[TheGadaffiDuck]

I'll try and A/B the pads in the next few days. I've had the v2's for several months now and still haven't put them on. Poor HEK's haven't got much love lately.

whats the result?

 

[heliosphann]

whats the result?

Sorry, haven't got around to it yet. Tis the busy time of year for my work. I'll try to get to it soon.

 

[allhifi]

Hey all, I managed to get some listening time in with the HE1000 last night and this morning and I wanted to share some initial impressions.

First off, for anybody asking about burn-in: I first listened to it for a while after letting it play for about 30 minutes. Then I listened to it later after music had been playing in it for 6 hours. I then listened to it this morning after letting it burn in over night, by which point the HE1000s had been blaring music for about 15 hours. I'm going to say that I honestly did not really notice much differences in the sound, if at all, during the three times I just mentioned when I listened to it.

However, I'm not sure if this was anybody else's experience, but in my first several minutes or so of listening to the HE1000, I actually wasn't that impressed. I thought, "is this really the same headphone that I listened to before at CES and CanJam?" But after those initial minutes, I started to pick up all the little things that it did better than best headphones that I currently own (HE-400i and HD700), and I really started to become impressed. My point is, I don't believe the HE1000 is a headphone that will wow upon the very first listen, but its strengths quickly become apparent soon after.

These are some things that I noticed while listening to the HE1K:

The bass is really, really good. This is the first thing that I really started to notice about the HE1000. It sounds better than from what I remember before, though this may be due to listening in my own home and with my own music. @money4me247 is right on the money when he says that the bass on the HE1000 sounds like its coming from a well-controlled subwoofer. It's like the bass is kind of separate entity from the rest of the frequency response range, but yet the overall sound still remains cohesive. I'm not sure if that is the best explanation, so I'm just going to say that I really agree with money's analogy. The HE1000 tends to emphasize the sub-bass while the mid-bass is firmly kept in check. And it sounds very full, with no hint of bloat whatsoever. I would say that the HE1000 makes my HE-400i (itself already very impressive in its presentation of bass) sound like it has some mid-bass bloat, even though I know that really isn't the case.

I also agree with money4me247's observation that the dynamic range is absolutely humongous on this headphone. I noticed slight differences in volume in certain passages of my music that I never heard before quite easily. I think this huge dynamic range also helps the HE1000 to excel in other areas, which I will get to later.

The HE1000 is amazing in making everything clear in a mix. I found myself noticing background elements in a mix very, very easily, much more so than any of my current headphones. And this doesn't only apply to music. When watching movies or TV shows, in scenes where the main emphasis is on dialogue or other elements with music in the background, I found myself being able to clearly distinguish the sound of the background music, much more so than any other headphone that I remember. I don't mean that the background music is drowning out the dialogue or anything like that - the music is still at the lower volume, but its so clear that you don't need to really turn up the volume to really listen to it.

Like HiFiMAN's other headphones, crappily recorded music will still sound decent on the headphone, but excellently recorded music will sound spectacular. However, the HE1000 does make badly recorded music sound much more apparent and somewhat worse than my HE-400i and HD700, while the HE1000 also makes really apparent which are the truly excellent recordings and which are good but on a lower level.

Vocals sound sublime on the HE1000. Not only do vocals come to the life because of the pretty much perfect tonality of them and because of the details that the HE1000 effortlessly presents, but also because of the huge dynamic range. The fact that the HE1000 is able to capture such subtle changes in volume allows one to really be able to listen to the nuances in the singer's voice - when some words are slightly emphasized, what kind of tone the singer adopts to use in certain parts, etc.

Various instruments sound absolutely life-like on the HE1000. You can really hear the air being blown through the bass instruments. Violins actually have that sound where you know it's a bow being pulled across the strings (something that I never really noticed was missing from the sound of my other headphones until I noticed it here).

And it absolutely nails how the piano sounds. This is not only in terms of tonality, but also again because of that huge dynamic range. I myself have been trained in classical piano and have been playing the instrument for over 10 years. When one plays classical, there are lots of nuances one has to take into account - which notes are slightly accented, when do you start to gradually play louder and louder, when do you play the bass (the left hand) to be slightly louder or softer than the treble (the right hand), etc. That huge dynamic range allows me to hear all of those subtle nuances in a good recording and is truly something that can literally transport me to being right next to the piano player like no other headphone that I've ever heard ever has.

