Sennheiser HD800S Review (Headphone)

[Roen]

The HD 800 (S) is great and worth it. But you don't need the RME for it, if you have a laptop, a balanced cable and a good dongle will do to drive it.

Literally my setup.

Laptop -> USB-C Female to USB-A Adapter -> USB-C Apple Dongle -> JDS O2 Amp -> HD800S. My electronics are 1/10th (around $120) the amount of my headphone, which honestly, is about how much you should look to spend on less important parts of your chain, the headphone being them most important.

Don't even need a balanced cable, SE will get the volume uncomfortably loud on High Gain even after EQ. Like max position is not painful, but would be uncomfortable to listen continuously.

 

[MacClintock]

Literally my setup.

Laptop -> USB-C Female to USB-A Adapter -> USB-C Apple Dongle -> JDS O2 Amp -> HD800S. My electronics are 1/10th (around $120) the amount of my headphone, which honestly, is about how much you should look to spend on less important parts of your chain, the headphone being them most important.

Don't even need a balanced cable, SE will get the volume uncomfortably loud on High Gain even after EQ. Like max position is not painful, but would be uncomfortable to listen continuously.

Well I am talking about using a real dongle without an external amp. I am using $65 Fiio KA3 and a $20 aftermarket balanced cable, even cheaper and simpler, less weight and gear still.

 

[Roen]

Well I am talking about using a real dongle without an external amp. I am using $65 Fiio KA3 and a $20 aftermarket balanced cable, even cheaper and simpler, less weight and gear still.

How is max volume on the KA3 with the HD800S? Even balanced, you're getting about half the power of the O2, so immediate concerns that pop up in my head is headroom after EQ, and more specifically, negative pre-amp.

 

[staticV3]

How is max volume on the KA3 with the HD800S? Even balanced, you're getting about half the power of the O2, so immediate concerns that pop up in my head is headroom after EQ, and more specifically, negative pre-amp.

The KA3 can play 75% as loud as the JDS O2 (4.1 vs 6.7Vrms).

Both are easily loud enough for the 800 S:

 

[Roen]

The KA3 can play 75% as loud as the JDS O2 (4.1 vs 6.7Vrms).

Both are easily loud enough for the 800 S:
View attachment 291843

I just realized I have a custom underpowered O2, so I have less power than a KA3, approximately 40 mW, so that's egg on my face.

My gain is unity and 3.5x, and the JDS O2 stock gains are 2.5x and 6.5x.

Loudness wouldn't be determined by voltage would it? It would be determined by relative dB after power calculations, which I have as 56 mW and 149 mW based on your voltages, which I don't know what the resulting dB are, but you get my point.

 

[MacClintock]

I just realized I have a custom underpowered O2, so I have less power than a KA3, approximately 40 mW, so that's egg on my face.

My gain is unity and 3.5x, and the JDS O2 stock gains are 2.5x and 6.5x.

Loudness wouldn't be determined by voltage would it? It would be determined by relative dB after power calculations, which I have as 56 mW and 149 mW based on your voltages, which I don't know what the resulting dB are, but you get my point.

Besides any calculations, I can assure you that the KA3 at my MacBook USB output with a 4.4mm balanced cable gets my HD 800 darn loud, I never ventured to play it at full level, independent of the EQ applied.

 

[Theoldfella]

I manage to find second hand hd 800s at a really good price, sounds excellent with the ADI 2. I am now pouring myself a Brandy, as at 83 years old, I managed to change from low, to high power. I'm easily pleased!!.

 

[MacClintock]

I manage to find second hand hd 800s at a really good price, sounds excellent with the ADI 2. I am now pouring myself a Brandy, as at 83 years old, I managed to change from low, to high power. I'm easily pleased!!.

I bought my HD 800 used as well. Best headphone acquisition ever.

 

[Deleted member 2702]

I bought my HD 800 used as well. Best headphone acquisition ever.

HD 800 (and HD 800 S) are absolutely stunning headphones (and amazing value for money).

 

[MacClintock]

HD 800 (and HD 800 S) are absolutely stunning headphones (and amazing value for money).

Exactly, with EQ it is just marvelous, compare this to the many 'flagship' headphones that nowadays are in the $k4-6k range.

 

[jhaider]

The HD 800 (S) is great and worth it. But you don't need the RME for it, if you have a laptop, a balanced cable and a good dongle will do to drive it.

I agree with great and worth it, but would not recommend these headphones without EQ. A Quedlix 5k can drive them fine. RME looks better on a desktop and has a wider usable volume range due to loudness compensation.

 

[sharock]

Has anyone moved from using an EQ'd 560s to an EQ'd HD800s?

 

[solderdude]

I have both but did not 'move' from one to the other.

I use the HD560S sometimes (with filter but no EQ) but not nearly as much as the (not Harman) EQ'ed HD800.
They are in a different class.
HD560S is a good budget headphone.
HD800 (with EQ) is TOTL in many aspects but at a bottom of TOTL price point.

 

[Intervallkoppler]

I have both but did not 'move' from one to the other.

I use the HD560S sometimes (with filter but no EQ) but not nearly as much as the (not Harman) EQ'ed HD800.
They are in a different class.
HD560S is a good budget headphone.
HD800 (with EQ) is TOTL in many aspects but at a bottom of TOTL price point.

