Official HIFIMAN HE1000 Impressions Thread

[jamato8]

"Being there" - hate this phrase. Prefer "brings the performers into my listening room" .

How much better is the 1000 versus the HE560? Triple?
Law of diminishing returnns.....

I have a speaker system, when it is set up, with mono tube amps, my own 27 preamp, and assorted cables that take you there, on well recorded live recordings. They don't feel like they are in my room, I feel like I am there. That is my experience. 

 

[CanadianMaestro]

I'm probably accustomed more to studio digital recs than live ones.
 
cheers

 

[rgs9200m]

How much better is the 1000 versus the HE560? Triple?
Law of diminishing returnns.....

Warning! *Trite Cliche Alert*
The HE1000 is in a different league than the HE560.

 

[chowmein83]

  I must admit, I do love the imaging of my 560. Never imagined a headphone could image some singers outside of the earcups, like on the Boston Baroque Players' CD of Mozart's Requiem (Perlman). Can't imagine what the 1000 would do to far surpass that....
and the treble on the 560...best I've heard so far. no brightness, textured and airy. 

 
Before I listened to the HE1000 for the first time, I also wondered how they were going to top the HE-560, which to me is already a really damned good headphone. But yeah, the 1000 is in a totally different class compared to the 560 - imaging and layering gets even better, bass is somehow improved in quality by a not insignificant amount compared to the HE-560, and everything suddenly seems to get a lot more "texture" (as hard as that is to believe) and is that much closer to bringing you to the actual performance - whether it is vocals, guitars, violins, or everything else.

 

[CanadianMaestro]

  Warning! *Trite Cliche Alert*
The HE1000 is in a different league than the HE560.

 
+1 on the "Trite Cliche Alert" label. 

 
 
Yawn... Is there an echo in here? ...like every time when a new "flagship" is released?
 
Still....given the pedigree.....

 

[rgs9200m]

Well, it could be the new-toy syndrome, I admit, but so far, I am sincere in my affection for this thing. I mean, I may get bored later, or start to see some flaws that bother me as time goes on, but, I am sure these are a different breed, for better or worse. I actually never liked the HE6 flagship from the start, and sold them off after a month or so. (So I'm not a Hifiman fanboy.) They just had too much of a bite for me even with tube amps. I also have to say that the HEK is amp and source sensitive. 2 high end amps sound different (tubes vs. solid state), and the difference between the Hugo, EMM cdp, and Oppo 105 is also extremely evident. So they scale, and I guess that's good. 

 

[CanadianMaestro]

Not saying anyone here is insincere about the 1000. All good. I am ALL for having our brain's dopaminergic pathways over-stimulated to give pleasure with "new toys". It wears off over time, though, which is a normal neurophysiological response...or at least, until The Next One comes along...HE-2000?
 

 

[jamato8]

  Not saying anyone here is insincere about the 1000. All good. I am ALL for having our brain's dopaminergic pathways over-stimulated to give pleasure with "new toys". It wears off over time, though, which is a normal neurophysiological response...or at least, until The Next One comes along...HE-2000?
 

My near transmitters have been all used up. I now hear the truth. lol 
 
No, I have a few headphones to compare to and the HE1000 are the real thing. Also I have had them long enough for the New Stuff syndrome to wear off. 

 

[CanadianMaestro]

You think the price will drop over time? 

 
Krazy...

 

[jamato8]

  You think the price will drop over time? 

 
Krazy...

Only time will tell. 
 
People have sold the HE90, the Sony R10 and look at the esteem they are held in. So maybe a HE1000 will come up used. I knew a guy that had 2 HE90's. He bought them right. Strange things in this world of humans. :^)

 

[CanadianMaestro]

at the current price, I would sell stuff too, to finance the 1000! 

 
Those earcups look long -- is fit ever an issue for people with smaller heads/ears?

 

[Wildcatsare1]

I must admit, I do love the imaging of my 560. Never imagined a headphone could image some singers outside of the earcups, like on the Boston Baroque Players' CD of Mozart's Requiem (Perlman). Can't imagine what the 1000 would do to far surpass that....
and the treble on the 560...best I've heard so far. no brightness, textured and airy. 

Love my 560 as well, especially for classical. Will be getting a pair of HEKs this week from TTVJ, looking forward to comparing the two.

At the Nashville Meet I had the opportunity to listen to the Ether in my system, as well as, Dan's uber system, Cavlli L. Carbon/Fire, Schiit Rag/Yggy, Woo WA 22. I was able to srcrawl some notes of the Ether versus my modded 560s.

Once I get the HEK I'll compare notes with MattTCG, who also has experience with both headphones.

 

[preproman]

  Well, it could be the new-toy syndrome, I admit, but so far, I am sincere in my affection for this thing. I mean, I may get bored later, or start to see some flaws that bother me as time goes on, but, I am sure these are a different breed, for better or worse. I actually never liked the HE6 flagship from the start, and sold them off after a month or so. (So I'm not a Hifiman fanboy.) They just had too much of a bite for me even with tube amps. I also have to say that the HEK is amp and source sensitive. 2 high end amps sound different (tubes vs. solid state), and the difference between the Hugo, EMM cdp, and Oppo 105 is also extremely evident. So they scale, and I guess that's good. 

Sounding different is not scaling.  Sounding better is.  One reason you didn't like the HE-6 was because they scaled and you wasn't willing to keep up with them. The other reason maybe you just didn't like them. The HE1K is a forgiving headphone and it doesn't scale as much as the HE-6 if at all.  The HE-6 is not forgiving at all and will tell you so.  The HE1K just goes with the flow, sounding good (as reported here) on just about anything.  

 

[Wildcatsare1]

Sounding different is not scaling.  Sounding better is.  The main reason you didn't like the HE-6 was because they scaled and you wasn't willing to keep up with them.  The HE1K is a forgiving headphone and it doesn't   scale as much as the HE-6 if at all.  The HE-6 is not forgiving at all and will tell you so.  The HE1K just goes with the flow, sounding good (as reported here) on just about anything.  

Daryl, are you going to keep the HEKs and how did they sound on your Pass Integrated Amp? Would love to hear how the pair with your GSX-2 as well.

 

[preproman]

Daryl, are you going to keep the HEKs and how did they sound on your Pass Integrated Amp? Would love to hear how the pair with your GSX-2 as well.

Well, they wasn't mine to keep.  They belong to a buddy who does not like them "AT ALL" he will be sticking with his HD800s.  
 
I plan on buying them after a I'm comfortable the reliability of them are good.  Then yes, I will have them and the Abyss.  I sold the HE-6.  (Never thought I would do that).  
 
They sound pretty damn good on the Pass amp.  That's where they will live.  I'm getting the GS-X mk2 for another application.  
 
Bricasti M1 / GS-X mk2 / HD800.  This will be a very revealing rig.  Maybe to a fault, but I'm going to give it a shot.