Recommend me an alternative to the Senheiser HD800

[Wakefield Turntables]

I tried these and didn't get on with them. TBH I thought I must be doing something really wrong as every review seems to say that they are the best thing since sliced bread. I used them with the Lehmann headphone amp https://www.lehmannaudio.com/headphone-amplifiers/home/linear.html which is supposed to be a good match but frankly I found it anything but! I need something for late night listening now that I have a 8 month old daughter :) Budget is £1-2K and it will hopefully be a one off purchase in the hope I'll never replace them again.

[southall-1998]

What's wrong with the sound? Can you perhaps describe the experience?

S.

[Andrei]

I guess you have considered running direct from the preamp. I have the Senn 650 and they sound good via an Asus soundcard. When connected directly the pre-amp however the quality goes up a couple of notches.
Apart from that I can only say I found AKGs to be truly dreadful.

[Wakefield Turntables]

I found the sound staging to be extremely poor and the bass extremely light. They honestly sounded no better than a pair if Walkman plug in ear phones from the eighties.

[Ammonite Audio]

I tried these and didn't get on with them. TBH I thought I must be doing something really wrong as every review seems to say that they are the best thing since sliced bread. I used them with the Lehmann headphone amp https://www.lehmannaudio.com/headphone-amplifiers/home/linear.html which is supposed to be a good match but frankly I found it anything but! I need something for late night listening now that I have a 8 month old daughter :) Budget is £1-2K and it will hopefully be a one off purchase in the hope I'll never replace them again.

The Beyerdynamic T1s (available from around £700 via Amazon (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beyerdynamic-T1-Headphones-Tesla-Technology/dp/B0031RD3YY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1433406323&sr=8-1&keywords=beyerdynamic+t1)) are blissfully comfortable with a beautiful and engaging sound. Made in Germany, too, which is refreshing in this age where everything seems to be made in China. My T1s are fed from an NVA AP10H headphone amp which is pretty stunning, even before its modest price tag is taken into account. You may find that a different amp, like the NVA, can unlock performance from the HD800s that you're missing at the moment.

[Stratmangler]

Sennheiser now have their own headphone amps which should be a good match.
Prior to having their headphone amp designed and built they used Graham Slee headphone amps.

I can't comment about the Sennheiser amps, as I've never heard one, but I really like the Graham Slee Solo I use.

[southall-1998]

Sennheiser now have their own headphone amps which should be a good match.
Prior to having their headphone amp designed and built they used Graham Slee headphone amps.

I can't comment about the Sennheiser amps, as I've never heard one, but I really like the Graham Slee Solo I use.

What improvements does the solo have over the novo?

S.

[Clive197]

I tried the Sennheisers HD800 last September against a pair of OPPO PM1's. The OPPO's blew the Sennheisers off the planet, so I put my money where my ears are and bought a set. I definitely don't regret it.

[Stratmangler]

What improvements does the solo have over the novo?

S.

I haven't tried a Novo, so I don't know.