Sennheiser HD700 v HD800
Printed From: Graham Slee Hifi System Components
Category: Headphone Audio
Forum Name: High Fidelity Headphone User
Forum Description: Technical Q&A, hints and tips
URL: https://www.hifisystemcomponents.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2276
Printed Date: 27 Mar 2026 at 5:57am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Sennheiser HD700 v HD800
Posted By: RichW
Subject: Sennheiser HD700 v HD800
Date Posted: 12 Jun 2014 at 11:33am
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Hi all,
I wonder if anyone has compared the HD700 with the HD800?
I currently own a set of 700s but feel a little underwhelmed by them & they are
soon off & the speakers back on.
How do the 800s compare?
Thanks.
Richard
------------- Majestic/Enigma, Accession MM & MC. |
Replies:
Posted By: Gary
Date Posted: 12 Jun 2014 at 2:46pm
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I had a quick listen to the HD800 and HD700 at a hi-fi dealers using a Sennheiser headphone amp. I prefered the HD700, the HD800 to me just sounded a bit to clinical. I had to see what I was possibly missing compaired to my HD700 and Solo ULDE. I'm keeping my headphones and amp as they are. ------------- Solo ULDE, CuSat50, Spatia Links |
Posted By: RichW
Date Posted: 12 Jun 2014 at 3:28pm
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Thanks Gary.
'Clinical' seems to crop up quite often in descriptions of the 800's sound.
------------- Majestic/Enigma, Accession MM & MC. |
Posted By: morris_minor
Date Posted: 12 Jun 2014 at 5:28pm
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I tried the 800 at the recent GSP Roadshow and was pretty underwhelmed TBH. "Clinical" is just the word I'd use too. After my LCD-2s they sounded undernourished, though everything was obviously there. I reckon I'd find them fatiguing for any length of time. (Apologies to any 800 fans!) ------------- Bob Majestic DAC/pre-amp Accession MC/Enigma, Accession MM, Reflex M, Elevator EXP, Era Gold V Solo ULDE, Novo, Lautus USB and digital, Libran balanced, CuSat50 2 x Proprius + Spatia/Spatia Links |
Posted By: msphil
Date Posted: 12 Jun 2014 at 6:18pm
Couldn't agree more Bob. I didn't find them anywhere near as musical as I had expected. I much preferred my Grado PS 1000's and your LCD–2’s. I think they could be very wearing over time. ------------- 'You are, through your soul not your body, a human being.' |
morris_minor wrote:Posted By: Drewan77
Date Posted: 12 Jun 2014 at 8:15pm
I guess we all have different tastes - at the Roadshow I was rather impressed by the HD800s, finding them neutral rather than clinical. They seemed quite airy and open sounding with delicate imaging and a wide soundstage. Bass was very clean but had depth when present on recordings I am familiar with. They also handled transients well and this is probably why I liked them, preferring a fast, live sounding performance, free of colouration rather like my main open baffle speaker system. For me, listening to music is totally immersive and the 'performance' needs to catch me. I do totally understand why others might find this tiring of course  The LCD2s reminded me somewhat of the HD650s with a thicker sound, pleasing but... sightly coloured and less 'airy'. Maybe I should have listened for longer? ------------- Older than I once was, younger than I'll be ............................. Andrew |
Posted By: Ash
Date Posted: 12 Jun 2014 at 8:38pm
Mhmm, not sure if I should say anything...  If I do, I'm bound to upset at least one person. ------------- We do not see things as they are. We see things as we are. |
Posted By: Drewan77
Date Posted: 12 Jun 2014 at 9:01pm
Ash on the fence  ?(I didn't mean it to sound like someone's been smoking) ------------- Older than I once was, younger than I'll be ............................. Andrew |
Posted By: Ash
Date Posted: 12 Jun 2014 at 9:05pm
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Well, if I am to be completely honest without sounding confrontational, bigoted or arrogant, I need to be careful how I word my impressions here. Hmmm... ------------- We do not see things as they are. We see things as we are. |
Posted By: Drewan77
Date Posted: 12 Jun 2014 at 9:09pm
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The best thing about this hobby is that we all have different tastes so nobody is 'right' or 'wrong'. I don't criticise people who hate Marmite, or offend them... I hope ------------- Older than I once was, younger than I'll be ............................. Andrew |
Posted By: Ash
Date Posted: 12 Jun 2014 at 9:42pm
