[obsidyen]

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).

Don't you think you're oversimplifying?

 

[amartignano]

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).

It seems that some people on headfi (aka maybe the most important headphones forum on the Internet) think that a closed headphone is made by taking an open headphone and closing its rear. Sociologically interesting.

Oh BTW, Hd660S are not inferior by any means to the 650, maybe different but not inferior (despite Innerfi supposedly competent opinion).

 

[LajostheHun]

It seems that some people on headfi (aka maybe the most important headphones forum on the Internet)

Oh BTW, Hd660S are not inferior by any means to the 650, maybe different but not inferior (despite Innerfi supposedly competent opinion).

Supposedly competent? That cuts in many different direction, you think the chaps on this site are more competent? Any case that would be an opinion too, competent or otherwise...

 

[gLer]

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 seriously doubt Sennheiser will go anywhere near Fostex-grade bass. It’s just not in their DNA. I doubt they’d even push it to ZMF Atticus levels, and that’s not near Fostex levels either. Only talking quantity and slam, not quality, which is a completely different story. I’m yet to find a headphone that can give you quality bass with Fostex quantity - not even the highly regarded Atticus, which I own, can do it.

 

[trellus]

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

At this price point, I expect some points in the looks department, too.

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..

I guess I want to look like George Jetson.

I find the SR-009 to be one of the only Stax I’d ever consider owning unless I got a ridiculous discount, because at least the SR-009 is not hideous like many of the other Stax models, but even it is rather underwhelming in the looks department for the price. (I have no doubt the sound of the SR-009 would knock my socks off, though!)

But it’s all academic for me as both the SR-009 and 820 are at a price point that means both of those headphones are only for me to admire from afar and read about with interest.

 

[amartignano]

Supposedly competent? That cuts in many different direction, you think the chaps on this site are more competent? Any case that would be an opinion too, competent or otherwise...

I know

 

[Purple Smart]

I honestly think Sennheiser should try experimenting with semi-open headphones, since with semi-open headphones it's much more easy to have subbass on the them compared to full open back

 

[Whazzzup]

Closed is never really closed at refrence level

 

[maheeinfy]

Wait until Massdrop HD82X shows up with a whopping 10% off msrp

 

[ubs28]

To be honest, headphones like the HD 800 was priced pretty low for how good they are.

If the HD820 has the technical performance of it’s open brothers while improving on it’s weakness (the bass might be better since it is a closed back headphone), the price is not that bad.

 

[amartignano]

To be honest, headphones like the HD 800 was priced pretty low for how good they are.

If the HD820 has the technical performance of it’s open brothers while improving on it’s weakness (the bass might be better since it is a closed back headphone), the price is not that bad.

It's strange to say but yes, Sennheiser top headphones are reasonably priced given the today crazy market.

 

[Alcophone]

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.

So? A company spends a finite amount of money on R&D when developing a product. They have to price the product so that even with mediocre sales, they get that investment back. After that, the markup over the raw production costs are pure profit.

The HD800 was released around September of 2009, it seems. It retails for $1,399.95. Its R&D costs have hopefully been recouped by now.

The HD800S was released in January of 2016. It retails for $1,699.95. I doubt it costs anywhere close to $300 more to make than the HD800, and I doubt the additional R&D costs were that substantial. It's more likely that they have been working on the HD820 for a while, and in the process figured out a way to make the HD800 sound better, too. They charged more because it's better than a product that sold for less, so why not.

So now, in the summer of 2018, the HD820 comes out. It retails for $2,399.95, $1,000 more than the HD800. New R&D costs to recover, and likely higher production costs over the HD800, maybe on the order of $50-$100.

They could have kept the price low, using the existing markup over production costs to recoup the additional investment. Unless they massively miscalculated on the HD800... but it was hugely successful, so I highly doubt that.

They are charging more because they think they have a killer product: world class sound in a closed format, making it useful in many more environments. That is a value increase over the HD800/S. And they want to cash in on that. As most businesses would.

Don't delude yourself in thinking that Sennheiser would go broke if they only charged $200 more than they do for the HD800S. People will buy this one who haven't even considered the open versions. They charge more because given $4,000 LCD-4s and Utopias, and $6,000 Susvaras, they can.

At least that's my assumption. I have no more insight into this than any of you do, to be fair.

It seems that some people on headfi (aka maybe the most important headphones forum on the Internet) think that a closed headphone is made by taking an open headphone and closing its rear. Sociologically interesting.

Of course it's not quite that simple, but it's not always far off. If you have an Ether, you can upgrade it to an Ether Flow or Ether C Flow. The open Ether Flow has bass ports like the closed one, they just don't serve any purpose. They share a lot of components, and the differences are mostly in the cap, bass port, and some tuning. Not surprisingly, both versions sell for the same price.

The LCD-XC retails for $100 more than the LCD-X, probably because the added cup is made from actual wood, which is always costly.

Oh BTW, Hd660S are not inferior by any means to the 650, maybe different but not inferior (despite Innerfi supposedly competent opinion).

Thanks for that. As far as I am concerned, the HD660S sounds a lot more like what I expected based on the HD650's reputation. Better in every way. I am glad I resisted the temptation to buy the HD6XX. But I've never had one for several hours or even days, maybe I would fall in love with it eventually after discovering some hidden qualities that make it worth losing so much detail.

 

[DoctaCosmos]

Eagerly awaiting a video from Jude. Can’t wait to hear those famous words “ to my ears it’s the ......”

 

[talan7]

Almost $2500? That’s a ridiculous price! Also, it’s closed back. I don’t think sennheiser is going to have their most expensive phone be a closed back. I would expect an open back HD1000 if I were you.

 

[talan7]

For $3000