[Lindholdt]

Not sure if this is the right place, but I'll give it a shot, I'm sure someone will tell me if this is the incorrect thread, but:

I'm currently considering buying a set of fairly old HD800 non-s headphones.
But I'm concerned that I end up with a unusable set, if one of the drivers fail.
So my question is, can new drivers and spare parts for this set still be bought? I haven't been able to find any myself, but that does not mean it don't exist.

How concerned should I be about driver failure on a 10+ years old set?

Thanks for any inputs or insights, everything is appreciated

 

[Whazzzup]

Not sure if this is the right place, but I'll give it a shot, I'm sure someone will tell me if this is the incorrect thread, but:

I'm currently considering buying a set of fairly old HD800 non-s headphones.
But I'm concerned that I end up with a unusable set, if one of the drivers fail.
So my question is, can new drivers and spare parts for this set still be bought? I haven't been able to find any myself, but that does not mean it don't exist.

How concerned should I be about driver failure on a 10+ years old set?

Thanks for any inputs or insights, everything is appreciated

You know the game. On the surface all warranties exist as the limit of life. So a 2 year warranty indicates that it can fail any time after. But reality refrigerators and hp can last 25 years and longer. So check the worries

 

[SecretAgent]

I'd only buy new

 

[shabta]

Not sure if this is the right place, but I'll give it a shot, I'm sure someone will tell me if this is the incorrect thread, but:

I'm currently considering buying a set of fairly old HD800 non-s headphones.
But I'm concerned that I end up with a unusable set, if one of the drivers fail.
So my question is, can new drivers and spare parts for this set still be bought? I haven't been able to find any myself, but that does not mean it don't exist.

How concerned should I be about driver failure on a 10+ years old set?

Thanks for any inputs or insights, everything is appreciated

Sennheiser makes headphones that can last for decades. I have an HD800 that is 12 years young. It's been dropped and nicked, and it sounds like it did when I got it (as long as I change the pads every fews years). The driver for the S and the non S are the same. Senhieser keeps spare parts for many fo their best headphones indefinitely, people can still send an HE60 for refurb. You probably can't by a driver on your own (there are lost of good reasons for this) but you can send to sennheiser for repair. But the original drivers are carefully matched so not sure how that would work. But on balence there is little to worry about since you will get at least another 10-20 years out of the headphone unless that we very very badly handled.

 

[dynamic headphones]

Sennheiser makes headphones that can last for decades. I have an HD800 that is 12 years young. It's been dropped and nicked, and it sounds like it did when I got it (as long as I change the pads every fews years). The driver for the S and the non S are the same. Senhieser keeps spare parts for many fo their best headphones indefinitely, people can still send an HE60 for refurb. You probably can't by a driver on your own (there are lost of good reasons for this) but you can send to sennheiser for repair. But the original drivers are carefully matched so not sure how that would work. But on balence there is little to worry about since you will get at least another 10-20 years out of the headphone unless that we very very badly handled.

i don't think that it's true anymore that you can send in such an old headphone for repair ever since the company got sold. someone feel free to correct me if i'm wrong.

 

[shabta]

i don't think that it's true anymore that you can send in such an old headphone for repair ever since the company got sold. someone feel free to correct me if i'm wrong.

You might be right. It's easy to just ask sennheiser directly. But the HD800 isn't an HE60, since the drivers are still being sold in side an HD800S. The quality is just as good as far as I can tell.

 

[Lindholdt]

Sennheiser makes headphones that can last for decades. I have an HD800 that is 12 years young. It's been dropped and nicked, and it sounds like it did when I got it (as long as I change the pads every fews years). The driver for the S and the non S are the same. Senhieser keeps spare parts for many fo their best headphones indefinitely, people can still send an HE60 for refurb. You probably can't by a driver on your own (there are lost of good reasons for this) but you can send to sennheiser for repair. But the original drivers are carefully matched so not sure how that would work. But on balence there is little to worry about since you will get at least another 10-20 years out of the headphone unless that we very very badly handled.

