Sennheiser HD800S Review (Headphone)

[A Surfer]

But they really are better than other headphones.

Better than some headphones, for some people right? I owned and loved the 800S but the deficiency in bass is a limiting factor in an otherwise very excellent headphone.

 

[Mort]

I agree with the original review that they are nearly unlistenable without EQ.

 

[solderdude]

I agree with the original review that they are nearly unlistenable without EQ.

yet:

The overall tonality was still "light on its feet" for lack of a better phrase to describe it. There was this lack of congestion and ease to everything I played. What was remarkable and uncanny was separation of instruments. It was as if this headphone would take every element in the music, pull it apart, and then position it in different spatial locations in a 6 inch space around each ear. I wouldn't call it "soundstage" as much was it was this fun and captivating effect.

With EQ, the HD800S sounded a lot more competitive and that had the above layering that the HD650 did not have. I played by boosting the region in the HD800S that has peaking and that seemed to help create a bit of that effect. Likely the cup size and reflections in HD800S are creating this effect.

I love the clean presentation of deep bass from headphones so dialed in what the preference graph said and results were excellent. My "speaker killer" tracks with their sub bass sounded wonderful. Despite the sharp rise in the distortion graphs, there was no penalty that I could detect in that department despite the high level of boost.

This track just sounds stunning with the HD800S and above equalization. There is deep bass, wonderfully clean highs and that great instrument separation.

On a comfort side the HD800S is a delight. I find a lot of other headphone confining but not the 800S. Combine this with the post Equalization and you have a headphone I don't want to part with!

If you don't use equalization then this is not a headphone for you. But if you do use it (as you must with any headphone), and can afford it, the HD800S is a delightful way to experience music. I am going to put The HD 800 S on my recommended list.

Sure... there is no 'Harman bass boost' and the sound is a bit 'laid back' but ... nearly unlistenable ?
Just like all other headphones on this planet... it improves with EQ.

 

[Mort]

yet:










Sure... there is no 'Harman bass boost' and the sound is a bit 'laid back' but ... nearly unlistenable ?
Just like all other headphones on this planet... it improves with EQ.

Ok. I withdraw my word. You spent time making this case, I can only acknowledge your expertise.

 

[A Surfer]

Ok. I withdraw my word. You spent time making this case, I can only acknowledge your expertise.

I always say that exceptional claims require exceptional evidence. Calling this particular headphone unlistenable without EQ is certainly a bold claim.

It would be perfectly acceptable to claim that for yourself without EQ it is unlistenable, nobody gets to dispute that. It is when people make very bold, broadly applied claims without any defensible evidence that things get sticky.

Anyway, I barely used EQ with the 800S and I listened at high volume and rather enjoyed it. I pushed up the bass by a few decibels, but that was it.

 

[Mort]

If I've offended anyone. I apologize.

 

[solderdude]

Don't worry, it was just your opinion.
I assume you listened to one at home with various music to come to your conclusion while coming from a different tonal balance 'reference'.
There are people that don't like the HD800(S) it is as simple as that.

Just mentioned that the original post (Amir's review) did not come to the same conclusion as you did 'nearly unlistenable without EQ' which seems a bit harsh but then again people are allowed to form personal opinions and post them.

 

[Mulder]

There is some (many) headphones I have heard that I don´t like. And there are headphones that are a pain and which are unlistenable. GRADO comes to my mind. I think they are painful both physically and sonically to listen to.

 

[Oldson]

i sold my hd800 some time ago , mainly due to its lack of bass. (since regretted)
now i am considering buying another as i miss the airiness and clarity, and have started using eq at last.
its a choice between the HD800s and 1 of the many egg shaped hifiman offerings (narrowed to 3, arya organic, he1000stealth and SE)

 

[DEF]

Wow the amount you can EQ them with EasyEffects is astonishing.
I now have more than 12 Bands for EQ setup

 

[johny_2000]

its a choice between the HD800s and 1 of the many egg shaped hifiman offerings (narrowed to 3, arya organic, he1000stealth and SE)

What about the Audeze headphones?
They're planar magnetic, but seem to handle a lot of bass-boosting EQ without distortion.
Rumor has it that they're better than the Sennheiser HDs, though I've never had a chance to listen to them.

