I'd like to offer another perspective. These phones undoubtedly have their supporters. I've owned them all (except the CRBN) and chose the K812. It's not my aim to convince anyone that any one phone is better than another, or that they should buy without listening. But, if I couldn't have...

... I must confess I continue to fail to meet the challenge also ... but I live in hope of changing my ways ...

Yes, I know the feeling. I bought the Composer on spec - imported - as there are/were none in Australian stores. I've done this before - you win some, you lose some. Often there's a decent used market for up-to-date phones, of course - and I've sold a few in my time to recover some of the...

Well, that is topical! I don't think I can add anything of substance to what I've written, and my personal preferences are probably clear enough. But I do think the trade-offs between these two phones are complex - hard to quantify. I can readily imagine listeners coming to opposite...

I'm with you on not wanting to remove the fine cover - a bridge too far! I don't know how Keith Howard calibrates his measurements - although he seems extremely careful.

I would add that, more than with most other phones I've owned, small 'improvements' seem audible. For example, I'm generally sceptical re cable swapping - but I think it's clear that moving from unbalanced to balanced cables can make a difference. Not because of any special cable architecture...

I suggest prospective purchasers listen to them all and make up their own minds.

For what it's worth, I think you're right. And not sufficiently well understood. I've found my Moon 430HA allows it to work well - which to my ear means improved control and weight. Tremendous phones!

I couldn't agree more. A significant improvement too. Keith Howard (HiFi News) recommended this some years ago - when reviewing the original HD800 actually - and repeated it when reviewing the HD800S years later. I'm surprised it's not more often done. He also mentioned in passing that this...

I’ve outlined some impressions and reflections by reference to the Sennheiser HD800S and the Audio Technica ADX5000 – and thought I might look at the AKG K812 too. My sense is that those of us who have had good experiences with the AKG may also be interested in the Composer. While I no longer...

I'll see if I can hunt some good recordings up ...

I guess we might remain at cross purposes. I've tried to describe why I like the Sennheiser and the Audio Technica when it comes to classical music. All phones (and other components for that matter) involve engineering compromises - I think the best we can do is avoid those that seem most...

I think that's true to an extent - although in my experience the basic character of decent phones doesn't change between decent amps having sufficient power to drive them. I'm interested here in a very critical consideration of these phones - which are all ambitious exercises in audio...

Having outlined some impressions and reflections by reference to the HD800S, I thought it might be useful to do the same by reference to the Audio Technica ADX5000 – which I’ve also owned and enjoyed for some time. Like the Sennheiser, the ADX5000 has a spacious, uncongested presentation. The...