Head-Fi CES 2015 Highlights

[jude]

There was a lot of high-end personal audio to listen to at this year's Consumer Electronics Show--so much so that we didn't get close to hearing all of it. CES 2011 and 2012 might have had more total headphone goings-on, but that was largely due to more fluff, with things like headphones "by" Snooki, Tony Bennett, and Justin Bieber. Meaningless endorsements were so 2011 and 2012. It's 2015 now, and, thankfully, more substance ruled last week in premium personal audio, so let's get to our highlights from the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show.
 
HiFiMAN HE1000
 
I want to start out with what I'd award "best sound of show" (that I heard) at CES 2015: HiFiMAN's preview of the HE1000 at CES. This was an easy call--the upcoming flagship planar magnetic headphone from HiFiMAN was a sonic stunner. I first heard the HiFiMAN HE-1000 at the very loud Las Vegas Convention Center, and, even through the din, I knew I was hearing something very special, and I'll get to that sound in a minute.
 
The first time I saw the HE-1000 was on a Facebook post from HiFiMAN's launch event in China, and it looked downright gaudy to me, bedazzling with a super-shiny gold/chrome finish that made it look more like something you'd find on a sheikh's vanity than on an audiophile's desk. Thankfully, that finish was essentially a production snafu--the intended finish was a brushed satin, not mirror gloss; and in that brushed satin finish (which they had a couple units of in Vegas), the HiFiMAN HE-1000 is a more fetching headphone. (They still put the shiny one on display at CES, as HiFiMAN needed all available HE-1000 units on deck for the show.)
 
 
 
 
Physically, the HiFiMAN HE-1000 is an enormous headphone--thankfully, it's more of a lean, sinewy huge; not a Jecklin Float or Abyss AB-1266 blocky kind of huge. I have a pretty big noggin, yet the ginormous HE-1000 made even my head look tiny. Despite its size, the HE-1000 felt light on the head, which was made all the more remarkable because the HiFiMAN HE-1000 is a dual-sided magnet design, the magnets arranged in a rather unique asymmetric array (see diagram from HiFiMAN below).
 

 
As for its sound--powered by the HiFiMAN EF6 amp at the Convention Center--the first thing that hit me when listening to it was the thunder of deep, detailed, controlled bass. It reminded me of the type of bass physicality (from a headphone) that I've only experienced with a TakeT H2+ (but, thankfully, without the H2+'s need to equalize or adjust to get there). I'll have to ask Dr. Fang Bian what contributes most to this, but I'll guess for now that it's at least partly due to the HE-1000's seeming acreage of diaphragm area. According to Dr. Bian, the HE-1000's diaphragms are the largest of any current headphone, which, at first glance, is exactly what I guessed.
 

 
Of course, such a large diaphragm can move a lot of air, but doing so with quickness, precision, and control is critical. Fang has a PhD in nano tech, and he's been working to apply what he's studied to his products. In the HE-1000, he has what I believe are not just the largest, but also the thinnest diaphragms in any headphone, regardless of type--yes, even thinner than those found in the top electrostatic headphones. Because the HE-1000's diaphragm is less than one micron thick, HiFiMAN is describing it as the first headphone diaphragm with thickness measured in nanometers. These facts weren't known to me when I asked, "Fang, how thin are the diaphragms?" because HE1000 sounded so...fast. The speed, the microdynamics I was hearing--especially in the quieter HiFiMAN room at The Venetian--made the HE1000 among the most resolving headphones I've heard.
 
  
 
As for spectral balance, the HE-1000 had, to my ears, a neutral-ish bent, yet a fleshy richness in the sonic image objects throughout. Again, the HE-1000's bass performance was stand-out, in terms of impact, in terms of body, in terms of detail, through either of the two amps they had on hand to drive it (the HiFiMAN EF6 and the HiFiMAN EF1000). From the mids through treble, the HE-1000 powered by the EF1000 (an amp I imagine is going to be very expensive) was overflowing with gobs of finely rendered detail (in all the best ways); and through the EF6 it was still very impressively detailed, but smoothed over a bit in comparison. To be clear, I could easily live with the HE-1000 and EF6 combo, based on what I heard at CES--which is fantastic, as I've had an EF6 here for quite some time. However, if the EF1000 comes in at a price I can stretch my budget for, I likely will.
 

