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SOLD: Sennheiser HD800S


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SOLD
Item Condition: Outstanding (except the outer box)
Shipping Options: Pickup available but audition is not available.,Pickup available and you can audition.,Shipping is available at agreed cost.
Suburb or Town: Seaford
State: VIC
Payment Method: PayPal (add fees), EFT, Cash
Reason for selling: Focal Utopia

These have been my reference tool for a little while now and a great testing headphone for hearing the finest details of products I'm reviewing, but the Utopias are in the house now and I can't afford to keep everything.

 

These are lightly used and in pristine condition. Any specks in the photos are dust only - I looked very carefully for any marks or blemishes and couldn't see any at all.

 

Comes with all original packaging and accessories including manual, USB with frequency response and PDF manual (I think), 6.3mm cable and 4.4mm balanced cable.

 

The outer box has some minor damage where the tongues hold the cardboard flaps closed, but everything else is in outstanding condition.

 
Photos:

 

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1 minute ago, franky995 said:

Does it mean we’ll see a review on your channel? GLWS!

 

I haven't actually reviewed these. I thought maybe it was too late in their life to bother. What do you reckon? I could still squeeze it in quickly before I sell them.

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I'd love to see a review thanks Lachlan. These HPs figure on a lot of people's lists as a true audiophile HP.  A lot of reviews are really old now. Would be great to get your perspective, especially a home grown one.

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what’s the verdict between this and the Utopia? I’ve got the clears, are the Utopia that much better?
 

Could you do a review between this, Clear and the Utopia (unless you’ve sold anything on already?) 

Edited by akqrate
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Haha. A few of you have read my mind! I've completed and uploaded a review of the Utopias with comparisons to HD800S, Focal Clear and Meze Empyreans. It'll come out in a couple of weeks. For now, maybe I'll pull the ad (or chat to anyone interested about delaying purchase) and do a dedicated HD800S review too.

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3 hours ago, Odyssey said:

Utopia and HD800S are just 2 very different sounding headphones.

What genres work well with either? In what way are they different I.e. what makes the Utopia a worthwhile upgrade? 

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10 minutes ago, akqrate said:

What genres work well with either? In what way are they different I.e. what makes the Utopia a worthwhile upgrade? 

Going from memory of Utopia, it is very clear, bright even, upfront and a narrower soundstage compared to HD800S. Having been so used to HD800, when I listened with HD800S, I was very surprised at the change. HD800S bass surprised me. It was very good. Definitely a fuller and more relaxed tone compared to Utopia. Soundstage is of course much wider than Utopia.

 

I have presently HE1000se, HD800 and LCD-3f but wouldn't mind adding Utopia and HD800S to the fold. 

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Have you heard the Arya? It’s my favourite headphone and was wondering what the HE1000SE does better. Sorry about too many questions just trying to make my mind up about what I’d like to purchase next… HD800S leading currently. 

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3 hours ago, Odyssey said:

Utopia and HD800S are just 2 very different sounding headphones.

 

I disagree (respectfully of course). I find the two very similar in a lot of ways. Their signatures are quite similar so for me the key differences are that the Utopia is a bit more refined and smoother (not warmer/darker) and it also has the smaller soundstage as you said, but I find it a more accurate/focussed soundstage.

 

I don't want to spoil my review, but the FR graphs on my EARS rig surprised me with their similarity. The EARS is by no means reference, but when comparing measurements taken on the same setup, it's fairly good for the sake of comparison and did reflect what I heard (I always listen and write my notes before measuring)

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46 minutes ago, Odyssey said:

HD800S bass surprised me. It was very good. Definitely a fuller and more relaxed tone compared to Utopia.

Thats surprising. I thought Utopia will have Focal house sound with punchy bass. Maybe like Clear but more refined.

 

GLWYS @PassionForSound

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Can’t wait for the review then. I’ve got a Clear and at the time of auditioning didn’t feel the Utopia to be worth the premium for my hearing. I’m tempted again now because I can hear some shortcomings in the Clear I own now with regards to detail, compared to the Arya (could be a warm vs bright thing). 
 

Utopia vs HD800S sounds like a cracker of a review. 

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6 minutes ago, akqrate said:

Can’t wait for the review then. I’ve got a Clear and at the time of auditioning didn’t feel the Utopia to be worth the premium for my hearing. I’m tempted again now because I can hear some shortcomings in the Clear I own now with regards to detail, compared to the Arya (could be a warm vs bright thing). 
 

Utopia vs HD800S sounds like a cracker of a review. 

Would be interesting to know if the Utopias complement the Clears or just trump them in every way. 
 

Lachlan, are you keeping both?

Edited by franky995
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1 hour ago, akqrate said:

Have you heard the Arya? It’s my favourite headphone and was wondering what the HE1000SE does better. Sorry about too many questions just trying to make my mind up about what I’d like to purchase next… HD800S leading currently. 

