This product has been out for many years and there many published reviews. This is Sennheiser's flagship open-back model and deserves equal consideration if shopping in the flagship tier. My 5 star rating is on a Drop product scale, as the HD 800 S widely outclasses the large majority of headphones sold by Drop.Characteristics and comparisons:Fit: The ear cups are huge and limit your ability to interact with furniture. The fit is quite comfortable and not clampy, but also secure. They feel as much like wrapping a towel across the top of your head as a typical set of headphones.Cables: Sennheiser uses expensive odd connectors that are hard to remove and tricky to align when inserted. They didn't seem to learn anything from the connector issues of the 600 ... MoreThis product has been out for many years and there many published reviews. This is Sennheiser's flagship open-back model and deserves equal consideration if shopping in the flagship tier. My 5 star rating is on a Drop product scale, as the HD 800 S widely outclasses the large majority of headphones sold by Drop.Characteristics and comparisons:Fit: The ear cups are huge and limit your ability to interact with furniture. The fit is quite comfortable and not clampy, but also secure. They feel as much like wrapping a towel across the top of your head as a typical set of headphones.Cables: Sennheiser uses expensive odd connectors that are hard to remove and tricky to align when inserted. They didn't seem to learn anything from the connector issues of the 600 series. The factory cables are long (3 meters; 1/4" and 4.4mm) and high quality, but you'll likely need to buy a shorter cable too. Add at least $100 to $150 to the budget for another cable.Wide stage: The HD 800 S has earned a reputation for generating an expansively wide soundstage. This is correct. Sound sources are localized from left to right, and each stays within its own area. This involves far greater clarity and detail relative to the HD 6XX or HD 600.Neutral tuning: I hear these as not bright, not bass-heavy, and similar to the HD 600 but not boomy like the HD 6XX. Bassheads should look elsewhere. They handle treble better than many cheaper headphones, so you can hear high frequency content that less technical products cannot reproduce. Some describe this strength as "brightness," but it's not -- it's simple accuracy. If you hear harsh treble swap your DAC and/or amp. I'm using the HD 800 S on warmer solid state and tube amps to control for badly produced and harsh music, but not to deeply change the tonal character.Fantastic nuances at moderate volume: These headphones are expensive flagships, but only 1/3rd the street price of the Focal Utopia. The Utopia is rightly known as a nuance master with an uncanny (exaggerated) ability to precisely separate sounds by relative volume. However, it's soundstage is only middling/moderate. The HD 800 S has a much wider soundstage but not as good control over volume/dynamic differences. It's simply flatter sounding. However, the dynamics gap narrows at low to moderate volume and the end experience can be similar. Understand your priorities and don't buy the HD 800 S as punchy "rock & roll" headphones.

