Sennheiser HD800S Review (Headphone)

[kanade96]

Hi, you got your link from Oratory's listing on reddit right, in that case then that's fine.

Yes, you input the figures into Peace from the black box at the bottom of the pdf file (the box is labelled "Filter Settings").

The changes you make in Peace / EqualiserAPO are boot persistent, in as much as you don't need to run the program each time you start up your PC - it remembers the settings you last inputted via Peace / EqualiserAPO...it changes/writes something in the Windows Audio Chain that is boot persistent. Mind you, I'm a bit of a stickler and load up EqualiserAPO (I don't use Peace) each time I listen to music to check that it's configured properly, and to make sure that it's applying it's effect.....even though I know this is not necessary, ha!

Thanks for the reply. That clears up my confusion in relation to using equaliser. Is there any other tips or precautions when using such program?

 

[Robbo99999]

Thanks for the reply. That clears up my confusion in relation to using equaliser. Is there any other tips or precautions when using such program?

I normally apply an extra -2dB Negative Preamp above & beyond what is normally required to offset the largest boost from the Total EQ Curve.....I do this to counter intersample overs. (Check in Peace when playing your "loudest" songs that the clipping meter is not being activated, flashes red).

If you're using Peace then make sure that you've got no other active EQ profiles that have been seperately activated in EqualiserAPO, but that can really only happen if you've been messing with EqualiserAPO itself to create EQ profiles before installing Peace - afterall you don't want two conflicting EQ profiles activated at the same time.

Can't really think of any other tips.

 

[edahl]

Ether Flow Open vs. HD 800S, anyone with experience with both? With or without EQ? Innerfidelity seemed to think the former dehtroned the latter. Others seem to put them on level, but Ether 1.1 update also exist. If price wasn't an issue, which one would you pick?

 

[solderdude]

HD800S, the Ethers are very comfy as well and sound great as well. Just different in some aspects.

 

[edahl]

HD800S, the Ethers are very comfy as well and sound great as well. Just different in some aspects.

In lieu of listening tests my impression is that the HD 800S has something the Ether just doesn't have, while the Ether doesn't seem to fight back in any clear way (up to EQ).

 

[solderdude]

Yes, both are very good headphones just in different ways. Even after some general corrective EQ. It would come down to preference and comfort.
To me the HD800S just feels and sounds 'more real/pleasant'. Probably bias as well. One does get used to sound signatures after a while.
One is not necessarily 'better' than the other and preference differences can make the choice go either way.

 

[edahl]

Goddamn, I just ordered a pair of these two days ago and now it looks like Drop is announcing them 18th. This is interesting.

 

[Robbo99999]

Goddamn, I just ordered a pair of these two days ago and now it looks like Drop is announcing them 18th. This is interesting.

Are you sure it's the 800s? To me the pic looks like the earcups are too round for the 800s.

 

[edahl]

Are you sure it's the 800s? To me the pic looks like the earcups are too round for the 800s.

It's at an angle. I'm pretty sure it's the 800/S

 

[edahl]

So if I'm getting the "Drop+Sennheiser HD 800X" and assuming it's very cheap, using RME ADI-2 DAC FS with EQ, is there enough headroom there for this to be comfortable or is there a point to throwing in a 789? There'll probably be a -$20/25 bundle.

 

[maverickronin]

So if I'm getting the "Drop+Sennheiser HD 800X" and assuming it's very cheap, using RME ADI-2 DAC FS with EQ, is there enough headroom there for this to be comfortable or is there a point to throwing in a 789? There'll probably be a -$20/25 bundle.

The ADI-2 DAC has plenty of headroom. No need for the THX unless you need to switch in a second source or something.

 

[edahl]

The ADI-2 DAC has plenty of headroom. No need for the THX unless you need to switch in a second source or something.

Cool, in other words I won't find myself voltage limited from single ended pushing bass EQ, or with digital clipping?

 

[rcmo]

Cool, in other words I won't find myself voltage limited from single ended pushing bass EQ, or with digital clipping?

That's my setting. No worries.

 

[maverickronin]

Cool, in other words I won't find myself voltage limited from single ended pushing bass EQ, or with digital clipping?

No problems with that. It even goes loud enough for Amir.

