Sennheiser HD 820

You are indeed correct and it is likely a typographical error. Its interesting the IE 800 S and HD 660 don't appear on the slide (see post #1 in the thread) yet it is titled, "Products 2017."

 

Maybe it is indeed a typo and the name HD 820 is not correct but a new headphone is definitely coming. That Nomax guy on HF might be a bit crazy but his info and contacts are the real deal. Whatever this guy does to get access to previews and prototypes, he doesn't play around. Saw him at Munich High End Show 2017 with the Mysphere prototype.

 

Quoting from Headfonics.com

''
I got to meet Axel Grell, who is famous as a hifi product designer and contributed to the original Orpheus, the HD 650, the HD 800 and of course the newer products. I managed to squeeze some hot information out of him and all I can say now is that if you’ve been waiting for something specific, the year is not over yet! I suggest you don’t empty your wallet quite yet. ''

 

As leaked photographs of the HD 820 start to surface on the other forums, I decided to search to see what recent patent filings Sennheiser has made. This planar dynamic transducer design could be totally unrelated to the HD 820 but it might be a glimpse into what is keeping Axel Grell busy:
https://patents.google.com/patent/D...l&assignee=sennheiser&after=priority:20160101

 

I was hinted the rumored headphone would make its debut at Porta Fes in Tokyo, but that show ended two days ago. Hmm.

 

It was always CES or not, just like the HD 800.

less than 3 weeks left

 

It's happening: https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/8/16858130/sennheiser-hd-820-headphones-price-release-date-ces-2018

2400 euros/dollars. New flagship. Same headband, all other chassis components seem to be new. Pads in particular look completely different. Heavy use of absorbers to mitigate reflections in closed headphones. Releasing this summer.

Also as expected Semnheiser is heavily pushing 4.4 mm pentaconn by including that cable instead of 4-pin XLR.

Last but not least, still 300 ohms as expected from a HD 800 derivate. None of that "made for mobile" stuff this time, yay!

 

Glass-backed cans, that's a first, right?

Those special absorber chambers better be effing magical, that window oughto be a near perfect sonic mirror.

Hybrid Pads yeah.

 

Official press release is now up: https://en-us.sennheiser.com/news-the-game-changer-for-closed-back-audiophile-headphones

 

Another story on them - https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.th...hd-820-headphones-price-release-date-ces-2018

Can you imagine trying to get glass replaced on these like you do on a phone?

Closed 800, idealy they figured out how to do best of both worlds but I will remain a skeptic until I hear them myself...

 

Anybody at CES?

 

They look really good. But I'm a bit bothered by the glass. Like mentioned before its just like a sonic mirror. The price are going to the roof as well. Ive always hoped Sennheiser would keep their prices reasonable but they have to follow their competitors. HD800s looks like a bargain now.

 

Can't wait to be disappointed!

Jokes aside, I really really want it to be as good as Axel says but their recent record doesn't leave me much to hope. Those glasses on the back look like a nightmare waiting to happen too. Any reason why glasses are chosen here rather than, I dunno, anything else aside from looks?

 

^
Glass is used to increase the price significantly over the open HD800

 

I wouldn't worry about the glass. It being slightly curved significantly increases the strength and knowing Sennheiser spare parts should be no problem. How easy it is to replace is another question though.

 

Maximun reflectivity to move soundwaves into the dual absorbers. Quite a novel approach. Hopefully there will be a few Axel Grell interviews by Head-Fi, InnerFidelity and others with more in depth information.

Also the glass is gorilla glass - I wouldn't worry about the durability much, but probably not something you want to drop on a hard desk. It's used in many high end smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S 8. Sony also used it in some of their TV's once too. Very scratch resistant. This is also the first fully curved version so it's probably custom made for Sennheiser (also the curve should make it stronger against shocks at least).

Time will tell, but this closed design should at least fix HD 800 series lack of bass extension.

My guess: this is the approach Sennheiser chose vs. Focal - going closed design is probably the only way to beat them in bass response with their ring driver tech. Now it's just a question of if they can overcome the typical drawbacks of closed designs well enough to compete in overall SQ.

 

First mod: Break Glass.

 

Don't, that glass would make wonderful rigid backing for dynamat/sorbothane!

Edit: Jokes aside, if they really did focus most of the reflections on the glass, it's nice for modding.

By changing the material on it you should be able to affect most of the back reflections, and it's wonderfully stiff (easy to apply) and it's glass so you can use anything you want really, if you change your mind you can just put in the dishwasher, or boil it, or use an ultrasonic cleaner, or most solvents that would damage plastics/wood.

 

That glass is a lense to improve focus!

Hopefully the other recent launches were so poor because all the engineering effort went into the HD820. More than a little disappointed that is costs twice as much to make a closed back compete with an open backed headphone.

 

"The new circumaural dynamic stereo headphones shatter expectations"

Indeed it will!