The HD800 & HD800S thread

Once one is addicted to the resolution there is no turning back. Perhaps only a good speaker rig will fit as a rehab.

 

Yeah, pretty much this.

It's kinda cliche for me to be saying this, but once I realize (or get used to, I guess?) what the HD800 was doing technically, going back to other headphones feels like going back to ear muffs. That could be a bad thing, though. Hahaha
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And I realize I haven't mentioned this yet, but... some songs that I mentioned as being unlistenable on stock HD800 actually won't fare that much better on something like the HD600, or even LCD-2 (yeah, LCD-2... you heard me...). So sometimes, the recording is just inherently that bad. So in general, when I said "HD800 is unlistenable to me"... that was more in response to myself rather than as a generalized thing.

My quest for the mod started with the idea that I have heard certain recordings sounding better on certain headphones, and I wanted to rope those qualities into the HD800 as a universal thing without sacrificing too much of other qualities. So this is more my way of "fixing" things for myself rather than something that I'd recommend to other people.

So whatever I stated (and will state from now on) are more just my opinions rather than straight-up facts. Please take them with a huge grain of salt. Including whatever I wrote about the effects of my mod. My ears may very well not hear what yours do.

But I'll say one last thing as a fact even if it kills me: the HD800 is still by far the most resolving headphone I have ever heard.

 

My own personal feeling is that the HD800 will extract the closest sound to what was recorded. I have plenty albums which don't sound great but they don't sound great on any headphones I have or indeed on my speakers. It doesn't mean that I don't still enjoy the music which is why I've still got the album. If the recording is a very good one (and I have some of these too) then the experience via the HD800 is the best I've heard on a headphone and which I can afford.

but thats just my take and when its your money its entirely your choice...........

 

@Bill-P I just had an inspiration. Unpadded moleskin (not Dr. Scholl's) might be an all-in-one solution. Something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Medline-NON51..._UL160_SR160,160_&refRID=0T0XF1WRQKW40VFN0T34

 

People assume recordings, mixes, and masters are bad as they don't sound good on their set up. The truth is you can screw up in all three areas and still come out a the end with a listenable record. Most recordings of real people playing real instruments could be improved. It's very easy to engineer a great sounding record with lots of high end detail that would be incredibly sibilant and painful to listen to on the HD 800 with the treble coloration and 6kHz problems.

 

HD800 imaging is diffuse to me as well, especially comparing it to my HE1000. The soundstage feels a bit wider, but the instruments sound like diffuse ghosts to me vs. sounding focused and solid on the HE1000. I think the width of the soundstage and the separation fools you into thinking the imaging is better than it is. I heard my HD800 on a number of different amps now and it's retained that character. I actually spent quite a while going back and forth with both headphones comparing just the imaging and soundstage qualities since I heard contrary impressions that the HE1000 imaging was more diffuse, but I just hear it the opposite and not in a subtle way at all. I don't hear the bloated one-note as much, but very anemic bass is how I hear the stock bass as well.

 

@paranoidroid I have the loaner Bifrost since today and have been borrowing a Mjolnir 2 from a friend, but really it's no large change in the character of the headphones from the O2/ODAC combo just as I've found in the past and through many meets. I still find the imaging of the HD800 to not be as precise as the HE1k (though wider) and the bass is still anemic to every other TOTL headphone. Doesn't mean I don't enjoy them, once EQ'd and 'fixed' through Sonicworks they are quite good.

 

According to a german retailer, the HD800S might be released in Dec for 1699EUR.
His post in a german audio forum can be found here:
http://www.open-end-music.de/vb3/showthread.php?t=9580&page=9

EDIT: Ups, it's 1599EUR, thanks sorrodje

 

Based on that, it looks like the retail price in the US will be accordingly higher, so... closer to $2k?

I'm still interested in checking this one out, to see if Senn has made any notable improvement to the sound, or if it simply sounds like a slight tweak.

 

1599€ vs. 1199€ standard HD 800

The second cable will boost the illusion of value since it costs 299€ seperately.

 

I don't mind buying a balanced cable for the hd800s. But I'd rather buy it from someone other than Sennheiser.

 

This limiter setting is an excellent alternative to EQ for taming HD800 drum and cymbal sizzle while leaving sparkle otherwise undisturbed.

The godhead until further notice.



(There is also a milder '-30 db threshold' variant suitable for the Beatle's Help! and not much else so far.)

 

@cooperpwc do you use any high-pass or low-pass filters with ozone 5 for the HD800's?

 

No. That would be the EQ module, right? I tried combining the limiter with equalization but I am preferring the limiter on its own so far. I like how it leaves all frequencies below a certain level intact, and only reduces the designated band above a certain volume.

But I am still learning here. Any suggestions are welcome.

 

Yes that would be the EQ module to add low and high-pass filters. Once I receive a pair of HD800 I will show you my Ozone 5 Eq settings, as well as other settings that you can try out. When I had a loaner pair, I was able to get a "sweet" spot with Eq'ing them - you can always try my settings, if you do not like them then no harm done, you can just adjust to your taste. If you ever get a chance, try Ozone 6 - it is amazing. Not only does it have all of the features of Ozone 5, but it also has much more tools such as tube emulators. You want a vintage Amperex bugle boy? Philips label, large halo getter? Valvo, pinched waist, 1956? It can emulate any tube sound you could ask for with amazing accuracy among other amazing features. You should download the demo and give it a try.

 

Please do post your settings later! It is fun to play around. The beauty of Ozone is that nothing is destructive; you actually can go home again.

I should try Ozone 6 demo. Honestly, I am far from convinced about tube emulators though. I own one: Tube Saturator. It is okay. I don't use it. (Not directed at you at all, but generally I am not a big fan of throwing corn starch into my music from any source, be it digital or hardware. Good sound reproduction does not need thickening agents IMO.) But one should keep an open mind!