If anybody is looking for comparisons, sorry, I don't have them just yet, mainly because I can't get the HE1000 off of my head once I put them on and start putting music through them. Though I can really only compare the HE1000 to my HE-400i and HD700...

I think that's all that I have for now. If you'll excuse me, I gotta get back to listening to them.

Love the passion -a great headphone line-up the Hifiman.

I'd say (as I discovered with my 400i's), a minimum 150-hours before it begins to really reveal itself.

And, at this level of precision (1K's), amplifier, cable and source become ruthlessly revealed -I suspect.

Enjoy ...

P.S. A really telling situation is for those listening evaluations (for any headphone) that does not have the imperative (and oft times desperately required) settling time; observations (SQ) may in fact be accurate -for its stage of break-in.

pj

Well I've surpassed the 250hr mark on these. I initially thought the 100hr mark was the sweet spot on these. But I did notice a noticeable change one morning after going from the 130ish mark to the 160hr mark where transparency was slightly Increased along with micro detail. I haven't noticed a change since the 160hr mark. So as of right now, these are very impressive. While it's been a while since I've listened to the 009, I can't directly compare them side by side. But as far as transparency is concerned, I haven't heard none better. So the 009 might still be better in that regard, but I will say they are at least close. Where these really shine is the fact these are among the most musical, fun cans I've had the joy to listen to while still being among the best when it comes to the technicalities. It's hard to achieve a very high level of both. Usually with a highend can you either get a very high dowse of one or the other. For example, w3000anv on the musicality side and hd800 on the technicality side. As a result, these sound very good with lesser quality music, but still really show you how great they are with high quality recordings without ever sounding analytical.

I decided to take these with me on my vacation where I'm using my HIFI m8 to drive them. While this setup isn't as good as any of my setups at home, the he1000 still sound better than most headphones I've listened to at their best which makes these even more impressive.

My Friend, although it made for a fine photograph -I'd never have my (comparatively pale ) 400i's so close to a potential mishap -spilling liquid !

(the thought sends cold shivers .... lol)

pj

Awesome write-up, Noodles!

Since I used to own the HE400i and HD 700, comparing them to the HE1000 directly would be especially helpful for me. (I'm sure you remember that I like the HE400i a lot more than the HD 700.) Anyway, I think you were planning on listening through the Attack On Titan soundtrack with the HE1000. Comparing the three headphones with that album, in detail, would be amazing!

Finally (another as I -lol) !

I too prefer the 400i's to the HD-800 (no 700's were available for comparisons) -so much so I couldn't resist purchasing a pair from a lengthy hiatus of can listening.

Come to think of it, I best be plugging those babies in for some beyond 175 hours time already clocked.

pj

I'm currently using a NuForce UDH-100 amp/DAC combo to drive the HE1000. While I don't think its underpowered in driving the HE1000, I do feel like it doesn't bring the best out of it. I'm thinking about using an Onkyo A/V receiver that I have access to to listen with the HE1000s with, because based on a few minutes of listening I think there's something special there...

For near endless power delivery (in the headphone amp world anyway), consider the (likely superb) Emotiva A-100 (basX) amp/can amp:

50W/C = 8-ohm
25 W/C = 16-ohm
12 W/C = 32-ohm
6.0 W/C = 64-ohm ... and so forth.

Price ? $229. US$ (Dec, 2017)

pj

 

[ruthieandjohn]

Has anyone compared the HiFiMAN EF-6 amp to the Schiit Mjolnir in driving the HE1000 (v.1)? Thanks!

 

[ra990]

For near endless power delivery (in the headphone amp world anyway), consider the (likely superb) Emotiva A-100 (basX)

Considering this amp, looks incredible for the price, especially for planar magnetics...what DAC are you using with it?

 

[allhifi]

Considering this amp, looks incredible for the price, especially for planar magnetics...what DAC are you using with it?

Hello: I have yet to order it. There has been many favorable reviews, particularly for current-hungry applications. (RE: Emotiva A-100 (basX)

pj

 

[AxelCloris]

We've gone through and cleaned up some of the recent posts in this thread. Please keep everything within the posting guidelines. Thanks everyone.

 

[moodyrn]

Thank you.

 

[allhifi]

We've gone through and cleaned up some of the recent posts in this thread. Please keep everything within the posting guidelines. Thanks everyone.

