Sennheiser HDV-820 USB DAC & Headphone Amp Review

[Rac1]

Let's keep in mind that the HDV820 manual (and also the HDVD800 manual) clearly indicates high impedance headphones recommended

 

[dananski]

Oh dear. I demoed the DCA Expanse and this was the HPA in the demo setup. I was so underwhelmed I knew something was amiss with this rather than the Expanse so thought I'd look it up and sure enough...

I wish it wasn't profitable to create such garbage.

 

[Joachim Herbert]

Oh dear. I demoed the DCA Expanse and this was the HPA in the demo setup. I was so underwhelmed I knew something was amiss with this rather than the Expanse so thought I'd look it up and sure enough...

I wish it wasn't profitable to create such garbage.

It was not designed to work with low impedance headphones. See above.

 

[dananski]

It was not designed to work with low impedance headphones. See above.

Yes, it does worse with them according to the measurements here. But the Expanse is high impedance and this was not great for that either.

 

[Joachim Herbert]

I agree this is a flawed design. But hey, there are lots of alternatives around.

 

[MrEWhite]

But the Expanse is high impedance and this was not great for that either.

No they aren't, they're 23 ohms. This is for headphones like the HD 800 S & the HD 650 where the impedance is 300 ohms.

 

[dananski]

No they aren't, they're 23 ohms. This is for headphones like the HD 800 S & the HD 650 where the impedance is 300 ohms.

Sorry yes you're right.
I was probably thinking of the low sensitivity and assuming high impedance.

 

[auricom]

Ordered this together with Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ to test which works better as all-in-one, for now. Both used. I have HD 800 (original, modded) among some other headphones. So yes, I think I could find something better than RME ADI-2 DAC FS for the same price (800€), talked in other thread. I mean the Mytek, I would be somewhat surprised if the HDV 820 (1100€) would be overall better. But not with HD 800 maybe.

 

[auricom]

Cannot get HDV 820 to work on my PC (USB), no matter what I do. It's not showing on my Windows sound settings. Doesn't recognize it at all. Driver installation doesn't help. I installed this driver numerous times, found under "Application Software" https://www.sennheiser-hearing.com/en-FI/p/hdv-820/ Restart doesn't help. I'm using the USB cable that came with my Asus Xonar Essence One MUSES Edition, it's the only cable I have. And it works perfectly well with it.

 

[staticV3]

Cannot get HDV 820 to work on my PC (USB), no matter what I do. It's not showing on my Windows sound settings. Doesn't recognize it at all. Driver installation doesn't help. I installed this driver numerous times, found under "Application Software" https://www.sennheiser-hearing.com/en-FI/p/hdv-820/ Restart doesn't help. I'm using the USB cable that came with my Asus Xonar Essence One MUSES Edition, it's the only cable I have. And it works perfectly well with it.

Try plugging the HDV820 out of your PC, then open the Device Manager and plug it in.

If you see the Device Manager flicker once and refresh, then at least the PC recognizes something.

Also, even though your cable works fine with the Xonar, I would try a second cable, just to be sure.

You only need a regular USB 2.0 "Hi-Speed" 480Mb/s Printer cable.
Any local electronics retailer should have one.

If the USB input refuses to work no matter what you try, then you may still be able to salvage the situation by using the HDV820's Optical input instead.

If your PC doesn't have optical out, then you can add that with one of these:

Hifime USB to Optical converter

The UT23 connects to your computer via USB and sends out an optical SPDIF signal. There is no DAC involved, just the USB to optical feature.

hifimediy.com

USB A to TOSLINK Optical Audio Adapter-Black

HIGHLIGHT [Instantly Connect your USB A Devices to S/PDIF Sound System] – Cubilux USB A to S/PDIF Optical Audio Converter lets you easily connect your USB Type A laptop, computer or gaming console with sound bar, home audio system, external DAC, amplifier, preamp or speaker to enjoy lossless...

www.cubilux.com

 

[auricom]

I tried Mytek this time, and it's also not working! Can't see it in Windows sound settings, or play anything. But at least I can control it via software, so the link is working. I installed all available drivers and software. Something is not right here. I will try with another cable later, but it's possible it's not going to solve it. I also uninstalled all Asus stuff before Mytek. My laptop doesn't have optical out.
Also, Windows at least makes a sound when I disconnect/connect Mytek.
And it shows in Device Manager as a device, but not under sound devices.

 

[auricom]

New cable works
After inspecting both cables I noticed the old one was missing 1 pin in both ends. I had taken them out to improve SQ.. worked well with my old device, but not with these. Dunno why that is, maybe they need more bandwidth, but the missing pin should be there to give power, not needed with any of these 3.
Mytek should have came with cable, but both devices had lost boxes and almost everything else. Full of scratches too. I don't recommend that shop to anyone. Other was also missing power cable. Crazy.

Some things I noticed so far (more for myself), I haven't tested with speakers at all
-HDV 820 alone sounds better than Mytek (even with low impedance phones Denon AH-D7200). Larger soundstage, meatier bass, more powerful sound. So Mytek is a bit disappointing. It's PSU could be upgraded to external, but I doubt it can catch up
-Mytek as a DAC (rated better than RME by some, if that says anything) + Sennheiser as an amp sounds incredible to me, to be honest I haven't compared back and forth like I did Mytek and Sennheiser many times, because it's too much work, but I'm sure it sounds best I have heard
-I compared this combined setup to old Asus back and forth, and the improvement is quite massive. Like the other sounds ok/good, but other makes me emotional. This is not only because it sounds better, it sounds much more powerful and clean

Will probably return both, because there is no point in keeping both, and get separate DAC+AMP for cheaper. Also partly because of my neighbours, and the stress playing any louder than quiet causes me, and the sound quality I get, and the things I can hear, I plan to sell all my speakers if possible and never invest in speakers again. At least as long as I live here. Luckily I only bought 2 speakers now.

