[kiertijai]

Because I refused the cancellation of the bidding proposed by the seller, the item is on hold until 21 Jan 2011.
This is a message to the second highest bidder , please be careful doing this transaction outside ebay or wire transfer.
For me I will do as UncleErik has discussed I will wait for the comparison of the HE90 vs C32
For those who think that the cost of HE90 is so high, I don't think so because without my crazy bid the winning bid
should be around 8500+$ , the same as before.  And I will not put the automatic bid that high again.

 

[Caphead78]

Wow, it sounds like you dodged a bullet there

 

[JamesLee]

Sounds like you shot yourself in the foot by asking the seller to do something he specifically posted in his auction that he would not do.


"Payment Due within 3 days, or item will be re-listed, and appropriate feedback will be left.
Shipping wordwide available via UPS: FULLY INSURED

note:
I WILL NOT SHIP VIA ANY OTHER CARRIER,
AND I WILL NOT LIE ON THE CUSTOMS FORMS TO SAVE ON DUTIES OR TAXES.
THIS ITEM WILL BE FULLY INSURED."  




All UPS international shipments, MUST be declared for the SAME value they are insured for, or the shipment is not really insured for any more than the declared value.

 

[silverlight]

 
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You probably also dodged a bullet with this seller.  He had up for sale the HEV90+ 2 pairs of HE90's on ebay in May '10 (below):
 
 
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[size=10pt] Sennheiser Orpheus Vacuum Tube Amplifier (2) Headphones[/size] [size=10pt] Item Id:[/size] [size=10pt] 140406718441[/size] [size=10pt] End time:[/size] [size=10pt] May-23-10 19:00:49 PDT[/size] [size=10pt] Seller:[/size] [size=10pt] [size=10pt] [size=10pt]s-t-u-d-i-o (96 )[/size][/size] [size=10pt] 100.0% Positive Feedback[/size] [size=10pt] Member since Jan-17-06 in United States[/size] [size=10pt] Location: FL, United States[/size] [/size] [size=10pt] Listing Status:[/size] [size=10pt] This message was sent while the listing was active.[/size]

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[/size]

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I was bidding on that set and given the price tag (it was in the teens when I started bidding), I asked a number of questions from the seller, was able to do a little investigative work on him (based upon info in his email, domain name, etc.).  Got a full background report on him (income levels, current and prior addresses with their values and rent payments, business information, etc.).  Let me just say this, there was definitely something not right about this situation, so promptly left the bidding (his main website also clearly looked like a sham - http://www.s-t-u-d-i-o.com/).  Same pattern of bidding on this headset as well (where it was down to two bidders at the end, probably only one legitimate, pushing it many thousands up from where it was hours before auction end).  Incidentally, the serials of one of the headphones from that auction match the headphone in the auction we're discussing here so clearly that deal didn't go through either (at least as it was auctioned on ebay).  
 
Email from James (s-t-u-d-i-o) w/ the serial numbers:
"I am the 2nd owner. The 1st was also a collector that bought, and never used them. They have been put away since they were bought. I am not 100% sure, but I pretty sure I was the 1st to ever turn the amp on. He had no idea it needed a key to turn it in, and have to go searching to find it. I have had them for about 6 months, and need to sell these as we are looking to invest in other items as well. I ran the amplifier approx 8 hours, and each pair of headphones for about 4 hours to verify perfect working order. Neither the amplifier or either pair of headphones have a single scratch anywhere. Where are you located ?? If in the US, I would suggest saving any escrow fees, and just fly down to pick them up. If you are outside of the US, we can use an escrow service, but all additional fees will be your responsibility. At the end of the auction, if you do win, we also have a 3rd pair of headphones if interested. Best of luck, James
Serial Numbers: HEV-90: #199 HE-90: #265 & #268 "
 
Also, the other items he had sold on Ebay were completely inconsistent with a high val item like this (all low price items).  A quick domain reg search on S-T-U-D-I-O.COM yields the other domain where the seller has an email account (http://www.radicalrouting.com/default2.htm).  That combined with the same headset showing up here and the reported behavior, one could certainly be very skeptical about the intentions and strategy being deployed by the seller (saying this diplomatically).
 
Perhaps better to wait for a credible seller with a strong reputation here on Head-Fi or another good audio site, or a dealer we all know and trust.

 

[3602]

Hey you can get a used Ford Ranger (maybe even FX4) for that price.
But again... I saw $33'000 HE-90 once, so.
Sennheiser made 300 suites of the HE-90, right?

