Hey guys! Got our first sponser - Send them my thanks and check out there quality stands here - soundrisepro.com On a side note - Sponsers directly help and support the channel, and are WAY less annoying than RUclips ads (which sponsorship allow me to remove) :) win win for everyone... unless you have adblock. Than I am sorry. So very sorry.
@@JoshuaValour Can you write the names of songs you mentioned in the video? Also the one that plays at the end of the video and some people asks the one that plays in intro too. It can be hard to pick up names by listening, especially for us non native english speakers. Next time, can you please write the names of songs in the video, that'd be super helpful. Have a nice day.
Joshua, you have a unique ability to speak “sound”. I really appreciate your descriptions it’s almost as if I was listening my self. Thanks for the effort you put into these.
Joshua adds the 800S to “his top recommended”.... who cares this headphone is the most sold high end headphone for few years already. If you see his videos you know that he is obsessed with ‘’vocals’’ but if you are the kind of person that loves musical instruments, harmonies, melodies, harmonics, room detail, spaciousness, recording detail, texture and maybe complex music like classical orchestral or jazz no doubt this is your headphone. By the way singers sounds amazing here too just the headphone don’t put them in your face. Ahh and bass is also Amazing is just not emphasised like the audeze headphones. I agree in some cases the headphones could be a bit thin sounding but that is not necessarily bad. Actually that is very realistic sounding. This headphone can make you look to your room asking yourself where the sound is coming from more than any other headphone. I’m happy he start appreciating this cans, it was taking you a while. Thank you for the review very enjoyable
Audeze have flat bass. It's not emphasized. Maybe more dynamic but not emphasized. If anything, the 800/800S have emphasized bass because of the 100 Hz impedance hump which makes the bass sound fat. It was so bad that I could hear it in Oluv's sound demo.
I agree that audeze headphones are having flat bass but it’s all very emphasized all the way down. People can’t hear 20hz as the same level as 1khz. I agree that some emphasis down there give a nice thick and full sound specially for music like EDM but in audeze are too much. Horrible headphones for music production for example ..... the X are probably their best technical headphone but still not good for that.
@@jhontroll4612 "Emphasized". No. It's flat all the way down. That's a speaker engineer's wet dream but speakers don't have that good of a response down there unless they're very big or have many drivers and have to pull all sort of tricks to get there. Planar bass is about as good as you can get. Minimal distortion, no weird impedance humps that fatten the bass, and great extension.
The Sennheiser HD800S is the improved version of the HD800 which corrected an audible and distracting midrange resonance issue. The 800 and 800S are renowned for their highly accurate, highly detailed sound, localization and enormous sound stage. The 800 and 800S are open ear headphones, which I believe are best for acoustic and classical music. Bass heavy dance music and rock music are not going to sound great on the 800 or 800S. The sound produced is so accurate it will be uncompromising in revealing deficiencies (flaws) in the recording, mixing and mastering process.
I think his videos are too slow paced. Everytime i watch his videos, i have to ramp up the speed to 1,25. If he puts more emphasis on optimizing video length (which i`m sure he does already), his viewership should rise imo.
For anyone considering buying the Dekoni Hybrid Pads, I recommend just sticking to the stock pads as: 1. The Dekoni's make the headphones sound different but not better, would need to tweak eq settings to match stock pads. 2. The Dekoni's have a dust cover that touches your ear that you will likely just cut off and end up using sennheisers dust cover. 3. The velour is not as comfortable as the sennheiser microfibre pads imo but this is just my own qualm with the pad. TLDR: Stock is probs better save alot of money and get some knockoffs of the stock pads off amazon or just get the replacement stock pads from sennheiser.
Total beginner here, but I walked into to local HiFi store thinking I was going to buy this but just wanted to audition other stuff just to see what's out there. Tried this against a hifiman Aeon (didn't have the Arya) a focal elegia and clear, and some others I can't remember. Walked out empty handed cause I liked the focal clear better but couldn't say why. Before that all I had was a Shure 535. Saw your focal clear review and a few others comparing this and the Clear and ended up purchasing the Clear. Bottom line was the balance. This 800s is a surgical scalpel and efficient in the hands of a professional, wasn't for me at all. The Clear just makes stuff sound beautiful especially female vocals. I appreciate your work and it really helps those of us getting into the hobby understand what it is we are really looking for when we don't know the words to express it.
I listened to Hans Zimmer on the 800S at Warsaw Audio Video Show 2019 and I had little tears in my eyes... great headphone! LOVE IT! and I love standard 800 too!
I´m glad that you finally made some justice to the HD800(S), you nailed it in this review. I´ve modded mine with the SDR long time ago, and coupled with a Burson Conductor is my go-to headphone for classical/instrumental music and movie soundtracks. The clarity, soundstage and transparency are outstanding. For vocals and pop/rock you need a complementary HP like an LCD2 and you´re set with the best of both worlds.
Freaking awesome I’ve been waiting for this one and just asked you in the last video!! Thank you so much josh! These are headphones I’d like to listen to before I die.
Weird usually i agree with your reviews, Also bright sensitive. I own both the HD800s & HD800.I prefer the HD800 over the HD800s by far! (& over my Stax L700 for most things - COD music & gaming on L700 though..thats an experience everyone should have at least once!), Although you do like the HD6XX so i'm not surprised you prefer the HD800s, If you liked the HD660s/600 more like me you'd be a HD800 fan for sure. Spent about 8months with each (per headphone). I hear the muddyness/distortion in the bass clear as day regardless of Amp. The HD800 outperforms the HD800s in detail & (clean) sound in general but you are right about power for cleaner sound...With exception of the bass in my experience. Depending on the Amp the treble lacks on the HD800s, but i assume you used the THX aaa so as an example they are about the same treble sound wise on that for me which is "acceptable"... But the NFB1 very lacking in treble on the HD800s (if treble is to much on HD800s get a NFB1 amp! 2xapproved so its not just me saying it), i'd say perfect on the HD800. HD800 turning volume up lacks mids, yeah notice that, but the "dry bass" nope.... My HD800 is more bassier than my HD800s. The Hd800s is easier to hear the bass on non bassy songs, but bassy songs you can hear the difference clear as day (& frequency response graphs of each actually backs it up Just...). Might have to try the Dekoni pads I just have New Sennheiser pads on both, although I do like the used HD800 pads the best so far: Comfort & slight nerf to treble top end on the THX aaa. I also got in another K712 during my HD800s use & ended up mostly using the K712 until it sold because the sound was not better but more "Fun", "Enjoyable" & cleaner.....
i know that a modded and EQed HD800 will be better than the bass distorted HD800s, but what do you like more about HD800 than the Stax. L700 is on my wishlist since i hard an electrostatic a few years ago, i've never heard anything like it before! How does the detail compare between the HD800 and Stax, how does the bass compare. Also the HD800 can be had for cheaper on ebay than the Stax so it's interesting you find you prefer it.
