technical reasons for this, maybe the ring radiator doesn't work as well on smaller driver designs, etc.).

I am aware that the drivers in the HD800 are different, mechanically they are still dynamic drivers though, they belong to the same family and still have the same motion operating principle (the voice coil resonating the driver material producing sound waves). The HD700 was meant to be a scaled down HD800, in miniature form, this was how they where advertised back in 2013 and they even originally sold for over $1,000. The chassis of the HD700 was designed to be skeletal, just like the HD800, and the driers in both headphones suspended in a way to completely eliminate any colourations the housing would otherwise cause, so by this logic, given this similar design concept, it's logical to assume similarities between the 2.

 

[Steven31]

In my opinion, the HD 206 is a toy for children compared to the HD 598, and the HD 598 is far behind the HD 700

Tell that to the studio engineers who use the HD206 for monitoring purposes.

 

[dstarr3]

Tell that to the studio engineers who use the HD206 for monitoring purposes.

Are you sure you're not confusing the 206 and the 280? Because the 206 is 100% a kid's toy. I got one for free with a digital piano some years ago and it fell apart in a month of light use, no decent studio would ever be equipped with these.

Let us know your thoughts on the HD800 after you give one a listen, not before.

 

[Steven31]

HD598 is a child's toy in comparison to the technical HD206! This studio in the video below must be ran by children then. Jeez I feel like i'm a child being scalded for speaking in class. You lot are something else!