The Sennheiser HD800 is an open-back headphone that sounds more like listening to a pair of speakers without compromising the sound quality and possesses incredible sonic performance. This is an expensive headphone and we are sure owners would want their HD800 to sound its absolute best whenever they are playing their favorite music. To do so, you will need a matching headphone amp that can unlock the Sennheiser HD800’s full potential.
To get the right headphone amplifier to partner with this high-end Sennheiser headphone, it will take some time and effort as we need to find out more about the Sennheiser HD800 sonic characteristics and prowess. By learning and gathering this data, we can then be able to prepare a list of the best headphone amps which you can choose and partner with your Sennheiser HD800 open-back headphone.
Table of Contents
Sound Characteristics and Merits of Sennheiser HD800
The earcups are large and fortunately, they are still very comfortable to wear. The Sennheiser HD800 is well-padded and earpads snug nicely on our ears. The clamping force is nice and comfy as well, it has enough grip to stabilize the headphone on our heads without being discomforting in a long listening session. Overall, it is quite a big and bulky open-back headphone, it is likely not suited for smaller heads though as the weight and size might be discomforting. The overall leakage for an open-back design headphone is not as bad as expected but the sound will still leak out and disturb the people around you. The noise isolation performance of the Sennheiser HD800 is not as good too and we highly suggest listening to your music in a quiet environment.
The frequency range of the Sennheiser HD800 is really wide, it is at 6Hz-51kHz (-10dB) which is really impressive. The nominal impedance is 300 Ohms and this indicates the HD800 will require high-quality headphone amps with enough muscles to drive it. We find the HD800 visual design looks very striking and iconic, it simply emits a premium feel and gives us the confidence that is capable of a solid performance. So it is a pity that this dynamic headphone is not really suitable for outdoor use.
More Details at Amazon – Sennheiser HD 800
The Sennheiser HD800 has amazing accuracy, the neutral sonic characteristic of the headphone ensures the faithful music presentation of your favorite tunes. The level of clarity is astounding which helps bring the most subtle musical details and nuances into the light. This is a revealing open-back headphone, it may provide you with intricate details but can also be analytical sounding which is great for critical listeners. The neutrality of the Sennheiser HD800 also leans towards bright-sounding, the highs are cleanly delivered with crystal clear sound quality but can be overly bright to some listeners especially when playing at high volume levels.
The pristine clean overall sound reproduction of the Sennheiser HD800 also helps to deliver detailed and tight bass performance. The levels of bass details the HD800 can muster are incredible and it digs deep into the bass extension. The low-frequency reproduction may not be as punchy and prominent as other headphones in the same price range, but the HD800 is definitely top-notch when it comes to details. For such a large open-back headphone, we certainly expect a spacious soundstage, and the Sennheiser HD800 did not disappoint, not to mention, the precise stereo imaging.
If only there’s a bit more punch and alacrity in its music delivery then the Sennheiser HD800 would be incredibly awesome in our books. Still, when it comes to critical listening, the HD800 is one of the absolute best and is hard to nitpick how accurate and neutral this Sennheiser dynamic headphone is. The soundstage that it can project will certainly envelop you into the music and your ears will simply be engaged with the rich sonic details been presented to you. With all this data, we can now work out a list of the best headphone amps which you can get and pair with this brilliant Sennheiser HD800 headphone.
Sennheiser HD800 Specifications
- Wearing Style: Headband (Over the Ear)
- Transducer Principle: Open, Dynamic
- Frequency Response (-3dB): 14Hz – 44,100Hz
- Frequency Response (-10dB): 6Hz – 51,000Hz
- THD: 0.02 %
- Nominal Impedance: 300 Ohms
- Connector: 1/4″ (6.3 mm)
- Cable Length: 9.8ft (3m)
- Weight: 330g (0.73lbs)
Best Amps to pair with Sennheiser HD800
The Bottlehead Crack headphone amplifier with the Speedball upgrade is one of the very best options and will pair really well with the Sennheiser HD800 open-back headphone. The sonic characteristics of the Bottlehead Crack is a suitable match as it adds warmth and emotional energy to the overall sound reproduction. Providing you with a more energetic music performance without losing the precious details and nuances. The Bottlehead Crack is very well-regarded by the Sennheiser HD800 owners and is highly praised for the beautiful sound quality that it brings to the table. The only qualms we have will be that you will need to build the headphone amp yourself after getting the kit.
If sound quality is all that matters and budget was never an issue then the Cayin HA300 tube headphone amplifier is probably the very finest to pair with your Sennheiser HD800 open-back dynamic headphone. This is a high-end tube headphone amp that brings music to life through the HD800 with an astonishing level of clarity and vivid realism. The overall sound reproduction is textured, natural, and lifelike, along with the lush and spacious soundstage, you will be fully immersed into your music in no time. The Cayin HA300 bass reproduction is superb as well and gives you a vibrant punchy music performance. You most definitely need to check them out.
The Schiit Audio Valhalla 2 is one of the best amps to pair with your Sennheiser HD800 headphone. The clean music delivery of the headphone amp does not add additional brightness to the overall sound reproduction instead the warmish sonic characteristic will help to smooth the hard edges and providing you with a more pleasant sound quality. Schiit Audio Valhalla 2 is also capable of creating a polished background with a tight bass performance which complement the Sennheiser HD800 open-back headphone. The handling of the dynamic swings is amazing and overall the Valhalla 2 gave us a really enjoyable listening experience.
More Information at Amazon – Schiit Valhalla 2
Woo Audio WA6-SE is one of the very best tube headphone amps to match with the Sennheiser HD800. It is a powerful headphone amplifier that can drive the HD800 with ease and together they will produce beautiful music that simply envelopes you with rich details. The organization of the music presentation is superb too, it is well defined and separated with amazing timing. There is a sense of realism and the vivid performance leaves you wanting for more. Woo Audio WA6-SE warm sound reproduction has excellent accuracy, not to mention, the stereo imaging is impeccable as well.
Bryston BHA-1 is another impressive high-end headphone amp that is exemplary in matching with the Sennheiser HD800 open-back headphone. It is a solid-state amplifier with slightly faster pacing and can easily engage you into the music with its energetic performance. The BHA-1 is also very powerful, more than capable of making the HD800 sing and bring out the best in them. There are a massive amount of musical details in its overall sound reproduction, it is also neutral with a hint of warmth that makes it a really suitable headphone amp partner for the Sennheiser HD800. You might want to check out the Bryston BHA-1 punchy music performance yourself.
Schiit Jotunheim will be an incredible headphone amplifier to go for especially for listeners who are looking for an amp that is friendly to their wallets. The sonic performance which you are getting is worth every penny invested and it will be a great match with your Sennheiser HD800 headphone. DarkVoice 336SE will be an ideal choice for listeners who are looking for a headphone tube amp at a modest price. The warm and smooth sonic characters of the 336SE will help provide a sweeter music delivery. This headphone tube amp is able to project a wide soundstage on a very quiet background and filled it with lush musical details.
More Info at Amazon – Schiit Jotunheim Headphone Amplifier with Multibit DAC Module
More Info at Amazon – DarkVoice 336SE
To Sum It Up
We will suggest going through the headphones listed here and pick the ones which suit your needs or budget. These are some of the very best headphone amps and are worth your time to audition them. Listen to these headphone amplifiers with your favorite music and see if you like the sound quality you are hearing. Doing a side-by-side comparison will be better since you can immediately tell which headphone amp is better for you. For tube headphone amplifiers, you should let them warm up first before you start auditioning them.
