That looks terrible the way it's glued on the outside but comfort comes first I suppose. Can't say I ever had an issue with the comfort of the Sundara headband but it is a bit lighter than the Ananda Nano. If you have to use the warranty can you reattach the original headband?The Custom Cans headband mod arrived today, it smells like high quality leatherIt's also very soft compared to the stiff as cardboard stock headband suspension piece:
Stock:
Custom cans:
Installed:
It comes with the 3M super sticky tape too:
It no longer applies pressure to any hotspot on the head and as the leather warms up, becomes more stretchy which aids long listening session comfort too. Shame it comes at a cost when at this price of headphone the headband should be perfect but hey ho it is what it is.
what headphones do you own thread - i own dt150's :)
- Thread starter garyfl
- Start date
Man of Honour
You can basiclaly buy the original headband for cheap but yeah easy enough to put the headband back together. I have velcro cable strips coming tomorrow to cover up the tabs in the poicture so it all looks "snug" which will sort out the aesthetics. The tabs are stuck on using 3M double sided tape that the strap comes with so it's not a glue affair really.
Man of Honour
colour coded velcro straps arrived today and now the modding is complete.
Edit*
I'm going to order these velour memory foam pads:
One review there states that:
That is good enough for me!
Edit*
I'm going to order these velour memory foam pads:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Voarmaks-Compatible-HE1000se-Headphone-Replacement-Black/dp/B0B96N6MK1?th=1
One review there states that:
That is good enough for me!
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Noticed I only posted once in this thread despite reading it weekly, so updated what happened to my 2010 cohort.
I have the HD600's on my head now, and will likely never part with the them and hopefully won't break them, they have had various new pads over the years, new headbands and recently added the mass loading mod from Custom Cans with the 'hole' foam inserts.
I had two pairs of DT770 pros, and I just killed a driver on the older pair today when adding the detachable cable mod by ripping the voice coil when de-soldering the wires - the stupid old design means any heat weakens the glue and the super thin voice coil wire didn't stand a chance
I should have done the mod on the newer pair as the soldering is done on to nice pads and the voice coil wire is much more protected. Added the Custom Cans mass load mod to my remaining DT770 Pros and super happy with the result, so kind of worth the death of that driver. Will just be scouring eBay now for spare parts to revive the other set.Since 2010 I've also added the Sennheiser HD-25s and the ATH-MX50x's to my permanent, never to sell, collection. Probably never going to purchase any new wired headphones going forward and hopefully able to service what I have with spare parts as and when required.
In the wireless arena, I've got a set of Sony WH-1000XM3's from the MM years ago now that I don't see much point in replacing, and if I did it would likely be with another set of Sony XM series. They are good enough for when I need to travel and wireless is just too convenient over taking a set of cans and portable wired setup nowadays.
Also have some Huawei BT overheads with ANC that I got free with a monitor, but tbh, they are just backups for the Sony's and I can't even remember the model
Man of Honour
Interesting how even holding my palm out several inches away from the Ananda Nano whilst something is playing shows how much the open back nature of planars is affected. This doesn't happen with dynamic drivers like the HD650 so was surprised. Obviously don't listen to planars with something solid within inches of either driver near your head 
Man of Honour
I've now tidied up the modded headband, considerably so. My genius is often frightening 
I bought some button fasteners from Amazon, Araldite epoxy (once cured it would probably be able to hold the entire planet against a solid object), as well as the Logitech elastic headband arriving in the post so now I have two headband options to switch around with along with any other headband mods I can try since I can just install button fasteners to them
Have to wait the full 24hrs for the Araldite to cure on the headband but this now looks like it could well have been a factory result.
I bought some button fasteners from Amazon, Araldite epoxy (once cured it would probably be able to hold the entire planet against a solid object), as well as the Logitech elastic headband arriving in the post so now I have two headband options to switch around with along with any other headband mods I can try since I can just install button fasteners to them
Have to wait the full 24hrs for the Araldite to cure on the headband but this now looks like it could well have been a factory result.
Man of Honour
That comes next
Can't imagine getting rid of my HD600s - no matter I've better headphones, sitting here listening on them when certain instruments hit and you hear the texture of them it just puts a smile on my face no other headphones can (except maybe some higher end Senns which I don't own).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFm7U96XJfQ gives them a nice little workout as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFm7U96XJfQ gives them a nice little workout as well.
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Man of Honour
I don't sorely miss my HD650s after these Ananda Nano that's for sure. The memory foam pads haven't arrived yet but reviews from people who also had the HD650s said those pads bring in some of that HD650 texture without sacrificing any other characteristic of the planar dynamics so am looking forward to getting those installed next week.
Other than mid-range texture, the Nano wipes the floor with the HD650 in every other area really. Soundstage, imaging and detail especially. For gaming the Nano is exceptional, and the HD650 I thought were really amazing for gaming as it was anyway!
Other than mid-range texture, the Nano wipes the floor with the HD650 in every other area really. Soundstage, imaging and detail especially. For gaming the Nano is exceptional, and the HD650 I thought were really amazing for gaming as it was anyway!
Associate
Don't suppose you've ever tested the Edition XS? I see a pair for sale in my local classified ads and am sorely tempted!
HD800 also wipes the floor with the 600 series for soundstage and detail but there is something special about the 600s.
Man of Honour
I would not mind giving the HD800s a go one day, but at double the price of the Ananda Nano, I am wary about just how much better they would be. I'm confident the HD800/s are much better built than the HiFiMan series below the Susvara though, my plastic cups already have a sccratch! Yes the 10 year old HD650s didn't have a single mark on them.
