[chowmein83]

  Just a touch more warmth and end-to-end resonance, without losing that incredible detail and air.

 
This is exactly what I think Hifiman's amps have been lacking. I could never say exactly what it was myself, but seeing this and thinking back upon my experiences, I think you're right on the money.

 

[Articnoise]

  I agree, and that's actually what I meant by "stronger amp" in my earlier comment. It was more related to sound qualities that I personally favor. The CES HE-1000 set-up in the Venetian was excellent, but was missing a few small elements that I enjoy in an amp. Just a touch more warmth and end-to-end resonance, without losing that incredible detail and air. A dedicated source with the same qualities, like a dCS Puccini SACD player, or a Brinkmann Bardo turntable (with the RoNt 2 tube power supply) would help solve this as well. And walking out of the VAC suite a few minutes earlier may have had something to do with it. Greatest tube amps I've ever heard, and probably colored my impressions thereafter.

I agree that the VAC’s high-class power amps is amassing, but how do you know that it’s the HF-1000 and not the HE-1000 that was “lacking in warmth and end-to-end resonance”? I mean don’t you at least have to try it on another amp to come to this conclusion. I have read that they had the HF6 on CES and it is often described as to be rather (or sometimes to) warm. Did it sound better with the HF6 in this regard?

 

[XVampireX]

Still a good question is Ragnarok with HE-1000

 

[XVampireX]

If the he-1000 played great from portable amps that would be far the best IMO

Would be interesting with Questyle QP1 as it is a player with current based amp which is apparently really good for planars

Sorry for double post I'm on phone

 

[DVass13]

Still a good question is Ragnarok with HE-1000

 
If someone could get me a pair I would love to do a review. There is a slight possibility I might be able to demo the HEKs out of my Ragnarok in March, but the details are a bit hazy still. 

 

[PETEREK]

Just buy a pair, you only need one kidney to live anyway.

 

[DVass13]

If they come out at a reasonable price and can live up to the hype that everyone has been spreading I might just sell my HD800 and LCD-X and go in for the HE-1000.
 
I'd much rather have one pair of headphones that get 100% of my head-time than switch back and forth between two. Inevitably, one pair gets more head-time and then I feel like the other is unnecessary. After hearing the Abyss off my Ragnarok, I actually thought about doing this for a solid 5 seconds before realizing that $5500 for a pair of headphones is just not worth it for me.

 

[chowmein83]

 
I agree that the VAC’s high-class power amps is amassing, but how do you know that it’s the HF-1000 and not the HE-1000 that was “lacking in warmth and end-to-end resonance”? I mean don’t you at least have to try it on another amp to come to this conclusion. I have read that they had the HF6 on CES and it is often described as to be rather (or sometimes to) warm. Did it sound better with the HF6 in this regard?

 
For me, the reason why I agreed with @Bwright's statement is because I've had prior experience with Hifiman's amps driving a Hifiman headphone that I own, the HE-400i. And yes, I did try out the HE-400i with the EF-1000 at CES, and I still think my own setup with my 400i is warmer and more involving.

 

[Articnoise]

   
For me, the reason why I agreed with @Bwright's statement is because I've had prior experience with Hifiman's amps driving a Hifiman headphone that I own, the HE-400i. And yes, I did try out the HE-400i with the EF-1000 at CES, and I still think my own setup with my 400i is warmer and more involving.

The EF-1000 must suck big time if you can say with confidence that the HE-400i that you hear on a crowded meat and with a different source sound less warmth and involving when what you got at home. Is the HF6 one of the Hifiman amps in your prior experience? If it is do you find it lacking in warmth?

Frankly the only reason I even bothered to reply the other guy was that he at least recognized VAC as a fantastic amp.  

 

[chowmein83]

 
The EF-1000 must suck big time if you can say with confidence that the HE-400i that you hear on a crowded meat and with a different source sound less warmth and involving when what you got at home. Is the HF6 one of the Hifiman amps in your prior experience? If it is do you find it lacking in warmth?

Frankly the only reason I even bothered to reply the other guy was that he at least recognized VAC as a fantastic amp.  

 
Sorry, I don't mean to imply that Hifiman's amps suck. However, their sound signature is not what I'm looking for. They're highly detailed and are very technically competent, but I'd like a bit more warmth which to me makes the music more involving.
 