Amazing headphone

I was eyeing this headphone for a long time, and finally I pulled the trigger and I was glad i did as it is the best headphone tuning i have ever heard.I was worried as people kept saing that HD800S is bass light and high treble is problematic. but to my ears they turned out to be just the best tuning i could ask for. to me the bass was just perfect ! and the treble was not a problem for me at all ! just a little sibilance is somewhat noticable when lisening to a badly recorded tracks but it didn’t bother me, mids were excellent excellent ! it was so good and clear and spaciace yet intamate that i dont miss the 6xx series. Imaging is excellent and spot on with such excellent instrument seperation. soundstage is excellent too although it felt normal to me, yes ... MoreI was eyeing this headphone for a long time, and finally I pulled the trigger and I was glad i did as it is the best headphone tuning i have ever heard.I was worried as people kept saing that HD800S is bass light and high treble is problematic. but to my ears they turned out to be just the best tuning i could ask for. to me the bass was just perfect ! and the treble was not a problem for me at all ! just a little sibilance is somewhat noticable when lisening to a badly recorded tracks but it didn’t bother me, mids were excellent excellent ! it was so good and clear and spaciace yet intamate that i dont miss the 6xx series. Imaging is excellent and spot on with such excellent instrument seperation. soundstage is excellent too although it felt normal to me, yes bigger than 6xx and 660s but I was expecting something massive from people hyping the phone, so my point is dont listen to what people say and try for yourself,The clarity of the headphone is just amazing, I cant imagine anything higher than this level to be honest and I dont feel the need to upgrade anymore, with this I found my end-game. it performed excellent with all type of media i consume, movie watching was amazing and did not leave me wanting anything else. with anime it was a jaw dropping especially when an epic scene is accompanied with an epic soundtrack it just blow me away and give me goosebump and let me appreciate the headphone even more !with gaming it was something else. on another level ! I only play story driven games and it performed very well and was very immersive. cant recommend them enough. and played all genres of music to satisfaction.I highly recommend this headphone and highly recommend buying from Audio46, these guys are amazing with such excellent customer service and great points system and fast next day delivery. they will make sure you are happy.Just one more thing you need to understand, comming from a HD6xx and alot of low and mid-fi headphone, dont expect a huge leap in comparison, the law of dimensioning return is very apparent here as 6xx performed excellently at its price range while hd800S did perform better but not 10x better ! so dont expect to get an equal amount of money in performance. I do care to get the last ounce of extra clarity and performance so even a 5% increase is welcome but you might not feel that way. if so never try to buy a TOTL headphones as you will be disappointed with the price to performance ratio. this is only for those that trully seek the tinest increase in performance.for me I found my end-game for everything media and music.

Astoundingly good

I upgraded from an HD 58X, so my experience is mostly based on that comparison. I wouldn't call myself an audiophile, yet I can still appreciate this is an astoundingly good product for most types of media.Detail is extreme. I can listen to a track and pay attention to one set of instruments, then listen to the same track again focusing on something else for a totally different experience. I'm hearing noises and footsteps in games like Overwatch and Hunt Showdown, that I'd never even heard before.I love the soft material on the earcups and headband. The earcups are a bit larger than my 58X, and surround my ear entirely, almost touching my neck and cheek. Clamp pressure is perfect, it sort of just floats onto your head and stays there.

Excellent Mixing and Audiophile Headphones

These headphones are a huge improvement over my old AKG headphones. The treble is much more tame and is less fatiguing when mixing or listening for hours. Bass is very clear and crisp. They translate well when mixing between studio speakers and HD 800 S (good for mixing late at night).As a music transcriber, I was able to pick out the background instruments in an orchestra. They're very transparent. With my old headphones, the flutes would blend in with the strings, which made it hard to pick apart. It was a joy to be able to hear them distinctly. The choirs are simply out of this world.These headphones are also comfortable to wear, although they are slightly on the heavier side due to larger cups.The earcup is very spacious, so it's a bit daunting to find the ... MoreThese headphones are a huge improvement over my old AKG headphones. The treble is much more tame and is less fatiguing when mixing or listening for hours. Bass is very clear and crisp. They translate well when mixing between studio speakers and HD 800 S (good for mixing late at night).As a music transcriber, I was able to pick out the background instruments in an orchestra. They're very transparent. With my old headphones, the flutes would blend in with the strings, which made it hard to pick apart. It was a joy to be able to hear them distinctly. The choirs are simply out of this world.These headphones are also comfortable to wear, although they are slightly on the heavier side due to larger cups.The earcup is very spacious, so it's a bit daunting to find the right position compared to many other headphones. I have an average-sized head. So for me, it's 5 clicks out when adjusting the cups vertically so that the "L" and "R" is centered around the middle of my ears. However, you can change the sound signature by adjusting it vertically as well as moving the headphones forward or backward. A lot of headphones have only one sound signature. This has multiple sound signatures depending on adjustment if you want to listen to your music in a new light. That makes it fun.One thing that I don't see much support for is the 4.4mm pentaconn connection. They're aren't that many amps that support it. HDV 820 amp is Sennheiser's flagship headphone amp, but is too pricey for me to justify it.I highly recommend these headphones to professionals and audiophiles as a supplement to your speakers.

