AudioChainsDB
Sennheiser

HD 800 S

headphones

$2,000

Used market: $1,560*

Manufacturer datasheet

Specifications

5 of 6 values have a recorded source
Form Factor
Over-Ear·
Is Closed Back
no·
Impedance ohms
300✓
Transducer Type
Dynamic·
Detachable Cable
yes✓
Sensitivity dB V
102✓

Expert Audio Engineering Commentary

Tonal Profile

Sennheiser names the reference: 102 dB at 1 V, not per milliwatt. That matters here more than anywhere else in this batch - at 300 ohms the two scales differ by 5 dB, and reading the wrong one moves the answer to 'will my laptop drive it' in the wrong direction.

Amplification Warning

A 300-ohm dynamic has a resonant impedance peak in the bass, so unlike the planars here it does care about the source's output impedance: a few ohms is fine, tens of ohms will tilt the bass.

* Estimated with the depreciation fallback (~78% retained value). · checked on 8/5/2026