Sennheiser HDV 820

Discussion in 'Headphone Amplifiers and Combo (DAC/Amp) Units' started by iDesign, Apr 28, 2017.

  1. iDesign

    iDesign Almost "Made"

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    Last edited: Apr 29, 2017
  2. Ash1412

    Ash1412 Friend

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    Looks a lot less elegant and generic. HD800S fits the stealth black but this is just boring. Also, still no output impedance in the specs and still Sabre with DSD support. And almost no information about the design, just "this is really high-tech. buy it". What gives?
     
    Last edited: Apr 28, 2017
  3. FallingObjects

    FallingObjects Pay It Forward

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    I particularly enjoy the "< 10 Hz to > 100 kHz" bit in the tech specs.
     
  4. Changeling

    Changeling Tube Slut

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    Hey their mission is to "better the best", show some respect :D

    Honestly that's one of the worst product descriptions for a launch I've read in a long time.

    This quote is interesting. Read the sentence slowly. Why have they designed white LED lights to complement the HD800s?? :D
    My mother tongue is not English but it looks like a misplaced modifier...
     
    Last edited: Apr 28, 2017
  5. Kattefjaes

    Kattefjaes Mostly Harmless

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    It's interesting that they added a Pentaconn socket.
     
  6. Hrodulf

    Hrodulf Prohibited from acting as an MOT until year 2050

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    What were the theoretical benefits of 4.4mm sockets? Besides being certified for hi-res audio output. I mean 3.5mm is still hard to beat for portable and XLR is superior to any jack type connection. Mostly due to the fact that it doesn't short the outputs upon insertion.
     
  7. iDesign

    iDesign Almost "Made"

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    I wonder if Sennheiser will update the cables included with HD 800 and HD 800 S.
     
    Last edited: Apr 29, 2017
  8. TwoEars

    TwoEars Friend

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    Anodized black looks nice.... until you or someone else scratches it. And it makes dust show up like crazy. I think the HDV800 design is both better looking and easier to care for:

    [​IMG]
     
  9. Hrodulf

    Hrodulf Prohibited from acting as an MOT until year 2050

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    Depends if you have HD800 or HD800S, obviously.
     
  10. Kattefjaes

    Kattefjaes Mostly Harmless

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    I suppose as a neat and compact portable balanced connector? It probably needs less space than a pair of 2.5mm.

    However, I wasn't pointing it out because the 4.4mm Pentaconn itself is inherently interesting. It was more that I thought it was Sony's baby, and this is the first time I have seen the socket on another vendor's kit.

    I have my favourite IEMs wired for Pentaconn for my WM1A, and it works just fine. However, it's kinda obscure to source as a part- and according to @Torq it's annoying as hell to solder. Generally, you choose the mobile gear that you like and just sort out the cabling and connectors to go with it, I suspect. It's not that interesting and important as long as it's reliable and gives you a clean connection.

    No, it was more just that it was interesting to see someone who isn't Sony use the socket. Sennheiser can clearly afford to pepper this thing with random sockets, as it's a weird niche unit.
     
    Last edited: Apr 29, 2017
  11. t3hwx9

    t3hwx9 Acquaintance

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    The upcoming Acoustic Research AR-M200 will feature a 4.4 jack too. (the worst thing about 4.4 Pentaconn is that as of now, you can buy plugs but not sockets. I'd like to have some pigtail adapters, but no luck so far)
     
  12. Fapman

    Fapman New

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    This is just total guess, but previously on the HDVD 800 one side of the amp was balanced, other side unblanaced. With Pentaconn they could make whole circuit balanced(?) Is there any real-world benefits on that?

    Would like to see what is under that baby. And tbh it's better be good one. I have waited that thing for almost couple of years now.

    Going to make an order the second they confirm the price. Shame they removed the window, but maybe there is benefit in terms of interference. Cause basically that is faraday cage when sealed.
     
  13. Kattefjaes

    Kattefjaes Mostly Harmless

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    Probably better to find out if it sucks first, given that it contains a SABRE. If you're not intending to use the DAC, OTOH, there may well be better standalone amp choices for the sort of money that Senn charges for units like this.
     
  14. Delayeed

    Delayeed Facebook Friend

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    Sabre DAC... what a meme.
     
  15. Fapman

    Fapman New

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    I am going to use DAC part of it. And i expect Senn to make asking price to be around 2500€ (give or take)

    Given the fact that the HE-1 uses ES9018 (8 of them) as DAC. Didn't suprise me at all that they would use Sabre in the HDV 820. And it's not only the chip, its about how you implement it into your total system. + synergy.
     
  16. Walderstorn

    Walderstorn Friend

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    Although i agree that there are fine Sabre DACS out there I don't quite understand why you are so eager to buy this.
     
  17. Fapman

    Fapman New

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    Well the main reason is that HDVD 800 did has lovely synergy with original HD800. I don't plan to use anything else with it other than HD800S. And i am pretty convident that Sennheiser knows what they are doing, so the HDV 820 will be a lovely match with HD800S.

    Second reason is that there really isn't as good Amp/Dac combos out there for the same money. And sepeate amp/dac setups are out of the question for me atleast. All of the "good" (read schiit) manufactures are outside of the EU and local retailers don't supply them. And with seperate units you have to factor in the cost of cables etc. And still they aren't "designed" for one particular headphone.

    Third is that i have waited this for one and half years. I have saved my pennies ever since. (You might ask that if i have known in october 2015 that i would have to wait so long i might had myself allready different setup)
     
  18. Hrodulf

    Hrodulf Prohibited from acting as an MOT until year 2050

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    Wasn't the HDVD 800 just a decent yet high Zout device? I'd expect more from them, not just a pretty me-too device with resistors on output.
     
  19. DivineCurrent

    DivineCurrent New

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    I don't understand Sennheiser the past few years. They come out with an amp/dac that supposedly has good synergy with their headphones, yet the thing has a ~30 ohm output impedance. May as well be a tube amp. If they are shooting for natural and accurate sound, whatever that means, they should make amps that have a near zero output impedance, like every single solid state Schiit amp. They even have Axel Grell, who in an interview with Jude, claims balanced output "sounds better" than single ended, with no objective proof. Sorry, I just don't like it when respected headphone companies like Sennheiser all of a sudden sacrifice solid engineering for flowery audiophile terms, and almost no useful specs. And the price is very high for what you get. It's too bad because the HD600/650 is one of their greatest masterpieces, and it's like a one time deal I guess. They must have had a different engineering department back then, or they got influenced by the marketing too much.
    Edit: I'm talking about the HDVD800 and HDVA600. I don't know about this one, but it's probably the same specs and stuff.
     
    Last edited: Apr 29, 2017
  20. Walderstorn

    Walderstorn Friend

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    I guess to which their own @Fapman but I didn't like the hdvd 800 that much (in cost/performance), like many others, even though it was designed with the 800s in mind. The 600 model didn't like my dacs and i know that I wasn't the only one with bad synergy with that amp using multiple DACS.

    About schiit they have oficial European suppliers and its a shame that you feel that you must have a combo. Even so I'm sure there are other good, valid, options.

    I'm not one to judge but I behaved the same way when I was in my early 20s and was obsessed with something. I just had to have it disregarding everything else. I just mean with this that at least you should let the product be released and reviewed before you jump the gun, blindly, on something that isn't cheap.

    I hope you understand that we all (I think) just want you to be satisfied with your buy, for the right reasons.

    Edit - ok i lied, i still do that in my 30s but not with 4 digits gear.
     
    Last edited: Apr 29, 2017

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