I own this headphone since 2017 and I love it for what it is. I think that you are spot on. I use the THXAAA789 with it and thats a fantastic match!!! I also use the Chord Hugo 2 as a DAC/AMP or as a DAC with the THX and the resolution is insane. Great review!!! 👍 Love your content ❤️🙏
Finally I got mine with Schiit Bifrost + Lyr 3. Absolutely love it! But his latest review of Focal MG Pro…make me curious because I never try that headphone before.
Dunno why I'm watching this while using my 800S. But I agree with what he says. I don't have fatigue when listening to my music. Let some of my friends try it who have no experience with pricey audio gear and they all agree it sounds amazing.
I got mine in this week and can certainly see what you mean about the treble being bright and the Ses are a bit sibilant at times. Overall they sound fantastic even on my 2019 Jotunheim (I think something changed since your review of it as I hear no compression compared to my husbands Magni Heresy). Currently waiting for the Dekoni Elite Hybrid pads to come in as a few audiophile friends said they help alot with everything on the headphone (like you did) once the pads break in. Thank you for this awesome and honest review as It helped me decide if I wanted to take the plunge on my dream headphones.
If you want to judge a headphone like the HD800, throw classical music at it, not just a bunch of songs. When the gear calls for it, as it does here, you should be able to discuss how it handles symphonies, piano concertos, string quartets, etc. Of course, that would not sound cool to your target audience, but at least you would have done these headphones justice. I just saw Currawong's review of the HD800S. He basically described it as a dumbed-down HD800. I have to trust his review more than yours since at least he knows that you judge the HD800 more by how it handles a symphony orchestra than a show tune.
@@bratosin1 The greatness of classical music doesn’t depend on whether it’s popular with a wider public. Mozart is Mozart and Beethoven Beethoven whether you like their music or not
Very comprehensive review. I bought these pretty much the day I heard that they came out, having used the HD650 from 20 years ago, followed by the HD700. What I learned from those applies to these as well. Sennheiser, in my view at least, uses some of the worst headphone cables ever out of the box. I changed the cables on these to Cardas latest "Clear" cable, and that took a great headphone over the top. It's a pure Litz wire that has exceptional high end transparency, while the stock wire sounds gritty and noisy to me. This also shifts the balance away from the distracting high frequency noise and the bass and mods become bigger and more balanced, while not losing anything in terms of the huge soundstage or detail that you describe so well. There are online stores that allow you to try out and return cables, and I strongly recommend to anyone that is considering these that they experiment with a very high end wire. Thank you for your review.
Good review Josh. Worth pointing out that the 800S includes a quality balanced XLR cable which makes up a good portion of the price difference over the 800. Would love to see a comparison review to Beyerdynamic T1, which I think is likely the closest competitor to the 800S.
13:26 - recommended songs Long After You Are Gone - Chris Jones - Moonstruck You're Getting to Be a Habit with Me - Cécile McLorin Salvant - Dreams and Daggers To be human - MARINA - Love + Fear Popsicle Toes - Diana Krall - When I Look In Your Eyes The Music Of The Night - Andrew Lloyd Webber - The Phantom Of The Opera The Foggy Dew - The Chieftains - The Long Black Veil
@@isaacmack1316 I already do. but having his song lists can help better understand what he hears as you can directly compare with your current hardware.
This review confirms the impression of others that the HD800S headphones are very revealing which can be a very good thing if that is what one is looking for.
Listen to What Do You Want From Me by Pink Floyd with these, it’s the best song I’ve heard on these headphones, incredibly clear with amazing background vocals, spaciousness, and the song is ridiculously well mastered
You might want to hold off for the new Air Motion Transformer based HEDDphone, some early impressions have suggested its very close the LCD4 for nearly half the price.
Nice review. I have SDR modded HD800 (modded by myself) it sounds exactly the same as HD800s. I like how it sounds but dynamism, smoothness and low frequencies extension on my SR007mk2 is far better.
I have the HD800S ans I tried the Dekoni Leather Pads and I ended up returning the pads, the sound signature was not my taste with those pads, I personally felt like they Loss bass rather than gaining, I think it is because the drivers are farther away from the head? Maybe, but stock pads are my favorite for now. I just ordered leather pads for them, but the stock pad size, since the driver is going to be the same distance compared to stock pads
I tried some dekoni pads with the hd700 and even though I hate that headphone it still ruined the whole effect of the Soundstage and balance it was going for. I think sennheiser hd700/hd800 headphones are not meant to pad roll honestly. You might not like them but they are built with every piece on place for a specific aural effect!
Hey Josh, one thing I would love to see you do in the future is start weighing the headphones with and without cables. I am finding manufacturers claims of weight to be very misleading.
Great Video! I think the quality got even better in the past videos. I like it a lot (in Jim Carrey voice). Also: thanks for the awesome song recommendations. Please include more of it. This way we all can build our own audiophile playlists. 🤘
Dance clubs crank up bass to get people involved in music Or in cinema to make you feel visceral emotions, and this heavily influences people s perception of how music should sound. But when listening on a deeper level, the bass needs to be organically integrated into the rest of the repertoire and that s why the hd800s remains a classic, there also very ergonomic
The HD800 box had a way more premium feel to it. The box was lined with beautifully folded dark velvet. The HD800s box on the other hand, has cheap cutout foam.... Makes you wonder it's it's really a pair of $2000 headphones. Feel's more like $500.
