[Frank I]

Jude that was magnificent amplifier. Loved what F rank was able to do with it. Use it WeLL!

 

[FrankCooter]

Big thanks and appreciation to Jude, Warren, Ethan, and all the other behind the scenes organizers who work long tireless hours so we can have a couple of days of fun.
 
Despite its ever growing size, everything seemed to run very smoothly, and I can't imagine that anybody that attended didn't have a wonderful time.
 
Congratulations on a very successful CanJam!
 
As an exhibitor in the "Members Showcase" room, I spent the bulk of my time there "demoing " my DIY  electrostatic amp.  Most of us there have known each other for years, but as always new friends are made, and there's great cross-pollination between each others rigs, tastes, and ideas.  We also had excellent "traffic" throughout both days, which made everything more fun. Just about everything in the room sounded great. All of it was interesting. Zashoomin (solid-state) and I (tube) were the DIY electronics guys. Purrin, Bill P, and several others specialized in headphone modifications ( you'd be surprised at what a difference simple, reversible, changes in things like damping can make). We had an R-10 in the room. We had a vinyl rig. We probably had the best sound in the show with Purrin's modified Abyss/ custom Eddie Current amp/ and Schitt "Yggie" system. So enjoy the vendors, nowhere else will you an opportunity to sample so much equipment, but be sure to check us out as well.
 
Lots of new commercial gear. I'm always looking for new headphones to build an amp around. Most impressive to me were the new Mr. Speakers "Ethers". Besides electrostatics, my favorite headphones are  orthodynamics. I've owned or extensively listened to most of the current ortho flagships. While I've enjoyed them all, they ( with the exception of the hyper-expensive Abyss) tend to have a relatively closed in sound stage. The Ethers are  a major step away from this typical orthodynamic trait. They have a surprisingly open and large sound stage that is very appealing. Liked them a lot.
 
I was also surprised by the Enigma's. This is a hybrid with a dynamic bass driver and an electrostatic tweeter. This combination has been tried before ( I at one time had an AKG 340 for an extended loan) with mixed results. They're not perfect yet, but these guys are on to something that has potential to compete at the top level. They've already achieved a far better integration of drivers than AKG ever did and are very listenable as is. Best of luck with a very interesting and very innovative product.
 
I briefly heard the HE-1000's. They were very nice, but I would really need an extended audition with music and equipment I'm familiar with to render an informed opinion. Hope to hear them again under better circumstances.
 
One of the things I like best about meets is the discovery of new music. This time it was Mountain Biker / Arron turning me on to "Popa Chubby". Awesome blues/rock guitarist ! If you're at all into Hendrix, Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughn, etc.. you need to check this guy out!
 
Lastly I want to publicly thank Jude for commissioning  me to build the 845 DHT amp that I had on display.  He heard the rough predecessor  of this amp a year ago in LA and immediately wanted to buy it. I thought he was joking. He wasn't. The project has taken the better part of a year. This is the first time I've accepted a major construction commission. I couldn't have asked for a more patient, more understanding, or more generous client.  It's been a pleasure to work with you
 
Again, had a great time. Will see you all next year and some of you a lot sooner.

 

[leesure]

 

Dan, serious kudos are in order for your work on Ether.  the sound justifies the price and the design is spectacular.  The comfort is unmatched in planar headphones and the energetic presenr=tation was something that kept me switching music to see how great the next genre would sound.
 
Well done!

 

[leesure]

  Big thanks and appreciation to Jude, Warren, Ethan, and all the other behind the scenes organizers who work long tireless hours so we can have a couple of days of fun.
 
Despite its ever growing size, everything seemed to run very smoothly, and I can't imagine that anybody that attended didn't have a wonderful time.
 
Congratulations on a very successful CanJam!
 