 
By the way, the EF1000 is the new HiFiMAN flagship amp, expected to be released at the same time as the HE-1000. It is a hybrid (tube and solid state) headphone/speaker amp. Into headphones, the EF1000 can output 8W to 12W, pure Class A. Into loudspeakers, it can output 50W, pure Class A; and 150W, Class A/B. It is a monster of an amp physically, too. Again, the EF1000's final pricing hasn't been announced, but its build and specs suggest to me that obtaining one may require one's wallet become a gaping maw.
 
It's important to note that what HiFiMAN was showing at CES were pre-production prototypes of the HE1000 headphones and EF1000 amp. I listened to three HE1000's, and, to my ears, one of them was different than the other two--still excellent, but harder sounding up top. (Fang said this unit had fewer hours on it.)  Yes, I hope (and expect) HiFiMAN will be able to release the headphones and amp in final production that sound as good or better than the pre-production prototypes I heard at CES, but it's important to mention they're still working on getting these done done.
 
As for availability and price, I have no specific word on those things yet. As far as I'm concerned, until I receive more of those details, I'm considering what I heard more of an early sneak preview than any kind of official launch of either the HE-1000 or EF1000.
 
As it stands, though, based on the HE1000 pre-production prototypes they were showing at CES 2015, again, HiFiMAN wins my award for "best sound of show" at CES 2015.
 

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Next, I'll discuss one of the most amazing technology demonstrations at CES 2015 (specific to the Head-Fi world) that I think will have a huge impact on how we buy custom IEMs (in-ear monitors) very soon.

 

[jude]

United Sciences eFit Digital Ear Impressions
 
Some of my favorite headphones, regardless of form factor, are my top custom-fit in-ear monitors (IEMs). So, as a custom-IEM-wearing Head-Fi'er, perhaps I'm biased, but what I'm going to tell you about in this post was easily my favorite thing at CES this year: The eFit digital ear impressions system. Why? Because I think this amazing system is going to be one very critical step in getting custom-fit in-ear monitors--and custom-fit hearables/wearables--into a store near you.
 
If you watch our Head-Fi TV videos, you may have seen our recent episode about Ultimate Ears' new "digital journey" process, which involves 3D-scanning/digitizing of silicone ear impressions, digital sculpting of the scanned ear impressions, and then SLA 3D-printing of the custom IEM shells from those. (To understand the advantages that come with UE's digitization of most of the custom IEM process, you can watch that episode of Head-Fi TV by clicking here.) With the intent being to digitize as much of the process as possible, there was one major step in the process that was anything but digital--the squirting and squeezing of decidedly non-digital goo into the customers' ears to get silicone ear impressions for scanning. When it came to getting fitted for custom-fit IEMs, silicone was the only choice for detailed full-ear impressions. "Was" is the operative word now.
 
A couple of months ago, an inventor named Karol Hatzilias from a company called United Sciences contacted me through LinkedIn, after watching the Head-Fi TV episode referenced above. Karol--pronouced "Karl"--is a co-founder, and the Chief Science Officer, of United Sciences. Karol's text message was a short one, saying little more than "You might be interested in the in-ear 3D scanner I've been working on... We are using the scanner to make custom in-ear monitors and I was hoping to get your input on the process and products."
 
He was certainly not the first to contact me with this kind of claim. Over the years, other intrepid entrepreneurs have attempted to capture full-ear (ear canal and outer ear) impressions without silicone, but none of them (to the best of my knowledge) have succeeded. Until now. You see, Karol and his team have done it with their eFit system, and it's amazing.
 
  
(Above, left to right) Video (without audio) showing my ears getting eFit-scanned at CES 2015; Karol Hatzilias, United Sciences' Chief Science Officer.
 
