Sennheiser hd 820 review

Игры

Сразу скажу, что не тестировал наушники в CS: GO и Valorant. С подобными задачами аудиотехника такого класса справляется по умолчанию: звук в этих тайтлах абсолютно примитивен и легко читаем. Другое дело — Call of Duty: Warzone с её маленькими картами вроде Shipment или Al-Raab Airbase. Вот здесь уже начинают вылезать мелкие нюансы, из которых складывается глобальная картина. По итогу можно уверенно сказать, что играть в 560S можно, но это не всегда приятно для слуха, поскольку всё то, что мы только что разобрали по полочкам, тут начинает складываться воедино. Ровная АЧХ не сглаживает высоких частот, из-за чего выстрелы частенько звучат слишком уж ярко и режуще. Не самое высокое разрешение нередко заставляет взрывы смешиваться в неразборчивую кучу. И, наконец, не слишком точное позиционирование частенько подводит.

Всё это, кстати, натолкнуло меня на мысль о том, что заявление «музыкальные наушники всегда лучше игровых гарнитур» вполне может быть ошибочным. Думаю, оно верно только для высококлассных Hi-Fi и Hi-End моделей, в которых высочайшее разрешение драйверов позволяет им отыграть всё без потерь. Но если говорить о каких-то более доступных вариантах, то тут уже нужно идти на компромиссы: настраивать АЧХ так, чтобы она наиболее эффективно работала в играх (кстати, ничто не мешает вам поэкспериментировать с эквалайзером и выставить звучание вручную). В противном случае выходит, что 560S определённо не плохи, но и идеальным решением для геймера их тоже не назовёшь.

Вот Sennheiser 650 и особенно 660S такими назвать можно. Они быстрее, чётче работают по транзиентам, обладают куда более высоким разрешением и намного увереннее справляются с позиционированием. В них слышно всё…

Sennheiser HD 820 – Design and comfort

The Sennheiser HD 820 design is similar to that of the HD 800. They look techie rather than traditional, where quite a lot of high-end pairs introduce wood elements to seem conspicuously high-class.

A few areas have seen changes, though. Fine silver grilles on the back of each cup have been replaced by even tighter-knit black grilles, and while the back of the huge dynamic drivers seem to be exposed, it isn’t.

A curved plate of Gorilla Glass sits over it. You can see the (outer) inner workings, but there’s still a physical barrier between the enclosure and the outside world. This may be Sennheiser showing off, but you have to admit it looks pretty neat.

The pads have changed a little too. In place of velour, the Sennheiser HD 820’s pads comprise soft velour in the parts that touch your ears and an outer border of synthetic leather, which is far better at blocking out sound.

Isolation is radically better than that of the Sennheiser HD 800 S’ open design, but it’s only intended to make indoor noises and leakage less of an issue. Both isolation and leakage are poor compared to many closed-back headphones, and the idea of using the Sennheiser HD 820 on a commute is quite ridiculous.

There are three cables in the box: a balanced jack, a 6.3mm wire and a balanced XLR – and all are of a decent length. Note that there’s no 3.5mm cable for phone use. If you complained about this to a Sennheiser engineer they’d probably look disgusted. It would be like squirting ketchup on a meal cooked by a Michelin-starred chef, much as there are portable players and headphone amps that could handle the HD 820.

As a closed, or semi-closed, pair of headphones, the Sennheiser HD 820 will heat up your ears slightly more than an open-back alternative. But since I’m reviewing the headphones  in London, during a cold and rainy November, this obviously isn’t an issue.

There’s no involved headband of the type you’d find on the Blue Ella’s here. It’s a single, adjustable band with fairly slender but effective padding. A small part is snipped out of the centre to try to avoid creating a pressure spot right at the top of your head.

The Sennheiser HD 820 distribute their 360g weight (minus cables) pretty well, in part because the large pads have a mid-firm grip on your head and therefore take on a good part of the job of keeping them in place.

These are among the more comfortable ultra-high-end headphones on the market. That they don’t have to deal with quite as large and heavy magnets as a planar set such as the Audeze LCD-4 certainly helps.

Why buy the Sennheiser HD 820?

The Sennheiser HD 820s are a great achievement in closed-back headphone design. They have properties usually associated with open pairs, and some of the practicality of a closed pair.

At £1999 they’re quite hard to recommend, though. £900 more than the HD 800 and £600 more than the HD 800 S, and yet with a more “mainstream” sound signature than either, there are issues with some of the tuning choices Sennheiser has made.