Not heard the Edition XS but one of the common traits of the XS vs Ananda and Ananda Nano was that the Nano had much more pleasing high frequency brightness vs the non-Nano and Edition XS. The bass of the Nano is said to be more detailed too with a better quality roll off. Makes sense considering it's the newer version of the planars using both the stealth magnets and nano diaphragm tech I guess.
Not heard the Edition XS but one of the common traits of the XS vs Ananda and Ananda Nano was that the Nano had much more pleasing high frequency brightness vs the non-Nano and Edition XS. The bass of the Nano is said to be more detailed too with a better quality roll off. Makes sense considering it's the newer version of the planars using both the stealth magnets and nano diaphragm tech I guess.
Soldato
I don't say this lightly, the HD800's are similar to the HD500/600 in that they are arguably the best price to performance headphone in it's price class in the world, and arguably one of the best soundstages of any headphone out there, it quite litery takes a track and stretches it out across a sphere giving space between all the instruments, amazing imaging and depth, it, like the HD600/HD650 is a must own if you're a headphone enthousiaste, and a total bargain at it's current price point (around 1k), the only thing that the HD600/650 does better is the Timbre is ever so slightly more realistic in my opinion, Timbre is for me the most important thing which is why I'll never get rid of my HD6XX.
Timbre is probably a more accurate description than texture I used above - certain instruments hit and it is like the instrument is playing beside you in a way a lot of headphones just don't do and there is something satisfying about it. Despite other headphones arguably being better than the 600s for a lot of things especially soundstage.
Unfortunately can't justify the price of the HD800s for my uses but one I definitely want in my collection. Well that or the HE 90/Orpheus which I'm even less able to justify the price of LOL.
Soldato
The HD600/650 are the kings of timbre at anything under £2k but match the HD800S with a warm amp like the Violectric V222 and you have the best of both worlds, the timbre is great and the HD800S slaughters the 600/650/6xx/660/660s/660s2 in every other way. I'm surprised that mrk lasted so long gaming with the HD650 because their imaging is very poor, it's known as three blob imaging, left, right and centre with pretty much nothing in between. I was playing a Nine Inch Nails album last night and on one of the tracks they push everything into the background somehow but it really does move further away and then he starts whispering in your ear - the effect is incredible. Just doesn't work with the 650 but on the 800S it's real enough to touch.
The HD800S has become my daily driver, leaving my Denon AH-D7200, Grado RS-1x and SR325x, Beyerdynamic DT1990, HD650 and HiFiMAN HE400i (2017 model) hanging on their mug trees. The one that comes closest is the Grado RS-1x, which is a very highly regarded headphone in it's own right but the only time that comes out is when I want to make the most of some electric guitar music like AC/DC, Aerosmith, etc. - nothing does guitar like a Grado. As for the HD800S, it's trading punches with the HiFiMAN Arya Organic but leaves those in the dust when it comes to build quality and longevity - they are also the most comfortable headphones I have ever worn, they just disappear and an 8 hour listening session just flies by, best £1100 I have ever spent and then some.
The HD800S has become my daily driver, leaving my Denon AH-D7200, Grado RS-1x and SR325x, Beyerdynamic DT1990, HD650 and HiFiMAN HE400i (2017 model) hanging on their mug trees. The one that comes closest is the Grado RS-1x, which is a very highly regarded headphone in it's own right but the only time that comes out is when I want to make the most of some electric guitar music like AC/DC, Aerosmith, etc. - nothing does guitar like a Grado. As for the HD800S, it's trading punches with the HiFiMAN Arya Organic but leaves those in the dust when it comes to build quality and longevity - they are also the most comfortable headphones I have ever worn, they just disappear and an 8 hour listening session just flies by, best £1100 I have ever spent and then some.
Man of Honour
I don't know what other amps or EQs or whatever others have been using but I had absolutely zero problems with gaming on the HD650 through both my NAD amps and now the Topping MX3s, imaging, soundstage and positioning is/was excellent and I always likened it to my speakers which are point-source so excellent for stereo imaging regardless of your head position. This seems to have translated to the Ananda Nano too now with the benefit of having a much more open soundstage vs the HD650 which had the slight veil to it with a tight focus on the mids, whereas the Nano opens that up and then adds an extra layer of brightness to both mids and highs. I never software EQd the HD650, just +3 on the treble on the amp directly to give the veiled mids a slight boost in brightness and +2 on bass to give a littlew low end extension.
I will try the HD800S one day, but for now and for me, the Nano appears to be a good upgrade over the already excellent HD650. The sheer size of the planar driver gives a level of verticality to the imaging and soundstage that the HD6 series can never deliver due to the much smaller size of the dynamic driver.
I also don't think even the HD800 series can reach the levels of bass kick and detail the planars can, one of the plus points of large driver planars I guess but still eager to have a demo! I'll have to find an audio store that has some HD800S in and take a listen one day.
I will try the HD800S one day, but for now and for me, the Nano appears to be a good upgrade over the already excellent HD650. The sheer size of the planar driver gives a level of verticality to the imaging and soundstage that the HD6 series can never deliver due to the much smaller size of the dynamic driver.
I also don't think even the HD800 series can reach the levels of bass kick and detail the planars can, one of the plus points of large driver planars I guess but still eager to have a demo! I'll have to find an audio store that has some HD800S in and take a listen one day.
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