As an exhibitor in the "Members Showcase" room, I spent the bulk of my time there "demoing " my DIY  electrostatic amp.  Most of us there have known each other for years, but as always new friends are made, and there's great cross-pollination between each others rigs, tastes, and ideas.  We also had excellent "traffic" throughout both days, which made everything more fun. Just about everything in the room sounded great. All of it was interesting. Zashoomin (solid-state) and I (tube) were the DIY electronics guys. Purrin, Bill P, and several others specialized in headphone modifications ( you'd be surprised at what a difference simple, reversible, changes in things like damping can make). We had an R-10 in the room. We had a vinyl rig. We probably had the best sound in the show with Purrin's modified Abyss/ custom Eddie Current amp/ and Schitt "Yggie" system. So enjoy the vendors, nowhere else will you an opportunity to sample so much equipment, but be sure to check us out as well.
 
Lots of new commercial gear. I'm always looking for new headphones to build an amp around. Most impressive to me were the new Mr. Speakers "Ethers". Besides electrostatics, my favorite headphones are  orthodynamics. I've owned or extensively listened to most of the current ortho flagships. While I've enjoyed them all, they ( with the exception of the hyper-expensive Abyss) tend to have a relatively closed in sound stage. The Ethers are  a major step away from this typical orthodynamic trait. They have a surprisingly open and large sound stage that is very appealing. Liked them a lot.
 
I was also surprised by the Enigma's. This is a hybrid with a dynamic bass driver and an electrostatic tweeter. This combination has been tried before ( I at one time had an AKG 340 for an extended loan) with mixed results. They're not perfect yet, but these guys are on to something that has potential to compete at the top level. They've already achieved a far better integration of drivers than AKG ever did and are very listenable as is. Best of luck with a very interesting and very innovative product.
 
I briefly heard the HE-1000's. They were very nice, but I would really need an extended audition with music and equipment I'm familiar with to render an informed opinion. Hope to hear them again under better circumstances.
 
One of the things I like best about meets is the discovery of new music. This time it was Mountain Biker / Arron turning me on to "Popa Chubby". Awesome blues/rock guitarist ! If you're at all into Hendrix, Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughn, etc.. you need to check this guy out!
 
Lastly I want to publicly thank Jude for commissioning  me to build the 845 DHT amp that I had on display.  He heard the rough predecessor  of this amp a year ago in LA and immediately wanted to buy it. I thought he was joking. He wasn't. The project has taken the better part of a year. This is the first time I've accepted a major construction commission. I couldn't have asked for a more patient, more understanding, or more generous client.  It's been a pleasure to work with you
 
Again, had a great time. Will see you all next year and some of you a lot sooner.

Frank, it was a pleasure meeting you and your amp sounded fantastic! 

 

[Bill-P]

   
We all hear things differently, which is why it's great to have to many different impressions here.  There were a few of us discussing with  @Bill-P for quite a while why he didn't like the HE-1000.  He was questioning whether it was himself or whether he maybe heard a bad unit.  But at the end of the day, his impressions are no less valid than anyone else's (even though he's in the vast minority!  

).

 
I'm fairly positive now that it wasn't myself. Heard another unit on Sunday on a fifth amp. Sounded very very different. Unless the stars misaligned and somehow made the HE-1000 harder to drive than Abyss, HE-560, LCD-2, etc... I'd say... bad unit. 

 
But anyway, with that said... here's the rest of my impressions, including my thoughts on the HE-1000:
 
ALO Continental amp/DAC: I heard big soundstage, a bit of warmth, and a full-bodied sound here. Basically all the things that I think many are looking for in tube amps. Needless to say, I liked this one quite a bit! However, there was a bit of a tendency for the device to sound bright, peaky, and sibilant. I voiced my concerns to Ken and Vinnie, and they said they also thought that the treble might have been overdone. However, they said that some have told them they prefer the brightness as it gives more perceived details. I suggested instead that they push the treble back to neutral, and instead reduce the warmth sound signature by a tiny little bit, giving a thinner sound, which would make things sound "faster", and would be better as then that would allow "real" details to come out better. But that's just my opinions. I still like the amp/DAC as is.
 