They don’t appear to be designed for the headphone purist. However, if you have the money to spend, on a suitable amp as well as the pair itself, the large soundstage and decent comfort is a great combo for movies and music use.

Build & Comfort

Just like the open-back HD800s, the HD820 has some of the best and most precise build quality I’ve ever seen. It might not be the most sturdy feeling headphone, but Sennheiser continue to produce some of the most refined headphone offerings when it comes to look, feel and comfort. The main change between the HD820 and its open-back sibling is the concave glass covering the back of the cup. The principle behind this closed-back design is that the concave glass will reflect any of the resonances and standing waves back at an angle, rather than directly towards to the ear.

The other key difference is that the pads are slightly more comfortable, being a bit thicker than on the HD800s, and as a result I find the HD820 to be even more comfortable. My ears don’t touch the mesh on the inside of the cup due to the slightly deeper pads. This headphone is also fairly lightweight, coming in at only 360g. Clamp force is also minimal, never introducing any pressure points — it has the ability to just disappear on my head. In fact, I have no problems wearing the HD820 for the majority of the day, sitting upright at my desk while working — and very few flagship headphones are in that category for me.

Are the Sennheiser HD820 headphones comfortable?

The HD820 is a huge headphone so moving about with them is a lot more cumbersome than smaller, more portable headphones. They have generous asymmetric earpads, though, and they have good padding and plenty of room for your ears to breathe inside them. The top headband is comfortable despite being a very thing when you look at it. I never had any issue with hot spots, and I found the clamping pressure to be perfect on my medium-large head.

Something learned to appreciate over time was that I never seemed to get fatigued because of the lightweight design as I do with my Erzitech headphones, which are double the heft. 

Additionally, the design of the earpads is very creative. The earpads are a two material design with leather or protein leather on the outer circumference and velour on the inside where contact is made with your skin. It increases comfort due to the breathability of the velour being more significant than the leather. However, the outside of the earpads being leather means that when the clamping force is applied, it forms a better seal that an al velour pad would. I don’t think many people have picked up on but as a great way to balance functionality and comfort.

Sennheiser HD 820 – Sound quality

The Sennheiser HD 820’s soundstage is its most impressive characteristic. These are closed, or at least mostly closed headphones, but they manage to recreate most of the ultra-spacious, wide character of the HD 800 and HD 800 S.

They “outdo” almost every open pair in this respect, in part because the now-popular planar magnetic style of driver doesn’t tend to max out on soundstage size and scope. There’s still some closed character to the outer reaches of the sound, with less airiness than the best open models. But this is a closed-style headphone – what do you expect?

If we consider the HD 820 Sennheiser’s attempt to make a more practical version of the HD 800/HD 800 S, it has to be considered largely a success.

I’m a sucker for headphones with generous soundstages, and find the HD 820 very involving. However, they don’t have everything that made me give the original HD 800 one of only three “10” scores in eight years of reviewing tech at Trusted Reviews.

The HD 800 were unusual, not just for their almost disconcertingly wide soundstage, but they also had intense treble that promoted high-frequency “micro detail”. Try to do this with a bog-standard dynamic driver and you’ll end up with a harsh, brash mess. But Sennheiser’s driver design pulled it off. Granted, some do find the HD 800 fatiguing.

Treble here is more toned down. It’s well resolved, doesn’t seem overly dampened or curtailed, but the tuning is more conservative. You can consider it less aggressive or less ambitious. However, my impression is that it’s an attempt at a more accessible tone. Sennheiser wants buyers to like its headphones, of course – but real accessibility evaporates along with the £1999 price.

Sennheiser has gone further, though. The HD 820 have something I wouldn’t expect of a £2000 headphone: a bump in the mid-bass area.

This skews the delivery of the mids as a whole. Male vocals can often sound as though they sit on a pillowy bed of mid-bass. In a song such as “Room 29′, where Jarvis Cocker’s arrangement-dominating voice reveals mid-range incoherence, the tonal curves leave the vocal sounding too much as if there are separate parts to it. The mid-bass and upper-mids are promoted, with a textural gap between.

The result sounds rich and luxurious, but is less “true” than that produced by several other lower-end headphones I often use as a reference, including the AKG Q701 and HiFiMAN HE-5. Those pairs offer greater consistency of texture and presence through the whole of the mids, letting baritone and bass hang within the soundstage more realistically.

