[bosiemoncrieff]

  the brand has always struck me as high SQ performance per $ (compared to other high end brands. Build quality is a different matter). For example I rated the HEK V2 above the Utopia irrespective of price. So if the Edition 6 maintains that differentiation, then I'll be considering it in a year's time - when V2 or V3 comes out. And if it does not maintain that differentiation, then I don't have to worry about it.
 
I have to say though that Hifiman's management of this announcement has been very poor - and that has contributed to the negative reaction as much as the pricing..  

SR009 is some $500 more than the HE1K and destroyed it when I a/b'd the two in July for several hours at a clip. Surely this makes stax a bargain!
 
Can you be specific about what part of HFM's "management of this announcement" has been poor? As far as I can tell, they came to a trade show and sent out an email blast to alert customers about a new product. The only difference between this and something Schiit would do (other than HFM's inferior graphic design) is that the price spits in the face of the vast majority of their audience. 
 
Shangri-La is another story entirely. There are twenty-six preowned Teslas in the United States that are asking less than the SL. If their serial numbers require a second digit, I'll eat my hat.

 

[nvfan]

SR009 is some $500 more than the HE1K and destroyed it when I a/b'd the two in July for several hours at a clip. Surely this makes stax a bargain!

Can you be specific about what part of HFM's "management of this announcement" has been poor? As far as I can tell, they came to a trade show and sent out an email blast to alert customers about a new product. The only difference between this and something Schiit would do (other than HFM's inferior graphic design) is that the price spits in the face of the vast majority of their audience. 

Shangri-La is another story entirely. There are twenty-six preowned Teslas in the United States that are asking less than the SL. If their serial numbers require a second digit, I'll eat my hat.

Stax SR009 launched at $5250 though, the price drops are a result of Japan's QE policy of devaluing its currency.

As far as Stax being a bargain, I think it shows how opinions can differ quite a bit between listeners. In Inner Fidelity's 2015 headphone shootout panel, both the SD HD800 and HE1000 scored higher on the final tally than either Stax can.

http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/big-sound-2015-finale-headphones#KOI8eB37Ooch77lD.97

 

[TheAttorney]

  SR009 is some $500 more than the HE1K and destroyed it when I a/b'd the two in July for several hours at a clip. Surely this makes stax a bargain!
 
Attorney: As a long term owner of Stax 009 and 007, I do have some experience on this topic. The 009 is still the best headphone I've ever heard. How I got from 009 to HEK V2 is described in my post below (which may have already been referenced a while ago). The next few weeks will determine how my new H2K V2 will compare long term to my 009's, and that will determine what I do next with my downsizing exercise.
 
       http://www.head-fi.org/t/677809/the-stax-thread-iii/10725#post_13082101
 
I've never heard the HEK V1, so I can't comment on that. However, in the UK, both V1 ans V2 currently cost about £900 less than the 009, which roughly equates to $1,100, which is not a trivial difference.
 
Can you be specific about what part of HFM's "management of this announcement" has been poor?
 
Attorney: As a generally positive kinda guy, I'm personally not that bothered how Hifiman managed the announcement. I can give them the benefit of doubt. But I do get bothered by the countless, tediously repetitive, posts that some people delight in wading in about how they hate a particular company/pricing/upgrade policy/etc - that has little to do with the particular topic in hand. I'm thinking of the new Ed6 thread in particular, where true information about the new model is drowned by people moaning about generalities. It's fine to give an occasional warning about a particular company if you think people should be warned, but some insist on going on and on about the same things that we all already know about. You know who you are!
 
To avoid (or at least reduce) the number of negative posts, Hifiman should have done the following IMO:
 
1. If you are going to leak only a tiny bit of info about a new product just before the formal announcement, then at least choose carefully what that info is. E.g. don't upset all the HEK V2 owners by introducing the possibility that their new purchase or upgrade is wasted - when as it turns out we needn't have worried.
 