Audeze EL-8 closed: I honestly think some can get behind this sound, and totally love it. I simply... couldn't stand it. This headphone was very far from the Audeze sound signature that I have come to know. In its defense, I did not hear any distortion, so that's a plus. But the headphone sounded very bright and resonant. Something about it sounded very wrong. Perhaps the two different closed-back EL-8 I heard at CanJam were somehow defective, and not representative of the production units, so... please take this with a grain of salt.
 
Audeze EL-8 open: now, this one sounds like the usual Audeze house sound. Perhaps with a bit of a peak at upper midrange. I wasn't bothered by that peak, as my listening level is low enough these days. However, I think some who listen at higher volumes will notice that peak plain as day. It was always there no matter what track I played. This one has more bass than the closed version to my ears, and also the treble is much more rolled off compared to the closed one, giving it an easier, relaxed sound. However, I think I also heard a bit of distortion in the bass region, or perhaps it was less controlled than the closed-back? I'm not so sure. But overall, I think the presentation of the open EL-8 good enough for my ears. It's not going to compete with the HE-560/LCD-2, etc... IMO. It could be good competition with the stock Sony MDR-Z7, though.
 
Hifiman HE-1000: oh man, now this one is the juicy bit... so... what happened was... I think I heard a bad unit of the HE-1000 on Saturday. I tried it out of 4 amps in total. Hifiman's EF1000 and the other amp present at the show. Purrin's Eddie Current 2A3, and Zashoomin's Beta22. And... how did it sound like? I'll be frank: it sucked. It sounded so very very... average. And by that, I mean... it may have been able to hang with the HE-560 and LCD-2 at under $1000, but no way does it reach $3000. I debated this with Stillhart and some others for a long while that evening. Everyone thought I was going crazy.
 
Then on Sunday, I got to try another HE-1000 unit out of the Schiit Mjolnir. It sounded better. Significantly better than the one I heard on Saturday. But... guess what? It still sounded average to me. This time, it sounded more or less like a slightly faster LCD-3F to me. All is good... if the headphone was not priced at $3000. A slightly faster LCD-3F with $1000 tagged on top was a bit... much, I think.
 
And before anyone points out anything, please take note that I was not alone in hearing this with the HE-1000. Please refer to n3rdling's impressions here:
 

  HiFiMan HE1000: I have to admit I was pretty underwhelmed.  I was expecting these to impress me but I didn't hear anything special.  They look much better in person than in photos, but they did feel a little cheap.  For that matter, so did the rest of the chain...the scroll wheel on the portable player often took ~7 clicks just to register once, and the pot on the big amp was smooth like a normal pot but sounded like it was a stepper as I could clearly hear jumps in the volume level and couldn't really get the level I wanted.  There were a number of HE1000s there but I only listened to the single ended pair from the big amp.  Like the Ether, it sounded like a planar that was stepping towards electrostats.  There wasn't a ton of impact like a lot of other orthos, and it didn't have the detail I was expecting from a lighter diaphragm.  The soundstage also seemed off...instead of being able to pinpoint sounds from different areas around the head, the headstage on these seemed like a rectangle over your face without much separation.  Almost like listening in mono but with that center image stretched out to your ears if that makes sense.  Overall pretty neutral response.  One person told me he had very similar impressions to mine but then he tried one of the other HE1000s and they sounded completely different.  Fang said they all sound the same though so who knows.  My impressions of this headphone really didn't match what I expected to hear from a "nano" diaphragm, so I asked Fang how thick the diaphragm was and he said "I can't tell you."  I guess it's on the nanoscale, but that could mean anything.  It sounded more like 3,000-7,000 nm thick though so maybe the nano thing is to generate some buzz.

 
The "person" he was referring to in that post is me. I talked to him after his audition. The both of us were discussing whether we should say anything about this as well. Now that n3rdling has decided to write about it, I think I should as well. If for nothing but that if Hifiman reads this, they may be able to identify the bad pair, and find out what's wrong with it.
 