Whether or not this is a deal-breaker will depend on what you’re after. If you want the ultimate closed listening headphone, the Sennheiser HD 820 probably isn’t the right choice. The HD 800, HD 800 S, or a planar magnetic alternative from Audeze or HiFiMAN would be a better choice.

However, the glossy approach of the HD 820 is still enjoyable. There are no such issues with the frequencies below the mid-bass. The Sennheiser HD 820 have a very deep and confident-sounding bass, with power and the right amount of reserve to sound accurate. This isn’t basshead fodder, but sounds right in an ultra-high-end headphone.

For reference, these headphones were tested with Sennheiser’s own HDV 820 amp, the HiFiMAN EF-5 and a semi-portable Just Audio AH-120 class A amp to get a clearer view of their underlying character.

🎧 Внешний вид и качество сборки

8

• Интересный фирменный дизайн.
• 2 кабеля в комплекте.
• Надёжная сборка, но с нюансом.

Комплектация. В относительно небольшой коробке Sennheiser HD 400 PRO я нашёл: сами наушники, 2 провода, переходник с 3,5 мм на 6,3 мм и документы. Хотелось бы в комплекте получить хотя бы мягкий чехол, этой модели он «показан». Далее объясню, почему. Но можно прожить и без него.

Провода. Оба кабеля имеют одинаковые штекеры: 2,5 мм с поворотным замком для подключения к наушникам и 3,5 мм для соединения с источником. Штекер 3,5 мм прямой и большой, но для стационарного использования это не минус. Один провод прямой, его длина — 1,6 м. Второй — витой трёхметровый. Отличный набор и для прослушивания музыки, и для работы. В домашней студии удобно использовать прямой провод, а на «полноразмерной» пригодится и витой. Я накрутил переходник на 6,3 на витой кабель и подключал им наушники к ЦАПоусилителю, а коротким проводом — к плееру и компьютеру. Оба провода без микрофонного эффекта, что особенно радует. А немного расстраивает упомянутое подключение к наушникам. Подходящий сторонний провод найти будет непросто. Штекеры 2,5 мм сейчас уже довольно распространены, но поворотный замок тут уникальный. Впрочем, не всем захочется экспериментировать с другими проводами, а качество комплектных не вызывает сомнений.

Дизайн. Наушники Sennheiser HD 400 PRO выглядят стильно, интересно. Это классический дизайн линейки 5xx, который теперь перешёл и в профессиональную серию. Проверено годами, но в современной интерпретации. Оголовье широкое, полностью пластиковое, даже дужка. Есть мягкая подкладка с велюровым покрытием. Оно же на амбушюрах. Они, судя по всему, несъёмные. Чаши овальные, низкопрофильные. Благодаря этому, наушники на голове смотрятся аккуратно и просто красиво. Основа чаш пластиковая, сетки с наружной стороны металлические. Разъём для подключения провода глубокий, штекер не торчит и не мешает. Выпускаются только в чёрном цвете.

Сборка и материалы. Полностью пластиковая конструкция обеспечивает небольшой вес, но металлическая дужка дала бы больше уверенности в долговечности. Хотя пластик тут качественный, не хрупкий. Сборка в целом хорошая, ничего не люфтит, не скрипит, не отваливается. Но есть пара нюансов. Первый — это велюр. Он маркий, это видно на фото. Пыль и прочие мелкие частицы собираются на нём быстро. Поверхность чистится без особых проблем, но уже через пару дней снова загрязняется. Вот тут бы и пригодился отсутствующий в комплекте чехол. Рекомендую хранить наушники хотя бы в шкафу. Второй нюанс — подкладка оголовья держится на клее и только. Явно виден шов, а углы материала хоть и не выступают, но не сглажены. В повседневном использовании это слабое место — если периодически задевать, может отходить

За время тестирования у меня ничего не отошло, поэтому нюанс потенциальный, но внимание обратить на это стоит. Тем не менее, уверен, что наушники прослужат долго, если их использовать аккуратно

️ Сравнение с Sennheiser HD 560S

Единственное внешнее отличие Sennheiser HD 400 PRO от HD 560S — логотипы на чашах. У 560S они белые, выделяются, а у 400 PRO — чёрные, не особо заметны издалека. В комплекте у 560S только один кабель: прямой, длина 3 м, штекеры 2,5 мм на 6,3 мм. Плюс переходник на 3,5 мм. У провода есть микрофонный эффект.

