Sennheiser HD 800 S

HiFi, OpenBack
Sennheiser HD 800 S — The Reference Everyone Argues About

Few headphones have generated as much forum argument as the HD 800. Sennheiser’s answer, over a decade on, was the HD 800 S — the same enormous ring-driver open-back, quietly recalibrated to settle the one complaint that never went away. It’s still the headphone people reach for when they want to talk about soundstage, and it still punishes a mismatched amp.

Build & Design

The HD 800 S keeps the original’s vast earcups and angled ring-driver layout, placing the driver off-axis to widen the perceived stage — an idea Sennheiser has never repeated elsewhere in the range. At 330g with a well-padded headband, it’s light and comfortable enough for long sessions despite the huge cups. Build is mostly plastic but doesn’t feel cheap, and the detachable cable now terminates in a 4.4mm balanced plug as standard. The 300Ω impedance is the spec that matters most: this is a headphone built around voltage swing, not current.

Sound

Bass

Not the party trick — it’s accurate and well-controlled, extending further than critics of the original gave it credit for, but this isn’t a headphone chasing weight or slam.

Mids

Clean, honest and slightly recessed relative to the treble, in classic Sennheiser reference style — instruments and vocals presented with clarity rather than added warmth.

Treble

This is where the arguments happen. Sennheiser fitted an absorber to tame the peaky top end that defined the original HD 800, and it works — the treble is exemplary in texture and nuance — but the character around 6kHz is still audible: percussion can sound like rain on a tin roof, and forward transients retain a touch of that signature clank on a bright source. Pair it thoughtfully and it disappears; pair it carelessly and it’s the first thing you’ll notice.

Soundstage & Imaging

Still the benchmark. The angled driver geometry delivers a genuinely huge, wide stage with exceptional layering and separation — why orchestral, soundtrack and game-audio fans have never stopped recommending it.

Comparisons

Against my Sennheiser HD600, the family resemblance in tonal honesty is obvious, but the HD 800 S trades the HD600’s forgiving warmth for a vastly bigger stage and a treble that demands more care in matching. Against the Hifiman HE1000 Stealth, both chase flagship resolution from opposite directions — the Hifiman warmer and easier to drive, the Sennheiser airier and far more voltage-hungry. Fed from my RME ADI-2’s balanced output, which has the headroom the 300Ω load wants, it sounds composed rather than clinical; on a weaker source the 6kHz character shows up exactly as the forums warn. The consensus, mine included, is that it rewards a slightly warm, high-power amp far more than most headphones at the price.

Verdict

Pros

  • Still the widest, most precisely imaged soundstage at this level
  • Exceptionally light and comfortable for its size
  • Honest, reference-grade midrange tuning
  • 4.4mm balanced cable included as standard

Cons

  • 300Ω load needs a powerful amp to shine
  • Treble around 6kHz is polarising on a bright chain
  • Bass is accurate rather than exciting
  • Plastic-heavy build feels a step below the price

Ratings:

  • Build & Design: 8 / 10
  • Sound: 9 / 10
  • Comfort: 9 / 10
  • Value: 8 / 10

The HD 800 S is still the soundstage reference a decade on — just don’t buy one without a proper amp behind it, or you’ll hear exactly why people argue about it.