When you see United Sciences' eFit system being used, it all looks quite simple (and, to the operator and the customer, it is simple). The customer puts a lightweight apparatus on his head that looks rather like a circumaural (around-the-ear) headphone frame adorned with a lot of dots (we'll get to those dots in a minute). After that, the operator scans the ears, the result (a few minutes later) being a set of fully digital full-ear impressions. Though it seems so simple in operation, how it all works is really quite remarkable--quite a mix of patented technologies and techniques that they've sewn into a very elegant, easy-to-use solution.
 
Let's start with that headphone-looking device. Those dots on it are called tracking fiducials. Among many other things, the handheld scanner contains three 14-megapixel cameras, running at around 20 frames per second. As Karol describes it, "The two outside cameras look at the dots on the headset the customer is wearing. The position of the three-camera system is calculated, relative to the headset the customer is wearing. The third, middle camera is used to reconstruct each slice, either ring or line. As the three-camera system is moved, we reconstruct the whole ear, by assembling the slices."
 
    
   
(Above, clockwise from top-left) Samuel Kellett (United Sciences' CEO); Sam modeling the eFit fiducials headband; closeup of the eFit fiducials headband; Joe getting scanned by Karol; close-up of scanner while scanning Joe's ear.
 
According to United Sciences' CEO Samuel Kellett, to scan the ear canal, Hatzilias invented the only 3D scanner in the world that can scan or measure a hole. (Not surprisingly, they're already using this radial scanning technology in other applications and industries, including aviation.) Once out of the ear canal, the eFit system switches from the radial laser scanner to a line laser scanner to scan the outer ear, completing the full-ear impression. Again, the tracking fiducials are critically important here, the cameras using them to track the scanner's precise position every step of the way, from the in-ear radial scanning, to the outer-ear line scanning. With this system, if the scanner's hand or the customer's head moves, the geometry doesn't change, and, thus, the scan's accuracy is not affected. Watching it work is amazing. I was wide-eyed the entire time, as my scan quickly took shape, thinking this technology looked like the real deal. It all happens rather quickly, too, taking only a few minutes per ear.
 
The software that puts all the data together is also immensely impressive, processing a large amount of data per scan that it uses to intelligently assemble the final 3D full-ear impression. Even though the scanner's resolution is fine enough to easily capture tiny details (like hair in the ears, for example), the software intelligently determines what to keep and what to ignore in constructing the ear scan. While the raw data that the eFit software processes from each scan is around 30GB, the software's output--your final full-ear scan file--is only about 1.5MB in size (and so easy to store and send).
 
But is the eFit system the real deal? That's what I wanted to find out, and only the final product--the custom IEMs made from the scans--would convince me. To start, United Sciences, at CES, 3D-printed me a small custom-fit in-ear--not a full-ear IEM, but something that looked more like one of those smaller bean-shaped earpieces that disappears almost fully into the ear. It was a simple, single-driver balanced armature design, and, in terms of sound quality, it sounds decent for something they scanned and printed in well under an hour. Most importantly, the fit of both ears was great. Here's what they printed for me on-the-spot at CES:
 

(Above) The United Sciences eFit-scanned custom in-ears printed for me at CES.
 
Still, I wanted to find out if one of the top custom IEM makers could use my eFit digital ear scan files to make a full-ear custom IEM for me. Since Ultimate Ears has been working with United Sciences since around the time Karol first contacted me, I asked Ultimate Ears' Mike Dias if they could make me a third pair of Ultimate Ears In-Ear Reference Monitors. My first pair of UERMs was made using the most traditional methods--silicone impressions, and acrylic shells that were poured into a negative colloid. My second pair of UERMs was made to see how well SLA 3D-printed shells would fit compared to the first pair--but these were still made by starting with silicone ear impressions. This third pair was to see how a fully digital workflow would do, compared to the other two methods. I emailed Mike Dias my eFit impressions. Two days later, my latest set of UERMs arrived. Here are the three pairs:
 

(Above) My three sets of Ultimate Ears Custom In-Ear Reference Monitors. The set on the left used United Sciences eFit digital ear impressions.
 
All fit well. All seal well. All sound the same, because they are, for all intents and purposes, the same. This is remarkable stuff.
 
