Sennheiser upgrades popular HD800 headphones with HD800S
Sennheiser has upgraded its popular HD 800 headphones with a new model, the HD 800S, which promise an even better listening experience than the previous model.
While the transducer technology and the innovative ear-cup design of the HD 800 remain the same, the sound image has been further optimised in the medium and low frequency range, claims Sennheiser.
Sennheiser has also enhanced the HD 800S with the addition of a symmetrical XLR4 cable and the colour has been slightly changed with the earcups of the new model which now boast a matte-black finish.
Sound reproduction has been optimised with absorber technology that was first introduced in the IE 800. This patented technology ensures that the so-called “masking effect” is neutralised, claims Sennheiser. This acoustic phenomenon, that diminishes sound quality, arises as the human ear is unable to perceive higher-pitched sounds that have low-volumes, at the same time as significantly louder sounds in a lower frequency range occur.
Through the application of the absorber technology, the energy of the resonances is absorbed, therefore preventing any unwanted peaks in the frequency response and ensuring that even the finest nuances in the music remain audible over the entire frequency range.
At the core of the new model is a unique transducer system. Measuring 56 millimetres, it is the largest transducer currently to be found in a set of dynamic headphones. In spite of the size of the transducer, the patented diaphragm with its innovative ring design minimises any distortion that might occur especially at higher frequencies – keeping total harmonic distortion to less than 0.02 percent, claims Sennheiser.
Meticulous attention has also been paid to the design of the earcups. These are designed in such a way that the sound waves are directed to the ear at a slight angle. This ensures a particularly natural and spatial sound perception, claims Sennheiser.
Like the predecessor, these high-end headphones use only the highest quality materials. For example, the transducer is embedded in a specially manufactured stainless steel gauze while for the headband the audio specialist has chosen a design consisting of several layers of sound-attenuating plastic and stainless steel.
Connector contacts are gold-plated to ensure optimum contact and the earcups are made of high-quality, high-attenuation plastic, which is used in aviation engineering as a substitute for metal. Like the HD 800, the HD 800S is hand-crafted at the company’s German headquarters in Wedemark. The headphones will be available from mid-December 2015 for around £1199.99.
