The HD800 & HD800S thread

Discussion in 'Headphones' started by sorrodje, Oct 11, 2015.

  1. RenEH

    RenEH Acquaintance

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    I’m a little confused about the excitement of solderdude’s involvement with the hd8xx. On ASR he’s pretty adamant about all amps that measure the same sound the same. My subjective experience between the 789 and other amps seems to indicate this isn’t the case.
     
  2. oldschool

    oldschool Acquaintance

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    J. Valour has put a video out. Says HD800s and HD8xx are not that different. Called the latter more muffled and a little bit worse than 800s overall.

    Can't really comment on this guy as it's the first time I see a video from him. Comes across as more of a social media person than a reliable reviewer.
     
  3. bboris77

    bboris77 Friend

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    Still though, for a social media person NOT to hype the latest and greatest thing on the block is a bit of a shocker. I have watched a few of his videos and he seems ok. Not brainwashed by the measurebators for sure.
     
  4. Baten

    Baten Friend

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    I like solderdude but pretty sure he's firm in the objective camp. Can only say "to each their own" to that, doesn't make some of his modding stuff any less good, not to mention his involvement with garage1217. He's also not the kind of guy to force his preferences or views on anyone from what I see. I bought one of his passive attenuators and that also was a good experience. Anyway, getting off-topic I guess. But I see no harm.
     
  5. Pelswik

    Pelswik New

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    Greetings! I have been reading this forum for a while and finally decided to step in.

    Thanks to all your opinions and such, I decided to get a HD800 + Modius/jotunheium 2, no SDR, just EQ.

    Concerning to earpads, I tried both original and Dekoni Velour, and I encourage you to do the same too. I think that the extra thickness helps a lot the loose grip of these, and also creates a more "isolated" sensation, as it is slightly tightest.

    I got another Dekoni Velour on it's way, plus Hybrid velour/leather for summer season, as velour might be too warm, I will let you know with my following impression
     
  6. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    Someone mentioned buying spare HD6xx pads just in case Senn stops making them, so I decided to get a backup set of HD800 pads. I got the official replacement pads, and they seem pretty much identical to the ones that came with my phones. But after mounting them just to check, I noticed that the location of the "clips" is a bit different.

    Below* is the pad that came with the phones. Above* is the newer replacement pad. Has anyone else seen this?

    HD800 pads.jpg

    *I realized after this could be confusing. The original pads (bottom of the image) are sitting on top of the new pads (top of the image).
     
    Last edited: Apr 16, 2021
  7. fraggler

    fraggler A Happy & Busy Life

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    I don't remember what the ones I put on my HD800s last year looked like, but I thought I was going to break my headphones trying to get them to snap in. Have you tried mounting your new ones? If they go on readily, consider yourself blessed (assuming nothing else has changed).
     
  8. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    I only discovered the difference after mounting them, taking them off, and noticing the marks in the plastic film left by the clips. When brand new, the film is flat and unmarked. You could probably feel for the clips to see where they are exactly, without mounting them first.

    And yeah, they're a fuckin PITA to get on. Just have to line them up precisely and press FIRMLY.

    While I had the old ones off, I washed them with Savon de Marseilles like I did my Clear pads. I think these pads will probably last a lifetime. There isn't that much pressure placed on them, and not that much foam to compress over time.
     
  9. GrahamB3

    GrahamB3 New

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    I recently acquired gently used HD800's. I installed these pads (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08P8XNWYH/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) on receipt. The phones sound great to me, but I've never heard the stock pad sound. The contour and mass of the pads are very similar to stock. They installed easily with no issues.

    I've tried to order new OEM padding (https://spares.sennheiser.com/en-us/catalog/sparepart/534406). An item that's continually on back order. Nothing wrong with my original, but I'd like a second to modify.
     
  10. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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  11. 7seven

    7seven Acquaintance

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    Is the HD800 stock clamp almost non existent for you guys?
    I have had the HD800 for like 2 years and only discovered now that the clamp is too light for the headphones perform correctly. If I press the cups into my ears (without blocking the rear opening obviously) to simulate a tighter clamp the sound improves and changes dramatically.
    It was pretty tough to bend the headband in for a better clamp and it could still be tighter (or it could be tighter than I think, the HD800 is so damn comfortable).
    So I was just wondering is this a common thing (my head isnt just super narrow), and if the significant effects of clamp are known about
     
  12. gefski

    gefski Facebook Friend

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    The clamp on my 800S is inadequate for any “over-enthusiastic” head bobbing. However, I get no sonic change by applying additional pressure over each ear. The cups seem to lay against my head, sealing all the way around each ear, filling any dips or rises. Normal head movements don’t shift them at all. For me, these quite shallow pads and moderate clamp combined with the angled way out drivers do just what they’re supposed to. And my head/ear distance is relatively small judging by the settings I use for many headphones.
     