The driver of the HD800 and HD800S is the same? I thought they were different, as they don't sound the same?

 

[shabta]

The driver of the HD800 and HD800S is the same? I thought they were different, as they don't sound the same?

It's the resonator that makes them sound different. Everything else is the same. The HDXX also used the same drivers.

 

[SecretAgent]

What would be the best dac amp cables combo for hd800s if money weren't an issue?

 

[shabta]

What would be the best dac amp cables combo for hd800s if money weren't an issue?

SuperbestAudioFriends has put a lot of effort into figuring out the best amps for the HD800S. You might want to look there. The best I have personally heard is one of the eddie currents and a donald north amp ( but I forget the exact models). The EC isn't made anymore. DNA is pricey and I am happy with the Icon audio.

For dacs, but I don't think they make anywhere near as much difference as the transducer and amp. But generally I have found r2r dacs better match the HD800S. I am quite happy with the Schiit Gugnir multibit. I thought their yggy was a teeny weeny bit better, but not worth the 1000 eur extra. But I am not sure the Gugnir was really worth the extra either It's a great dac, but dacs just don't matter as much as many people say. Of course the more resolving a headphone is the more you can hear the dac... Yet, if it comes down to it, it's much better to buy better headphones and then a better amp, in that order before obsessing about the dac.

 

[Whazzzup]

Cardas audio clear cables if you are tight. 2700$ cad
Dhc chimera with short hd800S adapters 5000$ cad blow the load

 

[rids57]

Not sure if this is the right place, but I'll give it a shot, I'm sure someone will tell me if this is the incorrect thread, but:

I'm currently considering buying a set of fairly old HD800 non-s headphones.
But I'm concerned that I end up with a unusable set, if one of the drivers fail.
So my question is, can new drivers and spare parts for this set still be bought? I haven't been able to find any myself, but that does not mean it don't exist.

How concerned should I be about driver failure on a 10+ years old set?

Thanks for any inputs or insights, everything is appreciated

you can buy the HD800 (and HD800S) drivers from Audio Sanctuary in the UK, they ship to the rest of Europe

https://www.audiosanctuary.co.uk/official-sennheiser-hd800-replacement-ear-capsule-each.html

The drivers for the HD800 and HD800S have different parts numbers

 

[alxw0w]

Not sure if this is the right place, but I'll give it a shot, I'm sure someone will tell me if this is the incorrect thread, but:

I'm currently considering buying a set of fairly old HD800 non-s headphones.
But I'm concerned that I end up with a unusable set, if one of the drivers fail.
So my question is, can new drivers and spare parts for this set still be bought? I haven't been able to find any myself, but that does not mean it don't exist.

How concerned should I be about driver failure on a 10+ years old set?

Thanks for any inputs or insights, everything is appreciated

I understand you concern. But I'm not sure if there were issues reported with drivers failing over the years.
Dynamic drivers seem to be very durable, with planars some companies had problems in the past.

 

[fidgeraldo]

Audio Sanctuary in the UK, they ship to Europe

Hmm, I know that the UK is not a part of the EU anymore...but this one is new to me...UK is not a part of Europe anymore too???

Cheers!

 

[sygnus21]

Speaking of spare parts, for my the HD800S, within the last month, I bought a....

• 4-Pin XLR balanced cable
• Spare Headband
• Spare set of Earpads

The only one of immediate use is the balanced XLR cable (received today), as I was using a Geekria XLR 4Pin to 4.4mm Balanced Plug Adapter I got from Amazon for $35 bucks...

The adapter turns the 4.4 balanced connector into a 4-Pin XLR connector. Worked well, and is good quality, but I couldn't tell if it was altering the signal, plus, I wanted a spare OEM cable anyway, this the balanced choice. A bit expensive, but I wanted it.

Don't need the headband and earpads now as my phones are only two months old; just want to have them around when I do.