Sennheiser HD 820

Discussion in 'Headphones' started by iDesign, Apr 29, 2017.

  1. Kattefjaes

    Kattefjaes Mostly Harmless

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    I'm not sure I agree at all with the assertion that it's "the Senn team tackling an engineering problem that few people wanted solved". Lots of people would like an HD800-quality closed-back option. The issue isn't what they tried to do, it's that they apparently did it poorly, at a surprisingly high price point.
     
  2. Ash1412

    Ash1412 Friend

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    In hindsight, I'd like to restate my opinion. I think Senn was overly ambitious in trying to engineer a closed back hd800. The amount of damping needed to properly isolate outside noise would also kill the air that the HD800 is known for, and it seems their alternate solution barely isolates enough for a pair of closed backs while costing more and still sounding worse. ZMFs closed backs cost less than their open back and sound worse at the cost of isolation, as they should. But honestly though, a lot more people would be happy if they managed to create a pair of closed HD58xs, with the easier to drive 150 ohms for mobile devices, or put the money into making the IE800s actually worth $1k, or improving on the HD800S instead of declaring it the best open headphones when the competition has caught up. So my opinion's that they had many other areas where they could've competed that would've benefited more people and their own pockets a lot more.
     
    Last edited: Aug 4, 2018
  3. DaveB

    DaveB Acquaintance

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    Just because it is closed does not preclude it's ability to reproduce the air that exists on the recording. Any other perceived 'air' is distortion.
     
  4. Torq

    Torq MOT: Headphone.com

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    I've had my production HD820 for coming up on two weeks now. They've gotten a lot of head-time since then. This is unusual, as I am not, normally, a closed-back headphone user. Typically such things are reserved for late-night, in-bed, fiancé-is-zonked type listening - often driven from a laptop and Hugo 2 or straight out of a Sony WM1Z.

    But, so far, I am finding the HD820 extremely enjoyable ...

    HD8XX (Color) (1024).jpg

    ... whether that's in comparison to their closest notional relatives, the HD800S, or the other closed-back cans I own, they're not just getting more night-time listening time, but have been a definite fixture during the day when I want to shut out any external noise (heavy construction outside my place in Seattle).

    I'll save my actual impressions for a full review (later this week) ... but I'm still at a loss to understand what all the bitching is about. Yes, they're expensive. No, they're not perfect. But I'm really starting to think most of the complaints are a function of unrealistic expectations, impressions of units with non-final tuning, or comparisons not done back-to-back with their stablemates.
     
  5. cskippy

    cskippy Creamy warmpoo

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    Very much look forward to your thoughts on HD820. Would it be possible to send it off to a measurebator?
     
  6. Lyander

    Lyander Official SBAF Equitable Empathizer

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    @Torq quick question, just in case I'm even deafer than I thought. Do you believe that subtle closed-back reverb might actually help give one a better sense of "space" than proper open backs? I notice there are times when I pick up more room cues thanks to the added isolation, and that activity behind the driver gives me a feeling of the performance being "within walls", and not the claustrophobic kind.

    Given that, I can sorta see how these might sound open even relative to the original 800, which to be fair can be a bit too spacious for its own good. Measurements be damned, I am looking forward to your write up!
     
  7. Torq

    Torq MOT: Headphone.com

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    Absolutely.

    I'm shortly to head off on my winter-travels, so I can be without both HD820 and the HD800S for a reasonably protracted period. I'm sure we can schedule something for then, for one, or more, suitable measurebators.

    My only requirement is that they measure both sets of cans ... as I do not hear (or measure, even with my noob-ish headphone measurement practices*) the bass distortion that Tyll, and others, have heard/measured, in my HD800S set. And they're a pretty early set (first US shipment).

    --
    *While I have access to an absolutely state-of-the-art whole-room anechoic chamber, I am not practiced in headphone measurements. So mine would be "unsanctioned" at best and "utter bollocks" at worst.
     
    Last edited: Aug 15, 2018
  8. Senorx12562

    Senorx12562 Case of the mondays

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    Hear, hear.
     
  9. Torq

    Torq MOT: Headphone.com

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    Maybe.

    It's hard to say.

    I can say that they're the most open-and-spacious-sounding closed-back headphone I've come across*. And that my perception of that is not, in anyway, artificial. They also project a better stage/"image" than any other closed-back (and a good number of open-back) headphones I've had in my hands (or on my head).