 

[GeorgeGoodman]

I was following this on Ebay too, not that I have the money to buy it. It looks very fishy now. I didn't know that the HE90 was worth quite that much, but it makes the C32 sound cheap.

 

[reiserFS]

I was following this as well, and even if the HE90 is a really excellent headphone (having heard it myself), I'd never pay 11,000$ for it. Not to mention that customs charge would be more than 700$ here.

 

[kiertijai]

Dear JamesLee,
   Yes, I should not have asked for that when I look back.
    However I think this seller who I don't think he's a head-fier because when somebody asked him
whether the Stax amplifier can drive the HE90, he had no idea at all.  He also said that this HE90 belonged
to private collector.  That collector sold 3 HE90 and one HEV90 as a part of the deal of hiend audio equipment
but he does not look like one who have that amount of money.  For me he is an agent of a collector or may be a fraud
at the very beginning.
   He called me just after the bidding. However at that time I was on duty at my hospital and I said I will email back (time difference)
He tried to convey the message by using the phone.  But later he emailed me asking for the wire transfer and then I asked about
to declare low value which I should not but I also said that if it made you feel uncomfortable please send to my son 's address
which he seemed to be OK.  However I asked him to split the paypal fee I think that make him cancel the transaction and turned to
the second highest bidder.  I think this seller is not ordinary, kind of sly in my opinion.  That's make me concern about second highest bidder.
  

 

[kiertijai]

For all other headfiers,  Yes I do think that I should not spend that kind of money although I can afford it and my family is OK for that.
  I should have more concern for the second highest bidder. But then again I think this gentleman is also very good too and I don't have to
worry about him.   I could tell from his bidding that he was very aggressive and determined to get the HE90.  When he made a bid he always
place a high automatic bid after that and that's the reason why the bidding went very high. So  After  I observed his behaviour I know how to beat
his trap. Other bidders would not go beyond 8000$ and that's the reason why I said that this bidding is not the true reflection of the value of the HE90.
I made only 2 bids, one to test him at 8750$ and then I made a high automatic bid which I calculated to be 3 -4 times of his bidding increment, less than 5 minutes
before the bidding ended. He was very good to bid from the price of 8750  $ ( he set a high bid at 9101 $ you can see how smart he was) to 11,200$
at the last minute of bidding.   I never thought that he was that smart and aggressive and it almost made me pay 2000$ higher than I expected.
  On looking back I should not worry about him because he is so smart.    I also feels blessed as silverlight has mentioned that I dodged the
bullet and yes this guy's name is James.  He also mentioned that he sold one HEV90 and two HE90's in May.  He is the same guy.  This is a lesson
to learn to be more careful about bidding.  I hope this should be the message to all of us especially the second highest bidder although he is very smart.
Beware of the HE90 265, 268 (this one is 268)

 

[kiertijai]

Sorry in addition to the HE90 625, 628  there is also 199 as informed by silverlight.
Yes I think it's our responsibility to warn other people that was the main reason to post here.  I don't
think that crazy bidding to that high value or having your bid turned down is a proud thing  at all.
I also have asked ebay to make an investigation of this case and I would be more than willing to
provide any information . I think we need to shut that s-t-u-d-i-o.com down.

 

[subtle]

Yet another typical case of shill bidding on ebay.  So glad I stopped doing business there over two years ago.  Not only are their seller fees out of control, as they never stop going up, but the quality of seller and buyer has completely diminished over the past 10 years.
 
Consider it a blessing in disguise that the seller did not want to complete the transaction with you.

 

[complin]

Quote:

Because I refused the cancellation of the bidding proposed by the seller, the item is on hold until 21 Jan 2011.
This is a message to the second highest bidder , please be careful doing this transaction outside ebay or wire transfer.
For me I will do as UncleErik has discussed I will wait for the comparison of the HE90 vs C32
For those who think that the cost of HE90 is so high, I don't think so because without my crazy bid the winning bid
should be around 8500+$ , the same as before.  And I will not put the automatic bid that high again.