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Okay then... I took my HD540II and Bitzie along to the Roadshow, to see how everything compared to the neutrality that I am used to hearing. New headphones that I briefly tried were AKG K701, Audeze LCD-2, Sennheiser HD650, Sennheiser HD800, Grado PS1000, Grado SR325i (I think??) and Denon D7000. So... I was very underwhelmed with both LCD-2 and HD650 through Bitzie. They both sounded rather similar to each other; a thick, congested sound that seemed to lack resolution.  LCD-2 did have an overly strong bass, if I remember correctly. Bad listening day?? The PS1000 sounded really great through Solo ULDE, with a tad bit of mid-bass elevation, I felt. This did not detract from the sound clarity though. Seemed to have a realistic transparency and the physical weight isn't actually too bad. SR325i through Solo ULDE wasn't anything special though; I thought its stereo imaging was quite small and the treble did show signs of having a fatiguing quality which I'm sure Graham's ULDE was trying to deal with. D7000 from Solo ULDE sounded pretty neutral; really great headphone. A slightly enhanced bass response (IMO) was audible but subtle. Didn't pay much attention to K701 but it did seem rather neutral. No particular frequency region stuck out like a sore thumb.What I really focussed on was the HD800; I was very impressed with the size of its stereo imaging. I cannot deny that its stereo image seemed to beat my HD540II; it conveyed a greater feeling of space. Not an absolutely huge difference but noticeable. The HD540II and HD800 seemed to be equal on everything else; equal resolution, neutrality and transparency. I couldn't assess whether the HD800 sounds as natural as the HD540II because I simply didn't have enough time for extending listening but the HD800 left an impression on me and is certainly the only one from the selection that I've got my eye on. I heard neutrality, not a "clinical" presentation but I was unable to make solid conclusions and therefore left the Roadshow slightly unsettled. Not sure what others thought of my HD540II but I did encourage people to have a listen to them so I could get some impressions. ------------- We do not see things as they are. We see things as we are. |
Posted By: Lucabeer
Date Posted: 13 Jun 2014 at 7:18am
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I listened to the HD800 when it was launched, and it was the last drop which made me opt for the wonderful Denon D7000. |
Posted By: RichW
Date Posted: 13 Jun 2014 at 8:20am
Thanks for all the opinions - headphone sound does often divide it 
I owned a pair of HD650s before the HD700s & Ash's description is bang on I reckon -
thick, congested & lacking resolution.
The HD700s are a big improvement but sound a touch 'safe & polite' & still lack resolution.
Will try & audition some alternatives depending on what local dealers stock - Grados & Senns
seem to be widely available. Will try & track down the Denon D7000.
I've owned a few sets of headphones over too many years but a set of Beyer Dynamics stick in
the mind as sounding very good - will try to hear T1s.
The road show was obviously a great chance to try out different sets.
------------- Majestic/Enigma, Accession MM & MC. |
Posted By: Ash
Date Posted: 13 Jun 2014 at 10:38am
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To tell you the truth, I wasn't even satisfied with my HD540II or the HD800 from my Bitzie at the Roadshow. There wasn't enough battery life in my phone to keep the Bitzie powered up for several hours before the listening commenced, which reduced the transparency of all the headphones tested on the day IMO (affected them all equally). Whether you choose to believe my next sentence is entirely up to you but the Bitzie needs quite a bit of power-up time before it provides maximum intelligibility, resolution and spatial qualities IMO. When you first plug it in with Lautus USB cable to phone or laptop, it sounds clear but not incredible... I feel it needs at least a couple of hours of ON-time for the electronic components to converge on their optimum electrical state (e.g capacitor charge storage) for signal transfer where you start to hear an even more exceptionally pure signal being transduced into a device like the HD540II (all IMO of course but I am entitled to my own opinion). I am interested in how the HD800 and HD540II would compare against one another from a Bitzie or Majestic-ULDE combo which have been powered up for several days. ------------- We do not see things as they are. We see things as we are. |
Posted By: Graham Slee
Date Posted: 13 Jun 2014 at 10:44am
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When Sennheiser 'worked' to develop headphones suitable for BBC monitoring use, they sounded good. When Sennheiser developed their own ideas, not so good (all comments IMO). Grado need 'Grado drive' which up until the Solo ULDE could only be achieved with Grado's own headphone amp - otherwise they distort (in hifi speak you will find the word 'richness' used instead... try listening to Mike Oldfield's QE2 album and you'll realise it's distortion!) Graham ------------- That none should be able to park up and enjoy the view without a smartphone and the knowledge in how to use apps |
Posted By: RichW
Date Posted: 19 Jun 2014 at 12:39pm
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Thanks Graham.