EQ Profile

I wasn’t happy with the HD820’s default tonality, but I was also really impressed with its detail capability and instrument separation qualities. Moreover, I’m reminded of the many HD800 and HD800s users who also happily EQ their headphones. So I figured I’d provide my EQ profile as a starting point for anyone who already has an HD820, or is potentially looking into getting one. For my EQ I use Equalizer APO and the Peace UI.

The following is a somewhat careful starting point for anyone wanting to get into EQ. I don’t recommend using Q values higher than 3, and in general it’s best to only apply gentle adjustments so you don’t throw off the balance that the headphone does have.

For the HD820 I find that this adjustment helps gain a bit of clarity, and while you could take the upper bass down further than I’ve done here, some will appreciate the somewhat ‘u-shape’ this EQ profile achieves, so I’ll leave the rest up to listener discretion. When toggling this EQ on, I found that much of the HD820’s detail capability shone through better, with more overall clarity. Additionally the stage didn’t feel as disjointed, likely helped by reducing the midrange bump.

The one area to be cautious of in particular with the HD820 is again that dip around 300hz. There’s a risk that elevating this region may introduce certain resonances that could intrude on the rest of the mix as well, so I urge a bit of caution when adding the elevation pictured above. With any EQ, use measurements as a guide, but confirm your preference with your ears.

The following shows how the HD820 measures on the MiniDSP EARS rig after the above EQ profile is applied. This measurement uses the HEQ compensation.

Applying the aforementioned EQ profile brings the HD820 somewhat closer to a more normal sounding tonality (at least to my preference). In some ways it almost looks similar to the tonality of the Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Closed, just with a bit less air above 10khz. It could be taken further by bringing the bass down a bit more as it does still sit above the Harman shelf taken into consideration by the HEQ compensation. So once again, just use this as a starting point, and see where additional adjustments take you.

Tonality

These measurements were taken with the MiniDSP EARS rig, using both the HEQ and HPN compensations. This measurement system is not industry standard and should not be compared with other measurements that are. Note that there is a coupler artifact at 4.5khz that shows up on just about every headphone.

The following shows how these headphones measure relative to the HPN compensation, which is closer to a traditional diffuse field target and doesn’t take the Harman bass elevation into consideration.

The following shows how these headphones measure relative to the HEQ compensation, which is based on the Harman target and does add a bass shelf. Headphones that show flat bass extension on this compensation will have more bass than headphones that show flat bass extension on the HPN compensation.

Tonality and frequency response is where the HD820 falters substantially. This is one of the strangest sounding headphones I’ve heard in a long time — at least as far as overall tonality is concerned. The interesting thing with the HD820 is that nothing sounds immediately out of balance. I don’t immediately notice any inappropriate peak that I can point out and say «here’s where the issues are». At the same time, even without looking at measurements, it’s clear there’s something a bit strange going on with the tonality.

To me the HD820 sounds both hollow and compressed at the same time — especially when comparing it to a number of other headphones I have on hand that I might consider to have a more ‘normal’ tonality, regardless of the target curve. For some reason I’m reminded of that feeling you get when you’re speaking and need to clear your throat.

In any case, there are a number of major issues with the HD820’s tonality that throw off how it sounds, at least to my ear. The first is that the upper bass bleeds a bit into the midrange with a substantial elevation that gets too close to 200hz. Then beyond that, there’s a substantial dip at roughly 300hz. This causes that somewhat hollow character for certain tracks that token the full frequency range.

I think the idea here was that the dip was necessary as a result of closing off the cups, but it unfortunately has the consequence of throwing off the sound a bit. If the dip had been a bit closer to 200hz it may have been better for bass definition and distinction. In any case, this dip is only accentuated with the midrange bump that shows up between 700 and 1300hz. This is where the midrange overshadows the lower treble around 3khz, causing a kind of congested and compressed sound.

For treble frequencies there’s nothing really to complain about. It’s a bit sharp at around 6khz but not enough to warrant any concerns about sibilance or percussion compression issues. In fact, snare drums and cymbals sound great on the HD820 with excellent tonal balance and resolution throughout the upper treble as well. It could use a bit more air up top above 10khz, but as a closed-back, there’s nothing wrong with where it’s at.

For my taste, I wish that the HD820 had better midrange balance, and I find that to be the biggest problem overall. Other aspects of the frequency response aren’t perfect, but I could live with them, including the extra bass energy for the mid and sub-bass regions. One other thing to note is that the bass response does change substantially when using glasses, but in this case when you do get a good seal, the bass sits even higher than the Harman shelf, so maybe breaking the seal to lessen the bass energy would actually be desirable.