Now that's 'policing'. Nicely done ! And succinctly said.

pj

Yea, for sure. I've kept mine because the bass reaches into the abyss with ease.

Woah, I love the abyss. Got to get me some of that ...

 

[Hifiearspeakers]

I have a question for anyone who has heard both the V1 and V2 models. Does anyone who has heard both still prefer the V1? If so why?
Thanks!

 

[allhifi]

I replaced the stock cable on my He 1000 v1 with a Norne Silvergarde S Clear cable, and the cable transformed the sound for the better in ways that were not subtle. Later, I have also replaced the v1 pads with the V2 pads, and the sound has changed again : So how does my HeK v1 w/Norne cable + v2 pads now stand in relation to the stock HeK v2, sq wise? I have not the slightest clue, since i have not tried the stock V2 before, but I like the way the v1 sounds now and I am not sweating it. I feel that I can live without experiencing the V2, although if I get the chance to audition one, I would fully embrace the opportunity.

Sometimes, I think components and accessories (DACs/AMPS/Cables) make such substantial differences and transform the sound of cans to such a degree that it almost makes no sense to take another person's evaluation of headphone at face value, unless the headphones and signal chains that are being compared are strictly identical. Even under such circumstances, subjective human hearing and preferences can also introduce their own wild-card variables to muddy the waters....

And then there is the question of diminishing returns, and price-performance ratios and matching etc. etc., which I have lately come to consider to be a "voodoo science" if there ever was one. I have the He-1000, the Edition X, the He-6, the He-500, more recently the He-400i (Ironically, I never ever set out with the intention of acquiring so many Hifiman headphones... In all but the case of the He-500, I got unexpectedly lucky at a certain point, and found the cans selling at a price that was sooo good, and so hard to resist that I couldn't turn away, and I pulled the trigger... And that is how come I own so many of them)... Look I am not complaining... I have found something to like about all these cans, and I have the option to sell any one of them at any time, if I start feeling that they're superfluous, or have become too boring but I digress.

What I wanted to say is that I have never found the differences between any pairing of these cans to match, the differences in price-points, not even in comparing the most expensive among them (the He 1000) with the least expensive (the He-400i)... There differences are there, but they are typically in "small variables" as TheGaddafiDuck has just metioned, and if you were to ask me to put a price on any of those variables or deltas, none, in my opinion should be worth $1000 (hell none would be worth even $500, if we are considering the SQ alone without going into issues of build-quality, ergonomics, and cosmetics).... I have come to find the relationship of prices to the cans to be entirely arbitrary, and I confess that Hifiman has also contributed to the feeling by all the prices they've slashed in the past couple of years...What was the more appropriate pricing for the He-1000? The original $3K or the more recent $2k +? The Edition X ($1799 or $1299)? And the He-560? ($899 or 499)? What are the rationales for the changes? Are they appropriately valued now even at the ire present lower price points? Who can answer such questions in any satisfactory way?

At any rate, such lines of thinking have made me somewhat cynical about getting any new cans.... I have been curious about the Susvara, the focal Utopia, the Audeze LCD-4 and others, but I have not been able to audition any of them. The funny thing is that I do not particularly care any more, because I have become convinced, without even trying them that the differences between the sound of those cans the sound of those I already have would not be great enough to warrant the price differences, and that has made my lack of access to those new cans much much more tolerable... I shall eventually get to audition them if or when I run into any of them somewhere. In the meantime I really don't feel like I am missing a whole lot, by not hearing these new cans, although of course I might be wrong, and that is okay too. This state of mind has been created by my experiences with all the various cans I have tried or owned so far in the past several years, and on the strength of that experience, I do not think I am too widely off the mark in the suppositions I have just outlined. As in all things Audio, your mileage may, of course, vary.

Absolutely brilliant (and spot-on) reply.

For example:

" Sometimes, I think components and accessories (DACs/AMPS/Cables) make such substantial differences and transform the sound of cans to such a degree that it almost makes no sense to take another person's evaluation of headphone at face value". Absolutely true.

And

"There differences are there, but they are typically in "small variables" as TheGaddafiDuck has just metioned, and if you were to ask me to put a price on any of those variables or deltas, none, in my opinion should be worth $1000 (hell none would be worth even $500, if we are considering the SQ alone" Also bang-on.