What's the big deal you ask? To start, the eFit process is easier to learn than the traditional silicone process. Also, the eFit system seems to be safer than silicone impressions. Though it has only happened to me once in many silicone impression sessions, one never forgets when the silicone goes too far--the pain can be excruciating (and my ear was sore for more than a day after my eardrum met the silicone). With the eFit system, there are some key safety measures in place. First, the inside camera also serves as a video otoscope, so the operator can see if she's approaching something (like your eardrum). There's also a depth gauge, marked for safety. Finally, the shape of the scanner's body is specifically designed to keep it from going too deep.
 
With its ease of use--and the inherent safety of the system--virtually any employee can be trained to properly use the eFit system in about an hour. For silicone impressions, I'll only go to those with extensive experience--like qualified audiologists--to have my ears shot full with silicone. With the eFit system, I'd be perfectly comfortable with a part-time hourly retail employee scanning my ears.
 
Also, for the many custom IEMs I've had made in the last ten years, I've had many sets of silicone impressions made, at an average cost of about $50 per impression pair. Silicone impressions have a lifespan of around two years (I think due to shrinkage), and once you send them away, you don't typically get them back, which is why I have had so many impressions made. With the eFit system, the same set of impressions will be able to be shared digitally with several custom IEM manufacturers, over time.
 
In Tokyo, a store called e-Earphones (which, by the way, you can see in this old Head-Fi TV video here) now has an entire floor dedicated to selling custom in-ear monitors. Now imagine being able to go into a store like that, have your digital impressions scanned in minutes (or have them simply load up your scan files if you've already been scanned), and have your IEMs 3D-printed while you wait. It's going to happen--I don't know exactly when, but it's going to happen. I think e-Earphone's owner Hironobu "Boo" Ooi knows it, too. Here's Boo getting his ears shot with the eFit system the other day at NAMM:
 
  
(Above) Hironobu "Boo" Ooi, founder and owner of Tokyo's e-Earphones store, getting eFit-scanned by Karol Hatzilias at NAMM 2015. (Photographs by Mike Dias.)
 
As fast as things are moving, I think the benefits and comfort of custom-fit earphones and hearables/wearables will become widely available at retail. I think busy travelers will one day get scanned in their departure airport, and have their custom IEMs waiting for them at their arrival airport. I think we'll be able to go to a store down the road, and order custom earphones--from affordable models to high-end monitors--while we wait.
 
At CES, that's exactly what United Sciences was doing at the Harman exhibit. They were scanning ears, and then 3D-printing custom-fit JBL Bluetooth in-ears for people at the show while they waited. They were also printing those little bean-type customs I showed you earlier. This collaboration with Harman was an early proof of concept, to show that it can be done, and it looked like a fantastic success to me.
 
At NAMM 2015, as I type this, Karol and the crew at Ultimate Ears have four eFit systems cranking away, and they're on pace to do between 1000 and 1500 scans during the show! Here's Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak (one of my heroes, by the way) getting his ears scanned for a new set of UE customs:
 

(Above) Steve Wozniak (Apple co-founder) getting eFit-scanned for a new set of Ultimate Ears IEMs at NAMM 2015. (Photograph by Mike Dias.)
 
Soon after that first message from Karol a couple of months ago, he and Sam (Kellett) paid a visit to Ultimate Ears' headquarters in Irvine (California), to demonstrate the eFit system. I received a call from Mike (Dias) soon after Karol and Sam left, and Mike was, to say the least, excited.
 
"So was it the real deal?" I asked him.
 
"This was the missing piece of the 'digital journey,'" he responded. "It's very much the real deal."
 
I hope you can now understand why I was so excited about it at CES, and why, when I've been asked what my favorite thing at the show was this year, United Sciences' eFit system has been my answer. It was, without a doubt, the brightest, most significant highlight of my CES week.
 

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By the way, if you're at NAMM, make sure to stop by Ultimate Ears' exhibit (Booth 4148 in Hall C), and get your ears scanned with the eFit system for free. While you're there, you can also check out the new Ultimate Ears demo systems that let you easily A/B compare any two UE Pro custom IEM models without having to switch earpieces--it's very, very cool. You can also sign up at their exhibit, for a chance to win an Ultimate Ears UE900s.
 

