HDV 820

Sennheiser Synergy

The HDV 820 is a reference-grade solution for critical listening tasks, maximizing headphone performance with top-class digital-to-analog conversion and exquisite amplification. While transducer quality obviously directly impacts high-level response and speed, the path to total immersion requires optimum circuitry from input to output. Our HDV 820 treats virtually any source or dynamic headphone to over 75 years of audio expertise.

What You Hear & What You Don’t

The HDV 820 is a tale of two heroes. Inside, the premium ESS 9028PRO SABRE converter ensures that the ultimate output is a precise match to the digital source, with fast input switching and exacting sound quality. From modern DSD files to the favorite discs in your CD collection, all are received with absolute accuracy and reproduced without extra flavors ever getting in the way. All common word lengths and sample rates are supported for a virtually endless number of digital sources: USB, S/PDIF coaxial and Optical flank the balanced & unbalanced analog inputs on the rear. An ASIO driver is included to support the DSD profiles on a PC, letting you stream up to DSD256 at 12.3 MHz on a Mac or Windows-based source, in addition to PCM files up to 32-bit and 384 kHz sample rate.

Just as important is the purity of the HDV 820’s amp circuitry, providing confident gain with a noise floor cloaked only in silence. The resulting dynamic range (over 115 dB @ 600 Ohms) and instrument separation are incredibly vivid, helping erase the lines between hearing and experiencing on your audiophile headphones. Total harmonic distortion is < 0.001 percent, with frequency response extending beyond the 10 to 100,000 Hz range to provide unbiased performance until the very last moment before reaching your headphones.

You Have New Connections

It’s easier than ever to insert the HDV 820 into your hi-fi setup. Balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA inputs complement the digital audio connections already mentioned. The headphone outputs are just as flexible, supporting XLR3, XLR4, 6.3mm and dual 4.4mm balanced Pentaconn plugs. When matched with flagship headphones such as our HD 800 S, HD 820 and HD 660 S, control over Sennheiser’s stunning signature sound is at the tip of your fingers. In addition, all dynamic headphones are supported, letting you dust off classics in your collection to extract those additional performance gains and perform A/B comparisons with ease. Finally, a set of XLR analog outputs pass any source along to other components or even powered audiophile speakers or studio monitors—perfect for critical listening while editing audio or video at your desktop studio.

Design in Mind

The interface of the HDV 820 mirrors its sonic experience with a control panel providing concise, unobstructed feedback. With every touch, the sturdy chassis and satisfying controls remind you that this high-performance workhorse was constructed to outlive its peers. The white LED indicators ensure you never lose your place—a subtle but important feature you come to appreciate after hours of losing yourself in your music.