Few headphones have excited us as much as the HD800 S. Since Sennheiser announced the follow-up to the top-of-the-line HD800, we've been waiting on our tenterhooks with bated breath. But now we've actually got one sitting on our review desk, has all this anticipation been in vain?

HD800S is probably the last headphone you'll need after you get one - especially if you're able to use open back headphones. I would love to get one for myself but I can only listen to an open back headphone at limited times of the day and HD800S requires quite a strong amplification to be driven...

Phenomenal and balanced nonfatiguing sound; super comfortable; very light; great unboxing experience

Materials could've been much more befitting of the premium price; cables causes worry when detaching

First, this is from a very experienced performer and LISTENER. A performer has to be able to listen to music and begin to experience it within before attempting to present a performance. Have in the past years, assembled a 11.2 very advanced listening center within an 11' by 11' room.

Stuck a great headphone I sold my house and bought it and with this headphone I can everyone's voice in the world Damn awesome you can even hear the voice of the dead

Ancillaries used during testing Source/s: Mac Mini, MacBook Air, iPod Touch Software: Mac OS 10.11.4, Audirvana Plus 2.5.3, iTunes 12.3.3 DAC/s: Arcam irDAC-II, Schiit Bifrost 4490, Schiit Gungnir MB, MacBook Air (onboard), iPod Touch (onboard) Amplifier/s: Arcam irDAC-II, Schiit Mjolnir 2, Yamaha...

After much research and many demo's I've settled on the HD800S. The headphone is refined and as well made as you would expect from Sennheiser.

Although many people will have doubts about spending so much money on a pair of headphones, if sound quality is your main priority, then you should consider that you'd need to spend around 10 times as much on speakers to get anywhere near the Sennheisers' insight and resolution.That's assuming your...

Detailed and articulate sound; Nicely balanced presentation; Composed and refined; Comfort and build

You'll need a good source and amplification to hear what they can really do

The hoopla surrounding the introduction of Sennheiser's original HD 800 headphone in 2009 was monumental because it was such a radical upgrade over the HD 650, the previous Sennheiser flagship. So, we're due for another flagship, but the HD 800 S is more like a reboot. What about a new flagship

Rebooting a classic; making it better; Hand-crafted in Germany; Smoother sound than the original HD 800

Not as transparent as the very best planar headphones

You may remember something I wrote here seven years ago: "These are the single greatest headphones in the history of the world." I was writing about the new Sennheiser HD800 headphones, which caused enormous excitement in headphone circles. They pushed the limits in multiple dimensions.

Could do with fractionally more lateral movement for the Earpads Even allowing for the recent swell in what constitutes high-end headphone pricing,...

Simply astonishing sound quality; Comfortable; Extremely well made

Biblical noise leakage; Won't flatter poor material; Could do with fractionally more lateral movement for the Earpads