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Next, we're going to talk about how nobody cuts the cords quite like Sennheiser, and also take a look at some of the new models Sennheiser announced at CES 2015.

 

[jude]

Sennheiser Pushes The Boundaries Of Wireless Audio
 
Last spring, I paid a visit to Sennheiser's headquarters in Wedemark (Germany), and was awestruck from the get-go. The entire Sennheiser compound is like a living shrine to audio engineering--old, new, and beyond new. There are fascinating odes to Sennheiser's history throughout; and, as if to remind you of their constant technological pushing, there are Audio Precision analyzers all over the place. As cool as those AP's are, Sennheiser's R&D facilities house far more interesting gear in addition, with a deep team of engineers who make extensive use of it all.
 

(Above) Axel Grell--the man behind the Sennheiser HD 800, and Sennheiser's Project Manager High End--gave us a tour of the new products at CES 2015.
 
One discipline (of many) that Sennheiser has a strong focus on is wireless audio. It's a Sennheiser core competency that goes back decades (all the way back to 1957). In 1996, Sennheiser won an Emmy for their advancement of RF (radio frequency) wireless technology. It sometimes seems the entire entertainment industry is wirelessly tied together by the ether tethers of Sennheiser's wireless products.
 
Back in 2010, I visited Jerry Harvey (of JH Audio fame) on the set of the Glee tour (for which he was the sound engineer), and Sennheiser wireless technology was all over the place. I took photos of the Sennheiser UHF active and passive antenna arrays...
 

 
...and these cool Sennheiser circularly polarized antennas...
 
 
 
...all of which were part of a wireless system serving 24 mic'd, singing, dancing stage performers putting on a sold-out show in a stadium filled with thousands of fans.
 
Even here at the office, when we decided to improve the audio on our Head-Fi TV videos, we bought Sennheiser professional wireless microphone systems (as well as other wired mics by Shure and Blue).
 


(Above) Sennheiser Presence Bluetooth earpiece. I literally spend
hours talking on the phone through this headset on most days.
 
All this pro audio wireless experience has paid dividends on Sennheiser's consumer audio side, too. Almost every single day, I use Sennheiser wireless technology for hours. I spend a lot of time on the telephone, and have tried many Bluetooth earpieces over the years. Last year, I bought the Sennheiser Presence, which is a Bluetooth 4.0 mobile earpiece that is far and away the best small form factor Bluetooth earpiece I've ever used. It is the only one I've tried that actually works in the wind (even pretty stiff winds won't ruffle it). The Presence's noise canceling for outgoing voice is so effective the people I talk to can't tell when I transition from a building to a moving car. Its range is also strong enough to allow me to move around my 1500 square-foot office without issue. After seeing Sennheiser's R&D facilities, it's no surprise to me that the Presence is such a standout.
 

 
In terms of wireless stereo headphones--whether on the go or in the home/office--Sennheiser also leads the pack, based on my experiences with a lot of wireless headphones. At CES 2015, Sennheiser was featuring a few new Bluetooth over-ear headphones, including a new Sennheiser MOMENTUM Wireless, available in both on-ear and around-the-ear versions.
 
I haven't heard the on-ear version, but I've been using the over-ear version for about a month. Put simply, the Sennheiser MOMENTUM Wireless Over-Ear is easily my new top choice in wireless Bluetooth headphones. Why? In a growing field of excellent Bluetooth headphones, the MOMENTUM Wireless combines all the features I've wanted that the other Bluetooth standouts miss. Here are some examples:
 
 