It seems to me that their relationship with consumers is simply prohibitive.
No hassle-free returns. You'll have to pay high restocking fees and shipping costs back and forth.

I'd be willing to give many of their models a try in my own critical listening environment, but I'm not willing to fork out hundreds of dollars for that purpose.

Maybe Sony's acquisition of them will change that?

At least companies like Sennheiser, HiFiMan and Drop have done a better job (at no extra cost) for responsible customers.

Headphones of this kind and price range are very specific products, designed for a specific consumer.
Without the possibility of listening to them for free, ripping off customers for hundreds of dollars for possible shortcomings is simply an unaffordable luxury.

 

[DEF]

What about the Audeze headphones?
They're planar magnetic, but seem to handle a lot of bass-boosting EQ without distortion.

Rumor has it that they're better than the Sennheiser HDs, though I've never had a chance to listen to them.

It seems to me that their relationship with consumers is simply prohibitive.
No hassle-free returns. You'll have to pay high restocking fees and shipping costs back and forth.

I'd be willing to give many of their models a try in my own critical listening environment, but I'm not willing to fork out hundreds of dollars for that purpose.

Maybe Sony's acquisition of them will change that?

At least Sennheiser and HiFiMan have done a better job (at no cost) for responsible customers.

Which Audeze? LCD-5? LCD-XC? All I tried were much too heavy... The only good thing was the cable...

 

[johny_2000]

Which Audeze? LCD-5? LCD-XC? All I tried were much too heavy... The only good thing was the cable...

Please take this as hypothetical information.
I was looking at the Audeze LCD-2 and LCD-3 headphones.
Some people suggested the LCD-X and MM-500.

I always say let's make a consumer showroom for all of them, that will help sales.

 

[Oldson]

What about the Audeze headphones?
They're planar magnetic, but seem to handle a lot of bass-boosting EQ without distortion.
Rumor has it that they're better than the Sennheiser HDs, though I've never had a chance to listen to them.

It seems to me that their relationship with consumers is simply prohibitive.
No hassle-free returns. You'll have to pay high restocking fees and shipping costs back and forth.

I'd be willing to give many of their models a try in my own critical listening environment, but I'm not willing to fork out hundreds of dollars for that purpose.

Maybe Sony's acquisition of them will change that?

At least companies like Sennheiser, HiFiMan and Drop have done a better job (at no extra cost) for responsible customers.

Headphones of this kind and price range are very specific products, designed for a specific consumer.
Without the possibility of listening to them for free, ripping off customers for hundreds of dollars for possible shortcomings is simply an unaffordable luxury.

i had the LCD2 2nd revision pre fazor several years ago.
it was good but i found the weight tiring, especially in the summer and eventually moved it on.
if the sound, out of the box, on any of the audeze LCD's was amazing i may have given another model a go.
but all i read about is how they all need eq to be any good at all.

 

[DEF]

i had the LCD2 2nd revision pre fazor several years ago.
it was good but i found the weight tiring, especially in the summer and eventually moved it on.
if the sound, out of the box, on any of the audeze LCD's was amazing i may have given another model a go.
but all i read about is how they all need eq to be any good at all.

Well don't forget that current hyped headphones like Dan Clark E3 must be accurately positioned and the internals are full with glue, making them annoying to wear and unable to repair.

 

[gilency]

just got the HD800S today. Wonderful for classical which is what I mainly listen to. Very happy with them, both equalized or not. Also have the DCA E3 and really like them and they are complementary. I will have to compare the 800S with my 009S and see which one I prefer. Sold the 007 mk1 and 2.9 a while back due to their veiled sound to my ears.

 

[DEF]

just got the HD800S today. Wonderful for classical which is what I mainly listen to. Very happy with them, both equalized or not. Also have the DCA E3 and really like them and they are complementary. I will have to compare the 800S with my 009S and see which one I prefer. Sold the 007 mk1 and 2.9 a while back due to their veiled sound to my ears.

