The HD800 & HD800S thread

Wasn't Sennheiser's resonator more effective in taming the peak? Also if he did remove it where are the For Science™ photos

 

It is. Here are my first measurements on my coupler:
http://www.superbestaudiofriends.or...r-the-sennheiser-hd800.1714/page-2#post-43958
Here are the ear-canal opening measurements:
http://www.superbestaudiofriends.or...area-measurements-by-serious.2518/#post-67693
Tyll's IF measurements also seemed to show that the HD800S resonator is more effective.

The HD800S resonator seems to be tuned to 6kHz and the SD resonator seems to be tuned to 5-5.5kHz, compared to the stock open hole. I hear the peak at 5kHz, not 6kHz, so the HD800S doesn't work for me. The inner paper baffle for the driver seems to boost the upper mids quite a bit.
Compared to a closed hole, the SD resonator seems to be similar to an EQ at 4700Hz with a reduction of 1.6db and a Q of 1.4. Closing the hole does reduce the peak. I think that's why the 3 straw and the shure tip mod worked. I use the closed hole in my mod configuration.

 

Actually, the more you extend it into the hole, the lower the resonant frequency gets, at least from my measurements (and that's how it should be for a larger air volume). 4.7kHz vs a closed hole may very well be 5.5kHz vs an open hole.
To me the 6kHz resonant frequency of the HD800S resonator is definitely too high.

EDIT: Here are my old coupler measurements showing the effect versus a closed hole (SD UD), which are similar to stratocaster's:
http://www.superbestaudiofriends.or...r-the-sennheiser-hd800.1714/page-2#post-50627

Idk, the in-ear measurements I just made didn't look like that. I actually think that this depends more on the coupler than on the exact fit. I hear the effect more as a broad depression around 3-5kHz.

 

Would that be extended down as far as possible, and as flush with the top of the hole as possible (having watched the fitting video)? You probably know better than anyone what's right, so it's worth asking.

(The 800S loses the spike, gains that annoying distortion that messes up EQ-ability.. and gets rid of that awful easy-to-chip silver paint! Neither option is perfect )

 

Thanks, that's perfect. I was curious if that info was still the current orthodoxy. Noted for reference.

 

I guess I can't really tell which is better or worse for me due to lack of in-ear mic.

I really can't stress enough the non-issue that is the bass distortion but I guess ever since Tyll posted his article it has been grounded as problematic due to its direct comparison to the HD800 and it has no effect on EQ whatsoever as any gain added should be appropriately counterbalanced with the EQ's preamp.

 

my hd800 came in the mail earlier this afternoon! i had to do some errands but, finally here home playing around with them. these are already resonator modded and all i have to say is ''wow!''. i have them driven off of my carver pm600 power amp for now but, the sound is very clean and really smooth. i find the balance very good and from top to bottom very impressive. probably best top-end and bass response from a dynamic headphone i ever heard so far i am really loving them every bit of the way.

im just really happy now that i finally own a pair of hd800's and so far they're exceeding my expectations. finally own my dream headphone. really love these things, the sound purity is unbelievable.

 

i can't get over how amazing these are. probably closest you get to speakers to ever in a headphone in my opinion. also all the complaints bout hd800 not having bass at all and not good for electronic music is b/s. i find the bass very clean and impactful and probably best ever heard in a dynamic headphone. the detail retrieval is insanely good as well. they resolve just as well as a great pair of speakers.

i love these things and find them great all-rounders personally. thanks to these, i got into loving headphones all over again. the hd800's defiantly do deserve the respect it gets and lives up to hype i personally think. these are one of my all time favorite audio pieces i own now.

 

Awiens, don't give in to hate! That leads to the Dark Side!

 

Or start EQing and just hate how it shreds poor recordings regardless of how you shape it's FR and thus go to the 650 for most listen sessions anyway.

 

What are you guys using for EQ?

I was able to audition the HD800 in-store for an hour or so and on some recordings it was just incredible (using a Gungnir Multibit+Mojo+Senn Balanced Cable they supplied).

On other recordings it was ruthless and I couldn't even really enjoy half my playlist I had compiled. Almost shrill sounding.

I tried to get JRiver (purchased) and Sonarworks (trial) working last night before going but have no idea how the two work together.

The good news is that the salesman was willing to give them to me at cost for a demo pair, but they had a bunch of paint chips off them and at that point they were still a few hundred dollars more than the used market, some of which are in better condition! The up-side would be the warranty would be valid...

I really want to hear the S-version, still seeking who might have that in town to demo.

 

I haven't heard of any consistent QC issues or driver failures with the HD800, and it's something I researched a lot before I purchased mine. I've seen damage reports a few times, but those were always the users' fault, like one guy on Reddit who yanked on the cable too hard, ripped out one of the connectors, proceeded to blame Sennheiser for poor build quality, and complained that he had to send it back or go back to the retailer to exchange it.

I'd wager that the paint chips would be a bigger issue.

 

QC issues? What is this the Audeze thread?

 

I haven't read much of the way of QC issues either aside from a friend of mine out in Vancouver who bought a pair of HD800 S and they were DOA. Took months for him to get a replacement through Senn Canada Warranty. You want to hear a grown man cry...

If a 800 with Sonar working is better than an HD800 S, I might as well save some dollars. But something (really of no reason as I haven't heard the S version) keeps drawing me to the S version. At the risk of sounding like a prissy bitch, it is probably the colour LOL

 

This is why there's a whole thread about amp selection for the HD800. It is quite a sparse sound, tending towards brightness, and with a nasty treble spike. Use it with most solid state amps, especially with a Delta Sigma DAC, and you're going to run the risk of it sounding pretty harsh or, yes, shrill. (Doesn't mean that I won't instantly try it with the Fulla 2 when it arrives, hopefully tomorrow, mind.)

Obviously, there's the infamous SDR mod for taming the the spike, and there's EQ for the general balance. However, they really benefit from a nice amp fit, too. Even something modest like a Vali 2 or an NBM is going to give you a nicer time.

I'm not sure that anyone in their right mind would plug them directly into a Mojo and expect to enjoy the result