My Solo is a UL but not a DE. In the light of this it'll be taken to any Grado demo.
One of Beyerdynamics wares are top of the list though.
------------- Majestic/Enigma, Accession MM & MC. |
Posted By: RichW
Date Posted: 02 Jul 2014 at 10:17am
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Tried HD800s recently at local dealer, was much impressed & bought a set.
Without wishing to go on like a child with a new toy will just say that they exceed
expectations, are a big improvement on HD700s & totally outclass HD650s in all areas -
all IMO of course. (As they should really at the price.)
Now I'm wondering what a Diamond Edition Solo upgrade could do ... ------------- Majestic/Enigma, Accession MM & MC. |
Posted By: Graham Slee
Date Posted: 02 Jul 2014 at 11:13am
It would be a shame not to  ------------- That none should be able to park up and enjoy the view without a smartphone and the knowledge in how to use apps |
Posted By: RichW
Date Posted: 03 Jul 2014 at 8:17am
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Solo DE upgrade now ordered.
 The Solo upgrade scheme is a great way to move up to the latest spec.
Can't think of any other manufacturer who'll sell you their latest pcb to put in your
existing case.
 ------------- Majestic/Enigma, Accession MM & MC. |
Posted By: Mal
Date Posted: 05 Dec 2014 at 11:02am
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I've just bought a HD650 and, combined with the wonderful Graham Slee Novo, I haven't heard anything better. I upgraded from a HD280 Pro, and it was a definite improvement, to my ears - even without burn in. It seems to get a lot of praise, e.g., highest rated headphone here: http://www.head-fi.org/products/category/headphones Here's a detailed review (which also sings the praises of the Graham Slee Solo
):http://www.tnt-audio.com/ampli/solo_e.html |
Posted By: Drewan77
Date Posted: 05 Dec 2014 at 12:16pm
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Welcome Mal The HD650 does indeed have many fans and I often enjoy music through mine with the Solo ULDE. The HD650 is by no means 'linear' and has a definite sound signature but nevertheless the GSP headphone amps seem to bring out the very best. I believe there are several other happy owners on this forum At risk of bringing down wrath from the god of hell fire (ie our good friend Ash), the HD650 can be listened to without fatigue for hours on end whereas something more 'accurate' such as the HD540II is less forgiving of less than perfect recordings and almost demands undivided attention I am glad I have both options for when the mood takes me ------------- Older than I once was, younger than I'll be ............................. Andrew |
Posted By: Stewboss
Date Posted: 05 Dec 2014 at 2:24pm
Good shout Drewan. I feel the same way too! ------------- Equipment choices: Playstation 3 SACD, Bitzie DAC, Meridian Explorer DAC, Lautus USB cable, HD250-II, HD650 |
Posted By: Ash
Date Posted: 05 Dec 2014 at 7:16pm
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Some people like HD650 and some people don't. I have laboured my honest opinion about headphones more than enough and now leave it up to others to make their own choice. I have no love of headphones, brands, equipment or specifications; I ultimately don't care about any of it nor do I longer care about the plentiful misinformation on the internet. I quickly began to see through the pseudoscience, realizing it to be a simple lie. If others are determined to be so trusting then I will not interfere. The only thing of importance to me is feeling the music; having its emotion and tone conveyed faithfully and with natural purity. Escaping excess equipment and the need to own was always my ambition. ------------- We do not see things as they are. We see things as we are. |
Posted By: Drewan77
Date Posted: 06 Dec 2014 at 8:09am
