Sennheiser HD800S
Sennheiser HD800S
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MUSIC: Best in Class—9.9/10
CALLS: Poor—5.0/10
GAMING: Good—7.5/10
TV: Best in Class—9.7/10
PODCASTS & AUDIOBOOKS: Very Good—8.1/10
EXERCISE: Poor—4.4/10
AIR TRAVEL: Poor—4.3/10
NOISE REDUCTION: Poor—2.5/10
BUILD QUALITY: Excellent—9.0/10
The Sennheiser HD800S are high-end, over-ear headphones with an open-back design, resulting in a wide soundstage and natural listening experience; perfect for music enthusiasts and audiophiles. They offer best in class overall sound quality and comfort but lack a built-in microphone, making them poor for calls and meetings. Their open design means they don’t isolate noise well, making them unsuitable for noisy environments or travel. While not wireless, they come with a detachable 3.3-meter cable and benefit greatly from use with a dedicated amplifier. They are not optimized for use during exercise, as they are neither sweatproof nor dustproof. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Evaluation
Pros
- Exceptional sound quality
- Outstanding comfort
- Great for music and TV
- Detachable cable present
- Amplifier enhances performance
Cons
- Poor mic quality
- Underwhelming noise isolation
- Heavy build
- Not portable
Ratings by Category
Music:5.0
The Sennheiser HD800S is celebrated for its excellent overall sound quality and best soundstage/imaging score due to its open enclosure type, which creates an expansive and natural listening experience that is ideal for music, although it does not support virtual surround.
TV & Video:4.9
The Sennheiser HD800S excels with an "Excellent" sound quality and a "Best" rating in soundstage/imaging, which translates to a clear, expansive audio experience that's great for watching TV and videos. Additionally, this model is wired, eliminating concerns about latency that can disrupt the syncing of audio with visual content.
Podcasts & Audiobooks:4.4
This score evaluates the product when used solely to listen to podcasts or audiobooks. It takes into account sound quality and sound signature, to be able to keep voices clear and intelligible. It also considers battery life, when available, and comfort.
Gaming:4.2
The Sennheiser HD800S offers an excellent soundstage and imaging which are crucial for immersive gaming experiences and pinpointing directional cues in gameplay. While they do not offer low latency wireless connectivity, the wired design ensures there's no lag, which is important for real-time gaming responses.
Full Specs
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
| Price | $1,600 | ||
Brand | Sennheiser | ||
Release Date | December 1, 2015 | ||
Form Factor | Headphones | ||
Connectivity | Wired | ||
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score  | 10/10 | ||
Phone Calls Score | 5/10 | ||
Gaming Score | 7.6/10 | ||
TV and Video Score | 9.7/10 | ||
Exercise Score | 4.5/10 | ||
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | No | ||
Noise Reduction Score | 2.5/10 | ||
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | 9/10 | ||
Comfort score | 10/10 | ||
Weight | 371.9 Grams | ||
Waterproof Rating | 0 | ||
Dustproof Rating | 0 | ||
Shopping
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Sound Guys
Christian Thomas | March 2023
"The cans offer stellar sound quality, comfort, and good maintenance options—so they're an easy recommendation if you have the cash and the need for the last headphones you'll buy for years."
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