2. When you do announce the new model, give up front some explanation why it costs so much more than the previous HE6 model. Enthuse about whatever the new technology is and why its so much harder to build etc. Apologies if they've already done that, but the information hasn't come through in any thread I've seen so far - maybe it got lost in all that negativity )

 

[zolkis]

As far as Stax being a bargain, I think it shows how opinions can differ quite a bit between listeners. In Inner Fidelity's 2015 headphone shootout panel, both the SD HD800 and HE1000 scored higher on the final tally than either Stax can.

http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/big-sound-2015-finale-headphones#KOI8eB37Ooch77lD.97

 
Indeed, one needs to pick a reviewer with matching preferences. IMHO both the HD800 and HE1000v1 sound harder and less defined than the 009, and there is no question for me the 009 is far better for me. However, apart from the loose bass and harder-than-Stax upper mids, the HE1000 has special merits, akin to conrad johnson electronics, so I can understand why someone would settle with the HEK. I haven't heard the HE1000v2 yet, but if the reviews prove true _for me_, I may as well consider switching away from Stax to simplify (a lot) my system.

 

[rgs9200m]

I'm definitely with TheAttorney and Bosiemoncrieff in their sonic impressions of the HE1000v2, so I second their posts just above.
Whatever Hifiman is doing, the proof is in the sonic pudding to me (if you can hear pudding).
 
It sure is a sweet-sounding headphone that has fine resolution and deep, controlled bass, so it's a Holy Grail headphone.
(Or Goldilocks, so choose your metaphor...)
 
It's definitely in the Sony MDR-Z1R camp, which seems like its main competitor these days if you like this sort of sound. The Sony is also an excellent headphone in my book.
 
I think Audeze started this trend to listenability and fullness, but I suspect that Hifiman and Sony with these 2 headphones may be beating them at their own game.
 
I feel that the HE1000 headphones are happily evolved from the good old HE500, a classic phone and a bargain, but heavy on the head. It's amazing how light and comfy the HE1000v2 is,
better than the Senn HD800 from a comfort standpoint for me. 

 

[m17xr2b]

With this new expensive monstrosity I'm glad I rage sold the HEK when they launched the V2.

 

[john777]

...

I feel that the HE1000 headphones are happily evolved from the good old HE500, a classic phone and a bargain, but heavy on the head. It's amazing how light and comfy the HE1000v2 is, better than the Senn HD800 from a comfort standpoint for me. 

Having just gone from "the good old HE500" to the HE1000V2, I totally agree with you.

 

[rgs9200m]

Thanks John777!

 

[bosiemoncrieff]

Once HE1K (v1) drops below 1k, I'll consider acquiring it. Not before.

 

[MattTCG]

  Once HE1K (v1) drops below 1k, I'll consider acquiring it. Not before.

 
I'd go for that regardless of what I have in my collection. And a $500 hex v1. 

 

[TheAttorney]

With this new expensive monstrosity I'm glad I rage sold the HEK when they launched the V2.

 
I don't follow your logic here.
 
You call the $6k Ed6 an expensive monstrosity. Yet you own a $5k Abyss, which truly is an ugly monster that is in the same price ballpark as the Ed6, and much more expensive that an upgrade to H2K 
 
Yes, the Abyss is built like a tank to partly justify it's high price. It also looks like a tank, weighs like a tank, has to be driven like a tank and has all the home comforts of a tank :0). The smiley face is to denote that I exaggerate slightly for a bit of fun.
 
Yes, the Abyss sounds great once you've faffed about with adjustments for long enough. But the HEK V2 sounds great too. 
 
I'm not questioning your choice of Abyss over anything, as we all have different priorities. Just not obvious why choosing a $5k model is considered better value than spending around $650 for an upgrade that gives at least as good sound quality (IMO, albeit with different strengths), and is more comfortable and easier to drive?. 
  . 

 

[astrostar59]

It is fascinating how launching a (in reason) more expensive model can be so polarising, even to owners of the same brand. Maybe like cars, it brings the 'panic' emotion that they have to find a way too buy it as are 'missing something big' And if they can't buy it, they get super mad.
 
I think 5/6K USD for a top HP is about right. Lets face it top speakers are 50K+ on up to 200K for some people I know. I haven't heard the Ed6 so can't say it is a top tier HP, but if it is 5/6K is ok IMO.
 
