Need HD 800S help FAST!

He might have an Axe to grind...

 

You'll have to get in line behind me....but you'll be right behind me. In a lot of ways I really don't like writing articles like this, it really doesn't help the folks who sell advertising. On the other hand, it's this type of article that gets views and cred. Must be done. And Sennheiser is big enough to take the hit. They really should have made a real new $1500 audiophile headphone by now.

 

I'm very much hoping that my pair and @Dr. Higgs' (?) pair measure better than the pair @Tyll Hertsens has on hand but I'm prepared for bad news if it comes to that.

My HD800S is within its 30 day return window so the "nuclear option" of straight up returning it is available.

 

Do you like it ? If so then why worry ?

 

I don't have my "big-boy" amp to evaluate it on yet. It sounds fine on a Crack 2, but if Tyll says it should/could sound better than I trust to his judgement.

 

Interesting situation indeed: If it measures the same as Tyll's, then their manufacturing is consistent and you're a happy camper with the sound anyway. If yours measures better, then you REALLY won't want to let it go. You have a cherry-picked sample. If it measures worse than Tyll's, then it means you like distortion and will be ridiculed for life.

 

SBAF and its users are awesome. Can't wait to read the article when it's done.

 

Only time will tell.



If the other two 800S's measure poorly it will be the last time I ever buy a headphone without waiting for @Tyll Hertsens' review first.

 

Oh, come on. He probably only spent 500 hours or so developing that HD800S resonator. I'm sure he won't take it that bad. I mean he's German, they have a sense of humor and like the french right? Right?

 

What a great place this is, the work everyone here like @sorrodje and all the other great modders and measuring folk do is really doing a lot of good for the hobby as a whole and hopefully moving the industry forward. Of course @Tyll Hertsens has always been the one guy who's work I really look up to. Both his pioneering work while at headroom and then at innerfidelity in bringing standardized measurements to the mainstream consumers as well as very well thought out and for the most part non-overzealous reviews. Great work everyone, keep it up.

 

It may be that Sennheiser increased second harmonic distortion in the bass so as to make it sound fuller than the less distorted HD800. Doing listening tests now.

 

Maybe this is cosmic justice for their hubris in the ~$50k price bracket.

 

Very interesting theory. Would seem to explain the definite increase in bass people have heard that has not been shown in measurements. My takeaway from this is distortion=good so we should all add distortion pedals to our setups

 

I was told by a very reliable source that Sennheiser does have this trick in their kit.

It's a reasonably legit way to warm things up a bit...but it is distortion.

 

I better go buy a used HD800 now before this article comes out and the prices hike up.

 

It sounds like a case where measurements are just getting in the way. You think the headphones sound good? Good.

Don't let measurements change your opinion on that.

 

If you something doesn't work out I can send mine

 

You're a good man, Tyll. We appreciate your integrity!!

 

Or tube amps (I'll be hiding in the closet if anyone wants to throw brickbats in my direction)