[ucanuup]

Edition X V2 for $1300? Now that's very tempting.

 

[heliosphann]

I'm wondering if that's a typo on their website.
 
Why would they improve the design and then cut the price by almost 1/3rd? Makes no sense.

 

[ucanuup]

  I'm wondering if that's a typo on their website.
 
Why would they improve the design and then cut the price by almost 1/3rd? Makes no sense.

Not just the website, it's also on Amazon where you can actually purchase right now. And it makes  sense to me because I always considered the edition x to be way over priced at $1800. Maybe they lowered the price because it wasn't selling well. At $1300 and with better material it could be a real contender.

 

[Maxx134]

Yes and not, this move (V2 version 6 months after launch of HEX and 1 year after HEK) would be correct if they didn't do the beta testers program. 
This is the product that the beta testers wanted, so this "V2 versions" should've been released one year ago, that's the purpose of a beta testers program, to know what your customers want.

Is normal to improve products, Sennheiser launched HD800S six years after and without public beta testers program...what Hifiman did is reserve the opinions of the beta testers to save the R&D for a V2 version, and of course to make more money of that second revision, not a very honest way to do things.

Focal was the wisest company, I'm sure they hired someone to read Head-fi one entire year, recollected info, and they said: OK, a headphone like this and another like that, and...boom, totally disrupted everything. Oh, and very wise pricing decisions, they have a nice opportunity to collect feedback of the 1kusd and the 4kusd headphone and release a 2kusd headphone that suits another part of the market...that's how you do things right, what Hifiman is doing is laughing at customer's face.

Dudes, let's be reasonable...

There is nobody laughing at no one.
There is mostly competition and sales that drives companies.
That being said, I believe you have a few points that need correction.


1- HiFiman seems to be going for increased sales, while Focal seems to be satisfied with making a "statement product" with Utopia.
So the marketing plans of both are neither dumb or "laughing".
Just different.


2- It is impossible for the HE1000 V2 to be in any way the same as the prototypes,
which did not have anything the same.

Niether the pads, or the cup depth, or the same drivers, as was thread already noted in this thread.

What you stated doesn't make sense unless you are implying the possible similar tonality to prototype drivers, and that is still speculation.

I could make a much stronger argument with the Ether Flow, in which the recessed driver dimensions is equivalent to the "Flow" add-on changes.

So while I could understand price changes a cause of concern, the fact is everyone benefits from better models at lower pricing.

If anyone wants to stay mad and save up FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS, for a Utopia,
That's certainly their prerogative, but not the smartest move.
As you stated, Focal did leave a price gap in between models.
Very good point that they may come out in future with another model, although still speculation.
Yet Most likely the only one laughing at your raped wallet will be Focal on a Utopia purchase..
Edit**
The Elear is the obvious value there..

 

[pedalhead]

Hi Maxx. I think what people are saying is that the v2 is essentially what the v1 should have been after all the "beta" feedback. But HFM chose not to take any notice... remember, production units were released way too quickly after the so-called "beta" program for them to have even intended to make any changes to the production model as a result of feedback. But, what they have done is take a lot of the "beta" feedback and turned it into v2. So, in essence, the v1 is a beta product in all but name.

 

[ToroFiestaSol]

Dudes, let's be reasonable...

There is nobody laughing at no one.
There is mostly competition and sales that drives companies.
That being said, I believe you have a few points that need correction.


1- HiFiman seems to be going for increased sales, while Focal seems to be satisfied with making a "statement product" with Utopia.
So the marketing plans of both are neither dumb or "laughing".
Just different.


2- It is impossible for the HE1000 V2 to be in any way the same as the prototypes,
which did not have anything the same.

Niether the pads, or the cup depth, or the same drivers, as was thread already noted in this thread.

What you stated doesn't make sense unless you are implying the possible similar tonality to prototype drivers, and that is still speculation.

I could make a much stronger argument with the Ether Flow, in which the recessed driver dimensions is equivalent to the "Flow" add-on changes.

So while I could understand price changes a cause of concern, the fact is everyone benefits from better models at lower pricing.

If anyone wants to stay mad and save up FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS, for a Utopia,
That's certainly their prerogative, but not the smartest move.
As you stated, Focal did leave a price gap in between models.
Very good point that they may come out in future with another model, although still speculation.
Yet Most likely the only one laughing at your raped wallet will be Focal on a Utopia purchase..
Edit**
The Elear is the obvious value there..

 
Sorry, I don't agree on anything you said.
Oh, and I was talking about marketing and product placement, not that I would buy Utopia...I like Stax, and don't even like Focal Utopia speakers, so I wouldn't buy Utopia even if it costs 500usd.
In fact, I'm banned from the Elear and Utopia thread for saying that.
 
Ah, and I laughed so hard when you said: Hifiman goes for increasing sales, Focal for an statement product. Look boy, HE-1000 costs THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS, and Hifiman webpage says: "Hifiman redefines the ultimate planar headphone", isn't that an statement product? Is THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS (like you wrote) cheap? Don't make me laugh again please, tell your dealer that I want that sativa pot you smoked to write that.

 

[ToroFiestaSol]

3k chinese headphone is cheap, ("increasing sales") lol hahahahaha dude you're better than Eddie Murphy

 

[Maxx134]

3k chinese headphone is cheap, ("increasing sales") lol hahahahaha dude you're better than Eddie Murphy

Edit** (price)
Lol

IMHO 2K Should be a the limit of any TOTL, but we see Stax009 going for higher on what is an old design.