It comes down to:
1. How keen an audiophile are you? (albeit personal budget constants)
2. Do you see the one you bought as a life time purchase, or are you happy to sell on a buy again?
3. Are you generally not trusting the brand?
 
The above IMO does not apply when we get to 50K HPs like the Shangri-la mind. That is a different subject.

 

[m17xr2b]

   
I don't follow your logic here.
 
You call the $6k Ed6 an expensive monstrosity. Yet you own a $5k Abyss, which truly is an ugly monster that is in the same price ballpark as the Ed6, and much more expensive that an upgrade to H2K 
 
Yes, the Abyss is built like a tank to partly justify it's high price. It also looks like a tank, weighs like a tank, has to be driven like a tank and has all the home comforts of a tank :0). The smiley face is to denote that I exaggerate slightly for a bit of fun.
 
Yes, the Abyss sounds great once you've faffed about with adjustments for long enough. But the HEK V2 sounds great too. 
 
I'm not questioning your choice of Abyss over anything, as we all have different priorities. Just not obvious why choosing a $5k model is considered better value than spending around $650 for an upgrade that gives at least as good sound quality (IMO, albeit with different strengths), and is more comfortable and easier to drive?. 
  . 

Well the Abyss lite is 4.5k since who needs an overpriced leather bag and it comes with a very good cable. The ED6 will most likely come with the same crappy stiff cables as the HEK that need replacing which further adds to the cost. 
Easier to drive I doubt it as the ED6 has a lower SPL so it requires a lot more power than the Abyss. Don't forget for every 3dB decrease you need double the power for the same volume.
And for me the Abyss is a lot more comfortable than the HEK as I don't notice the weight and there is no clamping so I can listen for longer.
 
I wanted to like the new hifiman products as I really enjoyed the HEK but this just looks like a badly merged HE6 and HEK with cheese graters added on the side built to squeeze as much money from the customer with very bad customer support(speaking from experience). And I don't want to have to pay 1000$ in a few months to upgrade to the ED6 V2 because they won't sell the pads separately.

 

[doctorjazz]

Seems a bit early to decide how good the ED6 is...I haven't even seen one, much less heard one. I'm not buying a $6K headphone, but that doesn't mean it is an evil abomination, a plague on the world. Some who can afford it and appreciate it, by all means, go for it. All these $4k+ headphones are above my budget (as are amps, preamps, speakers, etc more than $3K, and much less is preferable).

 

[TheAttorney]

  The ED6 will most likely come with the same crappy stiff cables as the HEK that need replacing which further adds to the cost. 
 
Attorney: I don't think you have any idea what cable the Ed6 will come with. The HEK V2 cable claims to is very different to the V1 cable and I've read some posts that have been very impressed with the new cable SQ. I only received my HEK V2 yesterday, so I post impressions after burn-in, but I can already say that this slightly strange feeling cable does achieve one of it's design objectives: to be very tangle free.
 
Easier to drive I doubt it as the ED6 has a lower SPL so it requires a lot more power than the Abyss. Don't forget for every 3dB decrease you need double the power for the same volume.
And for me the Abyss is a lot more comfortable than the HEK as I don't notice the weight and there is no clamping so I can listen for longer.
 
Attorney: I was comparing Abyss vs upgrade to HEK V2 at this point. Most of my post was about the value of new Abyss vs uprade to HEK V2, and that that decision should not be confused by whatever the pros and cons of another model (Ed6) that most of us are not likely to be buying. 
 
I wanted to like the new hifiman products as I really enjoyed the HEK but this just looks like a badly merged HE6 and HEK with cheese graters added on the side built to squeeze as much money from the customer with very bad customer support(speaking from experience). And I don't want to have to pay 1000$ in a few months to upgrade to the ED6 V2 because they won't sell the pads separately.
Attorney: You can't tell how great or not will be the SQ of the Ed6 from looking at a photograph. Because of it's low efficiency and price, it probably won't be on my upgrade wishlist, but I remain open minded as to how it will sound.