1. The Parrot Zik 2.0 has excellent sound (actively) and has active noise-canceling (which I find critical for these kinds of headphones for travel). However, the Zik 2.0 runs a bit small on larger heads (like mine), sounds atrocious in its passive mode, and, perhaps most critically, has dreadfully short battery life (around six hours in the mode I use it most in).
2. The Sony MDR-1RBT was my go-to Bluetooth over-ear until now, with its excellent MDR-1 family sound (actively and passively), the best outgoing voice quality, outstanding battery life, and plush comfort. However, the MDR-1RBT lacks active noise-canceling--to get that with Sony means going to another more expensive model, and giving up wireless.
3. The Philips Fidelio M1BT (now replaced with the M2BT, which we don't have here yet) sounds very good for Bluetooth, and has nice physical controls. However, the Fidelio M1BT has middling battery life of around ten hours. Also, though the M1BT is comfortable for a supra-aural (on-the-ear) headphone, it's not as comfortable as a circumaural (around-the-ear). Most critically (for me) it lacks active noise-canceling.
4. The Beats Studio Wireless sounds better than most Head-Fi'ers would probably assume it does, but its sound quality is not at the level of the best in this group (to my ears). Its wired mode will increase battery life to up to 20 hours (versus a so-so 12'ish hours in wireless), but there it will not operate passively at all. Also, its active noise canceling is only so-so, and has high self-noise (hiss).
5. The Pendulumic STANCE S1+ remains one of the best values in Bluetooth headphones. It sounds great, is comfortable, has intuitive controls, has excellent battery life, excellent sound, and an affordable price. Its styling and largish form factor is perhaps not going to be for everyone, though. Its outgoing voice quality is good, but not up to the standards of the much more expensive Sony and Sennheiser. The single biggest thing that keeps the Pendulumic from being an ideal on-the-go all-in-one headphone for me is a lack of active noise-canceling.

 

With the MOMENTUM Wireless, Sennheiser seems to have assessed all the gaps left by the competition, and filled them. It has what I feel to be the best build quality of all Bluetooth headphones I've tried, with its ample use of stitched high-grade leather and the wonderful brushed stainless steel carried over from the first MOMENTUM. The fit and finish is simply superb (as would be expected for its highest-in-class price). Also, though it's not immediately evident when you see it, the new MOMENTUMs have hidden hinges that allow the MOMENTUMs to fold without sacrificing the MOMENTUM aesthetic, making them much more compact for carrying.
 
The new over-ear MOMENTUMs (including this wireless one) also have substantially larger earcups than the first-gen over-ear model. While most seemed to find the first-gen MOMENTUM Over-Ear models comfortable, I think all will agree the larger cups and larger super-plush earpads only make this latest generation substantially more comfortable.
 
In terms of battery life, the MOMENTUM Wireless is outstanding. Its battery is rated to provide a very generous 22 hours of use in wireless mode, which puts it in the upper range of headphones of this type, and enough that I've not yet run it down completely in normal use. For me, long battery life is critically important, especially for a headphone to be suited for travel, and this headphone exceeds my expectations. It also charges rather quickly, taking only three hours to top off.
 
The MOMENTUM Wireless' outgoing voice quality is excellent, too, which is important for someone who's on the phone a lot (which I am). In direct comparisons, I've found it's a step behind Sony's MDR-1RBT in this regard, but not by much. Like the Sony, it doesn't do much (if anything) to actively cancel noise on outgoing voice, but the clarity of its dual-omni beamforming mic array is very good. Perhaps I'm nitpicking, but as good as its outgoing voice quality is, knowing what Sennheiser is capable of with noise-canceling on outgoing voice as evidenced by their Presence earpiece, I do wish they'd done the same with the MOMENTUM Wireless.
 
The MOMENTUM Wireless also has active noise canceling, using something Sennheiser calls hybrid active NoiseGard. What I find very nice about this headphone's noise canceling circuit is that it is effective at blunting travel noise, yet isn't invasive. (This is no doubt helped by the MOMENTUM Wireless' very good passive noise attenuation.) No, it isn't the crazy noise barrier that is the Bose QC25's circuit, but it does enough to be an effective travel headphone, and its the substantially better sounding headphone for music (and it's wireless). Compared to the Beats, the MOMENTUM's noise canceling circuit is more effective, but with substantially lower self-noise. Also, compared to most noise cancelers, the MOMENTUM Wireless seems less likely to bother those sensitive to the feeling of pressure that some noise canceling circuits present.
 