My purchased in June 2018, HD800S packaging was lined with velvet and is actually a storage box with metal hinges. Maybe the newer HD800S packaging was more environmentally friendly...
Hey Josh, did you notice if the soundstage was altered for gaming or otherwise with the Dekoni Elite hybrid pads? I game with an original unmodded HD 800(on your advice)with a Woo Audio WA7tp. I have not done the SuperDupont resonator mod as I read that it reduces the soundstage(apparently similar to the slightly reduced sound stage on the HD 800S compared to the stock HD 800). I'm treble sensitive but love my current expansive and immersive soundstage. I would love to hear your thoughts on the pads and must say what an absolutely beautiful song you ended the video with! Thanks again, Josh. Congrats on your first sponsor!
This headphone came out before 2010. They should up it with HD999S or something with a better bass response and some new tech, magnet or something but keep the build and soundstage/detail etc. Just expand on HD800S.
At the end of the day it’s all about personal taste. I liked the HD-800 very much and I like the HD-800S even more. I think they are both fantastic in their own way.
Gamer here. Dammit so the Schitt Hel distorts the bass response cuz the power delivery is too weak despite being rated 300 ohms: 200mW RMS?! I guess the Mayflower Arc MkII is the only choice as a DAC/AMP combo with a mic in for the HD800S, as it's rated 92 mWat 600 Ohm max. Do you fellas think the ARC MkII is a good match power delivery wise to avoid any issues?
The oratory or the Sonarworks True-Fi EQ presets for HD800 fixed basically everything when I tried it. I don't see why someone would pay hundreds of € extra for HD800S, tube amps or do physical mods, when you have greater control with EQ. Unless you are the typical purist who hates EQ and wants everything to be "organic". And same with amps, I tried the headphones on my shitty FiiO E10 and some 350€ amp and other than volume I honestly couldn't really hear a difference. I would kill for people to BLIND A/B test these things.
@@shootinbruin3614 I used a DT990 with a Creative G6 before. Been a month since i have heard the DT990 now. All I can say is that the 800S sounds amazing. Yes I would say it sounds better. Just how much better that is another question. The 800s is way more comfortable and can be used for several hours without a problem. You ears wont get sweaty. Try it for yourself and let me know what you think :)
MrKingBeavis yes josh make it happened especially if you are reviewing the verite. I’m purchasing one myself this year hopefully before the Purple Heart wood Edition is out of stock. I’ve already watch Resolve, Z and others reviews of the headphone but I would love to know your opinion. On topic of the video, I think the IFI pro ican is a wonderful pairing with the 800s since the very well done bass boost gives the right amount of punch that the 800s are missing. Great video as always.
Those song recommendations are just mind-blowing. Listening HD598's Dragonfly Cobalt through Tidal MQA. WOW! I can't wait until the HD800S's are in my life and I'll come back to these.
Might I recommend one amazing sounding album for these headphones that I found: "Come swing with me" by Frank Sinatra. Sounds phenomenal with these headphones. The soundstage and clarity is crazy good!
If you can blow off the anti-EQ sentiment in the accepted Audiophile world and use either a Good classic Equalizer like my Audiosource EQ-One or even the Schiit Audio Loki then you can adjust the highs down to your preference and boost the Bass to your liking ..... I never understood why it's an Audiophile accepted practice to add foam to tune a headphone when you can make the sound exactly to your liking by adjusting a knob .... So buy the cheaper HD-800 and buy an EQ and then tune it to your liking
Joshua. Please use GsP500(600) for gaming. I don know much about ‘Audiophile’ but for gaming gsp500gives more accurate enemies foot steps and positioning information compared to hd800s.
I had through tried the Original HD 800 before, I felt they need a little more bass, when I heard these had a little bit more I decided to give it them a try yes they're just that much better with the base,( I do believe the originals probly have a better control based, however I'm terrified to mess with the headphone so I decided to go for this, Instead of doing the mod my self), and I know what I like in music and it's mostly instrumental and orchestrated stuff from, jazz to classical to big orchestras or acoustic guitars, so you need to understand what you like, these they could do better on vocals, and really low bass music, but that's not what I listen to most of the time, and it is amazing once you EQ them, and once they are burned in, you need to burn them in,( I olmost f....up I was ready to put them for sell before they got burned in, im so glad I didn't) they are amazing, being able to separate a big drum from a small drum from the medium sized drum and all of them going at the same time and a big orchestra and all thar violence and what not, I don't think I can't find another headphone that can do that like this one at this price, for this price it's amazing. This is now my main headphone, but not my only headphone, It's my mainheadphone because this is the type of music that I like to listen to most, but when I want deep bass I have a different headphone, when I want vocals I have a different headphone when I'm on the go I have a different headphone (lol obviously, )this is my 5th phone that I currently own and use, all of you people that want just one to do it all, good luck, I understood that you couldn't get that many years ago, I need at least 3 different headphones for all the different type of music I listen to, I think most of us understand that neither one pare headphones or one pare speakers is gonna do it all, unfortunately we need different types depending on what we're listening to, I'm on a budget so I really gotta be picky about what I buy, For all of you thinking about this headphone I think this is a great review, now Go look at some amp reviews because these guys really reveal how your amp sounds as well and your dac, Man being an audiophile can be a nightmare sometimes. Lol
As for EQ'ing the bass response, the original HD800 responds better to EQ in the bass, because it has less distortion in the lower freqs to begin with.
Really interesting review, I'm looking at either the HD800s or HD820 - does the latter have too many flaws / overpriced to choose it over the former? I currently own a pair of Momentum 3's and looking for a higher end offering to enjoy when I'm not travelling.
Excellent review and production. Josh, you and I have very similar taste in sound signature and what we like. I also own many of the headphones you reviewed. I also prefer pleasure of critical listening. Please make a comparison with Ayria and the HD800S. Maybe even LCD X but I feel my LCD2C is good enough so would rather see the other two compared.
I bought the dekoni pads for it and I wasn't sure if they helped or hurt the sound. Couldn't make up my mind. May have to try them again. I think you can use oratory1990 eq and get a really amazing sound from these. And when you game leave them stock for all the detail and width.
I hate it. I've just upgraded to $600 headphone ( sorry for not telling you true price, wife. You wouldn't understand). And while it's flying to me, I am already thinking when will I buy a HD800s or Clear.