Oh well..
Edit***
There is nothing cheap on the HE1000 V1 or V2.
All metal & wood exterior.
All metal headband.
Leather headrest, no pleather or protein leather.
No cheapo plastics or squeaky carbon fiber.

Nothing is more quality feel than metal.
That's why rings, bracelets, chains earings and other jewelry are metal.

Go see anybody wear plastic or carbon fiber jewelry?

There is a stigma that Chinese always make cheap stuff.
That is really the manufacturer design, and counterfeit stuff, but there is also good quality technology leading stuff being made in China too.

 

[Toolman]

Quote:

There is nothing cheap on the HE1000 V1 or V2.
All metal & wood exterior.
All metal headband.
Leather headrest, no pleather or protein leather.
No cheapo plastics or squeaky carbon fiber.
 

 
Yes...but why for many who bought TOTL headphone (incl. me) commented that HEK feels cheap and poorly made?
 
**edit: it is process leather (sellers typically tried to confused consumers by calling them "real leather" but it is made from shaved leather waste and mixed with other synthetic materials and go through a heat bonding process), and definitely NOT genuine leather hide, top skin or anything of such ---> the closest similarity I could describe is the use of a particleboard with a top veneer, and calling it "real wood"**
 
Quote:

Nothing is more quality feel than metal.
That's why rings, bracelets, chains earings and other jewelry are metal.
 

 
Laughable statement esp for this argument...do you see anyone wearing stainless steel rings, bracelets etc with pride? or do you think HEK are made of precious metal such as silver, gold, platinum etc? and which do you think are more expensive and technically challenging to manufacture...a thin sheet of metal or a light weight carbon fibre?

And why are ALL expensive sports cars manufacturers started making parts (tubs, hood, body, even rims) with expensive carbon fibre? Is it to make their end-products feel cheap? or is that for a fact that it is to save weight, and having a better strength to weight ratio?
 
Quote:

There is a stigma that Chinese always make cheap stuff.
 

 
This statement I fully agreed having first hand experience working with a large US corp with Chinese manufacturing plant...it all have to do with the use of quality raw material as more importantly, a strict quality check.

The amount of complains coming out from V1 users seems to indicate a rather shoddy QC process here...that might not be entirely true of course, but to call the $3K asking price for HEK a quality product and $4K for a SoTA headphone like Utopia to be "laughable", "mad" and "not the smartest move" seems rather curious and obviously bias (to put them mildly) in my book.

**Full disclosure...I'm an owner of both HEK and Utopia and have zero vested interest with either company**

 

[Toolman]

btw. HEK does not use genuine leather on their headband. It is a process leather made from shaved leather and mixed with other synthetic materials.

I stand corrected on this but that's what I observed (my HEK is in deep storage now

 )

 

[Maxx134]

btw. HEK does not use genuine leather on their headband. It is a process leather made from shaved leather and mixed with other synthetic materials.


I stand corrected on this but that's what I observed (my HEK is in deep storage now :confused_face:  )

Dam, not real leather?!


Also, while I do agree carbon fibre is light and expensive,
it still feels like plastic or polyurethane because of the resin it needs to hold it together..


P S., I not one of those that say "mad" and already noted their "moves" are just different.

 

[Maxx134]

do you see anyone wearing stainless steel rings, bracelets etc with pride?

It is used for piercing jewelry...
No, I don't have one either lol

 

[Weilli]

Dam, not real leather?!

Also, while I do agree carbon fibre is light and expensive,
it still feels like plastic or polyurethane because of the resin it needs to hold it together..


P S., I not one of those that say "mad" and already noted their "moves" are just different.

Out of topic...... the good real leather such as vegetable-tanned leather is way too heavy for headphones.
Synthetic leather is not necessary a cheap material. 
Alcantara is an expensive example which is split-leather-like but lighter and much durable.
Alcantara is so expensive so that it is limited used on the luxury cars like Mclraren, Pagani, Porsche ...etc.
The headband touched like split leather but I don't think Hifiman would use "Alcantara®" but a similar imitation made in China.
 
The wood "exterior" of HEK used the true bending wood boards with several layers of finish instead of wood veneered MDF.
 

  Laughable statement esp for this argument...do you see anyone wearing stainless steel rings, bracelets etc with pride? or do you think HEK are made of precious metal such as silver, gold, platinum etc? and which do you think are more expensive and technically challenging to manufacture...a thin sheet of metal or a light weight carbon fibre?

And why are ALL expensive sports cars manufacturers started making parts (tubs, hood, body, even rims) with expensive carbon fibre? Is it to make their end-products feel cheap? or is that for a fact that it is to save weight, and having a better strength to weight ratio?

 
But, I don't see anyone wear carbon fiber rings or bracelets (not carbon fibered veneered stuff) 

 
 
 
 
BTW, I think Hifiman HE1000 has a problems that color combinations are odd. 
If the combination were making sense, the combinations should be finished wood, aurichalceous metal frames and the deer-skin-made ear pads.
Gray-brown-black(metal-cup-pad) is not a good choice for TOTL headphones 

 

[patrikh]

How ever fancy the headband is, mine's glue doesn't hold it together

 

[ToroFiestaSol]

HE-1000 color combination reminds me of a kangaroo.