In addition to canceling noise, the MOMENTUM Wireless' version of Sennheiser's NoiseGard also has a sound sculpting effect that I actually like a lot. The bass seems to tighten up nicely when it's on, and the sense of enhanced clarity it imparts overall is very nicely executed. I also prefer the MOMENTUM Wireless' imaging with the circuit on--it's more spacious and airy, and I imagine that's owing to careful application of DSP. I suspect a lot of subjective listening tests and engineering at Sennheiser's HQ were generously employed in crafting this headphone'ss performance when the active circuit is employed. Simply put, I think most who compare the two modes will prefer the MOMENTUM when it's turned on.
 
On balance, the Sennheiser MOMENTUM Wireless is simply the best headphone of its type that I have yet used. It provides the freedom of wireless and long battery life. It allows me to take and make phone calls. It provides very good active noise-cancellation. It is comfortable. It is relatively compact. It is a gorgeous headphone, with build quality to match. And, most importantly, for my tastes, it is the best sounding headphone of its type that I've heard.
 
   
 
All of this excellence comes at a steep price, though, with the Sennheiser MOMENTUM Wireless Over-Ear priced at $499.95. This (along with the similarly priced Bang & Olufsen H8 that I haven't yet heard) is among the most expensive in this class of headphones.
 
NOTE: Sennheiser also introduced an on-ear MOMENTUM Wireless ($399.95), and an over-ear Urbanite XL Wireless model ($299.95) with touch controls, but I haven't had a chance to try those yet. New wired MOMENTUM models were also shown at CES, including new on-ear models, and the new, larger Over-Ear MOMENTUM, which has the same size earups and earpads as the MOMENTUM Wireless. Again, I haven't a chance to hear these yet either, but will make sure to do so before the next Gift Guide update.
 

(Above) The now-discontinued Sennheiser RS 220.
 
When it comes to wireless headphones at home, Sennheiser, a few years back, introduced the Sennheiser RS 220, which was, by a wide margin, the best sounding wireless headphone of any type that I'd ever heard. Its sound reminds me of the venerable Sennheiser HD6XX family, only with the freedom of wireless. Unfortunately, some RS 220 customers were experiencing signal drop-outs. Of course, RF traffic is going to vary from place to place, and I've not suffered such problems with my RS 220 either at home or at work (and still use it at home a lot), but Sennheiser still saw fit to substantially improve the RF performance of its latest generation of home wireless headphones, introduced at this year's CES.
 

(Left to right) Sennheiser RS 165, RS 175, RS 185, and RS 195
 
Sennheiser introduced four new Sennheiser home wireless headphone models: RS 165, RS 175, RS 185, and RS 195. All of the new models incorporate a new Sennheiser proprietary wireless link technology that has low latency and improved range (with a claimed maximum range of 100 meters, or 328 feet). Sennheiser Product Manager Oliver Berg assured me that these latest wireless headphones should have much improved resistance to signal drop-outs, even in high RF traffic areas.
 
The Sennheiser RS 165 ($219.95) is the entry level model, and is a closed, circumaural (around-the-ear) design. The Sennheiser RS 175 ($279.95) is a closed, circumaural design, and incorporates two virtual surround modes. I did not have
much opportunity to hear these two models.
 
The Sennheiser RS 195 ($449.95) is also a closed, circumaural design, but this system was designed to provide enhanced clarity for those with hearing impairment. The RS195 has several selectable hearing boost presets and a noise suppression mode, all intended to help make dialog (for television and movie watching) clearer and to provide superior speech intelligibility. There's also a music listening mode with the RS195, also to be assistive in nature, with increased dynamic range. In talking to Oliver Berg (pictured at right) about the RS 195, it was clear a lot of care and thought went into this product, to provide those who might need adaptable enhancements for a variety of specific assistive hearing needs.
 
The new home wireless model most Head-Fi'ers would be most interested in, though, is the Sennheiser RS 185 ($399.95). While not necessarily intended as a direct replacement for the now-discontinued RS 220, in my estimation that's essentially what it is. And, like the RS 220, the RS 185 is an open, circumaural design, and, like the RS220 was, the RS185 was designed specifically for enthusiasts of premium audio.
 
Like its forebear, the Sennheiser RS185 system is capable of detail retrieval that approaches very good wired headphones. Of course, it can't match up to the best wired headphone systems I've heard (and neither could the RS220), but there's no doubt I prefer it to many of my good wired headphones.
 