Great decision

After many months of deliberation I finally took the plunge to purchase the HD800S. They sit alongside my PMC OB1 speakers, Cambridge 851 streamer and Class A headphone amp... But wow!, what a revelation -hearing detail/ plucks and scratching of strings, nuances of breath in vocals, and things previously masked or missing from what I've heard before.Yes, these are extremely revealing, and not for the feint hearted if your source is first generation CDs with their sand-paper harsh A-D recordings. But play a quality source, or even vinyl, and you'll be rewarded with detail you never knew was there, like a 20yr old single malt.Some reviews have noted a thinness in the bass. Not at all. It is smooth, clean and extended. True, its never going to compete with the ... MoreAfter many months of deliberation I finally took the plunge to purchase the HD800S. They sit alongside my PMC OB1 speakers, Cambridge 851 streamer and Class A headphone amp... But wow!, what a revelation -hearing detail/ plucks and scratching of strings, nuances of breath in vocals, and things previously masked or missing from what I've heard before.Yes, these are extremely revealing, and not for the feint hearted if your source is first generation CDs with their sand-paper harsh A-D recordings. But play a quality source, or even vinyl, and you'll be rewarded with detail you never knew was there, like a 20yr old single malt.Some reviews have noted a thinness in the bass. Not at all. It is smooth, clean and extended. True, its never going to compete with the window rattling /chest thumping 100 Watts pumping through the OB1s transmission line speakers -coloured by the resonances of the listening room, but this is not what headphones are about. This is about sweet sensual immersion in the finesse of the detail and the performance of the musicians.As for construction, yes you definitely know you're handling a top-end product. 'Substantial' without being overly heavy. They fit well, even for spectacle wearers, and are cool and comfy. The connection lead is plenty long enough, and super-flexible textile-covered, meaning it drapes where its put rather than getting hung up and awkwardly in the way like 'traditional' cable.The icing on the cake is the quality hinged-lid storage box to keep them safe out of the way when not in use. If I had a criticism, I'd have preferred a little more space in the box to quickly drop the lead into without having to loop it in. Would I buy them again? Yes.

Great sound; difficult to justify price

Purchased as an upgrade to HD6XX. Comparatively, HD800S has a wider and deeper soundstage and greater clarity, making better use of HD/high res files. Without EQ, bass is light and highs are much too loud; any hiss/sibilance will be brought forward to the point of annoyance relative to the HD6XX.I ultimately returned the HD800s as they are much less comfortable than the HD6XX with marginal gains/compromises in sound quality. Much like the HD820s, which I also returned, these things slide all over your head, with noticable sound quality changes in the process.These are probably end-game if you have excess cash and listen while sitting still to eq'd HD digital sources. If not, I do not think these are worth the price difference compared to your preferred HD600 ... MorePurchased as an upgrade to HD6XX. Comparatively, HD800S has a wider and deeper soundstage and greater clarity, making better use of HD/high res files. Without EQ, bass is light and highs are much too loud; any hiss/sibilance will be brought forward to the point of annoyance relative to the HD6XX.I ultimately returned the HD800s as they are much less comfortable than the HD6XX with marginal gains/compromises in sound quality. Much like the HD820s, which I also returned, these things slide all over your head, with noticable sound quality changes in the process.These are probably end-game if you have excess cash and listen while sitting still to eq'd HD digital sources. If not, I do not think these are worth the price difference compared to your preferred HD600 variety. I recommend the HD6XX over these for most listeners, especially if one does not already have an amp/dac.