I have the hd800, utopia and hekse. 
imho....

the hd800 does its best work with tubes. 
my hd800 is actually the most laid back sound i have due to the fact i use a woo wa2 otl amp. 
 

if you are not using tubes then i think you should definitely look at other options (like the utopias and hekse) before jumping on the hd800s (look at those too). 
 

i built my first system around my hd800, hence my woo amp. But the hd800 is left behind the other two, imho, if using a solid state amp

but hey, the other two are also more expensive 
 

the hekse and utopia both have precision but they do it slightly differently. The utopia is a fuller sound punchier. Loosely speaking if you like the arya, then the utopia could well be the one for you - definitely should be demoed if you can. 
 

the hekse has a tight bottom end. Not big but detailed and tight and somewhat more open that than utopias. A little leaner when comparing to utopia. A bit more air between layers.

 

the hd800 are still great headphones. There is that biiigggg soundstage. The hekse is quite big due to its openness (i guess) too. 
 

the hekse are very versatile. Maybe more than the utopias. 
I don’t listen too much classical music, but i would say the hekse are better for that than the utopias. Maybe the utopias are better for rock but then the hekse are pretty good too. 
 

i guess between those two if you want something with a fuller punchy sound i would lean to utopias but if you want a more open sound with a very versatile character then the hekse. 
 

i was using my hekse a bit more than my utopias until my susvaras came along and now they are my main hps. 
 

the hekse sound great out of anything - including an iphone and ipad. 
 

re pricing, you can pick up the utopias for $3k at the moment from a2a, and you can usually pick up a newish 2nd hand hekse for not much more every now and then (under 3.5k)

 

all the best -at the end of the day they are all great options and this is all subjective hence the importance to demo when you are forking out this kind of $$$

 

ps if you don’t have a chance to demo the hekse, the hekv2 is quite similar bit the hekse has a bit more precision and tighter bass and a bit more control on the highs which are there 
 

a couple of additional notes:

i always found the clears a bit middle of the road. Ok but nothing special 

 

with some amps, like my previous cayin iha6, i did find the utopias too tiring and too full on/aggressive. Later with my taurus, v280 and niimbus us4 i have had no issues 

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1 hour ago, Ccollins said:

I have the hd800, utopia and hekse. 
imho....

the hd800 does its best work with tubes. 
my hd800 is actually the most laid back sound i have due to the fact i use a woo wa2 otl amp. 
 

if you are not using tubes then i think you should definitely look at other options (like the utopias and hekse) before jumping on the hd800s (look at those too). 
 

i built my first system around my hd800, hence my woo amp. But the hd800 is left behind the other two, imho, if using a solid state amp

but hey, the other two are also more expensive 
 

the hekse and utopia both have precision but they do it slightly differently. The utopia is a fuller sound punchier. Loosely speaking if you like the arya, then the utopia could well be the one for you - definitely should be demoed if you can. 
 

the hekse has a tight bottom end. Not big but detailed and tight and somewhat more open that than utopias. A little leaner when comparing to utopia. A bit more air between layers.

 

the hd800 are still great headphones. There is that biiigggg soundstage. The hekse is quite big due to its openness (i guess) too. 
 

the hekse are very versatile. Maybe more than the utopias. 
I don’t listen too much classical music, but i would say the hekse are better for that than the utopias. Maybe the utopias are better for rock but then the hekse are pretty good too. 
 

i guess between those two if you want something with a fuller punchy sound i would lean to utopias but if you want a more open sound with a very versatile character then the hekse. 
 

i was using my hekse a bit more than my utopias until my susvaras came along and now they are my main hps. 
 

the hekse sound great out of anything - including an iphone and ipad. 
 

re pricing, you can pick up the utopias for $3k at the moment from a2a, and you can usually pick up a newish 2nd hand hekse for not much more every now and then (under 3.5k)

 

all the best -at the end of the day they are all great options and this is all subjective hence the importance to demo when you are forking out this kind of $$$

 

ps if you don’t have a chance to demo the hekse, the hekv2 is quite similar bit the hekse has a bit more precision and tighter bass and a bit more control on the highs which are there 
 

a couple of additional notes:

i always found the clears a bit middle of the road. Ok but nothing special 

 

with some amps, like my previous cayin iha6, i did find the utopias too tiring and too full on/aggressive. Later with my taurus, v280 and niimbus us4 i have had no issues 

Wow thank you very much for the very detailed response there. Don’t run tubes, still keen to see Lachlan’s review and comparison between the two. I’ve got the D90 MQA/ A90 combo, love the HiFiMan sound but don’t want to get another HP too similar to the Arya. Hence looking at the Utopia and HD800S. Usually tend to listen to multilayered music like deep house etc these days, although do like a bit of everything now and then, Hans Zimmer, GoT soundtrack and some rock and alternative every now and then. Coldplay, Live, Muse etc. 

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I did this with Tyler’s (headphones.com) livestream on the Focal Celestee … want him to give his impressions of music I really like on the stuff he auditions. 
 

some songs: Painter by lady ocean, let me go by duke dumont, the scientist by Coldplay, Time by Hans Zimmer, etc. 

Edited by akqrate
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C'mon guys it's all come down to the personal taste & what's the kind of music you listening to. For the buyer should go the shop retailer have a demo or can ask the seller for a demo option before purchasing ?GLWTS

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