  13. Walderstorn

    Walderstorn Friend

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    Its not uncommon for people, with smaller heads, to try to bend them in a bit. I too suffered this situation because of my head size being on the smaller side.
     
  14. 7seven

    7seven Acquaintance

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    That is my problem I think, it is not sealing well at certain spots, like the top of my jaw. Definitely the thinnest and least spongiest pads Ive had on a HP.

    Mine is really a low serial number too, I think I read the later ones had thicker pads?
     
  15. wormcycle

    wormcycle Friend

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    Mine seal perfectly if put them on in such a way that the headband touches top of my head. Even with glasses which I bend slightly to seat flat on my temples. If you are uncomfortable with that y I understand you may have problems with seal
     
  16. wormcycle

    wormcycle Friend

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    I am still waiting for the foam similar to what you used in the meantime, for practice I experimented with the stuff I had. It is for the age 3+ very appropriate for my modding skills. It is 7 mm thick and I thing higher density.

    I did not want to give up on dust protection and used something that is basically a fabric but more like very durable toilet paper. I cut it into the standard rug liner mode pattern and just fixed the foam ring on it with two sided tape, and used the same tape to attach it to the ring around the driver.
    And it is not a perfect ring, I hacked it using my wife nail cutters.
    [​IMG]
    I like what it did to the sound, I do not need higher mids and treble EQ anymore, bass is better controlled but it did something to the precision of instrument placement. I think it may be the dust cover, which is very thin, flapping. Next pass will be keeping the dust cover only on the driver. To bad I cannot measure it. The only way I can tell is to use it for a day or two and then go back to Senn dust covers.
    [​IMG]
     
  17. E_Schaaf

    E_Schaaf MOT: E.T.A Headphones

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    What kind of perforated material is that? I had some stuff that looked like that but there was a middle plastic lining so the holes effectively did nothing and it walled the sound completely, killed all the dynamics. With foam that dense you're probably inducing more reflection than absorption (?) compared to the lighter foam. But hey, if it sounds right, it is right. :)

    I'll be curious to hear your thoughts on the other foam with no driver-covering filter. I found with the foam piece I didn't need any driver coverage. Most of the treble nasties come from shell resonance and not from the driver itself AFAIK messing with the drivers in other shells.
     
  18. wormcycle

    wormcycle Friend

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    I do not know what it is exactly, I bought a MITRA leather case for Kann Cube and it was wrapped in it. It feels like very thin viscose fabric, texture and thickness of a toilet paper but very durable
     
  19. fraggler

    fraggler A Happy & Busy Life

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    I need to apologize to Evan for taking so long, but I should throw in what I can about the foam rings that I got from him. I have an OG HD800 with the SDR mod along with the unobtanium rug liner. Completely happy/fine with the results. Still an HD800, but without any real annoyances other than being a bit laid back (which I already have with my modded HD650s). Definitely lost some of the diffuse, wide soundstage, but with the benefit of more pronounced mids. With the foam rings, but without the dust cover and rug liner, I get quite a bit more excitement back without adding too many downsides.. Thanks probably to the SDR, still no problems with peaks, but get the unfettered powers of the HD800. Still not a ton of depth (maybe due to my Jot 2), but everything is more open and exciting. Mids not as prominent, but they don't fall back as much as I thought they might. I think the foam rings are a real alternative to the rug liner as a way to shape the sound of the HD800. SDR is still a must.

    At any rate, if Ev can make some more, I hope more HD800 diehards can try the foam rings and give more feedback. I have admittedly doo doo ears and can't often articulate eveything I hear (or know what I should be reporting on), so it would great if more people tried the mod out.
     
  20. wormcycle

    wormcycle Friend

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    You were right, the problems with instrument separation were likely to reflections, not dust cover flapping.
    Thicker foam, lower density, it is much better now. I spent enough time now to compare with stock dust covers and it is more precise bass, treble that was really bothering me in some recordings does not anymore, and no loss of details. I think I will keep it.
    [​IMG]
     

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