Nice review. Still don't think it's worth the price. Given the price range I'd personally choose the Focal Clear over these. DT 1990 Pros with Dekoni Choice Suede is my daily driver atm. The biggest selling point to me is comfort. I can only comfortably wear my 1990s for maybe 5 hours before my right ear starts to get fatigued. I think the shape of the pads on the 800s would be a lot more comfortable.
If you reviewed the 800S with my integrated amp and headphone cable, this would be a dramatically different review. It’s very critical to match the 800S with the right components. With the right components, you get details, nuance, AND an emotionally engaging experience. With the wrong components, it can sound lifeless, analytical, and clinical. I wouldn’t even think about plugging the 800S into a solid-state amp or using their stock cable. MY SYSTEM: Cary 300SEI integrated amplifier with Synergistic Research Orange Fuse, Grayhill selector switch, two Bybee IQSEs, 1 NOS TUNG-SOL Made In USA 6sn7 (preamp tube), 2 NOS BRIMAR Made In England 6sn7 (driver tubes), 2 Genalex Golden Lion 300B (power tubes). ToneKraft Version.2 headphone cable by Audio Envy. Night and day difference between the ToneKraft and stock cable - far more musically and emotionally engaging. Version.3 is coming out in a couple months and it’s expected to have an even greater “analogue sound” without a false sense of coloration. I'll be one of the first in line for it.
Is the driver angled? Can you make a video about headphones with angled drivers? And talk about the soundstage they bring out with hearing things behind you.
How do they compare to the Elex, in general? Are the 800s the best gaming headphones on the market today? How much of an upgrade on the Elex for gaming?
AceMew APO Peace. Look up metal571. He does a great job explaining it. You need an amp for these headphones and they can be picky so do some research. I like it on my 789 tho.
Rhodey I’ve done lots of research already and I’ve decided to get the 789 or the slightly cheaper smsl sp200 (depends on what I find) and I know metal571, it’s just that I’ve never looked into EQ. Thanks!
AceMew either one of those amps will be great! And run them balanced, always, unless on a tube. What dac you going with? Super happy for you. You'll enjoy these!
Hey guys! Got our first sponser - Send them my thanks and check out there quality stands here - soundrisepro.com
On a side note - Sponsers directly help and support the channel, and are WAY less annoying than RUclips ads (which sponsorship allow me to remove) :) win win for everyone... unless you have adblock. Than I am sorry. So very sorry.
These types of ads are the best: Showing us stuff we would actually buy. We understand you got bills to pay too man :D
Checking these out for my Polk S15’s.
Where's DMS' channel link in the description?
@@zahitemremetin606 Updated. Thank you for reminding me!
@@JoshuaValour Can you write the names of songs you mentioned in the video? Also the one that plays at the end of the video and some people asks the one that plays in intro too. It can be hard to pick up names by listening, especially for us non native english speakers. Next time, can you please write the names of songs in the video, that'd be super helpful. Have a nice day.
17:50 - For anyone interested in how these do for gaming
A hero.
Thanks
800S for gaming??
1,500$ for gaming?
No, wife said I don’t need another headphone. No, wife said I don’t need another headphone. No, wife said I don’t need another headphone.
Wife says you have enough headphones as she does not have enough designer bags.
Z O Wait a minute! Do we have the same wife?
@@DoNotTellWifeIBoughtThis LMFAO!
Ok. So hows the new headphones?
RustyGates No, I’ve sold them all.
(They are great, and they only say things that I love to hear)
Joshua, you have a unique ability to speak “sound”. I really appreciate your descriptions it’s almost as if I was listening my self. Thanks for the effort you put into these.
Joshua adds the 800S to “his top recommended”.... who cares this headphone is the most sold high end headphone for few years already. If you see his videos you know that he is obsessed with ‘’vocals’’ but if you are the kind of person that loves musical instruments, harmonies, melodies, harmonics, room detail, spaciousness, recording detail, texture and maybe complex music like classical orchestral or jazz no doubt this is your headphone. By the way singers sounds amazing here too just the headphone don’t put them in your face. Ahh and bass is also Amazing is just not emphasised like the audeze headphones. I agree in some cases the headphones could be a bit thin sounding but that is not necessarily bad. Actually that is very realistic sounding. This headphone can make you look to your room asking yourself where the sound is coming from more than any other headphone. I’m happy he start appreciating this cans, it was taking you a while.
Thank you for the review very enjoyable
I have turned my head around and replayed certain parts of songs more times than I like to admit thanks to the HD800S lol.
Audeze have flat bass. It's not emphasized. Maybe more dynamic but not emphasized. If anything, the 800/800S have emphasized bass because of the 100 Hz impedance hump which makes the bass sound fat. It was so bad that I could hear it in Oluv's sound demo.
I agree that audeze headphones are having flat bass but it’s all very emphasized all the way down. People can’t hear 20hz as the same level as 1khz. I agree that some emphasis down there give a nice thick and full sound specially for music like EDM but in audeze are too much. Horrible headphones for music production for example ..... the X are probably their best technical headphone but still not good for that.
Sorry for making this comment twice... my ipad crashed when I was commenting and I didn’t notice
@@jhontroll4612 "Emphasized". No. It's flat all the way down. That's a speaker engineer's wet dream but speakers don't have that good of a response down there unless they're very big or have many drivers and have to pull all sort of tricks to get there.
Planar bass is about as good as you can get. Minimal distortion, no weird impedance humps that fatten the bass, and great extension.
The Sennheiser HD800S is the improved version of the HD800 which corrected an audible and distracting midrange resonance issue. The 800 and 800S are renowned for their highly accurate, highly detailed sound, localization and enormous sound stage. The 800 and 800S are open ear headphones, which I believe are best for acoustic and classical music. Bass heavy dance music and rock music are not going to sound great on the 800 or 800S. The sound produced is so accurate it will be uncompromising in revealing deficiencies (flaws) in the recording, mixing and mastering process.
Thanks for this detailed comment!
40k subscribers with such amazing production? How are you not over a mil yet?
You have to sell your soul to the devil to be successful. He's doing it legit. Uncompromised good for him!
