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The closest thing to a Sennheiser HD800/HD800S in a studio monitor?

Pearljam5000

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I owned the original HD 800(non S version )3 times and loved them.
The instrument separation, layering and overall ultra detailed sound is the best I've heard in speakers / headphones.
And I've read the S version is even better.
What studio monitors come close to sounding like the HD800? or at least having the qualities mentioned above?
 

dfuller

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Lots of detail and an unusually wide soundstage to me screams Focal.
 

BrokenEnglishGuy

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If you like that '' The instrument separation, layering and overall ultra detailed sound is the best I've heard in speakers / headphones. '' just buy a small speaker without bass ( don't add subwoofer ) and EQ them for get these peak in the high frequency.

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tifune

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What studio monitors come close to sounding like the HD800? or at least having the qualities mentioned above?

The names you'd expect if you've perused the site a bit - Neumann, Genelec, Kef R-series, etc. However, to get what you're after the key is likely to be room treatment + EQ. A sub or 2 is also likely to be necessary to reduce distortion on the mains to headphone-like levels, depending on room size and number of seats.

Would need more details to get into the weeds, but you have your work cut out for you to be sure.
 

_Dekker

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I have the 800S and use it with the EQ that Amir mentions in his review. Totally awesome.
Since a few weeks I have the Genelec 8040b. With a UMIK carefully appllied EQ below 500Hz-ish for flat bass.
Above 500Hz I only put in two 2dB dips with Q3.5 where the Klippel measurements (from Genelec Manual) shows 2 peaks at 1075 and 2300Hz.
(Fully EQ-ing above 500Hz with UMIK results in less spacious sound in my case).
I also applied a treble tilt on the 8040B's by using -3dB, Q0.2 at 982Hz. (it slopes down in a linear fashion from about 100Hz upwards. There is a thread on here somewhere with this tip, work great).
To me, with these EQ's the Genelecs feel like the monitor version of the 800S. They show about the same or even better detail.
Both sound very open and spacious, with the Genelecs giving a bit more depth to the stage.
Bass on the 8040B extends flat to 30Hz in my room, the 800S goes to 20Hz. This difference is so small that only very specific songs show it.
The more physical bass on the 8040B's is very satisfying :)
The 800S gets a LOT less use now...
 

BrokenEnglishGuy

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Measurements for headphones are different from speakers. There is no sense in coping it
Is for showing the FR.
Hd800 have a bright treble and roll off in sub bass. Dont copy the exact thing but similar ;)
 
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