Sennheiser HD 800 Redux

[Dusty Chalk]

Hey at least they're not enabling...

[Torpedo]

I agree with Jacob. They can be world beaters modified and in stock form, just aiming to different tastes.

[blessingx]

Unless there's a perfect $1500 alternative, I don't see the issue with modding.  

Edited March 11, 2014 by blessingx

[mypasswordis]

yeah everything could do with moar plankton

[Augsburger]

To use a car analogy, I can see modifying a Chevy Camaro but why mod a Mercedes SLS?  Really?

[blessingx]

A Mercedes SLS is a Chevy Camaro to a McLaren P1 owner.* 

 

* Or something like that (I don't really know cars). 

[mypasswordis]

Who's in to start the HC headphone manufacturing business? All we really need is a CNC, 3D printer, and someone good with fabrics/leather. We can be the Pagani of headphones.

[robm321]

Now if there was just a way to mod musicality into them 

[mypasswordis]

We have the K1000 for that

 

Well, you do, I used to :/

[nopants]

I used to be a k1000 person, but in retrospect I could never figure out how to drive them properly. Tried all sorts of things too, class D, receivers, alephs, tubes, etc. In comparison the HD800 is pretty immune to amplification

 

I also feel like there shouldn't be a need to mod the HD800s. Has anyone tried them side by side? 

[spritzer]

We should definitely make a headphone.  Not that we aren't working on it already... 

Edited March 11, 2014 by spritzer

[mypasswordis]

I used to be a k1000 person, but in retrospect I could never figure out how to drive them properly. Tried all sorts of things too, class D, receivers, alephs, tubes, etc. In comparison the HD800 is pretty immune to amplification

 

Perhaps you simply did not like the K1000 sound signature, or became too overwhelmed with all the different sound possibilities from adjusting the toe in and temple pads like I was at one point. It's definitely not for everyone, but neither is the HD800. I found the opposite actually, the HD800 seems more finicky about amplification than the K1000, which sounds decent as long as you give it enough power and can manage fiddling (or not fiddling, as the case may be) with the adjustments. Both are engineer's headphones which strive for technical perfection, but I think the glorious AKG mids/overall musicality bring it out on top. Others will prefer the bass extension, much lower power requirements, comfort, etc of the HD800.

 

@ spritzer great news, please fill us in on details as they develop!

[nopants]

You might be right, even though I lived with the K1000 for more than 4 years, I think after trying other things it made me revisit them and rediscover my sensitivity to their treble. To borrow spritzer's vocabulary, it's very strident. It might be confirmation bias at work, but there's even a notch filter that's installed that I assume addresses this. Truth be told I didn't spend ridiculous amounts on amplification at the time (compared to ES now). I think that the soundstage/imaging can't be beat because of their physical design, but holistically speaking I had to compromise a lot to live with the headphone. 

 

I should have kept them around a little longer though, to try them out of the F5 turbo my friend built, and the spectral that I just sold my kidneys for.

 

Maybe I'm just a masochist

[spritzer]

Nothing to report really but things are being discussed.  Probably reuse some existing shell to begin with. 

[Claritas]

I think it's reasonable to modify a $75 pair of headphones to make them world beaters.  If $1500 headphones aren't world beaters out of the box, they should be returned with prejudice.

 

"You walked out? I didn't walk in." 

[wink]

 

Now if there was just a way to mod musicality into them 

Perhaps, a change in listening material is indicated.

 

btw, both my K1000's aren't as good as my HD800 stock. They fade further into the background with the anax mod and Blue Dragon cable.

 

But, as usual YMMV etc etc.........

[luvdunhill]

nopants: you didn't miss much other than a lesson in gain structure with the F5 + K1000.

[nopants]

I didn't really think so either, but curiosity blah blah. I would expect some subtle differences over the aleph j. 

 

I'm sure Tari is enjoying his stable of 4 pairs now though. 

[K3cT]

Speaking of the anax mod, does anyone else revert back to stock? Somehow I can't shake the feeling that the mod smears the sound a bit, especially in the bass. 

[Riotvan]

I went back for a couple of hours but i just can't deal with the stock sound after having heard the anax 2.0 mod.

[Torpedo]

Speaking of the anax mod, does anyone else revert back to stock? Somehow I can't shake the feeling that the mod smears the sound a bit, especially in the bass. 

I think this depends on how you implement the mod. It's possible that using a too thick material or a too absorptive one may cause that.

[HeadphoneAddict]

I'm still stock.

 

I do think the Moon-Audio Black Dragon balanced cable helps a tiny bit, as well as a proper amp or tube choice, so I'm coming up on 5 years with a stock HD800 (CanJam LA 2009).

[complin]

I use mine stock too.

I tried a few mods but it seemed to compromise the soundstage rather than necessarily fixing any brightness.

I agree the amp and source seems to make the most difference but the cable much less so, if at all.

Broadly i'm satisfied most of the time but recordings I would expect to be really great catch me out on the 800 sometimes and come over rather bright in places. I do find getting the volume right too also seems to make quite a difference as it is often so clear I crank it up too far, like I do with my Stax     

 

 

I'm still stock.

 

I do think the Moon-Audio Black Dragon balanced cable helps a tiny bit, as well as a proper amp or tube choice, so I'm coming up on 5 years with a stock HD800 (CanJam LA 2009).

[johnwmclean]

eGlobaL Digital Cameras Australia has the HD800 price at $1059aud.

NZ and Australia only though.

Just in case anyone's thinking about it.

[postjack]

ooh, since this thread got bumped, the HD800 + Supra is an incredible combination.