Anyway, to go into details about what I heard... (this applies to the "good" HE-1000, n3rdling pretty much described the bad pair spot on), I thought the HE-1000 sounded fast and very estat-like, but a bit thin, ethereal, and dry. It wasn't as smooth as Frank's SR-009 setup. But even then... it didn't sound meaty, with good tonal density. Bass on the HE-1000 had an okay impact. More or less the same as LCD-3F, but lacking behind non-fazor LCD-2, and Abyss by a good margin. I think... the best way to sum it up is this:
- Bass on the HE-1000 hits okay, but not as good as LCD-2 w/o fazor, or Abyss
- Midrange of the HE-1000 was fast, but a bit dry, not smooth, involving, and hyper detailed like the SR-009
- Treble on the HE-1000 was equally fast and ethereal, but not as smooth and extended like the HD800
- Soundstage and imaging are also nothing special as the HD800 easily beats the HE-1000 here.
 
In other words... I think... the HE-1000 does everything well, but nothing amazingly well. It's bested by other headphones that are around the same price point, or cheaper. Granted, I guess that can be said to be its strong points: that it doesn't do anything specifically wrong. I simply don't think it's worth $3000 right now. LCD-3F at 2/3 the price is probably just 1% behind. And I think some may even prefer the slower pace of the LCD-3F, as it gives a more relaxed/organic sound.
 
EnigmAcoustics Dharma: the headband they have there sucks. But the Dharma sounds very very very good for a hybrid, I think. For most songs, I don't think the difference between the dynamic driver and the e-stat driver can be heard. There is some amazing coherence here. It's only when something with a lot of dynamic swing is played ( a lot of bass and a lot of fast treble at the same time) that the Dharma shows its limitations, where the dynamic driver creates wooly bass that's slower than the fantastically fast e-stat driver. Still... this was a phenomenon effort! Great job! I especially loved the Dharma for vocal representation. It would be great for kicking back and enjoying a relaxing jazz or acoustic song!
 
Mr. Speakers' Ether: very attractive looking, very good comfort, and sound very good! Pricing is just about right, I think. Dan could have priced it lower to be competitive, but I think the pricing reflects his pride in his product. This is Dan's best headphone yet for sure! I didn't get to try it at Dan's table, but there was enough of this headphone around that I was able to get an idea out of multiple different systems. So much so that I know that it scales well with upstream gears, which is good! Honestly, I thought the Ether sounded essentially like a perfected HE-560. I don't think I have heard many stock headphones as refined as this, so... kudos to Dan! Well done, sir! I thought the Ether sounded more or less the same or even better than the "bad" HE-1000 that I heard. Honestly.
 
More impressions to come when I have formulated some more thoughts on them. My favorite of all of the new released products is Mr. Speakers' Ether. It's got good looks, sounds great, and is reasonably priced, plus it's backed by a nice gentleman!
 
Most underwhelming to me was the HE-1000. I expected better, given people's responses, but it was only okay. Fairly decent as a successor to the HE-6, but not worth the cash IMO.

 

[abheer123]

  You guys did a GREAT job all-around!!!!
Maseltov!!
 
What's up with London?
I got CRAZY connects over there - Canjam should throw a dance party (maybe make it a Silent Rave even) and I got friends w/ residencies at all the top-flight clubs,
lets do it!!
 
Mr. C said he'd be IN  - we could get my other boy Damian Lazarus from Crosstown Rebels to throw down...
Think bout it...
 
  and I had a terrific time!
Workin' on full-Impressions - then its all about the Audio360 Canjam SoCal Report!
 
 
 

yes please, i would love it. i will be in london in june and this could be my first ever head fi meet

 

[Cotnijoe]

For those that got the chance to listen to the Liquid Carbon, what was the setup they used running the amp in fully balanced?

 

[Stillhart]

  For those that got the chance to listen to the Liquid Carbon, what was the setup they used running the amp in fully balanced?