Подключение

1.Могут быть использованы в беспроводном режиме.
Sennheiser HD 820

Беспроводные устройства предоставляют пользователям большую свободу движений при прослушивании.

2.версия Bluetooth

Неизвестно. Помогите нам, предложите стоимость.

Bluetooth — это стандарт беспроводной технологии, который позволяет передавать данные между устройствами, расположенными в непосредственной близости, с использованием коротковолновых сверх высокочастотных радиоволн. Более новые версии обеспечивают более быструю передачу данных.

3.имеет 3,5 мм мини-джек
Sennheiser HD 820

Стандартный 3,5-мм разъем подходит для использования со всеми MP3-плеерами и компьютерными звуковыми картами.

4.Имеет Блютуз aptX
Sennheiser HD 820

Блютуз aptX — это аудиокодек, используемый для беспроводной передачи звука высокого разрешения с устройств с поддержкой Блютуз Разработанная Qualcomm, аудиотехнология aptX включает такие варианты, как aptX HD, aptX Low Latency и aptX Adaptive.

5.максимальный радиус (Bluetooth) блютуз

Неизвестно. Помогите нам, предложите стоимость.

Устройство может подключаться к другому устройству на большом расстоянии с помощью Bluetooth/ИК излучения.

6.поддерживает Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
Sennheiser HD 820

Wi-Fi 6, выпущенный в 2019 году, основан на стандарте беспроводной сети IEEE 802.11ax. Разработанный для работы во всех полосах частот от 1 до 6 ГГц, он предлагает более высокие скорости передачи данных и меньшую задержку по сравнению с предыдущими технологиями Wi-Fi.

7.Интерфейс 802.11ac WiFi
Sennheiser HD 820

Беспроводной 802.11ac работает на частоте 5 ГГц, а также на 2,4 ГГц (двухдиапазонный WiFi). Предлагает более высокую скорость передачи данных, повышенную надёжность и более оптимальный принцип энергопотребления. Даёт преимущества для игр и видеопотоков HD.

8.Интерфейс 802.11n WiFi
Sennheiser HD 820

802.11n — стандарт беспроводной связи, вышедший в 2009 г. Более высокая скорость передачи данных, повышенная безопасность по сравнению с его предшественниками a, b и g.

9.поддержка Bluetooth паринг используя NFC
Sennheiser HD 820

Данное устройство поддерживает Bluetooth паринг, используя технологию NFC для того, чтобы связываться с другими устройствами через Bluetooth. Вы можете быстро соединить устройства без введения кода, просто расположив одно устройство рядом с другим.

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Sold By	BrandsWalk	HOT DEALS ONLY!!!	Hi-Fi Heaven-net	Kaviso	Circuit City	Sales For You
Color	Black	Black	Black	—	Black	Black
Fit Type	Over-Ear	Over-Ear	Over-Ear	Over-Ear	Over-Ear	Over-Ear
Headphones Form Factor	Over Ear	Over Ear	On Ear	—	Over Ear	Over Ear
Item Dimensions	15.91 x 13.62 x 5.98 inches	10.12 x 4.25 x 12.6 inches	10.7 x 5.7 x 13.8 inches	8.7 x 4.7 x 9.1 inches	7.8 x 6.7 x 1.78 inches	2.4 x 5.3 x 6.8 inches
Item Weight	2.20 lbs	0.58 lbs	0.73 lbs	—	0.67 lbs	0.50 lbs
Special Features	around the ear	Lightweight	dj-style	lightweight	Noise Cancellation, Foldable, Microphone Feature, Universal Phone Control, Volume-Control	Noise Cancellation, Volume-Control

Design

Headband

The design of the headbands of the Sennheiser HD 820 and the Sennheiser HD 800 S are the exact same. Both have a slider along the top of the headband which is made of metal. It is used to extend the size of the headphones for different shaped heads. Additionally, they have shock absorbers where headband meets the yolks to adapt to different head shapes and sizes. The yolks of both headphones are designed very well and keep the tension off to avoid stress fractures. They attach to the back of their respective earcups and curl around to the top of the cups. Lastly, both headbands have a soft, microfiber-coated padding. As a result, they are extremely comfortable and lightweight.

