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Sennheiser Presents Its Analogue and Digital Headphone Amplifiers at IFA 2012

By Joy Hou - on 1 Sep 2012, 11:00pm

Sennheiser Presents Its Analogue and Digital Headphone Amplifiers at IFA 2012

At the IFA 2012, Sennheiser rolled out the digital HDVD 800 and the analogue HDVA 600 amplifiers, which harmonize perfectly with its high-end headphone line HD 800, HD 700, HD 650, and HD 600.

HDVD 800 (Image source: Sennheiser) 

Especially designed for use with digital sources, the HDVD 800 features an extra high-quality Burr-Brown digital/analogue converter that converts digital audio data into analogue signals with a resolution of 24 bits and a sampling rate of up to 192kHz. This enables transmissions of entire frequency spectrum of high-end audio sources without any loss of frequencies.

The new analogue HDVA 600 will be available at selected Sennheiser sales partners from Oct 2012, while the digital HDVD 800 starts retailing from Nov 2012.

Read on for the full press release.


Building a hi-fi device that sounds so brilliant, so crystal clear and so free of distortion as if one were sitting right in front of the audio source. Creating a level of acoustics that surpasses everything that has gone before. These are the visions that drive Sennheiser in the development of its high-end products. After recently having presented its first digital headphone am-plifier, the audio specialist Sennheiser announces at IFA 2012 that it will also launch an analogue version of the device. Both the digital HDVD 800 and the analogue HDVA 600 have a fully symmetrical layout and promise a unique listen-ing experience. They harmonize perfectly with the High-End headphone line HD 800, HD 700, HD 650 and HD 600.

The outstanding features of the new headphone amplifiers include a balanced sound image, maximum precision and impressive spatiality. The high-end de-vices have a fully symmetrical layout for operation with analogue audio sources, thus ensuring absolutely symmetrical signal transmission from the source to the headphones. Especially designed for the use with digital sources, the HDVD 800 features an extra high-quality Burr-Brown digital/analogue converter that converts digital audio data into analogue signals with a resolution of 24 bits and a sampling rate of up to 192 kHz. This enables the HDVD 800 to transmit the entire fre-quency spectrum of high-end audio sources without any loss of frequencies.

The search for perfect sound is a constant motivation for us to develop new ideas,” said Maurice Quarré, Director Product Lifecycle Management Sennheiser Consumer Electronics. “The best example is the legendary Orpheus. These elec-trostatic headphones with a vacuum tube amplifier, which came onto the market around 20 years ago, have become an icon in the audio world. With the new headphone amplifiers, Sennheiser is now taking up the tradition of the Orpheus, providing music lovers with the perfect combination of Sennheiser headphones and a specially matched amplifier.

Cutting-edge technology, top-quality sound  

Signal processing in the HiFi devices is fully symmetrical. That means that not only the signal input into the amplifier is symmetrical but also the signal output and therefore the connection to the headphones. “The fully symmetrical principle effectively compensates for interference and distortion. The sound therefore be-comes much clearer as total harmonic distortion is minimised," explained Axel Grell, Sennheiser’s High-End Product Manager at Sennheiser. However, the headphones can also be connected using a normal 6.3 mm jack plug. The ampli-fiers are also equipped with an asymmetrical input socket; when using this input, the incoming signals are symmetrised before further processing takes place. On the HDVD 800 digital sources are connected to the rear of the unit as an AES/EBU input or S/PDIF (optical and coaxial). The digital version is featured with an extra USB input, which offers 24 bit data transmission at 192 KHz*.

In order to fully exploit the sound potential of the HDVD 800 with any audio source, a rotary gain switch at the rear of the unit provides simple adaptation of the amplifier output to the audio input voltage. This ensures that the dynamic range can be used to its full extent.

Sophisticated materials for a premium touch

A glass panel embedded in the aluminium housing of the amplifier gives a clear view of the top-quality interior of the devices. Selected components and sophisti-cated circuitry promise the ultimate in listening pleasure. The rotary potentiometer is mechanically connected to the volume control by a 150mm long shaft. This unusually long potentiometer shaft allows the signal path between the audio source and the potentiometer to be kept very short, thus preventing possible in-terference of the signal.  High-quality components (Alps RK 27 quad) ensure that the volume is controlled with maximum precision and a fine rotary ‘feel’. Also visi-ble through the glass panel are the cooling element, the audio relay and count-less MELF resistors for the amplifier. “The material selection has been thought through down to the finest detail in order to fully exploit the amplifier’s sound po-tential. The audio aspects of each individual component were evaluated in listen-ing tests before the optimum combination was finally chosen,” said Maurice Quarré.

And such meticulous attention has also been applied to the exterior. Both the housing and the potentiometer control as well as the rotary switch for selecting the source are made of anodised aluminium, while the front panel of the housing and the controls are milled from solid material. The HDVD 800 and the HDVA 600 were developed and designed in Germany, and the latest member of Senn-heiser’s high-end series are also being manufactured there.

The new analogue HDVA 600 will be available at selected Sennheiser sales part-ners as of October, while the digital HDVD 800 starting from November.

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