This is the official thread for the Sennheiser HD8XX
This thread is for discussion and reviews.
- Type: Over
- Amp needed: Yes
- Status? Pre-Release
- Open Back
Hifiguides Drop Link[Reviews]
Z Reviews Initial Impression
3 Likes
First up Josh…
4 Likes
To me, I never aspired to the 800 series and these don’t really change that. If I was going high end, I would lean to Clear or Arya.
6 Likes
I’ve not heard the 800 series but they did seem to come over as a one trick pony…soundstage, WIDE soundstage 
5 Likes
I own and love the 800S, but I’d pick the Clears any day @ShaneD . I really wish they didn’t stick with the crappy connectors. They are always a harrowing experience to swap out, and they add about $150 to the starting price of any aftermarket cable. I understand they’d need to change their assembly for what will probably always be a niche product, but you’d better hope you like the stock cable or plan on spending a fair bit more
2 Likes
I don’t trust Josh’s opinion. I didn’t agree with any of his budgeted builds.
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They don’t just have the 3.5mm connectors like the Elex?
no, I mean the 800S revision 8XX-should have been more clear. Clears are the exact same as the Elex. The headphone show guys make fun of Chrono because he ripped out the entire cable housing trying to remove the 800S cables, but anyone who has tried it can relate
1 Like
err what? no… similar but not the same least not to my ear
Granted I am interested in the 8xx here… probably won’t bother with it… I own the Aryas and Clears these days so I don’t really see a reason to add this to my own collection when I didn’t very much appreciate the 800S to begin with
Not a fan of the hd800s treble and the hd8xx isn’t addressing that. I actually chose the Ananda’s over them. They both go for the same kind of usage I think.
Hd800s is obviously the technically superior headphone though.
I think I will wait… I’d love to jump on these but I’m gonna wait a few months or a year and see if the price drops a bit. Really not a bad deal right now though cause you do get good drop credit when purchasing. Hopefully someday. I think they would be right at home next to my HD6XX’s & HD700’s 
I meant the termination for the Clears and Elex is the same. I agree that there is quite a difference between the two headphones. I’ll be quiet now, I didn’t mean to confuse and derail the thread so much
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I wish. I asked drop if they changed anything else and apparently just color and tuning. Shame because 3.5mm instead of whatever dumb connectors would open up a world of possibilities.
It is hilarious as I sent him the set I listened to and he still got the video out first. I wasn’t in a rush I guess.
2 Likes
Nice to see some early word on these. I think i’ll hold my pre-order, they sound super promising. The comments on bass response are interesting to hear. I haven’t heard many headphones that can be very bassy, with any level of detail down there that don’t give something up in other ranges.
Tried pad swapped 1990s, CA Cascades, etc… they either sound great in the top 3/4 or are just outrageous bass monsters. Elex seems to walk the finest line here, of anything i’ve heard anyway.
Really really excited to for the full review.
Like most people on the discussion board on Drop, I wished they came or had an option for balanced cables. (BTW new to the audio world). I did play my order anyway and I am looking forward to plugging them into the Zen DAC/AMP 6XX. I was hoping that Zeos or Joshua used the Zen 6xx combo to hear their thoughts.
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Ugh…can you imagine having all that hanging off your head?
3 Likes
Agreed, not worth it. If you’re handy, it would be trivial to reterminate the stock cable.
I’ve got no interest in the HD800 series either. I demo’d them about 4 years ago and after reading all the hype and love for them on Reddit and then only found them to be ‘meh’. live n learn…
you’re attatching dumbells to your headphone silly
…
1 Like