 
The setup I heard was running off a Chord Hugo, so I don't believe it was fully balanced.  There was a second setup, but I don't recall what the DAC was...

 

[Stillhart]

 

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

I'm fairly positive now that it wasn't myself. Heard another unit on Sunday on a fifth amp. Sounded very very different. Unless the stars misaligned and somehow made the HE-1000 harder to drive than Abyss, HE-560, LCD-2, etc... I'd say... bad unit. 

 
But anyway, with that said... here's the rest of my impressions, including my thoughts on the HE-1000:
 
ALO Continental amp/DAC: I heard big soundstage, a bit of warmth, and a full-bodied sound here. Basically all the things that I think many are looking for in tube amps. Needless to say, I liked this one quite a bit! However, there was a bit of a tendency for the device to sound bright, peaky, and sibilant. I voiced my concerns to Ken and Vinnie, and they said they also thought that the treble might have been overdone. However, they said that some have told them they prefer the brightness as it gives more perceived details. I suggested instead that they push the treble back to neutral, and instead reduce the warmth sound signature by a tiny little bit, giving a thinner sound, which would make things sound "faster", and would be better as then that would allow "real" details to come out better. But that's just my opinions. I still like the amp/DAC as is.
 
Audeze EL-8 closed: I honestly think some can get behind this sound, and totally love it. I simply... couldn't stand it. This headphone was very far from the Audeze sound signature that I have come to know. In its defense, I did not hear any distortion, so that's a plus. But the headphone sounded very bright and resonant. Something about it sounded very wrong. Perhaps the two different closed-back EL-8 I heard at CanJam were somehow defective, and not representative of the production units, so... please take this with a grain of salt.
 
Audeze EL-8 open: now, this one sounds like the usual Audeze house sound. Perhaps with a bit of a peak at upper midrange. I wasn't bothered by that peak, as my listening level is low enough these days. However, I think some who listen at higher volumes will notice that peak plain as day. It was always there no matter what track I played. This one has more bass than the closed version to my ears, and also the treble is much more rolled off compared to the closed one, giving it an easier, relaxed sound. However, I think I also heard a bit of distortion in the bass region, or perhaps it was less controlled than the closed-back? I'm not so sure. But overall, I think the presentation of the open EL-8 good enough for my ears. It's not going to compete with the HE-560/LCD-2, etc... IMO. It could be good competition with the stock Sony MDR-Z7, though.
 
Hifiman HE-1000: oh man, now this one is the juicy bit... so... what happened was... I think I heard a bad unit of the HE-1000 on Saturday. I tried it out of 4 amps in total. Hifiman's EF1000 and the other amp present at the show. Purrin's Eddie Current 2A3, and Zashoomin's Beta22. And... how did it sound like? I'll be frank: it sucked. It sounded so very very... average. And by that, I mean... it may have been able to hang with the HE-560 and LCD-2 at under $1000, but no way does it reach $3000. I debated this with Stillhart and some others for a long while that evening. Everyone thought I was going crazy.
 
Then on Sunday, I got to try another HE-1000 unit out of the Schiit Mjolnir. It sounded better. Significantly better than the one I heard on Saturday. But... guess what? It still sounded average to me. This time, it sounded more or less like a slightly faster LCD-3F to me. All is good... if the headphone was not priced at $3000. A slightly faster LCD-3F with $1000 tagged on top was a bit... much, I think.
 
And before anyone points out anything, please take note that I was not alone in hearing this with the HE-1000. Please refer to n3rdling's impressions here:
 
 
The "person" he was referring to in that post is me. I talked to him after his audition. The both of us were discussing whether we should say anything about this as well. Now that n3rdling has decided to write about it, I think I should as well. If for nothing but that if Hifiman reads this, they may be able to identify the bad pair, and find out what's wrong with it.
 
