If you are looking for a nice pair of new headphones for yourself, there’s good news I want to share with you. I am going to bring into discussion two headphones which will give you a premium sound experience. These pairs of reference headphones centralize on delivering flat and accurate sound which is considered to be accurate sound production. No extra bass or surround sound is added to them so you can experience the raw music.
Comparing Hd 800 vs HD800s, for the convenience of the readers and make their choice easier. These studio headphones are great for professional use. While Sennheiser HD800 is lightweight and an excellent choice for the audiophiles. Sennheiser HD800s is one of the popular headphones for being the flattest while music reproduction.
Without further ado, we will now jump into the comparison between these two Sennheiser headphones and get our way through by helping you choose either one of them as per your requirements. While HD 800 has already set a benchmark the latest HD800s don’t just bring the slightest change it is actually something to get excited about.
About Sennheiser Reference Headphones:
Sennheiser HD800 pioneered New reference class Headphones that are wired in 2009. These headphones promise to provide a natural and realistic sound field with minimal resonance.
HD800 has been upgraded to HD800s which are enhanced and further optimized headphones. This brings with it the patented absorber technology, a breakthrough that cancels a phenomenon known as the masking effect.
The absorber technology of these headphones prevents unwanted peaks and makes all frequency components in the music material become audible to the listeners.
Comparison Chart of HD800 vs HD800s:
| Specifications | HD 800 | HD 800S |
| Type of speakers | Reference Dynamic Speakers | Reference Headphone System |
| Frequency Response | 14Hz-44100Hz | 4Hz-51000 Hz |
| Impedance | 300Ω | 300Ω |
| Cable Length | 3m | 3m |
| Total Harmonic Distortion | 0.02% | 0.02% |
| Jack | Jack stereo ¼ inch (6, 3mm) | Jack stereo ¼ inch (6, 3mm), XLR4 |
| Drivers | 56mm transducer | 56mm transducer |
| Color | Silver Finish | High-class Matte Black |
While there are some minor differences there is a lot common in these speakers. Being from the same series the feature that these speakers hold has similarities in them. But the minor differences we are talking about have a lot of impact in terms of sound quality and portability as well.
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Appearance:
Both headphones are open and of circum-aural design, reference class wired headphones. HD800 and HD800s are very comfortable and leave an ample amount of space around your ears.
Because of its open-back feature, these excel in the field of listening for a longer period. The main difference between the appearance of these headphones is the absorb technology, which HD800 lacks. Besides that, the finish of the HD800s is Silver whereas the finish of
the HD800s is high-class matte black. Because of being open back, the soundstage that these headphones produce is more airy and huge.
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Sound Overview:
HD800 and HD800s don’t have that many of differences between them but when it comes to highs and lows you can really feel it. These headphones are really worthy of gaming and video watching since they have 3D technology built in them.
The lows of both these headphones are well balanced. The bass profiles of neither of these headphones are heavy. But the lows of HD800s is warmer than that of HD800. So, if you have heard from HD800s it would be difficult for you to go back to HD800.
Between HD800 and HD800s, HD800s are more embedded with a certain type of earthiness that the HD800 cannot reach. These headphones are just not for deeper bass.
The mids are not very overwhelming. But the lower mids are slightly reduced in HD800 than in HD800s. On the contrary, the high mids are more defined in HD800.
Finally, the highs of HD800 and HD800s. The highs of the HD800 are not satisfactory and Sennheiser claims to fix the problems with treble it had earlier. The highs of HD800s are rounder and easier for listening.
Both headphones deliver crisp and crystal clear in terms of bass. HD800s are better in these terms.
Accessories:
HD800 and HD800s come with some accessories. HD800 includes the headphone pairs, connection cable with ¼ inch (6.3mm) stereo jack plug. A microfiber cloth is basically a cleaning cloth for headphones, which are the best cleansing agents.
A USB flash drive and storage box for the headphones. And of course an instruction manual.
HD800s comes with the same accessories as HD800. The package includes the headphones themselves, a connection cable with ¼ inch stereo jack plug, a USB flash drive, a storage box, and an instruction manual.
The extra accessory that HD800s have is a balanced connection with an XLR-4 connector.
Pros and Cons:
HD800:
Pros:
- Excellent build quality.
- Comfortable around ears.
- Incredible sound production.
- Durable
- Light in weight.
- Detachable Cables.
Cons:
- A good amplifier is required.
- Need a high-quality source to sound better.
HD800S:
Pros:
- Detailed Headphones
- Huge Sound Stage
- Top-quality engineering
- Provides a good frequency response.
Cons:
- High-end price range
- Bass not strong enough
- Requires amplifiers to sound better.
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Is there any need for Amps with the headphones?
Yes, the headphones need an amp to sound better. They sound so much better with the amps it’s surprising. Tube amps are mostly suggested by professionals to use in HD800s which will give you just enough power you need and bring out the purpose of the headphones.
Tub amp will bring delight like warmth and more emotion added to it. For audiophiles, the amp is a must-have to realize its value. But if you do not want an amp it’s okay. But you’ll be getting behind on volume and the bass won’t be stronger.
The additional amps will really add value to the headphones by giving an extra boost to it. But even without the amp, these headphones will still sound better than many other headphones in the industry. For HD800s you can use Schiit Asgard 3 Headphone Amp. And for HD800 you might use Beyerdynamic A20 Headphone Amplifier.
How does XLR-4 cable improve the HD800s?
The XLR-4 connector cable comes with HD800s headphones. The XLR-4 is a type of connector that comes with 4 equal-sized wires and impedance to carry stereo signals.
These balanced wires eliminate RFL and radio magnetic interference naturally as each stereo channel’s two equal length and gauge wires picking up the same electric noise. Because of this headphones cancel the noise coming from outside.
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Final Verdict:
There is a major difference in the cost of these headphones. This is because HD800s provides enhanced cohesiveness and gives you better sound quality. So, the question arises should I spend more money on an extra bit of features?
I would say if you want the advanced quality of sound you should. Needless to say, because audiophiles would buy it anyways. The sound signature of HD800 and HD800s are quite different so I wouldn’t call HD800s an upgrade for HD800.
The main difference between HD800s and HD800 is HD800s has 6k peak tamed, this feature could be achieved by HD800 by adding an equalizer to it. Due to the high damping tendency, the l bass response of HD800 is linear.
The outer finish of these two speakers is also different. If you want a new pair of headphones for your sound system you should buy HD800s right away. But if you already have HD800 you shouldn’t bother to upgrade it to HD800s.
FAQs of Sennheiser HD800 vs HD800s
These FAQs are based on real-life experience and problems that are poking around peoples. let’s find out more about it.
Best affordable DAC and Amp combo or separate for HD800s?
DAC and amp selection depend on your choices and requirements. You could use Schiit Jotunheim with balanced DAC since it also has 4pin XLR.
How much stage height adjustment can be done on each side of the headphones?
The headphones have about 10 clicks that can cover 2” of adjustment on each side. So each click of adjusting is about 0.2” or 5MM. These are symmetrical on both sides. The adjustment range is really wide.
Can I use my mobile device for using the headphones?
You can use these headphones to listen to music but they won’t work well. The headphones are 300ohm headphones and they require a dedicated amp to function as you want them to. Also due to high impedance, it won’t sound any good with your phone.
What is the best amp to use with HD800?
Any tube amp is best for HD800. You can buy Woo Audio WA6 which is a great amp by the way. You can also go for hybrid amps.
What is the cable length of the headphones?
The cable length is 10 feet. And the cables are also replaceable.
Is HD800 good for gaming?
Yes, they are.
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