The RS185, in terms of background noise, is essentially dead quiet, which sets up a nice dark backdrop from which to show off its impressive ability to resolve fine, gossamer details. Though it has an analog input from which one can choose automatic level control or manual level control, I use (as I do with the RS220) the optical digital input, feeding it from the optical output of a Fostex HP-A4 or Fostex HP-A8C. (From its optical input, the level is fixed, with volume only controlled by the headphone controls.)
 
In terms of wireless range, the RS 185 does outdo the RS220, with both being easily able to cover my home's modest square footage, but the RS185 ultimately giving me more range in a simple keep-walking-until-the-signal-drops test. As I still do with the RS220, I marvel at my ability to enjoy wired-type fidelity with the RS185--fifty feet from my rig.
 
I've been using the Sennheiser RS 185 at home for a couple of months. In terms of overall performance, the young newcomer comes awful close to the esteemed RS 220, to my ears, and that's saying a lot, given the RS220's outlandish performance for a wireless headphone, and the fact that it was sold for $200 more than RS 185's asking price ($599.95 versus $399.95).  In doing direct comparisons between the RS220 and the RS185, the RS 185 could be described as having a more exciting sound, a touch more thump down low, and a little more shimmer, a little more presence in the lower treble--and there are times I prefer it. Overall, though, for my tastes, the smoother, more even hand of the RS 220 probably has the edge. For me, the wily veteran also just edges out the RS 185 in terms of imaging, in terms both a sense of space, and a sense of precision.
 
Still, I haven't heard a wireless headphone of any type that's not named "RS 220" that competes with the RS185. Given that the RS220 has been put out to pasture, there's no current wireless headphone in production that I've heard that can compete with the RS 185. In my experience, in the premium wireless home headphone space, it's Sennheiser versus Sennheiser.
 
When it comes to wireless audio today, nobody is pushing the boundaries like Sennheiser.
 
(Below, clockwise from top-left) Sennheiser RS 185 front-left view; RS 185 front view; Sennheiser RS185 (on the left) versus the RS220.
 
 

 

[XERO1]

AWESOME post, Jude!
 
Thanks!
 
Really hoping the HE-1000 is going to be at the SoCal CanJam.

 

[TMRaven]

Great reports, Jude!

 

[YtseJamer]

  Great reports, Jude!

 
X2.

 

[conquerator2]

Thanks Jude!

 

[SilentFrequency]

omg! These sound totally amazing and the picture of the diaphragm slowly falling is crazy!

 

[third_eye]

Great report on the HE1000! Mirrors my impressions of it from CES.

 

[just-a-test]

Thanks for the thorough preview of the HE1000.
 
Personally I'm excited about your 2nd article, most likely about UnitedSciences and their full ear mobile 3D scanner. Their implementation seems to be very complicated and prone to problems, on the other hand LantosTechnologies is basically making an earmold while automatically scanning it in your ear. The later is a much simpler and robust solution however it's still nearly as invasive as normal ear molds.
 
Another thing to add, this will only have broadband success if audiologists can see an advantage over  the traditional method: regular silicon ear impression > sent to lab > 3D scan at lab
The quality requirements for hearing aid earmolds are much lower than for CIEMs.

 

[grizzlybeast]

What are the power requirements. Could a pulse xfi push it?

 

[bmichels]

Jude, did you had a chance to hear the Asten&Kell KA500N ?
 
I wonder if it sound any better than the AK240 (from it's headphone output)....  
 
thanks

 

[A2029]

  Reserved.

 
We get it, you're a reserved kind of guy 

 

 

[Gilly87]

HE1000 was INSANE! It's like a Hifiman with almost HD800-esque soundstage. The separation/black background effect isn't quite as distinct as HD800s, but that's because it's got a little warmth that makes the music more involving/romantic. It's a really amazing combination of an exciting/fun headphone and pure neutrality with truly incredible soundstage. The Hifiman sound usually doesn't do it for me, but the HE1000 was downright impressive on technicality alone, similar to how I feel about HD800.

 

[Soundsgoodtome]

That He1000 is so tempting, my god the Head-Fi community getting blown away?! That's saying something about this special rig.