 

[Jimbob54]

There is a new Drop collaboration announced at 17.00 GMT tonight. Its a silhouetted profile at the minute with zero details but there is speculation its a new HD800 variant. One to watch out for if anyone is considering a high end Senn purchase at this time.

EDIT- I see I am late to that party!!!

EDIT2 - late to the party here, 24 hours early to the party on Drop- got my days wrong!!

 

[Jimbob54]

Are you sure it's the 800s? To me the pic looks like the earcups are too round for the 800s.

I thought that too- the pic doesnt say a lot though to be honest. I shall be tuning in at 5pm our time to see. Its obviously not an 800S per se- the headband says that. But could be a variant on the 800 series. Drop has a habit of messing with the impedance though and not sure I want a 32 ohm variant- I like some play on my volume knob.

They do have the history of Senn colabs and I cant think of what else could be their "most requested" collab. Cant see it being another $200 job either.

My guess is an 800 variant for $700. Maybe sub 100 ohm.

 

[FrantzM]

I thought that too- the pic doesnt say a lot though to be honest. I shall be tuning in at 5pm our time to see. Its obviously not an 800S per se- the headband says that. But could be a variant on the 800 series. Drop has a habit of messing with the impedance though and not sure I want a 32 ohm variant- I like some play on my volume knob.

They do have the history of Senn colabs and I cant think of what else could be their "most requested" collab. Cant see it being another $200 job either.

My guess is an 800 variant for $700. Maybe sub 100 ohm.

If it is an HD800S variant and @ $700, I would be interested.

 

[mkawa]

new tooling for a big company like sennheiser is a big investment, as they refuse to cut corners. said tooling and wouldn't be invested in by drop unless sennheiser made them do it for product differentiation. considering the 6xx was always a rebranded 650, just renamed to avoid MAP rules, an 800X will just be an 800s. expect availability to take a while though. in order to pull the pricing they want to pull (they don't do requisite volume over 1k), it will take a bunch of investment capital from you guys to make the first production batch break even.

if it's possible there are small tweaks to the design that would drop the impedance to make it easier to drive, but they are going to do their best to get people to buy teh 789 combo to bring the total margin to above break even by the time they order enough for it to be continuously available, so it doesn't make sense to me if i were whatshiname (i know the drop guys, and honestly i'd rather give my money to sennheiser and their better resellers than massdrop) to play with the manufacturer specs unless there was a requirement by the manufacturer or it really did lead to decreased supply pricing.

as far as pricing goes, the hd8xx they briefly sold (didn't make it past one batch), was 800, so don't expect less than that.

 

[threni]

new tooling for a big company like sennheiser is a big investment, as they refuse to cut corners. said tooling and wouldn't be invested in by drop unless sennheiser made them do it for product differentiation. considering the 6xx was always a rebranded 650, just renamed to avoid MAP rules, an 800X will just be an 800s. expect availability to take a while though. in order to pull the pricing they want to pull (they don't do requisite volume over 1k), it will take a bunch of investment capital from you guys to make the first production batch break even.

if it's possible there are small tweaks to the design that would drop the impedance to make it easier to drive, but they are going to do their best to get people to buy teh 789 combo to bring the total margin to above break even by the time they order enough for it to be continuously available, so it doesn't make sense to me if i were whatshiname (i know the drop guys, and honestly i'd rather give my money to sennheiser and their better resellers than massdrop) to play with the manufacturer specs unless there was a requirement by the manufacturer or it really did lead to decreased supply pricing.

as far as pricing goes, the hd8xx they briefly sold (didn't make it past one batch), was 800, so don't expect less than that.

I've heard very little about Drop audio kit; is it legit? Wouldn't a Drop/Sennheiser HD800S for roughly half price cannibalise their regular headphones? Does anyone have a trustworthy link which explains the business model?

 

[maverickronin]

I've heard very little about Drop audio kit; is it legit? Wouldn't a Drop/Sennheiser HD800S for roughly half price cannibalise their regular headphones? Does anyone have a trustworthy link which explains the business model?

They already did it with the Sennheiser HD6XX, AGK 7XX, and Fostex TH-X00. It's completely legit. They order directly from the manufacturer.

They just sweet talk the marketing to convince them a rebrand is good enough to bypass MAP policies.