Looks like Drop might be 'dropping' a HD800

[GokieKS]

Follow-up: decided to get a pair of HD 800 S in and do a bit of straight up A/B comparison between it and the HD 8XX. And as expected, they handle female vocals MUCH better without EQ, and is basically what I was looking for. So yep, the HD 8XX are definitely going back.

 

[Pearljam5000]

I read somewhere that that the HD8XX are HD800 S with a tape mod and if you remove it they basically become the HD800 S
Is that true?

 

[solderdude]

The 'Anax mod' from former Changstar fame, partly blocked the silver mesh. That mesh has to do with freq range between 1kHz and 5kHz. Its reflectiveness and permeability most likely.
Tyll measured Anax mod and stock HD800 (not S) and attached both.
You will see a few dB rise from 200Hz to 1kHz and a deeper drop (no pun intended) between 2 and 5kHz. No change in the treble peak. For that the resonator is used which helps but does not reduce enough.
So based on that and the measurements I have seen it looks like they might have 'Anax modded' it in some way.
Curious to hear from owners.
I have no idea if indeed the HD8XX is different in that aspect and if that's merely a sticker ?
Haven't seen one nor clear pictures.

AFAIK the driver itself also has had some changes (for bass extension) and treble aspects.

Would be interesting to find out though.

 

[frogmeat69]

Shining a flashlight through the headphones, I see nothing on any part of the silver mesh surrounding the driver, no tape.
Everything looks as open as it can be.

 

[Pearljam5000]

 

[frogmeat69]

Did he post pics or vid of the tape? Can you post a link? I want to know where it is, because I can't see it, and don't want to tear apart a new pair of $1100 headphones just to find it.

 

[Pearljam5000]

Did he post pics or vid of the tape? Can you post a link? I want to know where it is, because I can't see it, and don't want to tear apart a new pair of $1100 headphones just to find it.

https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/ph6k06

 

[frogmeat69]

https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/ph6k06

There is nothing like that tape in my set at all, it would block light coming through.
And if you read the whole thread, Drop says the changes do not involve tape, but changes to the damping scheme of the housing and changes to the driver.
DMS then replies the pre production model had tape.
So basically, you can't just rip off some tape and have a cheaper HD 800s.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1436078287089020931

 

[dazzerfong]

Silver lining about this whole fiasco - caused Sennheiser to drop the prices to the HD800S to garner back some goodwill.

Works for me!

 

[edahl]

Seems they've become all too confident and comfortable with yes-men telling them everything is fine. Fine, send it to Zeos for publicity, but don't be so naïve as to respect their opinion on tuning: it's like throwing dart with a blindfold.

 

[solderdude]

All manufacturers and sellers are in business to make money.
Best advertising is low prices and positive (you tube) reviews and (online) hi-fi mags writing glorious words and using advertising phrases.

There were quite a few complaints about the HD800 (too little bass, too much brightness, too high price) and those have been... sort-off.. addressed with the HD8XX. It would be silly of Sennheiser to sell something 'better' at lower prices so something has got to give...

 

[LaL]

$699 with code " ZEOS8XX "
SENNHEISER HD 8XX by Drop.
https://MassDrop.7eer.net/n1NqeR

 

[HD65]

$699 with code " ZEOS8XX "
SENNHEISER HD 8XX by Drop.
https://MassDrop.7eer.net/n1NqeR

Is this the lowest price that they have been? Have they done anything different to the higher frequency roll off that I thought was said it was too drastic?

 

[edahl]

$699 with code " ZEOS8XX "
SENNHEISER HD 8XX by Drop.
https://MassDrop.7eer.net/n1NqeR

With a different tuning this deal would probably even outmatch HE6se from Adorama as the best deal in headphones. Am I crazy for not rushing out to buy this?

 

[Instrugramm]

With a different tuning this deal would probably even outmatch HE6se from Adorama as the best deal in headphones. Am I crazy for not rushing out to buy this?

Nope, I'm in the same boat... just got my second pair of Ether CXs and somehow feel inclined to think that even at 699 the 8XX might be wastly inferior to some of my other headphones.

 

[odyo]

Discounted price is ok but still it doesn't have $300 balanced cable and the tuning is seriously bad. Almost Beyer T1.3 bad.

Looks like Senn didn't want 8XX to cannibalize HD800S sales so they intentionally f'ed it up and relied on Drop's hype machine.

 

[frogmeat69]

$699 with code " ZEOS8XX "
SENNHEISER HD 8XX by Drop.
https://MassDrop.7eer.net/n1NqeR

What the actual F???? That's an incredible price cut.
And to you guys that keep bashing these, have you tried them? And to think Sennheiser would intentionally fuck these up to save 800s sales is stupid, why even go into the collab in the first place?? Always a conspiracy, lol.

 

[edahl]

What the actual F???? That's an incredible price cut.
And to you guys that keep bashing these, have you tried them? And to think Sennheiser would intentionally fuck these up to save 800s sales is stupid, why even go into the collab in the first place?? Always a conspiracy, lol.

You don't need to try these to know they fucked up.

In-Ear Fidelity – Headphone Graph Comparison Tool

Easily compare industry-standard frequency response measurements of hundreds and hundreds of headphones.

crinacle.com

I'd rather buy a used pair of HD800/S than buy a new pair of 8XX to ruin the warranty by modding it. That gets you a balanced cable too.

 

[staticV3]

And here is is aligned at 600Hz to more clearly show the difference:

 

[BrokenEnglishGuy]

You don't need to try these to know they fucked up.

In-Ear Fidelity – Headphone Graph Comparison Tool

Easily compare industry-standard frequency response measurements of hundreds and hundreds of headphones.

crinacle.com

I'd rather buy a used pair of HD800/S than buy a new pair of 8XX to ruin the warranty by modding it. That gets you a balanced cable too.

Headphones graphs are way more useless than speakers measurements.
In fact, I dont care what crinacle thinks