[Kunal1991]

What do you mean fit and heft issues ? I was referring to the MDR-Z1R, not IER-Z1R. The full size 70mm MDR-Z1R is the most comfortable full-size headphones I've owned till date. It's very light for it's size and yet built like a tank.

Ah, my bad.
This happens when you say Z1R to an IEM guy

 

[Tano]

May I know what chain you fed into the HD800S? From all the reviews I've seen, it seems to be incredibly source picky. More so than even the HE1000SE.
I have a Topping DX9, so I guess absolute clean power with headroom shouldn't be a problem.
This is a wild guess but I think this is why the opinion on the HD800S is so divisive.
A first listen on the wrong source would skew your perception of this headphone.

I have owned the HD800s for a long time and used it on a wide variety of equipment, from Schiit Asgard 3 & Jotunheim, THX 887, Audio GD NFB 28.38, Bottlehead crack OTL, RME ADI 2 DAC, SMSL C200, Qudelix T71, XDuoo MT604, to name a few.

Liked it on everyone, so I would not call It picky at all. It's a matter of tastes. Some people prefer It on OTL tubes, others on hybrids or SS...
Althought it has a high impedance, it's not hard to drive, but it's always recommended to have a bit o headroom.
I also use it EQd, boosting the bass and making some little adjustments.

 

[nioh]

Ah, my bad.
This happens when you say Z1R to an IEM guy

Well this is the full-size Headphones sub-forum.

Another reason to consider a closed back like the Z1R for gaming is the noise isolation. Even the most noise isolating open backs still let in quite a bit of noise. Unless you have a quiet PC build like beQuiet or a current gen console like the PS5, I’d go for a closed back.

 

[Kunal1991]

Well this is the full-size Headphones sub-forum.

Another reason to consider a closed back like the Z1R for gaming is the noise isolation. Even the most noise isolating open backs still let in quite a bit of noise. Unless you have a quiet PC build like beQuiet or a current gen console like the PS5, I’d go for a closed back.

Are there any closed backs in the same league as HD800s or HE1KSE?

 

[Bleuciel]

Some Hifiman are closed-back. Also you might look into the new DCA E3, that would be a step up from the Aeon.

 

[bgpolyhistor]

I’ve auditioned both and they’re both excellent. I ended up going with the HE1000 because the HD800 can’t match its bass performance or quantity.

In other words, I think the HD800 is legendary for a reason but it’s not an all rounder.

 

[jerwir1]

I prefer the HE1000SE for gaming. To me, it produced the most accurate imaging in FPS games, especially vertically.

HE1000SE is also easier to drive than the HD800S.

 

[sygnus21]

Are there any closed backs in the same league as HD800s or HE1KSE?

I've not heard the Sennheiser HD820 (have the 800S), but they are closed back, and are built on the HD800S philosophy. You can Google them to research.

 

[RADI0HEAD]

I say go for it. You just might enjoy the HD800S for music as well as gaming.

 

[sygnus21]

I say go for it. You just might enjoy the HD800S for music as well as gaming.

I'm using mine now as I play Cyberpunk 2077; although I most definitely did not buy them with gaming in mind.

 

[Terco]

If is for gaming nothing better than the 800s.

 

[Kunal1991]

I've not heard the Sennheiser HD820 (have the 800S), but they are closed back, and are built on the HD800S philosophy. You can Google them to research.

The HD800 and 820 reviews are totally different. The spaciousness that makes the HD800 perfect for gaming is totally lost with the 820

 

[Kunal1991]

I'm using mine now as I play Cyberpunk 2077; although I most definitely did not buy them with gaming in mind.

Do you like the HD800 on single player atmospheric kind of games?

 

[sygnus21]

Do you like the HD800 on single player atmospheric kind of games?

I mainly play single player games. Even when I was playing The Division 2, it was 90 percent single player mode.

But yes, I love a game with great sound atmospherics, ex the first Dead Space game - the sounds all around. Here, a headphone like the HD800S is great for that.

 

[Fegefeuer]

HD 800 needs some good swing at kickbass levels since the impedance almost reaches 640 Ohm. It won't have the HE1000SE levels of bass power and has a rolloff somewhere at probably 32hz but it has a great quality to it and counters with wider staging and generally more grit to the sound. HE1000SE is definitely smoother there but has the height "advantage". To not further complicate it with resolve, transparency bla bla bla. I can recommend either for singleplayer immersion.

HE1000SE has different magnets than the Stealth btw. It's a league above in all technicalities.