" .....I have come to find the relationship of prices to the cans to be entirely arbitrary, and I confess that Hifiman has also contributed to the feeling by all the prices they've slashed in the past couple of years...What was the more appropriate pricing for the He-1000? The original $3K or the more recent $2k +? The Edition X ($1799 or $1299)? And the He-560? ($899 or 499)? What are the rationales for the changes? " Great question.

If I may add something to: " I have been curious about the Susvara, the focal Utopia, the Audeze LCD-4 and others, but I have not been able to audition any of them"

You'll be disappointed (at these models retail value), the Focal "Utopia" particularly of Herculean (/utopian) profitability.
(It worked great for Sennheiser (or whoever makes it for 'Fake-al') in that it presented a built-in market test run; "how many will 'fall' for this one " -and are willing to pay dearly)
For me, it took all but 2-3 minutes with the 'U-poopia' and some $2K Sony model (powered by some serious amp/cables) to realize basically what you spoke to above (i.e. "differences" not accounting for $500. -in your and my opinion).

In closing: "In the meantime I really don't feel like I am missing a whole lot, by not hearing these new cans, although of course I might be wrong, and that is okay too".
And you'd be right; you ain't missing diddly (squat).

" .....and on the strength of that experience, I do not think I am too widely off the mark in the suppositions I have just outlined."

Once again, bulls-eye; a passionate, insightful account. And accurate.

pj

 

[kernel8888]

ive a/b'd the he1k v1 with v1 pads and v2 pads, and the biggest differences I've found is that it ads just a hair of body to the lower mids, and might very slightly tame the treble. Sound also might be just a tad less airy due to frequency changes. really hard to compare without 2 pairs to a/b, but I used edition x v2 as a reference point, and the opposites occurred with the edition x going from v2 pads to v1 pads- edition x with v1 pads gets a little more air in the sound, slightly less body in the mids, a little more splash up top.

all changes are quite small. Honestly- comparing them and then switching pads from v1 and v2 so they have edition X v2 with the v1 pads, and hek v1 with v2 pads, brings the sound closer together. so they sound a bit more similar to each other. With the original pads to each, the biggest differences between edition x v2 and hek v1 were the hek has more air and space to the sound, more splash and sparkle up top, and leaner lower mids. The pad swap closes the gap on those differences specifically.

 

[kank]

I have a question for anyone who has heard both the V1 and V2 models. Does anyone who has heard both still prefer the V1? If so why?
Thanks!

I had the he1000v1 for well over a year, it was my favourite headphone by far as it is a great all rounder, you can put any genre of musics and it will sound good. Very comfy so i can listen to it for hours without any issues.
Recently i upgraded to he1000v2 to see what the fuss is about. I have an after market cable already so i didnt use the stock cables that came with v2. I was amaze by the sound difference, vocal is more intimate, more clarity, soundstage is more precise, more air in the treble, mid bass is tighter, faster transient and decay. The headphone is definitely more neutral comparing to the warm sand laid back sound signature of the he1000v1. It is not a bright can though. Tons of detail retrieval. I am very happy with the upgrade in terms of sound. However. I do feel the v2 polyester pads can get hot after about 40 to 50 mins of listening compared to V1 pads.

 

[Hifiearspeakers]

I had the he1000v1 for well over a year, it was my favourite headphone by far as it is a great all rounder, you can put any genre of musics and it will sound good. Very comfy so i can listen to it for hours without any issues.
Recently i upgraded to he1000v2 to see what the fuss is about. I have an after market cable already so i didnt use the stock cables that came with v2. I was amaze by the sound difference, vocal is more intimate, more clarity, soundstage is more precise, more air in the treble, mid bass is tighter, faster transient and decay. The headphone is definitely more neutral comparing to the warm sand laid back sound signature of the he1000v1. It is not a bright can though. Tons of detail retrieval. I am very happy with the upgrade in terms of sound. However. I do feel the v2 polyester pads can get hot after about 40 to 50 mins of listening compared to V1 pads.

Thank you for that.

 

[ruthieandjohn]

I’ve had and loved my HE1000 v.1 since their beta listener trials, and I still love it.

As I understand it, the upgrade to the V2 consists of different pads, some improvement to the headband, and a better cable...is that correct? Are there any others changes?

Does anyone know whether HiFIMAN still offers the $650 upgrade to V2 for original V1 owner?