I think his videos are too slow paced. Everytime i watch his videos, i have to ramp up the speed to 1,25. If he puts more emphasis on optimizing video length (which i`m sure he does already), his viewership should rise imo.
which audio reviewer has a million subs? you need to go to tech reviewers or auto guys .
For anyone considering buying the Dekoni Hybrid Pads, I recommend just sticking to the stock pads as:
1. The Dekoni's make the headphones sound different but not better, would need to tweak eq settings to match stock pads.
2. The Dekoni's have a dust cover that touches your ear that you will likely just cut off and end up using sennheisers dust cover.
3. The velour is not as comfortable as the sennheiser microfibre pads imo but this is just my own qualm with the pad.
TLDR: Stock is probs better save alot of money and get some knockoffs of the stock pads off amazon or just get the replacement stock pads from sennheiser.
Total beginner here, but I walked into to local HiFi store thinking I was going to buy this but just wanted to audition other stuff just to see what's out there. Tried this against a hifiman Aeon (didn't have the Arya) a focal elegia and clear, and some others I can't remember. Walked out empty handed cause I liked the focal clear better but couldn't say why. Before that all I had was a Shure 535. Saw your focal clear review and a few others comparing this and the Clear and ended up purchasing the Clear. Bottom line was the balance. This 800s is a surgical scalpel and efficient in the hands of a professional, wasn't for me at all. The Clear just makes stuff sound beautiful especially female vocals.
I appreciate your work and it really helps those of us getting into the hobby understand what it is we are really looking for when we don't know the words to express it.
I listened to Hans Zimmer on the 800S at Warsaw Audio Video Show 2019 and I had little tears in my eyes... great headphone! LOVE IT! and I love standard 800 too!
I´m glad that you finally made some justice to the HD800(S), you nailed it in this review. I´ve modded mine with the SDR long time ago, and coupled with a Burson Conductor is my go-to headphone for classical/instrumental music and movie soundtracks. The clarity, soundstage and transparency are outstanding. For vocals and pop/rock you need a complementary HP like an LCD2 and you´re set with the best of both worlds.
What about just 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s?
Freaking awesome I’ve been waiting for this one and just asked you in the last video!! Thank you so much josh! These are headphones I’d like to listen to before I die.
Finally! That’s my baby! For music, movies and gaming. 👍
Weird usually i agree with your reviews, Also bright sensitive. I own both the HD800s & HD800.I prefer the HD800 over the HD800s by far! (& over my Stax L700 for most things - COD music & gaming on L700 though..thats an experience everyone should have at least once!), Although you do like the HD6XX so i'm not surprised you prefer the HD800s, If you liked the HD660s/600 more like me you'd be a HD800 fan for sure. Spent about 8months with each (per headphone). I hear the muddyness/distortion in the bass clear as day regardless of Amp. The HD800 outperforms the HD800s in detail & (clean) sound in general but you are right about power for cleaner sound...With exception of the bass in my experience. Depending on the Amp the treble lacks on the HD800s, but i assume you used the THX aaa so as an example they are about the same treble sound wise on that for me which is "acceptable"... But the NFB1 very lacking in treble on the HD800s (if treble is to much on HD800s get a NFB1 amp! 2xapproved so its not just me saying it), i'd say perfect on the HD800. HD800 turning volume up lacks mids, yeah notice that, but the "dry bass" nope.... My HD800 is more bassier than my HD800s. The Hd800s is easier to hear the bass on non bassy songs, but bassy songs you can hear the difference clear as day (& frequency response graphs of each actually backs it up Just...). Might have to try the Dekoni pads I just have New Sennheiser pads on both, although I do like the used HD800 pads the best so far: Comfort & slight nerf to treble top end on the THX aaa. I also got in another K712 during my HD800s use & ended up mostly using the K712 until it sold because the sound was not better but more "Fun", "Enjoyable" & cleaner.....
i know that a modded and EQed HD800 will be better than the bass distorted HD800s, but what do you like more about HD800 than the Stax. L700 is on my wishlist since i hard an electrostatic a few years ago, i've never heard anything like it before! How does the detail compare between the HD800 and Stax, how does the bass compare. Also the HD800 can be had for cheaper on ebay than the Stax so it's interesting you find you prefer it.
Which of all of them do you enjoy for FPS gaming the best? I’m looking for a high end upgrade to my M1060s...
Idk, I like my hd800 headphones. Idk if it's my amp or ear cups but I hear bass and of course the highs.
I own this headphone since 2017 and I love it for what it is. I think that you are spot on.
I use the THXAAA789 with it and thats a fantastic match!!! I also use the Chord Hugo 2 as a DAC/AMP or as a DAC with the THX and the resolution is insane.
Great review!!! 👍
Love your content ❤️🙏
The best headphone I've ever had was the HD800s paired with the Schiit Loki and the bass turned up by 1/3. After that it's perfect!
Finally I got mine with Schiit Bifrost + Lyr 3. Absolutely love it! But his latest review of Focal MG Pro…make me curious because I never try that headphone before.
Dunno why I'm watching this while using my 800S. But I agree with what he says. I don't have fatigue when listening to my music. Let some of my friends try it who have no experience with pricey audio gear and they all agree it sounds amazing.
I got mine in this week and can certainly see what you mean about the treble being bright and the Ses are a bit sibilant at times. Overall they sound fantastic even on my 2019 Jotunheim (I think something changed since your review of it as I hear no compression compared to my husbands Magni Heresy).
Currently waiting for the Dekoni Elite Hybrid pads to come in as a few audiophile friends said they help alot with everything on the headphone (like you did) once the pads break in. Thank you for this awesome and honest review as It helped me decide if I wanted to take the plunge on my dream headphones.
If you want to judge a headphone like the HD800, throw classical music at it, not just a bunch of songs. When the gear calls for it, as it does here, you should be able to discuss how it handles symphonies, piano concertos, string quartets, etc. Of course, that would not sound cool to your target audience, but at least you would have done these headphones justice. I just saw Currawong's review of the HD800S. He basically described it as a dumbed-down HD800. I have to trust his review more than yours since at least he knows that you judge the HD800 more by how it handles a symphony orchestra than a show tune.