Anyway, to go into details about what I heard... (this applies to the "good" HE-1000, n3rdling pretty much described the bad pair spot on), I thought the HE-1000 sounded fast and very estat-like, but a bit thin, ethereal, and dry. It wasn't as smooth as Frank's SR-009 setup. But even then... it didn't sound meaty, with good tonal density. Bass on the HE-1000 had an okay impact. More or less the same as LCD-3F, but lacking behind non-fazor LCD-2, and Abyss by a good margin. I think... the best way to sum it up is this:
- Bass on the HE-1000 hits okay, but not as good as LCD-2 w/o fazor, or Abyss
- Midrange of the HE-1000 was fast, but a bit dry, not smooth, involving, and hyper detailed like the SR-009
- Treble on the HE-1000 was equally fast and ethereal, but not as smooth and extended like the HD800
- Soundstage and imaging are also nothing special as the HD800 easily beats the HE-1000 here.
 
In other words... I think... the HE-1000 does everything well, but nothing amazingly well. It's bested by other headphones that are around the same price point, or cheaper. Granted, I guess that can be said to be its strong points: that it doesn't do anything specifically wrong. I simply don't think it's worth $3000 right now. LCD-3F at 2/3 the price is probably just 1% behind. And I think some may even prefer the slower pace of the LCD-3F, as it gives a more relaxed/organic sound.
 
EnigmAcoustics Dharma: the headband they have there sucks. But the Dharma sounds very very very good for a hybrid, I think. For most songs, I don't think the difference between the dynamic driver and the e-stat driver can be heard. There is some amazing coherence here. It's only when something with a lot of dynamic swing is played ( a lot of bass and a lot of fast treble at the same time) that the Dharma shows its limitations, where the dynamic driver creates wooly bass that's slower than the fantastically fast e-stat driver. Still... this was a phenomenon effort! Great job! I especially loved the Dharma for vocal representation. It would be great for kicking back and enjoying a relaxing jazz or acoustic song!
 
Mr. Speakers' Ether: very attractive looking, very good comfort, and sound very good! Pricing is just about right, I think. Dan could have priced it lower to be competitive, but I think the pricing reflects his pride in his product. This is Dan's best headphone yet for sure! I didn't get to try it at Dan's table, but there was enough of this headphone around that I was able to get an idea out of multiple different systems. So much so that I know that it scales well with upstream gears, which is good! Honestly, I thought the Ether sounded essentially like a perfected HE-560. I don't think I have heard many stock headphones as refined as this, so... kudos to Dan! Well done, sir! I thought the Ether sounded more or less the same or even better than the "bad" HE-1000 that I heard. Honestly.
 
More impressions to come when I have formulated some more thoughts on them. My favorite of all of the new released products is Mr. Speakers' Ether. It's got good looks, sounds great, and is reasonably priced, plus it's backed by a nice gentleman!
 
Most underwhelming to me was the HE-1000. I expected better, given people's responses, but it was only okay. Fairly decent as a successor to the HE-6, but not worth the cash IMO.

 

 
Nice write-up.  Despite our differences in opinion on the HE-1000, I think we're on the same page with a lot of the other headphones.  I found your feedback on the Dharma interesting because I found the bass to be the weak spot as well.  But only sometimes.  I think you nailed the reason, tho.  I found the electrostatic parts particularly well-suited to fast metal, but the bass just wasn't keeping up as well.  On everything else, the bass sounded just about right (for a dynamic).  Perhaps this can help them tune it a bit before launch.

 

[Hun7er]

   
I'm fairly positive now that it wasn't myself. Heard another unit on Sunday on a fifth amp. Sounded very very different. Unless the stars misaligned and somehow made the HE-1000 harder to drive than Abyss, HE-560, LCD-2, etc... I'd say... bad unit. 

