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Looks like Drop might be 'dropping' a HD800

Svperstar

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You do because no headphones touch the HD800's Soundstage;)

I got the AKG 7XX just to hear the "amazing" AKG soundstage and I was let down by it. Not sure if soundstage is enough of a reason to buy a >$1,000 headphone
 

Pearljam5000

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I got the AKG 7XX just to hear the "amazing" AKG soundstage and I was let down by it. Not sure if soundstage is enough of a reason to buy a >$1,000 headphone
Lol
You're comparing a a Subaru to a Ferrari.
The HD800 Soundstage is best of any headphone on the planet, period, maybe except AKG K1000 but they're not really headphones
It's a totally different experience, I can't listen to other headphones after them
 

edahl

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We're excited to say that we shipped over 500 pairs of HD8XX, so let the obsessive tracking-refreshing begin! For those who don't have a tracking number yet, hang in there for just another day or so, our warehouse staff are working as safely and quickly as they can. Making the HD8XX project a reality is the result of over five years of negotiation, countless tweaks and adjustments, and finally we're at the finish line. We're so excited to get these headphones into your hands and hear your impressions. We've been doing this long enough to know that nearly every audiophile product launch has its fair share of discussion and debate. From the infamous "HD58x is really just the HD650S with foam removed" videos, to the accusations that the "THX 789 AAA measurements claimed are physically impossible". What we've learned from these experiences is that the community has many shared and contrary beliefs about a product and the best way to settle them is to simply ship the product and let people's ears decide. For over 9 years we've worked tirelessly to make great audiophile products. Our track-record has shown that these efforts have caused dramatic changes in the audiophile industry. From the HD6XX making audiophile quality headphones accessible to the masses, to our THX amps changing the standard of low-noise amplification, and the countless-other category defining products we've released, our team and process has been able to consistently provide exceptional value and choice to the community. We're confident that the Drop + Sennheiser HD 8XX headphones will continue this tradition. Thanks for your support and helping make this product a reality.
They'll never ever admit they screwed this up
 

adman_girvan

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If it's a slightly better 800s for $500 less, it could be amazing! Probably hard to get ahold of now though.
 

don'ttrustauthority

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Sounds like a typical measures great, grates lots on the ears headphone. ZMF Auteur is a more full bodied type of sound that I find much more pleasing to the ear. Of course with tubes the 8xx might take on a new life, as did the 6xx which scales 'all the way,' as Zappa says.
 

frogmeat69

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Having never tried the HD800 or HD800s, I think the HD8XX sound great after using them for a few hours last night.
 

don'ttrustauthority

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The sound is more like a balloon, with a lot of detail very wide and thin, with an empty center and very unsatisfying sound. Compared to the Auteur by ZMF, which is meatier but not nearly as detailed more like a sloppy tomato sauce filled meatball where the instruments cling together without a lot of detail but a very rocking, satisfying sound.
 

_thelaughingman

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Not worth a penny for the Drop iteration which is messed up and has imbalance as per crincacle' review. Stick to the original if you want a good headphone. Drop definitely dropped it on this one.
 
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Zensō

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Do you people have a pair of these? Or just going by what someone else thinks?
I have the 800S and just out of curiosity used EQ to mimic the 8XX’s hole at 1-3 kHz. It makes the 800S sound very strange. I’m curious if anyone has used EQ to correct the shortfall in that range on their 8XX?
 

GokieKS

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Got the HD 8XX in and was able to get a couple hours of use/testing. Un-EQed, that midrange dip is EXTREMELY noticeable - it makes vocals, female vocals especially, sound extremely weird... it's muffled but also interacts with other instruments in a way that almost makes it sound like there's a tiny bit of reverb.

Applying EQ via my RME ADI-2 DAC FS helps tremendously, but I do want my headphones to also sound at least decent without EQ, and at this point I think I'd prefer my trusty old HD 600 over the HD 8XX if neither are EQ-ed.

Will use them for a while longer, but at this point the most likely outcome is that I return these and just get the HD 800 S instead.
 

sandymc

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Got the HD 8XX in and was able to get a couple hours of use/testing. Un-EQed, that midrange dip is EXTREMELY noticeable - it makes vocals, female vocals especially, sound extremely weird... it's muffled but also interacts with other instruments in a way that almost makes it sound like there's a tiny bit of reverb.

Applying EQ via my RME ADI-2 DAC FS helps tremendously, but I do want my headphones to also sound at least decent without EQ, and at this point I think I'd prefer my trusty old HD 600 over the HD 8XX if neither are EQ-ed.

Will use them for a while longer, but at this point the most likely outcome is that I return these and just get the HD 800 S instead.

It's a pity. I canceled my order a few weeks ago, when the first reviews of the production version came out. Frequency response curves don't always tell the whole story, but the feedback from (almost ) all the people that have heard them seems to confirm what the curves say. The price was (is?) really attractive, but it feels like I'd be better off paying the extra for 800s.
 

don'ttrustauthority

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I overlaid the HD8XX a bit better than Jude did (on purpose ?) so the FR between the 2 is easier to evaluate.
HD8XX and HD8XX but level matched at 400Hz

If you are going to accuse a person who runs a competing web site of unethical behavior it'd be helpful if you provided some evidence to back up your accusation.
 

solderdude

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Did you see the question mark ?
Doesn't look like an exclamation mark !

You demand an explanation and accuse me of accusing Jude to deliberately making unethical comparisons ?
Overlaying plots at exactly 1kHz point isn't a crime nor unethical but it does not accurately display tonal differences and in this particular case makes the HD8XX seem much bassier and having a much smaller upper midrange dip than perceived.

As I showed there are at least 2 different ways to overlay traces that say more about perceived tonal differences than simply matching at 1kHz.
To boost HD8XX sales Judes plot is much more compelling when one is looking for a more bassy HD800 than it is in reality.
 
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don'ttrustauthority

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I thought they do it by output level.

I thought you were suggesting something untoward. If I am mistaken I apologize.
 
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ReaderZ

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I just don't understand why they would change the tuning after first version got great feedback and most of us bought based on measurements and review of first version?
 

FrankF

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I just don't understand why they would change the tuning after first version got great feedback and most of us bought based on measurements and review of first version?
Sennheiser's sold it's consumer product division a few months back. Possible the new owner had a hand in it. Just a wild guess.
 
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