[Makiah S]

The Sony MDR Z1R costs USD1774.53 in my country..doesnt come close to the HD820's price tag...

Now, you remember how much it was when it launched?

Completely agree that there's not enough home use amps with 4.4mm connectors and wish more makers would come out with them, which is why full size headphones being boxed with a 4.4mm cable is much needed to drive adaptation. It is good that besides Sony Sennheiser is also taking the initiative because with their brand name it really helps to get the message out there.

Yea I'm happy Senns own amp/dac has 4.4mm but I don't want to have to buy their hard ware to use their headphone... having both cables at that price point would be more consumer friendly...

For those worried about drive ability from 4.4mm portable sources the hd820 specs are 300 Ohms and 103dB SPL/V. This means they need 2.24Vrms (Voltage) / 7.47mA (Current) / 16.73mW (Power) to reach 110dB of loudness (which is fairly loud). Choose an amp/portable gear that synergizes well with the hd820 tuning as almost all modern DAPs have enough Voltage and Current (power).

Headphone power requirement resource:

http://www.digizoid.com/power.php

You know it's not just about power but the quality and the headroom. Chasing after a portable that is on level with the quality of a Desktop is fun but expensive, but hey I could use yet ANOTHER adapter in my even growing collection!

Still worrying about amping these is pointless, if your down to spending $2500 on your glass backed headphone I imagine your going to have a nice carrying case roomy enough for it plus what ever amp/dap or combination of the two you want

 

[zeleknot]

You like those? Great to hear, and yes of course we will! We enjoy writing them. We will think of some of our own questions and answer them quickly (like pad material, it’s good stuff), but we welcome questions from the community too! Those take longer to answer sometimes, and we will try to answer as many as we can, but it’s a great collaboration and our project managers follow them too.

Honestly these look gorgeous, my only question and concern at the same time (design wise) is about the glass chamber...with time and use that space will most likely develop or let through some fine particles of dust, and with glass most likely non removable, it will be impossible to clean...dust behind that glass might drastically effect the looks and potential resale value. It would be nice if Sennheiser could comment on that?

All the best in 2018!

 

[nanaholic]

Yea I'm happy Senns own amp/dac has 4.4mm but I don't want to have to buy their hard ware to use their headphone... having both cables at that price point would be more consumer friendly...

It really just depends on what you own and is entirely subjective.
For example I have absolutely no source gears with XLR connectors, yet I have 4.4mm gear. To me the included 4.4mm cable is more friendly, but may not for others. Flip that around, I'd rather the Focal Clear comes with a 4.4mm cable instead of the XLR balance cable. It work both ways and it doesn't really stop there, since then there's going to be another bunch of people who would say "why not include a 2.5mm cable?", and yet another bunch going "blah the include cable is trash quality anyway what a waste of space why am I paying for THAT I'd rather the price be reduced for X dollars". A line has to be drawn somewhere.

 

[x RELIC x]

You know it's not just about power but the quality and the headroom. Chasing after a portable that is on level with the quality of a Desktop is fun but expensive, but hey I could use yet ANOTHER adapter in my even growing collection!

Yes, of course.

The quality of the source is key and I’ve always said that. Headroom is, by the numbers, not really an issue with most good DAPs in today’s market. Let’s face it, desktop amps have more room to engineer a quality product with better power supply and implementation than portables. That’s never going to change. I’m just saying that output power is not really a huge concern. We agree on all fronts, including chasing quality portable sources getting expensive.

 

[Zojokkeli]

I'll wait for the impressions and reviews, but I have a feeling that my TH900s have finally found a worthy successor. I don't expect a similar level of bass, but who knows, maybe Sennheiser will surprise.
The price is a bit of a disappointment, but at least they haven't gone the full Audeze/Hifiman/Focal route. At around 2000€ I'm comfortable buying them, if the quality lives up to the expectations.

 

[Slim1970]

I'll wait for the impressions and reviews, but I have a feeling that my TH900s have finally found a worthy successor. I don't expect a similar level of bass, but who knows, maybe Sennheiser will surprise.
The price is a bit of a disappointment, but at least they haven't gone the full Audeze/Hifiman/Focal route. At around 2000€ I'm comfortable buying them, if the quality lives up to the expectations.