Kings of Soundstage

Purchased an Open-Box model here from HeadAmp, which is a pretty good deal. Arrived shipped double boxed with all the original packaging and in basically new condition. Currently running them off of a THX AAA 789, but have also used with the DarkVoice 336SE. They feel very premium and fit my ears great with plenty of room inside. The cups are quite large front to back - the largest of all the headphones I own.Comparing to STAX Lambda Pros on the STAX SRM-500T, with both AutoEQ'd to flat:Comfort: They provide a nice little hug to your head that's enough to ensure a good seal, but don't clamp too tight. Not as light as the Lambda Pros, but those are mostly plastic.Sound: The soundstage is wider than the Lambda Pros. Since I'm using both AutoEQ'd to flat, I've ... MorePurchased an Open-Box model here from HeadAmp, which is a pretty good deal. Arrived shipped double boxed with all the original packaging and in basically new condition. Currently running them off of a THX AAA 789, but have also used with the DarkVoice 336SE. They feel very premium and fit my ears great with plenty of room inside. The cups are quite large front to back - the largest of all the headphones I own.Comparing to STAX Lambda Pros on the STAX SRM-500T, with both AutoEQ'd to flat:Comfort: They provide a nice little hug to your head that's enough to ensure a good seal, but don't clamp too tight. Not as light as the Lambda Pros, but those are mostly plastic.Sound: The soundstage is wider than the Lambda Pros. Since I'm using both AutoEQ'd to flat, I've gotten them tonally to pretty much the same place, but the shape and technology of the headphones provide a different experience. The Lambda Pros are electrostatic, so everything is sharp and fast. You can also easily pick up very minute details of songs that you generally miss with other headphones. The HD 800S aren't going to be as sharp and fast, but their increased soundstage allows you to not only pick up where a sound is coming from, but also decipher distance. And yes, the soundstage is HUGE. The minute details I can find with the Lambda Pros, you will need to listen out for a little more with the HD 800S to find, but they're still there, they just might sound a little further away. Wearing the HD 800S is a trip the first time you wear them. I was listening in a room by myself, and hearing a sound in a song come from behind me surprised me because I thought someone else was in the room. Back to the attack/decay, the Lambda Pros will be very concise and tight, but if you're used to dynamic drivers, the HD 800S will likely sound more normal / natural to you.As an aside, the HD 800S running on the tubes of the DarkVoice 336SE add another layer. To my ears, they were a little warmer, and would provide a more fun / relaxed / musical listening experience, at the expense of some clarity /sterility.Overall, the HD 800S are a great headphone with great technicality. I think there's a place for both these and the Lambda Pros in my collection, as they'll give you a different listening experience, depending on what you're looking for (besides the Lambda Pros needing their own special energizer). The soundstage of the HD800S will provide more of an almost theatrical experience, though both are great for detailed listening, just for different things.

Legendary soundstage

This review is for the newer, made in Ireland version of the HD800s, which supposedly slightly improves the bass response. I have not heard the original for comparison, but these headphones sound great out of the box. They do initially appear to lean towards being treble-heavy for anyone who is not used to flat or neutral listening. EQ will solve this, if you (like everyone else) automatically cranks whatever sort of bass boost or "loudness" button is on your system. Make no mistake, the HD800s have no problem producing the low end if you boost it. What these headphones do offer that can't be added after the fact is an amazing stereo field and a great build quality. There are no tweaks for your soundstage or construction, and these phones give you some of the best ... MoreThis review is for the newer, made in Ireland version of the HD800s, which supposedly slightly improves the bass response. I have not heard the original for comparison, but these headphones sound great out of the box. They do initially appear to lean towards being treble-heavy for anyone who is not used to flat or neutral listening. EQ will solve this, if you (like everyone else) automatically cranks whatever sort of bass boost or "loudness" button is on your system. Make no mistake, the HD800s have no problem producing the low end if you boost it. What these headphones do offer that can't be added after the fact is an amazing stereo field and a great build quality. There are no tweaks for your soundstage or construction, and these phones give you some of the best of both at a comparatively lower entry price into the hifi arena. My chain is a Technics SL-G700 cd/dac into a Quicksilver headphone amp (tube). The HD800s sound razor sharp (in a good way) even just out of the internal headphone amp of of the Technics, but the Quicksilver adds some nice overall warmth, holographic depth in instrument separation, and noticeable slam into the kick drum.

