Topic: Anyone using EQ with Sennheiser HD 800 S?

Hej

Sometime ago I had a pair of Sennheiser HD 800 S for evaluation. I liked everything with them except the midrange that I thought was thin.
Since then I’ve bought the ADI 2 DAC FS and wonder if I could fix the midrange problem with the Sennheisers using my new DAC. So, is anyone here using the EQ in the ADI 2 DAC with Sennheiser HD 800 S?

2 (edited by ramses 2019-03-29 22:43:16)

Re: Anyone using EQ with Sennheiser HD 800 S?

Other proposal, get better phones, Audeze LCD-3 in Alcantara version.
To get Alcantara version might be tricky but it's worth it.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

Re: Anyone using EQ with Sennheiser HD 800 S?

Hi Simna,

I use EQ with headphones regularly if I can get the headphone frequency through Sonarworks ref 4.

If not I'll look it up on various websites and go from there.

Here is the frequency response for your headphones. It might provide some clues as to why the midrange may sound thin.

https://www.rtings.com/headphones/1-2/graph#290/2031

Regards

Rodney

Rme Ucx + Rme Adi-2 Dac Fs

Re: Anyone using EQ with Sennheiser HD 800 S?

I have a pair of HD-800s that I equalize, however, I cannot say that I find the uncorrected midrange to be thin- in fact quite the contrary. Compared to my loudspeakers +  bass room correction the uncorrected sound actually has a lack of bass presence plus an over emphasized lower midrange and a lack of mid high "detail"- pretty well exactly as the curves suggest.
My speakers are ML Montis.

5 (edited by ramses 2019-03-31 22:28:23)

Re: Anyone using EQ with Sennheiser HD 800 S?

Sennheisers have no bass. Even if you EQ the Bass, it's disappointing. TBH, I dislike the sound. The ear doesn't find a good placement in the very big headphone shell. If you turn your head, then the placement on your head changes.

Also the Beyerdynamic DT-1990 Pro 250 Ohms I didn't like.

Planar phones like Audeze LCD-X / LCD-3 Alcantara are much better, in a good case of luck they work out of the box for you.

I prefer the LCD-3, a little less dynamic Bass compared to the LCD-X, but more balanced sound.
Not "HiFi", well suited for long listening sessions, you will hear a lot of details in the audio material.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

6 (edited by Simna 2019-04-01 20:03:28)

Re: Anyone using EQ with Sennheiser HD 800 S?

If the LCD-3 sound signature is the same  as the LCD-X they are nothing for me. I’ve tried the LCD-X this weekend and I didn’t like them at all. I want a more airy and clear sound image. And when it comes to comfort they have found a nerv just beneath my ear I didn’t know I had. After just 15-20 minutes it hurts so much I take the headphones off. No, the LCD-X is not a headphone for me in any way.

I don’t find HD800 S lacking bass or being brittle. The problem is that especially acoustic instrument sounds as being recorded with a microphone very near the strings so it missing out the body of the instrument.

The frequency response surprisens me. I was expecting something else in the mids. Hmm... Wonder what would happend with 1-1,5 dB at say 600Hz with a Q-value at 1?

7 (edited by ramses 2019-04-01 23:28:18)

Re: Anyone using EQ with Sennheiser HD 800 S?

Did you have the old head strap or how is it called ?
I got the one from the LCD-4, absolutely no problems with weight then.
And the new models have a similar one now automatically.
Ok, if you don't like it, ears and tasts are different.
I have to admit, not knowing the 800S, but the 800 has no substantial bass, it sounds to me thin even after ~+6 Bass boost using PEQ of ADI-2 Pro.
I am guitarist, played also in Bands and I know how things should sound, the Audeze give me a more realistic representation of how it should sound compared to other phones, especially the Sennheiser HD800 which I disliked most.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

8 (edited by KaiS 2021-02-03 13:21:14)

Re: Anyone using EQ with Sennheiser HD 800 S?

Here is a suggestion that doesn’t fix anything smile , maybe except for the bass:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/qhwoxvqpdml3r … 9.pdf?dl=0


The problem with the HD 800(S) are the internal reflections that bounce around inside the cup.
This is why the sound is so inconsistent with positioning on the head.


Fixing this by additional soft damping material (i.e. a layer Angel Hair or cotton) between the cup inlay and the cup’s outer walls brings you a huge step forward without killing the positive parts of HD 800’s character.

If you want an even fuller sound you can use the Dekoni Elite Hybrid earpads.
At this point the timbre approaches AUDEZE LCD series.

9 (edited by srsmith 2021-02-04 16:09:44)

Re: Anyone using EQ with Sennheiser HD 800 S?

Simna wrote:

Hej

Sometime ago I had a pair of Sennheiser HD 800 S for evaluation. I liked everything with them except the midrange that I thought was thin.
Since then I’ve bought the ADI 2 DAC FS and wonder if I could fix the midrange problem with the Sennheisers using my new DAC. So, is anyone here using the EQ in the ADI 2 DAC with Sennheiser HD 800 S?

Yes, here is a set for a 5-band PEQ that works well for me. They also correct the bass! You'll see them at the end of the review for Roon.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/foru … one.18424/

Re: Anyone using EQ with Sennheiser HD 800 S?

Simna wrote:

If the LCD-3 sound signature is the same  as the LCD-X they are nothing for me. I’ve tried the LCD-X this weekend and I didn’t like them at all. I want a more airy and clear sound image. And when it comes to comfort they have found a nerv just beneath my ear I didn’t know I had. After just 15-20 minutes it hurts so much I take the headphones off. No, the LCD-X is not a headphone for me in any way.

Agree on the LCD-X w/out EQ. Its nice with it. It seems that Audeze believes that all their headphones benefit from it - they have their software Reveal  + plugins for DAWs, etc. that cover all their headphones  except the LCD-24.  For their IEM's they have the above + hardware DSPs  that have their preferred settings.