 
But anyway, with that said... here's the rest of my impressions, including my thoughts on the HE-1000:
 
ALO Continental amp/DAC: I heard big soundstage, a bit of warmth, and a full-bodied sound here. Basically all the things that I think many are looking for in tube amps. Needless to say, I liked this one quite a bit! However, there was a bit of a tendency for the device to sound bright, peaky, and sibilant. I voiced my concerns to Ken and Vinnie, and they said they also thought that the treble might have been overdone. However, they said that some have told them they prefer the brightness as it gives more perceived details. I suggested instead that they push the treble back to neutral, and instead reduce the warmth sound signature by a tiny little bit, giving a thinner sound, which would make things sound "faster", and would be better as then that would allow "real" details to come out better. But that's just my opinions. I still like the amp/DAC as is.
 
Audeze EL-8 closed: I honestly think some can get behind this sound, and totally love it. I simply... couldn't stand it. This headphone was very far from the Audeze sound signature that I have come to know. In its defense, I did not hear any distortion, so that's a plus. But the headphone sounded very bright and resonant. Something about it sounded very wrong. Perhaps the two different closed-back EL-8 I heard at CanJam were somehow defective, and not representative of the production units, so... please take this with a grain of salt.
 
Audeze EL-8 open: now, this one sounds like the usual Audeze house sound. Perhaps with a bit of a peak at upper midrange. I wasn't bothered by that peak, as my listening level is low enough these days. However, I think some who listen at higher volumes will notice that peak plain as day. It was always there no matter what track I played. This one has more bass than the closed version to my ears, and also the treble is much more rolled off compared to the closed one, giving it an easier, relaxed sound. However, I think I also heard a bit of distortion in the bass region, or perhaps it was less controlled than the closed-back? I'm not so sure. But overall, I think the presentation of the open EL-8 good enough for my ears. It's not going to compete with the HE-560/LCD-2, etc... IMO. It could be good competition with the stock Sony MDR-Z7, though.
 
Hifiman HE-1000: oh man, now this one is the juicy bit... so... what happened was... I think I heard a bad unit of the HE-1000 on Saturday. I tried it out of 4 amps in total. Hifiman's EF1000 and the other amp present at the show. Purrin's Eddie Current 2A3, and Zashoomin's Beta22. And... how did it sound like? I'll be frank: it sucked. It sounded so very very... average. And by that, I mean... it may have been able to hang with the HE-560 and LCD-2 at under $1000, but no way does it reach $3000. I debated this with Stillhart and some others for a long while that evening. Everyone thought I was going crazy.
 
Then on Sunday, I got to try another HE-1000 unit out of the Schiit Mjolnir. It sounded better. Significantly better than the one I heard on Saturday. But... guess what? It still sounded average to me. This time, it sounded more or less like a slightly faster LCD-3F to me. All is good... if the headphone was not priced at $3000. A slightly faster LCD-3F with $1000 tagged on top was a bit... much, I think.
 
And before anyone points out anything, please take note that I was not alone in hearing this with the HE-1000. Please refer to n3rdling's impressions here:
 
 
The "person" he was referring to in that post is me. I talked to him after his audition. The both of us were discussing whether we should say anything about this as well. Now that n3rdling has decided to write about it, I think I should as well. If for nothing but that if Hifiman reads this, they may be able to identify the bad pair, and find out what's wrong with it.
 
Anyway, to go into details about what I heard... (this applies to the "good" HE-1000, n3rdling pretty much described the bad pair spot on), I thought the HE-1000 sounded fast and very estat-like, but a bit thin, ethereal, and dry. It wasn't as smooth as Frank's SR-009 setup. But even then... it didn't sound meaty, with good tonal density. Bass on the HE-1000 had an okay impact. More or less the same as LCD-3F, but lacking behind non-fazor LCD-2, and Abyss by a good margin. I think... the best way to sum it up is this:
- Bass on the HE-1000 hits okay, but not as good as LCD-2 w/o fazor, or Abyss
- Midrange of the HE-1000 was fast, but a bit dry, not smooth, involving, and hyper detailed like the SR-009
- Treble on the HE-1000 was equally fast and ethereal, but not as smooth and extended like the HD800
- Soundstage and imaging are also nothing special as the HD800 easily beats the HE-1000 here.
 
