The Sennheiser HD 800 S Dynamic Open-Back Headphone in Black is the audiophile headphone all others are measured against, smashing the ceiling for critical listening. Combining the care devoted to a handcrafted instrument and the precision of modern manufacturing, the HD 800 S lets you explore your entire music collection from the inside out.The Exploration of SoundThe HD 800 S demonstrates over 75 years of audio expertise, redefining the critical listening experience. After launching its predecessor, the HD 800, Sennheiser accepted a self-imposed challenge to completely disappear from the last link in the audio chain. The goal was to provide acoustics so immersive that your awareness dissolves into the creator’s perspective. On their own, each component of the HD 800 S is world-class. The signature sound of the HD 800 S is possible not because of any one of them but through the synergy of all of them.It Has a Ring to ItThe heart of the HD 800 S and its striking sound is the 56mm Ring Radiator transducer. It leverages the key benefit of a large-diaphragm transducer air displacement without losing the rigidity that favorably impacts rest and response times. Instead of a single attachment on the outer circumference of the transducer, both the outer and inner edges of the 'ring' are secured to the drive unit. The voice coil excites the diaphragm, connected to the V-shaped groove found near the center of the ring. A feat in itself, the voice coil is 40mm and wound in-house to ensure the shape and consistency are held to the highest standard.Solid as a RockThe headphones’ vibration-damping chassis and inert headband insert provide complete stability; what you put into the HD 800 S is precisely what you will get out of it. Each transducer is manufactured, tested, and measured to the tightest tolerance to ensure the most dependable performance out of the box. Even the steel mesh found in the baffle is matched and integrated with consistency in mind, as it contributes to ultra-low variance in the management of traveling sound waves. Each HD 800 S includes the frequency response plot unique to those perfectly matched transducers, sparing no resource to help you retrieve the most critical details from every corner of your music collection.All the World’s a StageThe HD 800 S features a mesmerizing soundstage that seemingly transports the listener into the recording environment. This is the result of several key features. The drivers are mounted at a precise angle, guiding the sound directly to the listener’s ears at their natural inflection point. Instead of hearing a sound that forms between your ears, you experience a vivid wash of frequencies and sensory-stimulating transients. When finally combined, the vibration-damping chassis, perfectly matched transducer systems, and wide-open construction work in concert to provide the most striking soundstage yet. This orientation rivals or exceeds loudspeaker setups costing exponentially more, especially when room acoustics are factored in. The HD 800 S offers you a personal concert hall on demand without waking the neighbors.Advanced Sound Reproduction SystemDelivered by the high-performance transducer with incredible extension. Achieving acoustics that are true to the source also requires the management of compounding frequency clusters that produce undesirable masking effects. Sennheiser integrated a patented frequency absorber, a principle similar to that found in the breakthrough IE 800S, to reduce resonances that hide extraordinary musical details in plain sight. Further, the transducer system is mounted in a vibration-damping chassis using aerospace-grade materials. In concert with the previously mentioned headband, the problematic energy peaks of lower frequencies are controlled to unveil the purity of your hi-fi setup is capable of.