If i were you i would immediatly report the seller to ebay for asking for wire transfer and trying to do the deal outside ebay.  We have been experiencing another seller in the UK repeatedly trying to do this on Craiglist in the UK and after reporting him several tomes hes now given up trying to screw some one out of several thousand dollars
 

 

[complin]

I think hes also tried to sell these on AudioGon but for some reason they were taken down in a very short period of time.  I dont think they sold so perhaps he was rumbled there too 

 
Quote:

 

You probably also dodged a bullet with this seller.  He had up for sale the HEV90+ 2 pairs of HE90's on ebay in May '10 (below):
 
 
​

 
[size=medium]

[size=10pt] Sennheiser Orpheus Vacuum Tube Amplifier (2) Headphones[/size] [size=10pt] Item Id:[/size] [size=10pt] 140406718441[/size] [size=10pt] End time:[/size] [size=10pt] May-23-10 19:00:49 PDT[/size] [size=10pt] Seller:[/size] [size=10pt] [size=10pt] [size=10pt]s-t-u-d-i-o (96 )[/size][/size] [size=10pt] 100.0% Positive Feedback[/size] [size=10pt] Member since Jan-17-06 in United States[/size] [size=10pt] Location: FL, United States[/size] [/size] [size=10pt] Listing Status:[/size] [size=10pt] This message was sent while the listing was active.[/size]

[/size]​

​

I was bidding on that set and given the price tag (it was in the teens when I started bidding), I asked a number of questions from the seller, was able to do a little investigative work on him (based upon info in his email, domain name, etc.).  Got a full background report on him (income levels, current and prior addresses with their values and rent payments, business information, etc.).  Let me just say this, there was definitely something not right about this situation, so promptly left the bidding (his main website also clearly looked like a sham - http://www.s-t-u-d-i-o.com/).  Same pattern of bidding on this headset as well (where it was down to two bidders at the end, probably only one legitimate, pushing it many thousands up from where it was hours before auction end).  Incidentally, the serials of one of the headphones from that auction match the headphone in the auction we're discussing here so clearly that deal didn't go through either (at least as it was auctioned on ebay).  
 
Email from James (s-t-u-d-i-o) w/ the serial numbers:
"I am the 2nd owner. The 1st was also a collector that bought, and never used them. They have been put away since they were bought. I am not 100% sure, but I pretty sure I was the 1st to ever turn the amp on. He had no idea it needed a key to turn it in, and have to go searching to find it. I have had them for about 6 months, and need to sell these as we are looking to invest in other items as well. I ran the amplifier approx 8 hours, and each pair of headphones for about 4 hours to verify perfect working order. Neither the amplifier or either pair of headphones have a single scratch anywhere. Where are you located ?? If in the US, I would suggest saving any escrow fees, and just fly down to pick them up. If you are outside of the US, we can use an escrow service, but all additional fees will be your responsibility. At the end of the auction, if you do win, we also have a 3rd pair of headphones if interested. Best of luck, James
Serial Numbers: HEV-90: #199 HE-90: #265 & #268 "
 
Also, the other items he had sold on Ebay were completely inconsistent with a high val item like this (all low price items).  A quick domain reg search on S-T-U-D-I-O.COM yields the other domain where the seller has an email account (http://www.radicalrouting.com/default2.htm).  That combined with the same headset showing up here and the reported behavior, one could certainly be very skeptical about the intentions and strategy being deployed by the seller (saying this diplomatically).
 
Perhaps better to wait for a credible seller with a strong reputation here on Head-Fi or another good audio site, or a dealer we all know and trust.

 

[sparker]

It would take so much money to buy the machinery and the tools to produce them again that Sennheiser would definitely take a loss on them. There just isn't enough demand for niché audiophile headphones.
 
Quote:

I have long thought I wanted HE-90, after spending hours listening to them... but the he-60 will have to do. Question is, will Senn EVER wake up, and take advantage of the demand for their product?

 

[sedan delivery]

 
Quote:

Sounds like you shot yourself in the foot by asking the seller to do something he specifically posted in his auction that he would not do.


"Payment Due within 3 days, or item will be re-listed, and appropriate feedback will be left.
Shipping wordwide available via UPS: FULLY INSURED

note:
I WILL NOT SHIP VIA ANY OTHER CARRIER,
AND I WILL NOT LIE ON THE CUSTOMS FORMS TO SAVE ON DUTIES OR TAXES.
THIS ITEM WILL BE FULLY INSURED."  




All UPS international shipments, MUST be declared for the SAME value they are insured for, or the shipment is not really insured for any more than the declared value.
 
 
 
Yep,, I know the seller,,it is not a scam,he's legit,I've seen the headphones myself. Yes, I've dealt with him before,he is an honest trustworthy seller,sorry that things did not work out.