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Ash is absolutely correct, all debates about equipment ultimately come down to our own feelings about the music. We are discussing personal taste with what we hear through headphones, speakers etc and it’s just like music preferences. I doubt there’s anyone who listens exclusively to one genre and having the choice of two or more headphone models can be useful and enjoyable, especially when there is wide variation in mastering of the music I tend to listen to All equipment is probably flawed in some way and the HD650/600/800s for example all have their detractors as well as many who swear by them. That’s fine, it’s personal taste. One persons perception of flawed could easily be near perfection to another I purchased a renovated pair of HD540IIs from Ash many months ago and I really enjoy listening to music through these. Ash’s devotion to seeking purity in headphone listening has been both interesting and inspiring and I respect where he is coming from. The HD540IIs still form the basis of my serious headphone listening and are linear, accurate and tonally neutral. However, I must admit, the warmer character of the HD650s can also be very satisfying Maybe as I get older ‘warm and cuddly’ can be rather nice - a bit like that streamlined, teenage girl I first met 35 years ago - her equipment is not as accurate as it once was and tonally she can sometimes be rather harsh on the ears but I still love her just as much! ------------- Older than I once was, younger than I'll be ............................. Andrew |
Posted By: CageyH
Date Posted: 06 Dec 2014 at 10:16am
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Nice analogy. I love my HD650, but I have not listened to other headphones recently. I find it stops the need for "upgraditus", the well known HiFi disease. ------------- Kevin European loan coordinator, based near Toulouse, France. Funkified SL1200 Mk.II, BB3, Firebottle Kin , ADI-2 DAC FS, Modulus 686, PD-S703, Solo UL, Triangle Antal EZ |
Posted By: mitch65
Date Posted: 06 Dec 2014 at 10:24am
 ------------- Greg Rega Planer 3 Gram Amp 2 Audiolab 8000A Auralic Aries Mini Russell K 50 |
Posted By: Mal
Date Posted: 06 Dec 2014 at 10:44am
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I'm really liking the HD650s for classical orchestral music, but I'm having problems liking it for spoken dialogue. For instance, I just watched Manhattan and Woody sounded too dark & deep toned... his appropriate shrillness was there through my HD280 Pros and budget speakers . Then again, Manhattan's jazz score sounded wonderful on the HD650s. So, at the moment, it's my goto for serious listening to classical music, but largely avoided for film watching. (Early days yet, of course, things might change...)
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Posted By: decibels
Date Posted: 11 Dec 2015 at 3:29am
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New member and new into the headphone world, jumping into an old discussion...I have new pair of HD700's and also have a pair of HD280's, the HD700's are fantastic IMO. I did try many different brands, styles and price ranges...Senn's as brand definitely took out for me as on overall better sound to my ears. There was definitely a difference between the HD800 and HD700, however for the price difference I felt it was not worth the extra $$. They are slowly breaking in and sound better each time. My next step is to look at a headphone amp to see if that would enhance the listening experience enough.
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Posted By: LOINER
Date Posted: 11 Dec 2015 at 10:48am
Now I wonder where you can get one of those ------------- STUART SOLO ULTRA LINEAR DIAMOND EDITION LAUTUS DUAL MONO 1.5M INTERCONNECTS GRAM AMP 2SE |
Posted By: decibels
Date Posted: 12 Dec 2015 at 1:35am
| I am looking for a HP amp that will allow me to run my devices with both the HP amp and my HT setup without having to switch cables. Or is the practice to run devices into the AVR/Pre-Pro and then an output into the HP amp? |
Posted By: BackinBlack
Date Posted: 12 Dec 2015 at 8:21am
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Hi Preet, The Solo Headphone amps all have 2 inputs, selected by a switch on the front panel. You can therefore take outputs from your HT amp and one other line level source such as a phono amp etc. ------------- Just listen, if it sounds good to you, enjoy it. |
Posted By: decibels
Date Posted: 12 Dec 2015 at 10:19pm
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Thanks Ian, I can actually send all of my inputs through a zone 2 output from the AVR so really only need one input on the HP amp. Now it is a matter of comparing the different HP amps for sound quality...have some reading to do :)
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