Is the Sennheiser HD 800s worth the upgrade from the Nectar Hive?
Verdict
Clear upgrade
Going from the Nectar Hive to the Sennheiser HD 800s buys you 18.0 points of HearWiki score - a clear step up that reviewers agree on rather than a marketing refresh. The gains are concentrated in sound (9.0 to 9.5). You do give up ground on value (7.0 to 6.5). On paper: weight 370 g to 330 g. Worth checking: active noise cancelling goes No to No. That costs $1175 more, or about $65 per point of score - steep unless the specific gains above are ones you care about. If your current pair is worn out or the gains line up with how you listen, this one is worth the money.
What actually changes
Sub-scores both products have, on the same 0-10 scale. Bars extend right for a gain, left for a loss.
- Sound9.09.5
- Value7.06.5
Spec differences
Only where the two genuinely differ - everything they share is omitted.
| Spec | Hive | HD 800s | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active noise cancelling | No | No | |
| Weight | 370 g | 330 g | |
| Driver | Electrostatic | dynamic | |
| Frequency response | 20 Hz - 7 kHz | 4 Hz - 51 kHz |
About this verdict
Direction matters here: this page answers "Hive to HD 800s". The other direction is a separate question with a different answer. Scores blend published review verdicts across over-ear and shift as new reviews land, so a marginal call today may not be one next quarter.