Music to my ears. Gaming euphoria.

Let me start by saying that if you are looking at these for your next headphone purchase, this probably is not the first review you’ve looked at. So, I’ll start things off with the negative things I’ve heard other reviewers mention. The spike in the mid highs regarding specifically the “s” vocals and the lack of solid bass response.To my ears, the HD800S is very bright. But, in my case not in a way that is fatiguing to listen to but rather in a way that lets the incredible resolution that they offer shine through. The instrument separation has me rediscovering tracks I’ve been listening to for decades and hearing sounds within the music that I didn’t even know was there. If there is any negative to that, it’s that it creates a very analytical listening experience ... MoreLet me start by saying that if you are looking at these for your next headphone purchase, this probably is not the first review you’ve looked at. So, I’ll start things off with the negative things I’ve heard other reviewers mention. The spike in the mid highs regarding specifically the “s” vocals and the lack of solid bass response.To my ears, the HD800S is very bright. But, in my case not in a way that is fatiguing to listen to but rather in a way that lets the incredible resolution that they offer shine through. The instrument separation has me rediscovering tracks I’ve been listening to for decades and hearing sounds within the music that I didn’t even know was there. If there is any negative to that, it’s that it creates a very analytical listening experience where I’m not really just letting the song take me away but more so focusing in on the track and paying attention. I’m sure after the honeymoon phase I’ll go back to the escape of the music but for now, it’s exciting to discover.The bass response without boosting it slightly for my taste was a little lacking. In most audiophile circles, I know what I’m about to say is considered sacrilege. However, I’m not so pretentious as to admit that with an EQ bump this was solved and didn’t “muddy” the experience in the least. It only required a few hours of tuning to find the sweet spot for me and I didn’t look at it again.As a side note, I use these as my main audio source for gaming as well and in that regard there really isn’t any comparison. The soundstage is so wide that you can point to the direction sound is coming from and how far away that sound is. If you play games, I don’t have to emphasize the importance of this but more importantly to me that having a competitive advantage it immerses you in that world more than I can put into words. It just needs to be experienced to understand.In short form, if you have been searching for headphones that can do it all I can’t suggest you look elsewhere. They’re expensive and you will need a good amplifier to boot, but they’re worth the price of admission.List of headphones I’ve used before for gaming: Astro A50, Arctis Pro, Cloud X, Razer Nari, and a bunch of older ones not worth mentioning.Music headphones used prior were the Sennheiser HD560 and HD660. Both amazing… I just didn’t decided to go all the way.

Sublime Sound

Ladies, gentlemen, NB's don't let them fool you. It's as good as they say.The resolution and soundstage simply doesn't compare. Their technical performance is sublime. If you're used to the HD650 you might find them a bit bright at first, but then you hear details you have never heard before. Every sound is placed exactly where it should be, and reproduce as precisely as it was intended.Axel Grell crated one of the finest resolving headphones in the world. The tonality might not be as warm as you'd like, but with amp that eases off any harshness left in the treble the headphones come alive and close to perfect. You'd have to spend well above this price to gain any more meaningful performance. That's your $4000+ Hifimans and the legendary Sennheiser HE-1 which ... MoreLadies, gentlemen, NB's don't let them fool you. It's as good as they say.The resolution and soundstage simply doesn't compare. Their technical performance is sublime. If you're used to the HD650 you might find them a bit bright at first, but then you hear details you have never heard before. Every sound is placed exactly where it should be, and reproduce as precisely as it was intended.Axel Grell crated one of the finest resolving headphones in the world. The tonality might not be as warm as you'd like, but with amp that eases off any harshness left in the treble the headphones come alive and close to perfect. You'd have to spend well above this price to gain any more meaningful performance. That's your $4000+ Hifimans and the legendary Sennheiser HE-1 which costs $59k.