Hmm, what do you use the DCA E3 for where the 800S are not used?

 

[markstein]

What about the Audeze headphones?
They're planar magnetic, but seem to handle a lot of bass-boosting EQ without distortion.
Rumor has it that they're better than the Sennheiser HDs, though I've never had a chance to listen to them.

It seems to me that their relationship with consumers is simply prohibitive.
No hassle-free returns. You'll have to pay high restocking fees and shipping costs back and forth.

I'd be willing to give many of their models a try in my own critical listening environment, but I'm not willing to fork out hundreds of dollars for that purpose.

Maybe Sony's acquisition of them will change that?

At least companies like Sennheiser, HiFiMan and Drop have done a better job (at no extra cost) for responsible customers.

Headphones of this kind and price range are very specific products, designed for a specific consumer.
Without the possibility of listening to them for free, ripping off customers for hundreds of dollars for possible shortcomings is simply an unaffordable luxury.

I compared both the HD800s and the Audeze LCD-X (2021) side by side, driven by a RME ADI-2 Pro, with EQ similar to what amirm proposes, and I kept the Audeze.

Yes, it is heavy, however, I never felt this was an issue. Definitely not uncomfortable - only issue is when you are tilting your head down, then it can slip. I can have them on my head for hour without any issues.
With the HD800s I was always a little afraid to damage them, as they are so light and the metal mesh is very delicate.

The HD800s are more spacious than the LCD-X, however, even when being equalized, they are missing this almost physical bass slam the Audeze can provide. In the end I liked the more round, warm, "authoritative" sound of the LCD-X more.

If money was no issue, I would have kept both, as they have different strengths and are facinating in their own way.

 

[DEF]

I compared both the HD800s and the Audeze LCD-X (2021) side by side, driven by a RME ADI-2 Pro, with EQ similar to what amirm proposes, and I kept the Audeze.

Yes, it is heavy, however, I never felt this was an issue. Definitely not uncomfortable - only issue is when you are tilting your head down, then it can slip. I can have them on my head for hour without any issues.
With the HD800s I was always a little afraid to damage them, as they are so light and the metal mesh is very delicate.

The HD800s are more spacious than the LCD-X, however, even when being equalized, they are missing this almost physically bass slam the Audeze can provide. In the end I liked the more round, warm, "authoritative" sound of the LCD-X more.

If money was no issue, I would have kept both, as they have different strengths and are facinating in their own way.

I'll try the LCD-X since the HD800S gave me discomfort/fatigue even with EQ.

 

[DEF]

Hmm. I decided to give the HD 800 S another go. And yes, you were right. They respond well to EQ!

I could get rid of the harshness.
Altho this is a lot... Is this still considered sane?

Current EQ:

Preamp: -6.8 dB
Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 105 Hz Gain 7.2 dB Q 0.70
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 142 Hz Gain -2.5 dB Q 0.30
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 212 Hz Gain -3.0 dB Q 2.36
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 500 Hz Gain 0.5 dB Q 1.0
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 1043 Hz Gain -3.5 dB Q 2.89
Filter 6: ON PK Fc 1445 Hz Gain -3.5 dB Q 3.43
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 1959 Hz Gain -2.5 dB Q 0.88
Filter 8: ON PK Fc 2640 Hz Gain -3.5 dB Q 4.5
Filter 9: ON PK Fc 3000 Hz Gain -5.0 dB Q 4.0
Filter 10: ON PK Fc 3421 Hz Gain -0.5 dB Q 5.47
Filter 11: ON PK Fc 5679 Hz Gain -4.5 dB Q 3.8
Filter 12: ON HSC Fc 10000 Hz Gain -5.0 dB Q 0.70
Filter 13: ON PK Fc 11000 Hz Gain -2.5 dB Q 1.0
Filter 14: ON PK Fc 12000 Hz Gain -2.5 dB Q 1.0
Filter 15: ON PK Fc 14000 Hz Gain -2.5 dB Q 1.0
Filter 16: ON PK Fc 16000 Hz Gain -2.5 dB Q 1.0