Earcups

In general, the biggest difference between the Sennheiser HD 820 and the Sennheiser HD 800 S is, of course, one has a closed-back design, and the other has an open-back design, respectively. And although both headphones’ drivers are covered (the HD 820 by glass and the HD 800 S by a metal grill), they are both visible. As a result, they both have a similar vibe to their look.

Additionally, there is more body to the frame of the earcup of the HD 820. It’s ridged embellishments are actually part of the frame as a whole. On the other hand, the ridged piece of the HD 800 S is super thin and pliable. It is a separate layer from the thicker frame around it. As a result, the HD 800 S has thinner and lighter earcups than the HD 820. Lastly, both headphones’ earcups house the connector for the cables. Therefore, their overall fit on the head is nearly identical other than the difference in weight.

Earpads

Both the Sennheiser HD 820 and the Sennheiser HD 800 S have earpads that follow the asymmetrical shape of their earcups. As a result, their earpads are the same shape as each others. However, the HD 800 S has much thinner pads than the HD 820. Their coated in the same microfiber coating as the headband. On the other hand, the HD 820’s pads are thicker. Around the earpad, they’re made of leather. On the flat side of the pad, where the pad touches the head,, they are coated in microfiber.

Cables

The cables of both the Sennheiser HD 820 and the Sennheiser HD 800 S are pretty much identical. The only difference is that the HD 820, in addition to the cable with the 6.3 mm connector and the cable with the 4-pin XLR, it has a 4.4 mm Pentaconn cable.  All of the included cables are sort of big and bulky. However, they are durable and have a cloth coating.

Does the Sennheiser HD820 sound good?

Sennheiser HD820

The sound is neutral and balanced with an emphasis on the midrange. They displayed excellent performance in our detail retrieval tests and have a vast soundstage for a closed-back headphone.

Accuracy for monitoring purposes is excellent, with a slight exception in the artificial leaning bass, which we will talk about in a second. They are ruthlessly revealing headphones and shine the microscope on poorly mastered or low bitrate music, so make sure you are pairing your source files and components well with this headphone.

The treble – The treble is extremely clear and detailed with a fantastic extension. This is an essential part of how the HD820 can create such a massive soundstage. Good treble is the key and not bass, contrary to what many people believe. If you are coming from a more mellow and laid back tuning, the top notes may be jarring at first but give your ears a few days to burn-in, and I assure you it’s going to be hard to go back to a headphone with a less prominent performance.

The Midrange – The sound’s focus is on the midrange, and it’s a very accurate and unflavoured tuning that doesn’t add anything in terms of warmth. They sound very similar to my reference speakers in how they are noticeably forward. I would ultimately say that they are very transparent in the midrange. I like this because it gives me a lot of room to play with EQ presets to which they are incredibly responsive. Again its detail and space are the focus, but note decay from strings was also the top draw. The vocal sound open and airy with outstanding clarity and depth. Superb midrange and one of the best I have heard in a closed-back design.

The low end is right, detailed, and responsive. It impacts very hard when required, and the large drivers can move a lot of air. After having used the Focal Stelia for a couple of weeks, I come to this review, and there is a noticeable difference in how each handles distortion. The bass is perfect for a closed-back. Let me explain.

What I am about to say is less a criticism of the headphones and more a criticism of what I have heard other reviewers mention about these headphones. 

Consistently I see comparisons with the HD820 compared to open-back headphones, and you just aren’t going to get me to do that. Its fundamentals flawed to make such comparisons other than saying “for that price and if it suits your use scenario consider open back designs such as xx”. The person buying a closed-back headphone is likely aware that there are fundamental differences in how they will present the sound.

That said, I understand the fundamentals of what people are saying. The bass sounds significant, impactful, and refined, just not as clean as those open-back models. When looking in closed-back headphones, then wherever I look, there seems to be a trade-off. X has better bass, Sennheiser has better soundstage and treble, so on and on and on.

In my eyes, there is only one closed-back headphone that solves the problems and is fantastic in all areas, and that’s the Focal Stelia, which costs roughly twice the price. 

The reason I believe the Stelia handles things so well is the crazy internal structure of the foam that lines the inside of the earcup. It catches the sound before it gets bounced back and allows focal to have greater control of the sound without worrying about dealing with reverberation distortion. The Sennheiser has that glass back, and as we know from the speaker world, hard surfaces are a big no-no. 

That’s said, the sound is amazing on the HD820, and I doubt many people who are seeking a closed-back headphone will ever find a reason to complain. I would put them in my top 3 all-time favorites sounding CB headphones based on that insane huge soundstage alone.