Is $1,300.00 Too Much For A Pair Of Headphones?

Well, that's what I spent on a pair of Sennheiser HD-800 'phones. To briefly qualify, I am a headphone freak. I owned one of the first pairs of Koss Electrostatics from '69 which wired directly to the speaker terminals of my Scott 342B Receiver, weighed over 9 ounces, had red indicator lights on each earpiece that glowed brightly when the volume was cranked (nice!), and sounded awesome. Currently I own a set of Beyer DTC-770 closed back, one set each AKG 501 and 301 open backs, a set of Sennheiser HD-265 closed back, a set of Sennheiser HD-590 open back, and a pair of Etymotic Research In-Ear noise isolation plugs for commuting. I've been in dozens of recording studios and subjected to various species of "studio monitor" 'phones which by necessity needed to be flat, Er, dull to accommodate long sessions. At home many memorable evenings have been spent listening to music on headphones driven by a Grace Design m902 Monitor Controller/Hi-Rez DAC. Of all the models listed above I consistently reach for the HD-590s. They are extremely light, circumaural (fit over the ear) and have a detailed/transparent sound that present no fatigue over long periods. I am still quite happy with the '590s. When I heard Sennheiser had released a total re-think of their transducer technology in the HD-800s I was skeptical, but even more curious so_GULP!_actually ordered a pair from musicdirect. My order was slated for the second US-bound production run, and I received the goods in about 6 weeks. The packaging speaks "High Fidelity Component". The box is huge by 'phone packaging standards, has life-sized photos of the cans prominently placed, the carton is first rate, the foam is much sturdier than most "Audiophile" packaging. These are BIG transducers. The ear-cups are ingeniously designed with flat backs that mitigate the "phones forward" push I get from the AKGs, Beyers and HD-590s when listening from my Scandinavian lounger. The steel and plastic construction is more sophisticated than most "black box" receivers from the late '80s/early '90s, the cord itself is a work of art terminating at the cans with heavy-duty proprietary clip-plugs and at the amp end with a high quality 1/4" jack. So, "What's all the fuss about then?" I make no apologies for what I'm about to say; these cans sound absolutely incredible. Everything I enjoy about the HD-590s on steroids, in spades, "To the Moon, Alice!". I have not heard a more even presentation of extension at the frequency extremes, the most transparent mid-range in the universe of my understanding combined with the ability to create space that rivals my Dahlquist DQ-16s. One night deep into a session I reached to address an ear itch and was surprised when my finger hit the outer wall of the HD-800s! All of the design innovations incorporated into these 'phones relaxed me physically, and convinced my auditory receptors I was listening to speakers at real world volume levels. Yikes! I have since upgraded the cord to a Cardas model that has taken the performance even further. Double-Yikes!! As the saying goes, "I'd pay for that!". To my spend-long-green-phobic friend Doug, "Yes Doug, it IS too late to send them back!!"