 

[jimmyjames8]

Late to this ballgame but I bought the HDV820 and the HD800S package deal this year and the whole is greater than the sum of its parts as far as sound quality goes (IMO). I also had/have problems with getting my laptop to play thru the HDV820 async USB in. Unplugging and plugging the USB cable into the HDV while Foobar plays a file has worked but you should not have to do this. Then after I get it to work, I have vinyl like random snap crackle and pop. Supposedly to do with laptop setting/config, etc. Ive all but given up trying to make this part of the system work. I can play files via Foobar via laptop speakers or laptop 1/8" phone plug w/o the noise. I have had a running dialog via email with Senn whose products and CS are now handled by another company in the US (SONOVA). Their CS is terrible and I will most likely never buy another Senn product for the rest of my life due to this experience. I have an old pair of 650's that still sound great and a Woo toob amp along with other cans that I have never given me a minutes trouble. Spend all this money and have nothing but trouble. And for the record their balanced cable implementation via a segmented phone plug, stinks. I bought a 2nd hand Senn XLR type balanced cable set for more money to do balanced right. Balanced analog in sounds great as does the dac decoding PCM. Balanced in balanced out seems to give the best sound.

 

[jimmyjames8]

I confess I have not read thru all 8 pages of this thread but from the initial installment there is the issue of gain or a gain control? It is in the picture of the back of the unit and it is on the back of my unit and is marked GAIN. I have not messed with it but mine appears to be at the same position as in the picture and with my HD800S cans with the front panel "volume" knob set at 9 or a qtr turn, its about all my 65 year old ears can stand.

 

[Doodski]

I have vinyl like random snap crackle and pop.

-This sounds like the signal may be a bit hot/too high for the HDV. Can you reduce the levels to the Sennheiser HDV at the PC and try that?
-The HDV rear panel gain control is for upping or reducing the signal at the inputs. Try to reduce the setting to reduce the signal strength and see what that does for you.

 

[mhsprang]

I really do think so, i'm not one to claim i can hear the difference between Spotify or 24bit flac and i also don't think i could do it between half of the stuff there but something on that 820 really wow'd me.
I was there for an hour listening to stuff from entry level all the way up to the Moon 430HA which was more than double the price. Went back and forth multiple times. The 820 was the standout and every time i went back to it i was like ahhh.
If you gave me the option of the Moon Audio or the 820 for the same price i'd take the 820.

Not surprising. According to the specs on the Moon website, their amp has a THD of 0.005%. That is 10 times higher than the HDV 820!

 

[mhsprang]

After inspecting both cables I noticed the old one was missing 1 pin in both ends. I had taken them out to improve SQ.. worked well with my old device, but not with these. Dunno why that is, maybe they need more bandwidth, but the missing pin should be there to give power, not needed with any of these 3.

A USB device indicates to the PC what speed it requires. It does this by applying power to one of the data wires (D-) and this power is taken from the Vbus. So if you removed that Vbus pin, the HDV 820 could not request the right USB communication speed and is therefore not recognized by the PC.

 

[RichieSuganda]

New cable works
After inspecting both cables I noticed the old one was missing 1 pin in both ends. I had taken them out to improve SQ.. worked well with my old device, but not with these. Dunno why that is, maybe they need more bandwidth, but the missing pin should be there to give power, not needed with any of these 3.
Mytek should have came with cable, but both devices had lost boxes and almost everything else. Full of scratches too. I don't recommend that shop to anyone. Other was also missing power cable. Crazy.

Some things I noticed so far (more for myself), I haven't tested with speakers at all
-HDV 820 alone sounds better than Mytek (even with low impedance phones Denon AH-D7200). Larger soundstage, meatier bass, more powerful sound. So Mytek is a bit disappointing. It's PSU could be upgraded to external, but I doubt it can catch up
-Mytek as a DAC (rated better than RME by some, if that says anything) + Sennheiser as an amp sounds incredible to me, to be honest I haven't compared back and forth like I did Mytek and Sennheiser many times, because it's too much work, but I'm sure it sounds best I have heard
-I compared this combined setup to old Asus back and forth, and the improvement is quite massive. Like the other sounds ok/good, but other makes me emotional. This is not only because it sounds better, it sounds much more powerful and clean

Will probably return both, because there is no point in keeping both, and get separate DAC+AMP for cheaper. Also partly because of my neighbours, and the stress playing any louder than quiet causes me, and the sound quality I get, and the things I can hear, I plan to sell all my speakers if possible and never invest in speakers again. At least as long as I live here. Luckily I only bought 2 speakers now.

I read in other forums the hdv 820 sounds like hdvd-800, i saw some listing the hdvd 820 for $350, do you think thats a good price or just a waste of money?

 

[jimmyjames8]

I believe i read somewhere, the gain switch is for RCA inputs. Haven't experimented with it.

Listening to Black Sabbath 2016 remasters (that I just recently became aware of) via 800S and the HDV820, letting it handle the d to a conversion and amplification duties and using Senn XLR 4 pin type balanced headphone cable. Very nice.

 

[Gregss]

Let's keep in mind that the HDV820 manual (and also the HDVD800 manual) clearly indicates high impedance headphones recommended

True. But, at this price point I would expect a decent design to be able to drive most if not all headphones. Not that hard to do.