Is the Nectar Hive worth the upgrade from the Sennheiser HD 800s?
Verdict
Downgrade
The Nectar Hive actually scores 18.0 points below the Sennheiser HD 800s, so on aggregate review consensus this is a step backwards. The gains are concentrated in value (6.5 to 7.0). You do give up ground on sound (9.5 to 9.0). Worth checking: active noise cancelling goes No to No and weight goes 330 g to 370 g. It is at least $1175 cheaper, so the lower score comes with a saving. Only worth it if a specific feature above matters more to you than overall quality does.
What actually changes
Sub-scores both products have, on the same 0-10 scale. Bars extend right for a gain, left for a loss.
- Sound9.59.0
- Value6.57.0
Spec differences
Only where the two genuinely differ - everything they share is omitted.
| Spec | HD 800s | Hive | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active noise cancelling | No | No | |
| Weight | 330 g | 370 g | |
| Driver | dynamic | Electrostatic | |
| Frequency response | 4 Hz - 51 kHz | 20 Hz - 7 kHz |
About this verdict
Direction matters here: this page answers "HD 800s to Hive". 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.