Sennheiser has released the next generation, HDV 820 digital headphone amplifier that provides reference class sound for reference class headphones.
The concept is simple, hook it up to a digital audio source – optical, coaxial, USB, XLR or RCA, plug in a corded quality headphone capable of reproducing the impressive 10Hz-100kHz frequency range (normal is 20Hz-20kHz) at less than .001% total harmonic distortion.
Sennheiser says that its new DAC (Digital Analogue Converter) improves on the impressive HDVD 800 with higher-resolution sound, lower distortion, fully balanced signal processing, and low harmonic distortion.
Manuel Ricke, Product Manager Audiophile at Sennheiser, said, “The HDV 820 builds on the accomplishments of the HDVD 800 with greater resolution and enhanced connectivity, an evolution that provides a sound experience so pure and engaging that the listener could be sitting right in front of the audio source. The HDV 820 shows what is possible when you believe that sound is not something just to be listened to, but rather something to be experienced.”
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The digital componentry uses an ESS Sabre32 DAC. It performs at a PCM resolution of 32 bits and a sampling rate of up to 384kHz or 12.3MHz in DSD mode.
The analogue section has an unbalanced output through an XLR3/6.3mm combined NEUTRIK socket, one balanced XLR4, and two balanced 4.4mm Pentaconn sockets (the new standard for balanced headphone connections set by the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association - JEITA).
CH 800 P: The Pentaconn cable solution
Sennheiser has a new balanced headphone connection cable CH 800 P. It comes with a straight gold-plated Pentaconn connector in a black housing on the amplifier side and two (L/ R) medical grade ODU connectors on the headphone side. It enables the headphone models HD 800 and HD 800 S to connect to devices with Pentaconn outputs such as the HDV 820.
Price wise this 2.25kg box will set you back a tad under A$4000 – if you need to ask the price you don’t need to buy this. It will be shipping in August.
In fact, this is an ideal companion for Sennheiser’s HD 600, 650, 700 or 800/S – the former sells for about $500 and the latter sells for around A$2600 here.
US website: https://en-us.sennheiser.com/digital-headphones-amplifier-hdv-820