I'm sort of in agreement with you about the TH900's. They are such an unique sounding headphone that I probably would sell off a few of my other headphones to get the HD820's and keep them. But since impression are pretty much non existent at the moment I'm reserving my final judgement until later.

 

[Hariz Nordin]

Now, you remember how much it was when it launched?

Yup.. It's at the same price

Yea I'm happy Senns own amp/dac has 4.4mm but I don't want to have to buy their hard ware to use their headphone... having both cables at that price point would be more consumer friendly...



You know it's not just about power but the quality and the headroom. Chasing after a portable that is on level with the quality of a Desktop is fun but expensive, but hey I could use yet ANOTHER adapter in my even growing collection!

Still worrying about amping these is pointless, if your down to spending $2500 on your glass backed headphone I imagine your going to have a nice carrying case roomy enough for it plus what ever amp/dap or combination of the two you want

 

[humzebra]

Ok, at least my SR009, don't look like I'm wearing bubbles over my ears. That 4.4mm cable is getting re-terminated to 4-pin xlr right away! If you want portable.. Fostex, if you want looks and killer sound, ZMF. If you want to look like George Jettson, get hd820..

 

[boomtube]

Ok, at least my SR009, don't look like I'm wearing bubbles over my ears. That 4.4mm cable is getting re-terminated to 4-pin xlr right away! If you want portable.. Fostex, if you want looks and killer sound, ZMF. If you want to look like George Jettson, get hd820..

How is this relevant?...Do you have any desire to know how they sound?

 

[x RELIC x]

That 4.4mm cable is getting re-terminated to 4-pin xlr right away!

Why? The Sennheiser U.S. page says it comes with an XLR-4 balanced connector.

 

[EddieE]

It is expensive, and that is a lot of money, but I feel I got something new and revolutionary for my money, that may be the best sounding headphone I've yet heard, in terms of lack of coloration and freedom from resonances.

The Diana was a new design from the ground up. It wasn't a case of taking an existing model, putting a glass cover over the back of the driver, and charging another $1000, especially after having the gall to put out an inferior product (HD660s) as a supposed upgrade to another existing one (HD650).

Come on, now.

Just open a picture of the HD800/S next to one of the HD820. We are looking at a completely redesigned chassis and pads. The driver may be the same, and the headband assembly, but everything else is redesigned.

If this was just adding a back on it, which is what some high-end headphone manufacturers seem to think it is to design a pair of closed cans, I would understand. But, just from the press release, it is clear that they have put time and money into R&D to try and solve the problems most closed cans suffer. The glass reflects the back wave into absorption chambers around the side of the driver. There may well be some trickery when it comes to the ear cups as well, which were perforated in the HD800 and are now closed.

Will they succeed? I'm less sure of that. I was highly impressed by all the engineering that went into the HD800, but ultimately didn't like the sound. But give them some credit. Claiming this is a pair of HD800 with glass on the back is incorrect. A cursory glance shows that.

 

[Rowethren]

If this is tuned closer to the 650 than the 800 this could be a nice purchase for myself. Look swanky as well

 

[Matez]

Come on, now.

Just open a picture of the HD800/S next to one of the HD820. We are looking at a completely redesigned chassis and pads. The driver may be the same, and the headband assembly, but everything else is redesigned.

If this was just adding a back on it, which is what some high-end headphone manufacturers seem to think it is to design a pair of closed cans, I would understand. But, just from the press release, it is clear that they have put time and money into R&D to try and solve the problems most closed cans suffer. The glass reflects the back wave into absorption chambers around the side of the driver. There may well be some trickery when it comes to the ear cups as well, which were perforated in the HD800 and are now closed.

Will they succeed? I'm less sure of that. I was highly impressed by all the engineering that went into the HD800, but ultimately didn't like the sound. But give them some credit. Claiming this is a pair of HD800 with glass on the back is incorrect. A cursory glance shows that.

I also tend to think that Sennheiser people know what they are doing and HD 820 is not just visual revamp but something of far deeper engineering. In any case, we'll know soon enough.

 

[Matez]

If this is tuned closer to the 650 than the 800 this could be a nice purchase for myself. Look swanky as well

I'd carefully assume that it doesn't have many things in common with 650s, honestly. Just my guess.

 

[Rowethren]

I suspect you are right but a smoother treble and bit of a bass boost would be nice!