When comparing Sennheiser HD 800S vs Turtle Beach Elite Pro Tournament, the Slant community recommends Sennheiser HD 800S for most people. In the question“What are the best headphones?” Sennheiser HD 800S is ranked 11th while Turtle Beach Elite Pro Tournament is ranked 55th. The most important reason people chose Sennheiser HD 800S is:
The highs are very clear and revealing, so you will be able to hear even the minute details from the audio that you simply will not be able to pick up with lesser headphones. The mids are also clear and have nice warmth. They are slightly recessed, yet voices and mid range tones will come out full, so the sound is not lean in any way. The bass is not boomy but still has enough power for a satisfying thump. Also, due to the bass' tightness and speed, there is no bloat from the lower frequencies.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Extremely detailed highs, warm and clear mids with tight and accurate bass
The highs are very clear and revealing, so you will be able to hear even the minute details from the audio that you simply will not be able to pick up with lesser headphones.
The mids are also clear and have nice warmth. They are slightly recessed, yet voices and mid range tones will come out full, so the sound is not lean in any way.
The bass is not boomy but still has enough power for a satisfying thump. Also, due to the bass' tightness and speed, there is no bloat from the lower frequencies.
Pro Highly detailed sound with one of the widest soundstages
These headphones sound very immersive. Aside from the highly detailed sound and powerful yet tight bass, the soundstage is very wide, which only a few headphones can match , if any at all.
Pro Relatively lightweight
Despite the massive size of the headphones, Sennheiser was able to keep the weight down by using a special material called Leona, which is very light yet has metal-like toughness.
Pro Very wide sound stage
The HD 800S has one of the widest sound stages of any headphone today. There is excellent separation and you can easily identify where various sounds are coming from and can be very immersive.
Pro Solid build quality
These headphones do not make unnecessary creaks or flex when moved or held. Aside from the use of Leona on the ear cups and headband, the size adjuster is made of lightweight metal, with fine yet durable stainless steel mesh covering the drivers.
Pro Comes with two high quality cables
Out of the box, you get a balanced XLR cable and an unbalanced TRS cable. If you have a balanced headphone amp, then the XLR cable will allow you to maximize your amp's performance with these headphones without the need to buy a different (and expensive) cable.
Pro Really comfortable to wear
The ear pads feature high quality memory foam as cushions with the surface being premium quality velours. This material combo is also used on the headband. They feel really soft and conform to the contours of your head. Due to the fabric material, some air can move through the pads, minimizing heat and sweatiness.
Pro Great sound quality
The Elite Pro delivers full, forward, powerful and detailed sound that should work well with any game or movie. Bass is powerful yet is also fast, so it does not muddy up the overall sound signature. The mids are slightly forward so in-game dialogue is very easy to hear and understand. The highs are very detailed yet do not get harsh, so you should be able to easily pick-up minute sound effects like footsteps and the rustling of leaves, which can give you a competitive edge when gaming.
Pro Very comfortable
You won’t have any issue wearing the Elite Pro for extended periods. The headband and ear pads feature thick memory foam which feel very soft, and drastically reduce pressure on the head. Also, there are ear cup settings that help to minimize the tension under certain parts of the ear pads, allowing them to compress more to accommodate those who wear glasses when gaming.
Pro Very good build quality
The Elite Pro won’t break easily, as the headset is built quite well. The headband adjustment and joints are made of metal, while the rest of the headset is made of high quality plastic which is lightweight yet does not flex or creak.
Cons
Con A decent amp is needed to power these properly
These headphones are quite power hungry and will not produce optimal sound or volume when plugged directly to your phone or laptop. You will need to invest in a separate, fairly powerful amp to get the best sound out of these.
Con Leaks a lot of sound
Only a very fine mesh piece covers the large headphone drivers from the outside. These are basically mini speakers so others can easily hear what you are listening to.
Con Can be picky with DACs/amps
Your choice of amp and DAC can have a noticeable effect on the sound of the HD 800S. You may need to do extra research as to which audio equipment can bring out the best sound from these.
Con Expensive
While you do get great audio quality from the Elite Pro, it is quite expensive. You’ll need to purchase Turtle Beach’s TAC mix-amp separately to get 7.1 surround sound and audio profile switching.
Con Poor microphone quality
The included microphone won’t be able to give you the best voice chat experience. While the mic audio sounds okay, it picks up ambient noise easily. You’ll need to purchase a separate, noise-cancelling amp from Turtle Beach if you want to get optimal mic performance.