[FastAndClean]

is it only me or you guys also seeing it
http://www.hifiman.com/products/detail/276

forget the headphone, that amplifier price at $12k.

but it sound good

 

[Whazzzup]

god knows what they will be in can $ and will my gsx mk2 be enough? It should be.... on the other hand do I care.

 

[ruhenheiM]

but it sound good

hard to argue that. maybe if they put a price tag like $50k that might sound even better.ohh wait... never mind

 

[Currawong]

I was using HD600&650 as an example of a perfect price for performance headphones. Not questioning you about that.

I saw currawong, Tyll, and Z reviews on the Ether Flow. I also auditioned the flows. Not impress. Just an opinion. Because of that I got the Ether C Flow and currently own that with 2 HD800s.

Side note, C Flows also not worth the price lol. I think HD800 ruined everything for me :O

Cheers

It makes a lot of sense to me that if you like the HD800 then you might find the Ether Flow to dark or thick-sounding, though some of that can be rectified by removing the felt disks under the earpads. My tastes have probably moved towards a bit of a darker sound signature than before, so I prefer somewhat more of a bass kick to allow for the variety of music I listen to.

Since this *is* a Susvara thread, I did try the big rig at the Tokyo show and they were the most excitingly dynamic headphones I've heard, reminding me of descriptions I've read of what the HE-6 was like out of a speaker amp.

 

[Shure or bust]

I'll take 2 please!

 

[landroni]

I've never heard the HD600 or HD650, but I own the HD800. For some music, the Ether Flow beat even the superlative HD800.

Depending on who you hang out with, the HD800 may not be considered "superlative" at all. I've seen it described anywhere from "ear piercing" to having "treble that can be weaponized". By contrast, the HD600/HD650 -- when properly amped -- are tonally much well behaved. So much so that many do not consider that HD800 is much of an upgrade to the HD650 at all...

Which gets us back to the Susvara 6K... or is it now 18K... Edition. Will it really manage to improve on things like the HE-6, and will the sonic improvement be reflective of the price increase (we're talking integer multiples here)? Or is it just about the price hike and bragging rights, with compromised sonic performance?

 

[protoss]

It makes a lot of sense to me that if you like the HD800 then you might find the Ether Flow to dark or thick-sounding, though some of that can be rectified by removing the felt disks under the earpads. My tastes have probably moved towards a bit of a darker sound signature than before, so I prefer somewhat more of a bass kick to allow for the variety of music I listen to.

Since this *is* a Susvara thread, I did try the big rig at the Tokyo show and they were the most excitingly dynamic headphones I've heard, reminding me of descriptions I've read of what the HE-6 was like out of a speaker amp.

But do you think Susvara 6K justified the headphone?

I Also experience with higher voltage of an amp like a speakeramp produces the best sounding in anything. This reminds me why the legendary Omega and the T2 were beast together.

Conclusion, need a cheap headphone that can handle high voltage and release mass amount of engery and sound.

 

[thefitz]

NOTES:

1. THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE HEADPHONE
2. HIFIMAN RELEASED A V2 OF THEIR "EDITION" LIKE SHORTLY AFTER THE INITIAL RELEASE

Now that this has been addressed, we can stop repeating the same comments over and over again.

And for the love of god, do NOT get into hifi speaker systems, where six-figure investments incite apathetic shrugs.

 

[raypin]

Mm...amen. can we move along? Like....what does it really sound like? Serious review wanted (including the official amp).

 

[Jozurr]

Would be nice if they sent review units out to some people who are actually doing objective reviews not sponsors who never highlight problems. Id love to see what Tyll thinks of them too. He never really liked the HE-6, but then again he never tested it on the right chain either.

 

[carlosgab]

Even though I undoubtedly cant afford this headphone, let alone the combo, I'm still interested how people will compare this to the HE 6s. Thread subscribed!

 

[Rotten Apple]

Super disappointed in Hifiman. When will this trend of ridiculous priced flagships come to an end? Or at the very least slow down a little bit. What justifications do they have for that pricing?

At least other companies put in years of R&D before they release their top of the line model.. Hifiman pumps theirs out pretty quickly and routinely it seems. HEK v1 HEK v2 now this?

Being a Chinese company also means they have access to super cheap build materials, I think their return on investment for this headphone will be insane.

Before Jude or anyone else gets upset about all the talk of pricing (like he did in the Utopia and MSB threads), if you want to talk more in depth about this - please refer to my thread here:

https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/r...-and-importance-of-bias-blind-testing.815376/

We all desire what we perceive to be the best. At least what our wallets deem to be the best at any point in time. Quality headphones used to be a purchase that would easily last five to ten years. Manufacturers generally had no problems in producing a product that withstood the test of time whilst maintaining audio quality. Today TOTL headphones are being thrown about like iPhones. The pace at which enthusiasts trade older models in, for a substantial loss, to upgrade whether perceptibly or for simply for a different sound signature, is staggering. Others spend 3 grand just for another pair as a spare.

We all have free will to purchase what we want when we want. I've been in the audio business for far too long. Most of the R&D is already paid for with these headphones, unless the company wants to lay off existing employees. Marketing is mainly done for free through trade magazines like these, advertisements which are not free ad trade shows, which are already booked. IMO the profit margins on these headphones is bigly huuuuge. Gobs of money is being made for just another flagship headphone which in reality could probably be sold for half its asking price while still making 100 percent margins. I don't want to say that they are eye gouging, but I seem to have stepped on a slimy substance and have watched Kill Bill too many times...

 

[Pokemonn]

My headphone journey ended with 3.5k Stax SR-009! 6k headphone? BS.
I am going to loudspeaker-fi world...headphone is too overrated nowadays...

PS no I'm not going to speaker...I love headphone...LOL

 

[Arthur Li]

Just bought a pair of HE-K V2. Lots of scratches are on the ear cups, and the pads are not even mounted completely onto the cups when I take the headphone out of the box. 3000 dollars......

 

[raypin]

Mm...can you post some pics? Seems unusual to have that kind of damage for a brand new unit. Have you complained to the dealer? I've purchased 18 different headphones over the past 4 years, inluding the HE 1000. No defects, although one had to be returned for replacement because one driver failed after a few weeks of use.