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What can I say. The HD800 being 300ohm have a pleasing response with otl tube amps. After being in the hobby for over 10 years and this being my first audiophile headphone I ever bought, the combo of a (modded) HD800 and an otl tube amp is just something amazing. Hd650 with tubes are also a great combo (well it's a meme at this point for a reason)

What otl amp are you running?

Feliks Elise mk2, did buy it before the price increases

I've got the Echo.

Another fellow HD800 enjoyer :))

How do you like the Echo?

How does your VO and Atrium sound on the Elise? I've been looking at OTL's for my VC for a while now, just haven't pulled the trigger on one yet.

How would you compare the sound of the OTL to a solid-state? Been hearing a ton of praise on an OTL with the HD800(S), but still unsure if I'd end up liking it..

I've been tempted of buying an 800 after getting my 800S, thus post clearly doesn't help me fight that urge

in the end depends on the tube amp and the tubes used on the tube amp itself. The Elise is a "warmer" OTL tube amp so it makes the HD800 more natural sounding imo while it makes it lose some of its accuracy. "More" Bass oompf for instance. It's hard to describe how distortion works for me. The RME ADI-2 is also a fantastic pairing with the HD800 for that matter but I'd always advice people to try out amps if they can.

In theory all amps should only amplify the sound and do nothing else but tube amps are different in that regard as they will add distortion, if you like the distortion or not is something highly subjective in the end and a swapping out tubes is another rabbithole altogether...Some people like tubes and some don't (and that's completely fine)

I love the combo as ZMF imo really "benefit" from tubes. You lose some detail retrieval but makes the sound of both more natural and "bloomy". Haven't heard the closed verite tho so can't comment on that one.

I sold the HD800S after getting it. The HD800 modded with the SDR mod sounds about the same as the HD800S while keeping more of its original character. The SDR mod mostly tweaks the treble peak of the OG while the HD800S also adds more bass distortion kind of. The difference is there but I think most people will enjoy the S more over the OG 800 altho I prefer the SDR modded HD800 over the S. The treble peak is really aparant on the og if you are sensitive to it.

was my first audiophile headphone which I haven't sold after years of owning it so that's saying something :D

I'm kind of a treble addict so I don't mind it, but yeah a better balanced and cleaner 800S sounds really damn good to me

I read that as lube love, and was like: “You do you, live your best life”. Which I guess goes for tubes as well…

It is frightening how the HD 800 can be found on US Ebay for 600-700 U$ seeing how EQ''ed it sounds the same as the HD800s!

Amazing choice OP!!

at 600-700 usd the HD800 is a steal

Haven't gotten to use it yet. I'll have to get headphones first, I've been looking at the HD600. I got the Echo as a gift so I haven't gotten to it. I'll update in a week or so.

Is there any budget tube amp from aliexpress to try with Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro headphones? Will there be a diference worth trying? Im curious if the sound will be amped and more warm like they say?

there are plenty of Chinese tube amps but I wouldn't get them from aliexpress...but who knows

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I cannot wait to have a setup like this

I maintain that an EQed HD800 for anything less than $800 is the best value proposition in all of audiophilia, once you amortize the cost across the 10 to 20 years that the bugger is likely to last you.

Yours is one of the few setups I've ever seen in which the HD800 actually looks pretty stylish, although some of that may be down to the black and white. :P

wut best value proposition？ what are you guys smoking, hell no its not. dont get me wrong i have an hd800s and i swear by it but the k702 from akg will get you 85 to 90％ what the hd800 does at 10％the cost.

hi end headhones are just that： the pinacle of a hobby for people with too much spare cash. dont regret buying my sennys but a bargain it is not lol

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I'm lusting for a tube amp, so this post certainly doesn't help. Lovely setup you have here.

I bought my HD800 second hand and the previous owner let me listen to them on his Feliks Euforia. I feel like I've been chasing that sound ever since.

It's a timeless classic that stands the test of time for sure!