I agree. If it can handle live classical recordings, it will work well in general.
Who the hell listen to classical music nowdayz ? You must be that 1% of the people
@@bratosin1 The greatness of classical music doesn’t depend on whether it’s popular with a wider public. Mozart is Mozart and Beethoven Beethoven whether you like their music or not
Listen to the Buena Vista Social Club album, it is AMAZING with HD800S.
Congratulations on getting sponsored!
I'm really enjoying your music recommendations, especially Avi Kaplan.
Woa.. good one :)
Very comprehensive review. I bought these pretty much the day I heard that they came out, having used the HD650 from 20 years ago, followed by the HD700. What I learned from those applies to these as well. Sennheiser, in my view at least, uses some of the worst headphone cables ever out of the box. I changed the cables on these to Cardas latest "Clear" cable, and that took a great headphone over the top. It's a pure Litz wire that has exceptional high end transparency, while the stock wire sounds gritty and noisy to me. This also shifts the balance away from the distracting high frequency noise and the bass and mods become bigger and more balanced, while not losing anything in terms of the huge soundstage or detail that you describe so well. There are online stores that allow you to try out and return cables, and I strongly recommend to anyone that is considering these that they experiment with a very high end wire. Thank you for your review.
So they let their customers fix it and then sold that fix to their customers for a big premium?
Pulled a real Bethesda there...
I admire your ability to describe a sound experience with words. You are a master at this!
Sold my 800s after demoing the Utopia and Clear. For me the Clear is the complete package and now have it as my daily driver.
Me too. I even chosed the clear over ayra
@@emmanuelpalmer8108
It really is a great can. I'm even considering selling my HE1000v2 now. It's been sitting since I've gotten the Clear. Lol.
I use Sonarworks SoundID to EQ it, if you’re fine doing so you’ll have an amazing time with them.
Good review Josh. Worth pointing out that the 800S includes a quality balanced XLR cable which makes up a good portion of the price difference over the 800. Would love to see a comparison review to Beyerdynamic T1, which I think is likely the closest competitor to the 800S.
Mine didn’t come with an XLR cable
@@ThotsAndPrayers pentaconn?
@@rauldon273 yeah, but no XLR. You have to buy that separately.
@@ThotsAndPrayers what's wrong with pentaconn? oh right; if you don't hav sennheiser's hdv 820, then you'd need the XLR-4 cable.
@@rauldon273 my dac/amp requires xlr for balanced output
I just got a pair of the HD800S's and I absolutely love them! Plugged into my Neve RNHP, it is sonic bliss! I never heard anything better than these.
Is there a playlist for the recommended songs?
There's also this video for a quick soundstage test for gaming ruclips.net/video/Hlft6DQl580/видео.html
13:26 - recommended songs
Long After You Are Gone - Chris Jones - Moonstruck
You're Getting to Be a Habit with Me - Cécile McLorin Salvant - Dreams and Daggers
To be human - MARINA - Love + Fear
Popsicle Toes - Diana Krall - When I Look In Your Eyes
The Music Of The Night - Andrew Lloyd Webber - The Phantom Of The Opera
The Foggy Dew - The Chieftains - The Long Black Veil
Bro play thr music you like not what you think ur supposed to listen too. Just to listen to it..
@@isaacmack1316 I already do. but having his song lists can help better understand what he hears as you can directly compare with your current hardware.
This review confirms the impression of others that the HD800S headphones are very revealing which can be a very good thing if that is what one is looking for.
Listen to What Do You Want From Me by Pink Floyd with these, it’s the best song I’ve heard on these headphones, incredibly clear with amazing background vocals, spaciousness, and the song is ridiculously well mastered
You might want to hold off for the new Air Motion Transformer based HEDDphone, some early impressions have suggested its very close the LCD4 for nearly half the price.
ZMF verite? Sounds to be exactly what you said at the end. Detailed and almost as 3D stage as the 800s but fully with more body and musicality.
Nice review. I have SDR modded HD800 (modded by myself) it sounds exactly the same as HD800s. I like how it sounds but dynamism, smoothness and low frequencies extension on my SR007mk2 is far better.
I have the HD800S ans I tried the Dekoni Leather Pads and I ended up returning the pads, the sound signature was not my taste with those pads, I personally felt like they Loss bass rather than gaining, I think it is because the drivers are farther away from the head? Maybe, but stock pads are my favorite for now. I just ordered leather pads for them, but the stock pad size, since the driver is going to be the same distance compared to stock pads
I tried some dekoni pads with the hd700 and even though I hate that headphone it still ruined the whole effect of the Soundstage and balance it was going for. I think sennheiser hd700/hd800 headphones are not meant to pad roll honestly. You might not like them but they are built with every piece on place for a specific aural effect!
I've checked the measurements of these pads. It has way less bass and way more treble than stock.
Get yourself an ifi Zen Can and turn the bass boost on. It’s phenomenal on this headphone imo
Hey Josh, one thing I would love to see you do in the future is start weighing the headphones with and without cables. I am finding manufacturers claims of weight to be very misleading.
Great Video! I think the quality got even better in the past videos. I like it a lot (in Jim Carrey voice).
Also: thanks for the awesome song recommendations. Please include more of it. This way we all can build our own audiophile playlists. 🤘
Dance clubs crank up bass to get people involved in music Or in cinema to make you feel visceral emotions, and this heavily influences people s perception of how music should sound.
But when listening on a deeper level, the bass needs to be organically integrated into the rest of the repertoire and that s why the hd800s remains a classic, there also very ergonomic
2:50 - serious audiophile look
Your intro's are insane Josh, keep going mate!!
I thought you'd never check these out since you weren't a fan of both the 800 and 820. Glad to see another vid!
The HD800 box had a way more premium feel to it. The box was lined with
beautifully folded dark velvet. The HD800s box on the other hand, has
cheap cutout foam.... Makes you wonder it's it's really a pair of $2000
headphones. Feel's more like $500.
My purchased in June 2018, HD800S packaging was lined with velvet and is actually a storage box with metal hinges. Maybe the newer HD800S packaging was more environmentally friendly...
You’re the Christopher Nolan of audio tech reviews.
Fu*king love your channel bro!!
