HeAudio EH-1.3 & EH-1.2B Electrostatic Headphones

[derekbmn]

Lets put it this way - with all things (amplification, etc.) being equal the 1.2Bs "wake up" at a lower volume level than the SR-007s. All IMO after doing much A/Bing of the two.

[Yikes]

I have limited experience with the HE90, just at the odd meet. So I can't really compare the EH-1.2B to the 90's. What I can say is that the EH-1.2B's are at this point doing nothing wrong, perhaps in comparison to a set of HE90's or possibly O2's I might notice something that could be better, but without direct comparisons I can find no fault with the EH-1.2B's.

To say that I'm pleased with my Woo Audio GES (Loaded, including Siltech internal wiring) and HeAudio EH1.2B setup is a tremendous understatement. I'm continually amazed by the amount of detail and the resolution that this setup delivers in an absolutely musical manner.

I'd never consider spending what people expect for a used set of HE90's. It's insane, thousands of dollars for a long discontinued product without any parts support. If they slip and fall wrong it would be a catastrophe! No, for me the EH1.2B's make much more sense. HeAudio (Head Direct) appears to be providing proper post sale support, not to mention that they cost a small fraction of what the 90's cost so if they stop supporting them or if they break it is nowhere near the same degree of disaster.

[braillediver]

"long discontinued product without any parts support. "

I believe they are still supported by Sennheiser. They just release the new ones 2 or 3 years ago so they definately still support the HE90.


Mitch

[spritzer]

Volume level has nothing to do with how difficult something is to drive and what kind of attenuation is used matters even less. The impedance of electrostatic drivers varies a lot with frequency so the current delivery of the amp is very important (or the voltage will drop with the impedance) and so is the slew rate.

Originally Posted by braillediver

"long discontinued product without any parts support. "

I believe they are still supported by Sennheiser. They just release the new ones 2 or 3 years ago so they definately still support the HE90.


Mitch

The last of the new phones still have about 2.5 years left on the warranty so they will definitely support them just as Stax still supports the SR-Omega (though in usual Stax style, with new parts from current models).

[blumenco]

Originally Posted by Duggeh

^ your volume control reasoning doesnt apply for the differences in a power amp with the same pre amp, which I have heard.

In a way, no. in a way yes: if you are willing to see that the pre amp is not actually in the "same" power amp, and that the whole system is mutable (warranty voiding),

Then you can certainly play around with VC types, by rewiring things and to great effect. I feel personally that VC tweaks come atcha in this order

Headphone, amp, source, power supply and general circuit mods if applicable (amp and source), VC betterment, isolation (small (or large) smooth river rocks or polished wood blocks work well), and make your own cables....they are much better than the bought ones and it is good to stick to minimalist designs.

By smartly DIYing a bit, you don't get that audiophile "sound." you get somthing much different. you get "music."

-Clark

[Yikes]

Originally Posted by spritzer

The last of the new phones still have about 2.5 years left on the warranty so they will definitely support them just as Stax still supports the SR-Omega (though in usual Stax style, with new parts from current models).

My understanding was the they pieced together that final small run out of spare parts. I'm sure that they kept some parts for warranty coverage of the final run, but just the fact that they had the final run decreases the likelihood of part being available for an extended time, and Sennheiser doesn't have current model electrostatics to pull parts from.

Not that I've heard of any failures with the HE90's, at least none to speak of. I guess that my real reason is that I'm cheap and I refuse to pay more than original retail for anything. When the Orpheus was new I thought that it was way overpriced, now that it is discontinued and people expect a premium over original retail it just makes it even crazier.

As always IMHO

Bump

[spritzer]

Originally Posted by Yikes

My understanding was the they pieced together that final small run out of spare parts. I'm sure that they kept some parts for warranty coverage of the final run, but just the fact that they had the final run decreases the likelihood of part being available for an extended time, and Sennheiser doesn't have current model electrostatics to pull parts from.

Not that I've heard of any failures with the HE90's, at least none to speak of. I guess that my real reason is that I'm cheap and I refuse to pay more than original retail for anything. When the Orpheus was new I thought that it was way overpriced, now that it is discontinued and people expect a premium over original retail it just makes it even crazier.

As always IMHO

Bump

Well there isn't much that can go wrong in a HE90 though the drivers are pretty easy to overpower and could therefore arc. That would only damage the diaphragm and since the drivers are modular (a Stax Lambda driver is glued together for instance) you can replace it either with a new unit fitted to a charge ring or just make a new one. There isn't much else to go wrong with the phones unless you sit on it or something really stupid like that.

The build quality of the HE90 is very, very bad and simply pales in comparison to the Stax Omegas but like the Lambdas they are strong enough. Sennheiser really should have used better screws though...

[Yikes]

I was just sitting here listening to my headphone system. The Eh-1.2B's are really amazingly good. I'm hoping that Fang gets them back on the market fairly soon. Stax makes some great headphones, but they need some competition (Do the ESP-950's count?), and the Senns are not really competition, due to their availability not their performance.

[vcoheda]

i'm looking forward the "official" release of the 1.2B. it remains a very promising headphone.

[spritzer]

Originally Posted by Yikes

Do the ESP-950's count?

Very much so. It's a brilliant headphone and the lifetime warranty makes them a great deal.