    --
    *I own ZMF Eikon (Padauk), Fostex TH900 Mk2, Massdrop TR-X00, Sony MDR-Z1R, and have had time with Mr. Speakers Aeon and Ether C Flow, oh, and have written-off the LCD-XC).
     
    Last edited: Aug 15, 2018
  10. Thenewerguy009

    Thenewerguy009 Friend

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    Does the spacious sound come at the expense of the sub-bass?
    Eikon, TH900, X00, MDR-Z1r all supposedly have booming thumping bass that you can feel.

    When people say the sound signature resembles the HD800, it doesn't make it seem they are bass cannons like the other closed back sets.
     
  11. m17xr2b

    m17xr2b Friend

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    Could be that few ran it to it's full potential. On an uber setup like yours I expect them to scale greatly. On the Teton I wouldn't call the HD800 bass light but on lesser amps yes.
     
  12. bengo

    bengo Friend

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    @Torq, how do you feel about writing a giant closed back round-up featuring the Zac Efron/Antichrist, bass/treble cannons, synthetic head-boob, these new cyberman ears, nexercisers and anything else you have heard? This would be very useful IMO. (@gbeast did something similar last year so there would be overlap, but different ears and all that...)

    I'm willing to contribute a scotch or two as a token of appreciation (via Paypal), if it helps ;)

    Sorry for the OT, please continue.
     
  13. Torq

    Torq MOT: Headphone.com

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    No, not really.

    But these are not tuned, in my opinion, to be outright bass-head cans either.

    They're not "bass cannons", as I interpret that term. They hit plenty hard, are very tight and punchy and the bass level is somewhat elevated, but it's not significantly exaggerated like, say the Fostex TH900 Mk2 or the Sony MDR-Z1R (which also tends to be boomy). It's more tasteful than that.
     
  14. Torq

    Torq MOT: Headphone.com

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    It could be that - though I've run them with everything from an RDAC and LCX, direct out of the CYAN and the RME ADI-2 DAC, as well as the TOTL stuff, and they've been great with all of it. They certainly do scale. But some of the specific complaints I've heard levied against the HD820 are just not present at all with any of that stuff.
     
  15. Torq

    Torq MOT: Headphone.com

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    Nauseous.

    Though that is the current plan ...

    I will likely do a smaller version first, using just the closed backs I currently own (TH900 Mk2, MDR-Z1R, Eikon, HD820, TR-X00), as those are cans that I actually enjoy - warts and all. And then get loan units of the stuff I have no desire to own and expand on it at some point thereafter.
     
  16. bengo

    bengo Friend

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    :D It sounds like that scotch might need to be a double...

    I wasn't suggesting that you should go out of your way to pick up loaners of gear you've already heard. It's up to you of course, but from my point of view rough impressions (with a suitable caveat if from distant memory) would be fine. The LCD-XC (own), Atticus (loaner) and TH-900 Mk2 (shop demo) are my personal known points of reference here.

    Don't forget to include the MDR-XB500 (or maybe it's the 700?) which your avatar is wearing! I have a pair at home. These are actually surprisingly good, all considered (and also not only for bassheads IMHO).
     
  17. MF_Kitten

    MF_Kitten Banned per own request

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    Here are some more easily readable measurements:
    http://imgur.com/a/cfbBSJa

    So basically it has the same problems that all other "open cans turned into closed cans" has. Look at the depth and width of that 300Hz dip, with a honk in the mids above it, and the low end "shelf" extending into the upper mid bass. God damn.

    I promise you this: if you 3D print some big ol' cups with vents around the outside, and put a thick layer of acoustic foam inside, it'll measure better than this does. Because this is horrendous. It looks like a botched DT770.
     
  18. Lurker

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    I think that dip at 300 Hz is intentionally caused by one of the two bass ports to keep the bass from bleeding into the mids:

    Also Stereoplay has an article on the 820
    They mention that the 820 uses pads that are attached with magnets so I guess pad swapping with 800 pads won't really work.
     
  19. MF_Kitten

    MF_Kitten Banned per own request

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    The dip is definitely made deeper by the port, but if that's their goal then they went WAY overboard with it. A tiny little dip would have been enough.
     
  20. Robert777

    Robert777 Acquaintance

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    *Completely off topic question*
    @Torq Which amplifier of yours do you think pairs best with the TH900s?
    I have been going crazy trying to find an amp I love for these, admittedly my price range target is very low.
     

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