Club Soda
I can only imagine bro
Someone who can actually talk in sound tech language. Great review. Good communicational review
Great review.
The passion and enjoyment, pros and cons all came through in an engaging way.
Hey Josh, did you notice if the soundstage was altered for gaming or otherwise with the Dekoni Elite hybrid pads? I game with an original unmodded HD 800(on your advice)with a Woo Audio WA7tp. I have not done the SuperDupont resonator mod as I read that it reduces the soundstage(apparently similar to the slightly reduced sound stage on the HD 800S compared to the stock HD 800). I'm treble sensitive but love my current expansive and immersive soundstage. I would love to hear your thoughts on the pads and must say what an absolutely beautiful song you ended the video with! Thanks again, Josh. Congrats on your first sponsor!
This headphone came out before 2010. They should up it with HD999S or something with a better bass response and some new tech, magnet or something but keep the build and soundstage/detail etc. Just expand on HD800S.
At the end of the day it’s all about personal taste. I liked the HD-800 very much and I like the HD-800S even more. I think they are both fantastic in their own way.
Gamer here. Dammit so the Schitt Hel distorts the bass response cuz the power delivery is too weak despite being rated 300 ohms: 200mW RMS?! I guess the Mayflower Arc MkII is the only choice as a DAC/AMP combo with a mic in for the HD800S, as it's rated 92 mWat 600 Ohm max. Do you fellas think the ARC MkII is a good match power delivery wise to avoid any issues?
How does the HD 800 S compare to the T1 2nd gen? I would love for you to compare them because of their price points.
That would be a great video I would watch. Especially be good to know which Dekoni pads go with each of the headphones really well.
The oratory or the Sonarworks True-Fi EQ presets for HD800 fixed basically everything when I tried it. I don't see why someone would pay hundreds of € extra for HD800S, tube amps or do physical mods, when you have greater control with EQ. Unless you are the typical purist who hates EQ and wants everything to be "organic". And same with amps, I tried the headphones on my shitty FiiO E10 and some 350€ amp and other than volume I honestly couldn't really hear a difference. I would kill for people to BLIND A/B test these things.
HD800S best gaming headphone. Focal Clear MG my favorite headphone of all time. My daily combo. Thanks Joshua.
13:34 I think you meant "Chris Jones". I enjoy that song too. Very good!
Did you listen to these via a balanced connection? The difference is substantial, and really the only way these should be used.
Bought a pair of HD800s after seeing this. Going to be used for gaming, discord and music. Thanks for the gaming part of the video :)
How did you like it so far? And have you bought an amp?
@@4bdull784 Yea I bought the SMSL SP200 amp and the Topping D50s dac (with P50 powersupply). Sounds amazing. Love it :)
@@magnusavr Am considering an 800S for gaming as well. What headphones did you game on previously and was the 800S really a step up?
@@shootinbruin3614 I used a DT990 with a Creative G6 before. Been a month since i have heard the DT990 now. All I can say is that the 800S sounds amazing. Yes I would say it sounds better. Just how much better that is another question. The 800s is way more comfortable and can be used for several hours without a problem. You ears wont get sweaty. Try it for yourself and let me know what you think :)
Will you review some of the ZMF headphones, like the Aeolus, in the near future? Would be curious whats your opinion on them.
MrKingBeavis yes josh make it happened especially if you are reviewing the verite. I’m purchasing one myself this year hopefully before the Purple Heart wood Edition is out of stock. I’ve already watch Resolve, Z and others reviews of the headphone but I would love to know your opinion. On topic of the video, I think the IFI pro ican is a wonderful pairing with the 800s since the very well done bass boost gives the right amount of punch that the 800s are missing. Great video as always.
@@nicolasyance40 The Verite is awsome!, till this day idk what the fuck Zeos was hearing.
If you want his opinion, you can send it to him, it's faster :)
Those song recommendations are just mind-blowing. Listening HD598's Dragonfly Cobalt through Tidal MQA. WOW! I can't wait until the HD800S's are in my life and I'll come back to these.
After I woke up on the floor, I looked again and the price was really $1,600 + My ears don't deserve those divas.
2,239,- dollars where I live
@@christofrip1723 Yikes!
Hope you can get your hands on some LCD-4z as they are exactly the sound signature you are describing to be your preference!
Might I recommend one amazing sounding album for these headphones that I found: "Come swing with me" by Frank Sinatra. Sounds phenomenal with these headphones. The soundstage and clarity is crazy good!
Get sponsored son! Nice. Great review. As an Arya owner looking forward to your comparison. Pls throw in the LCD-X too.
Great review! How do you clean your headphones? Especially the pads? Thanks
What microphone do you use in this recording? That's clean af...
If you can blow off the anti-EQ sentiment in the accepted Audiophile world and use either a Good classic Equalizer like my Audiosource EQ-One or even the Schiit Audio Loki then you can adjust the highs down to your preference and boost the Bass to your liking .....
I never understood why it's an Audiophile accepted practice to add foam to tune a headphone when you can make the sound exactly to your liking by adjusting a knob ....
So buy the cheaper HD-800 and buy an EQ and then tune it to your liking
Brilliant review though I shall stick to my humble but excellent HD660s for a while as I’m sure my wife will say no to another pair of headphones lol.
Joshua, odd question, but what wristwatch are you wearing in this video? Awesome review of the HD 800 S!
Can you compare this to DT1990 ? I'm really curious about your opinion.
Don’t be so treblesome 🤣😜
Just bought it sounds great on the Astell and Kern KANN Alpha.
Love the HD800s
Joshua. Please use GsP500(600) for gaming. I don know much about ‘Audiophile’ but for gaming gsp500gives more accurate enemies foot steps and positioning information compared to hd800s.