In other words... I think... the HE-1000 does everything well, but nothing amazingly well. It's bested by other headphones that are around the same price point, or cheaper. Granted, I guess that can be said to be its strong points: that it doesn't do anything specifically wrong. I simply don't think it's worth $3000 right now. LCD-3F at 2/3 the price is probably just 1% behind. And I think some may even prefer the slower pace of the LCD-3F, as it gives a more relaxed/organic sound.
 
EnigmAcoustics Dharma: the headband they have there sucks. But the Dharma sounds very very very good for a hybrid, I think. For most songs, I don't think the difference between the dynamic driver and the e-stat driver can be heard. There is some amazing coherence here. It's only when something with a lot of dynamic swing is played ( a lot of bass and a lot of fast treble at the same time) that the Dharma shows its limitations, where the dynamic driver creates wooly bass that's slower than the fantastically fast e-stat driver. Still... this was a phenomenon effort! Great job! I especially loved the Dharma for vocal representation. It would be great for kicking back and enjoying a relaxing jazz or acoustic song!
 
Mr. Speakers' Ether: very attractive looking, very good comfort, and sound very good! Pricing is just about right, I think. Dan could have priced it lower to be competitive, but I think the pricing reflects his pride in his product. This is Dan's best headphone yet for sure! I didn't get to try it at Dan's table, but there was enough of this headphone around that I was able to get an idea out of multiple different systems. So much so that I know that it scales well with upstream gears, which is good! Honestly, I thought the Ether sounded essentially like a perfected HE-560. I don't think I have heard many stock headphones as refined as this, so... kudos to Dan! Well done, sir! I thought the Ether sounded more or less the same or even better than the "bad" HE-1000 that I heard. Honestly.
 
More impressions to come when I have formulated some more thoughts on them. My favorite of all of the new released products is Mr. Speakers' Ether. It's got good looks, sounds great, and is reasonably priced, plus it's backed by a nice gentleman!
 
Most underwhelming to me was the HE-1000. I expected better, given people's responses, but it was only okay. Fairly decent as a successor to the HE-6, but not worth the cash IMO.

 
Hi,
 
If the HE1000 is what you describe I don't feel it as a successor of the HE6. I only own an stock HE6 but in terms in viscerality it is the second headphone after the Abyss. It has very organic and full bodied sounds.

 

[smial1966]

If you can get to Cambridge next month the 2015 UK Head-Fi Meet is taking place on Saturday 25th April. Details in my signature - link below.

yes please, i would love it. i will be in london in june and this could be my first ever head fi meet

 

[Joeybgood]

Cavalli Liquid Carbon. On the front ,  Inbetween the SE 1/4" headphone output  and the balanced 4pin XLR output there is a somewhat smaller , square 4pin balanced output. I have never seen this before. Can anyone be so kind as to tell me what that is? much tks!

 

[kapanak]

  Cavalli Liquid Carbon. On the front ,  Inbetween the SE 1/4" headphone output  and the balanced 4pin XLR output there is a somewhat smaller , square 4pin balanced output. I have never seen this before. Can anyone be so kind as to tell me what that is? much tks!

It's also an XLR 4 pin connector. It's not the mini-XLR but some square variant I've seen on ALO amps before. Mostly used for portable amps.

 

[bearFNF]

Cavalli Liquid Carbon. On the front ,  Inbetween the SE 1/4" headphone output  and the balanced 4pin XLR output there is a somewhat smaller , square 4pin balanced output. I have never seen this before. Can anyone be so kind as to tell me what that is? much tks!

that's the RSA 4 pin balanced connector

 

[AxelCloris]

  Anyone who has heard the Questyle QP 1 & QP 1R, please post some impressions about the linux based UI and SQ.
 
Thanks 

 
The UI isn't complete and won't be until some time in April. They're targeting a ship date around the end of April.