John Willett
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Posts posted by John Willett
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Sennheiser UK had some in this morning - so it looks as if the HD 700 is now starting to ship.
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Tyll, can you nicely ask Senn WTF they are thinking with the 700? Interesting, too, that they took a price increase on the 800, I hadn't noticed that, and then slid these in. I get that they're in it to make money, but raising price on the flagship so they can also introduce flagship light is REALLY cheesy.
Manufacturing costs go up and there has not been a price increase on the 800 for three years - maybe???
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There is an AES paper on the Realiser - "Headphone Surround Monitoring for Studios" by Stephen Smyth, Mike Smyth and Ste Cheung which they presented at the 23rd UK Conference "Music Everywhere" in April 2008.
You should be able to get a copy from the AES or Smyth Research.
I have the complete set as I presented the paper before the Smyth one in the same conference.
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It's also worth reading this:- Mixing on Headphones - published in Sound On Sound in 2007, it's less of a headphones review and more of a tutorial - it's very good.
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From an objective point of view the HEV70 begins to clip at not unreasonable listening levels. It also gets overloaded with higher than 2-2.5 v output sources.
Yes, that's why I never liked the HE 60 - I have now heard many people say it sound's much better on other amps.
I didn't know you auditioned the HD800.
What was it that annoyed you about it so much as to put it at the bottom of the Senn. family?Actually someone saying "nothing special" normally says to me that the headphone is actually excellent - because if it's doing everything accurately and not adding or subtracting anything from the sound. A superb unit will actually sound "nothing special" and will probably be the best.
When people start using words like "amazing" etc. I tend to feel that the headphones are coloured and are changing the sound. Nothing against coloured headphones, of course, for pleasurable listening if you like such things - but my own personal choice is always to tell me what is there without adding and without taking away.
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I've tried some of the older RS series of wireless, was not too impressed, with sound quality or capability to send signal without excess hiss and noise. A decent sounding and good SIGNAL wireless phone would be pretty cool.
But I think the new products will be.....the i series. Led by the HD-800i. New cable design to go with that new logo!
The very best cordless headphones I heard were the IS 850.
These were the HD 580 headphones with wireless infra-red - the signal was actually sent digitally and the DAC was in the headphones.
The sound quality was superb but not that many were sold.
Why - because the IS 850 were
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Are wireless cans that big a deal?
No - not if you want quality.
Wireless cans are perfect for convenience, but you pay for the transmitter and receiver as well as the headphones.
For sound quality, wired is always best.
But wireless are great for the TV and the bedroom and wandering around the house listening.
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Hmm...Interesting. Has anyone heard anything (semi)reliable?wtf? I hope this isn't the big announcement.
Sennheiser to unveil new corporate design at CES 2010
Sennheiser, one of the world
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So you really have not heard the HE-60.^Well that gives me something to look forward to. Although terribly flawed, I absolutely loved the HE60 with the HEV70 in my system.
Your HEV70 at that.
Remember I listened to the HE 60 *after* hearing the Orpheus and it didn't come close.
I just found that the overload LED on the HEV 70 flashed far too early for me, before I got any decent volume out of the headphones.
I suppose the Orpheus spoilt them for me.
So I bought the HD 580 instead (which were the top dynamic at the time).
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I have heard all of these and own three of them.
I never liked the HE 60, but I only heard it with it's own amplifier and found it distorted too early for me.
My plan is to listen to the Orpheus and the HD 800 side by side with music I recorded myself and know intimately and see how they really compare. I suspect that the Orpheus will be better at higher frequencies and the HD 800 better in the lows.
Though, as yet, I have not had the time to do this.
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The Sennheiser Mini-plug started with the HD 414 in 1968 - so there is a *very* large list.
But the "fat" version connector is only used by the HD 580, 600 and 650 as far as I am aware.
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Another note worthy thing, I was supposed to sign when I received the package. But I wasn't home so the UPS man dropped the box into my backyard over a 6 foot fence. The headphones weren't damaged, but the flight box in comes in has a crushed corner. I guess it is something to get bothered about. But oh well, nothing can be done about it now.