The hd800(s) is a very polarizing headphone it seems.
I must confess, i would never ever buy a headphone which stock tuning i don't like. For me it belongs to the fun of enjoying music with headphones. the companys put a lot of time in creating these and deliver you a product through which you can experience music in a certain special way. So thats part of the headphone fun.
Like they give you glasses to look at your favorite pictures which change the characteristics of it in their own certain way. And even you like it or not. Yes, it is not "right" but although it is beautiful and very enjoyable because it is colored.

I was very skeptical about the hd800s because it has very strong treble and is described very bass light all the way. Also the dt990 was a headphone i tried out which hurt my ears literally. I wanted to try the Sennheiser hd800s out because of the soundstage every one is talking about. But to my surprise i loved this headphone from the first moment on. The soundstage is very special but i also liked the tuning very much, especially for electronic music it is very entertaining. So maybe i am not a bass head at all. audeze lcd 2c is perfect for me. I also have the dt880 pro, sundara and lcd x. dt880 pro is one of my favorite headphones ever and it reminds me the most of the hd800s from all headphones i've heared (which aren't too many) and have.

The hd800s is way more bassy than i thought after reading all the comments in the net. Yes, it is a more bright headphone and lighter than a lcd x, but it is also there. It has a good punch when it comes to bassdrums. I like bassdrums on the hd800s and you can hear the subbbass. But of course it is more hidden. It is a mystery to me how people can enjoy the harman curve. It would be way to much bass for me.
Though the quality of bass seems to be something else. i can't compare it to the lcd x or the sundara in no way. it is more warm and ?fuzzy?. the lcd x is much clearer here. the bass from a quality perspective is more like that of the dt880 but with a good amount more of it. maybe that is dynamic bass vs planar bass?if so it is very obvious.
So i am new to this hobby but i am a long time producer as a hobby and so i see it from a different perspective.
when i am making music or want to listen to music accurately than i put my good speakers on.
But i always loved headphones. Speakers are like if i watching a movie where headphones are like i am in the movie to watch it. It is in my head and around my head, Also the strict separation from left and right without the room gives me a very intimate experience.
So i like the fact that every headphone is another way of looking at music.
I can say: to look at music through the hd800s i enjoy very much.
So if i really want to have fun and want to walk through all my music while looking at all the details then i use headphones and take the glasses i want to look at it.
But i am also open to eq to experiment with it and will definitly try the tuning from amirm out.

 

[Mauric]

I bought the original HD800 when it was initially released. I also couldn't stand the treble, and promptly returned them, disappointed. Fast forward a few years later, supposedly, the HD800S solved some of the peaking, so I picked up a pair. They still sounded bright to me, BUT, when I added a -8dB/Q3.0 filter at 6kHz and lots of bass boost, it actually is perhaps the best HP I've heard (and this list includes the SR-009, Focal Utopia, HE1000, etc.). The only issue I have is with bass impact, even with +12dB compensation. The original HD800 supposedly has slightly lower bass-range THD where it matters, so I purchased a pair of original HD800's and applied the Super Dupont Resonator (SDR) mod, which tames some of the FR peaks, and on top of that, applied the 6khz filter and bass boost. These are incredible HP's with a little EQ.

BTW, I've tried the other widely available EQ curves, including the sonarworks tru-fi, and mine's better.

I also have a pair of HD650's that I listened to for many years, and there's just absolutely no comparison with an EQ's HD800. That's my $0.02.

Could you share your EQ, please?

 

[ReaderZ]

I have both but did not 'move' from one to the other.

I use the HD560S sometimes (with filter but no EQ) but not nearly as much as the (not Harman) EQ'ed HD800.
They are in a different class.
HD560S is a good budget headphone.
HD800 (with EQ) is TOTL in many aspects but at a bottom of TOTL price point.

What target are you using to EQ the HD800?

 

[solderdude]

My own...

you can reverse engineer from this plot (difference between green and red)

 

[e_h]

Has anyone moved from using an EQ'd 560s to an EQ'd HD800s?

Yes, but I use them mostly for gaming (I switch to desktop monitors+sub for music). Noticeable improvement in resolution/details, and the sound is more "out of my head" with 800S compared to 560S. Definitely adds to the realism/immersion. End game for me

 

[Hammeredklavier]

I've considered buying the HD800/s a few times, but I can't help feeling they wouldn't be meaningfully better than HD650s (without EQ, with which I'd rather not bother). And even then, I tend to actually listen to HD300 Pros due to their excellent isolation and neutrality.

It looks to me like headphone design matured ~20 years ago and there isn't really all that much room for improvement, as far as sound quality goes. I suppose the next big step would be something that sounds like an HD650 but with >30dB isolation, or active noise cancelling?

 

[ReaderZ]

I've considered buying the HD800/s a few times, but I can't help feeling they wouldn't be meaningfully better than HD650s (without EQ, with which I'd rather not bother). And even then, I tend to actually listen to HD300 Pros due to their excellent isolation and neutrality.

It looks to me like headphone design matured ~20 years ago and there isn't really all that much room for improvement, as far as sound quality goes. I suppose the next big step would be something that sounds like an HD650 but with >30dB isolation, or active noise cancelling?

Go put on a HD800s for once... You may very well not like it, but it should make it clear that no amount of EQ will get HD650 that close to HD800s