I had through tried the Original HD 800 before, I felt they need a little more bass, when I heard these had a little bit more I decided to give it them a try yes they're just that much better with the base,( I do believe the originals probly have a better control based, however I'm terrified to mess with the headphone so I decided to go for this, Instead of doing the mod my self), and I know what I like in music and it's mostly instrumental and orchestrated stuff from, jazz to classical to big orchestras or acoustic guitars, so you need to understand what you like, these they could do better on vocals, and really low bass music, but that's not what I listen to most of the time, and it is amazing once you EQ them, and once they are burned in, you need to burn them in,( I olmost f....up I was ready to put them for sell before they got burned in, im so glad I didn't) they are amazing, being able to separate a big drum from a small drum from the medium sized drum and all of them going at the same time and a big orchestra and all thar violence and what not, I don't think I can't find another headphone that can do that like this one at this price, for this price it's amazing. This is now my main headphone, but not my only headphone, It's my mainheadphone because this is the type of music that I like to listen to most, but when I want deep bass I have a different headphone, when I want vocals I have a different headphone when I'm on the go I have a different headphone (lol obviously, )this is my 5th phone that I currently own and use, all of you people that want just one to do it all, good luck, I understood that you couldn't get that many years ago, I need at least 3 different headphones for all the different type of music I listen to, I think most of us understand that neither one pare headphones or one pare speakers is gonna do it all, unfortunately we need different types depending on what we're listening to, I'm on a budget so I really gotta be picky about what I buy, For all of you thinking about this headphone I think this is a great review, now Go look at some amp reviews because these guys really reveal how your amp sounds as well and your dac, Man being an audiophile can be a nightmare sometimes. Lol
can you list the songs in the description or in the comments?
+1 that would be great!
Arndt Nelson Avila yea 1 +
man, that Outtro track was nice. what was it?
As for EQ'ing the bass response, the original HD800 responds better to EQ in the bass, because it has less distortion in the lower freqs to begin with.
Great video. Any chance you may review the monoprice retros?
Really interesting review, I'm looking at either the HD800s or HD820 - does the latter have too many flaws / overpriced to choose it over the former? I currently own a pair of Momentum 3's and looking for a higher end offering to enjoy when I'm not travelling.
hd820 is a odd headphone dont buy without trying.
Hi, I really enjoy your video. after watching it, I decide to buy one of the HD800s and LCD - x, any suggestions?
Excellent review and production. Josh, you and I have very similar taste in sound signature and what we like. I also own many of the headphones you reviewed. I also prefer pleasure of critical listening. Please make a comparison with Ayria and the HD800S.
Maybe even LCD X but I feel my LCD2C is good enough so would rather see the other two compared.
I use these headphones with soundblaster x7 for some console gaming. BF4 :) Great audio quality
I dont need it, I definitly don't need it...I NEEEEEEED IIIIIIIIIT!
Aurora - Runaway (cover by Daneliya Tuleshova) sounds amazing on the HD800S
So these headphones might not be good for the Old school Boombap Hip Hop NY Style?
HD800 treble ranges from hot to neutral depending on where I put me ears in the cup.
Would most people agree that for classical music HD800s is the best option in the price range? Thanks
I bought the dekoni pads for it and I wasn't sure if they helped or hurt the sound. Couldn't make up my mind. May have to try them again. I think you can use oratory1990 eq and get a really amazing sound from these. And when you game leave them stock for all the detail and width.
I hate it. I've just upgraded to $600 headphone ( sorry for not telling you true price, wife. You wouldn't understand).
And while it's flying to me, I am already thinking when will I buy a HD800s or Clear.
I feel like nothing can beat my HD700 for gaming to price ratio. Have to try these now to measure the difference. Dammit
C C ikr!? The hd 700 is still the best I’ve heard for gaming I need to hear this as well.
Nice review. Still don't think it's worth the price. Given the price range I'd personally choose the Focal Clear over these. DT 1990 Pros with Dekoni Choice Suede is my daily driver atm. The biggest selling point to me is comfort. I can only comfortably wear my 1990s for maybe 5 hours before my right ear starts to get fatigued. I think the shape of the pads on the 800s would be a lot more comfortable.
Arya, bro. Best of both worlds; fun and analytical.
A Pro Edition of the Final Audio D8000 is out there now. See what you think!!!
If you reviewed the 800S with my integrated amp and headphone cable, this would be a dramatically different review. It’s very critical to match the 800S with the right components. With the right components, you get details, nuance, AND an emotionally engaging experience. With the wrong components, it can sound lifeless, analytical, and clinical. I wouldn’t even think about plugging the 800S into a solid-state amp or using their stock cable.
MY SYSTEM:
Cary 300SEI integrated amplifier with Synergistic Research Orange Fuse, Grayhill selector switch, two Bybee IQSEs, 1 NOS TUNG-SOL Made In USA 6sn7 (preamp tube), 2 NOS BRIMAR Made In England 6sn7 (driver tubes), 2 Genalex Golden Lion 300B (power tubes).
ToneKraft Version.2 headphone cable by Audio Envy. Night and day difference between the ToneKraft and stock cable - far more musically and emotionally engaging. Version.3 is coming out in a couple months and it’s expected to have an even greater “analogue sound” without a false sense of coloration. I'll be one of the first in line for it.
Awesome, Review, need these headphones asap.
ZMF verite open/ closed review?
I love playing Destiny with you my man!
Is the driver angled? Can you make a video about headphones with angled drivers? And talk about the soundstage they bring out with hearing things behind you.
You'd like Aja by Steely Dan. The whole album.
Oh yes! The whole Steely Dan catalog is amazing on the HD800s! 👍
How do they compare to the Elex, in general?
Are the 800s the best gaming headphones on the market today? How much of an upgrade on the Elex for gaming?
Joshua , I got a DAC/AMP from jds labs . From 2018. What are you're thought on their overall products.
Hey just in time! I ordered a pair of HD800S a couple of days ago, should be here in about a week
AceMew use oratory1990 eq and it's even better! I turn it off when gaming tho. Not necessary but I think it allows more detail when stock for gaming.
Rhodey what app do I need for EQ? Upgrading from hd558 so I never used any EQ or even external amps/dacs
AceMew APO Peace. Look up metal571. He does a great job explaining it.
You need an amp for these headphones and they can be picky so do some research. I like it on my 789 tho.
Rhodey I’ve done lots of research already and I’ve decided to get the 789 or the slightly cheaper smsl sp200 (depends on what I find) and I know metal571, it’s just that I’ve never looked into EQ. Thanks!
AceMew either one of those amps will be great! And run them balanced, always, unless on a tube.
What dac you going with?
Super happy for you. You'll enjoy these!