The box *is* available as a spare part:
Part # 532037 - Case HD 800
So you could try claiming for a replacement.
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Your description of the HD800 is spot on. My issue with them is that they make me painfully aware that I'm listening to a recording very flat and lifeless/soul less.
Sounds like they are telling you an awful lot about the quality of the original recording to me.
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fixed
Thanks - finger slipped on the keyboard and when I went back to correct it, it wouldn't take - thanks for fixing it.
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And in response to the comment about instruments sounding right, perhaps audiophiles should start considering microphone, mic pre, and A to D converter synergy with their systems too.
I already do
Clean uncoloured microphones, The mic. pres in the Nagra VI are about the best around and the same goes for the ADC in the Nagra VI.
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I am hoping we will receive HD 800s in the UK very soon.
To make sure that priority is given to those people who have placed pre-orders with dealers please will you let me have the following information if you have already placed a pre-order
- Your Name
- The dealer you placed the order with (name and town)
- The date you placed the order
- Quantity (if you ordered more than one)
You can either send me a PM or e-mail me (jwillett) at Sennheiser UK (sennheiser.co.uk).
Hopefully we should have enough headphones to cover all pre-orders, but want to make sure that the pre-orders are fulfilled before the general stock headphones go out.
Thanks.
When we actually receive stock in the UK I will let everyone know - it's just that it's only fair that the first ones actually get to those who have placed a pre-order.
John
- Your Name
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Should I send them an updated S/N w/o the extra zero?
If you have had an official receipt to say all is OK, then I would say no.
However, if you have heard nothing I would try again - I think the site should tell you it's already registered if you try and do it again and it was OK.
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I got an email from Sennheiser too but it does not say my S/N is wrong, just to check the info. I added an extra zero in front and I'm just gonna leave it like that I think?
There was an error on the website that has now been corrected.
Anyone registering an HD 800 now is asked for a 5-figure number and not 6-figures.
All sorted.
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a really, really good pair of headphones would know that i don't like sibilance and turn it off, though.
Not if it's been recorded like that.
Really really good headphones will show you all the deficiencies in the original recording.
But if the original recording was magic, you will transported to Paradise.
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It's the Sennheiser Surrounder - it actually worked very well, but not too many were sold.
How many do you want to buy?
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Is there any precedent for an open-air monitoring headphone?
Yes - they are in use all the time.
But *not* while recording with an open microphone.
They are used (as well as loudspeakers) for mixing and editing (especially editing) on a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation).
It's best to check an edit on headphones as you are more likely to hear it on headphones than loudspeakers.
Abbey Road used HD600's and Grace headphone amps, I think.I use the HD 580 Jubilee and HD 650 with the Grace m902b, myself, but will switch to the HD 800 as soon as it arrives.
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Quite so.
Certainly supporting that thesis is the fact that different songs on the same album can range from silky smooth to oh-god-needles-in-my-ears.
It depends on what microphone was chosen to record, what the studio did with it, and whether their monitoring system was capable of resolving it properly.
I expect that the HD 800 will be picked up by professionals as monitoring headphones and that is certainly why I am getting my own HD 800s after listening to my own recordings through them.
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They really are exceptional headphones, though. Holy moley.
Finding it quite hard to pull off the usual multi-tasking while listening. Keep getting sucked into the music. I do sstill find them ssomewhat ssibilant on particular recordingss, but no one else sseemss to mind sso maybe itss jusst my earss.
Or the original recording.
What was it that annoyed you about it so much as to put it at the bottom of the Senn. family?
Your HEV70 at that.
Speaker Porn
in Speakers
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I have really gone off loudspeakers with multiple drivers spread over a baffle board.
Your brain is trying to put back together different frequencies coming to your ear from slightly different angles and signal paths.
I much prefer co-axial designs where the sound comes to you as a homogenous whole - I find this design gives you a much better stereo image and depth.
I have just ordered a pair of these:-
ME-Geithain RL944-K - 3-way co-axial active loudspeakers with a cardioid response at the low end, so they don't throw bass frequencies out of the rear like all other loudspeakers.
Sound is far more important than looks - but I am getting mine in Birdseye Maple, so they will look good too.
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