As for the less than ideal conditions, I will first admit that I haven't listened to Hifiman's amps for that long (maybe for a total of about two hours - about an hour each across two different meets). However, for at least 1.5 hours of that time I did get to listen to the amps in relatively good and quiet conditions - in both meets (at the T.H.E. Show and at CES) I was literally the first to show up at Hifiman's booth and was able to able to sample their high-end amps all by myself. 

 

[SilentFrequency]

If they come out at a reasonable price and can live up to the hype that everyone has been spreading I might just sell my HD800 and LCD-X and go in for the HE-1000.

I'd much rather have one pair of headphones that get 100% of my head-time than switch back and forth between two. Inevitably, one pair gets more head-time and then I feel like the other is unnecessary. After hearing the Abyss off my Ragnarok, I actually thought about doing this for a solid 5 seconds before realizing that $5500 for a pair of headphones is just not worth it for me.

Price aside, did you find the Abyss better than the hd800 and lcdx?

 

[Articnoise]

   
Sorry, I don't mean to imply that Hifiman's amps suck. However, their sound signature is not what I'm looking for. They're highly detailed and are very technically competent, but I'd like a bit more warmth which to me makes the music more involving.
 
As for the less than ideal conditions, I will first admit that I haven't listened to Hifiman's amps for that long (maybe for a total of about two hours - about an hour each across two different meets). However, for at least 1.5 hours of that time I did get to listen to the amps in relatively good and quiet conditions - in both meets (at the T.H.E. Show and at CES) I was literally the first to show up at Hifiman's booth and was able to able to sample their high-end amps all by myself. 

I understand that you are saying. I asked if the HF6 is one of the Hifiman amps in your prior experience because I want to know how you would characterize it. “Naturally warm” is one thing, syrupy warmth another.

My point was about saying with confidence that in a setup one gear is super good in all regards and another is lacking in both warmth and involvement and that setup is not one that you have and are very familiar with. Isn’t it not more likely that the Hifiman source or cables are lacking in this areas than a hybrid tub amp? Normally (IMO) involvement and a nice warmth are the strength of a good tub amp.

 

[chowmein83]

 
I understand that you are saying. I asked if the HF6 is one of the Hifiman amps in your prior experience because I want to know how you would characterize it. “Naturally warm” is one thing, syrupy warmth another.

My point was about saying with confidence that in a setup one gear is super good in all regards and another is lacking in both warmth and involvement and that setup is not one that you have and are very familiar with. Isn’t it not more likely that the Hifiman source or cables are lacking in this areas than a hybrid tub amp? Normally (IMO) involvement and a nice warmth are the strength of a good tub amp.

 
Ahh, I see what you are saying. When you refer to HF6, I assume you mean the EF-6 (which is Hifiman's current top-of-the-line amp, barring the EF-1000)? I don't think the EF-6 is particularly "cold", but I don't think that it is a particularly "warm" amp either. Definitely not syrupy warmth.
 
As for the source I listened to the HE-1000 and EF-1000 to, that was the new Hifiman HM901s. Definitely an impressive little player - it sounded great with the HE-400i and HE-560 directly out of its headphone jack (couldn't listen to the HE-1000 with it because the HE-1000 was terminated in XLR). I would say that the HM901s had a a very slight warmth tint to it, but not very much. So in that context, I guess I can say that the EF-1000 won't add much warmth to the music, as I felt that the HE-400i being directly driven by the HM901s in my recollection sounded slightly warmer than the HM901s + EF-1000 + HE-400i combo. (The 400i was the only headphone I used to compare those two different chains.)

 

[Articnoise]

   
Ahh, I see what you are saying. When you refer to HF6, I assume you mean the EF-6 (which is Hifiman's current top-of-the-line amp, barring the EF-1000)? I don't think the EF-6 is particularly "cold", but I don't think that it is a particularly "warm" amp either. Definitely not syrupy warmth.
 
As for the source I listened to the HE-1000 and EF-1000 to, that was the new Hifiman HM901s. Definitely an impressive little player - it sounded great with the HE-400i and HE-560 directly out of its headphone jack (couldn't listen to the HE-1000 with it because the HE-1000 was terminated in XLR). I would say that the HM901s had a a very slight warmth tint to it, but not very much. So in that context, I guess I can say that the EF-1000 won't add much warmth to the music, as I felt that the HE-400i being directly driven by the HM901s in my recollection sounded slightly warmer than the HM901s + EF-1000 + HE-400i combo. (The 400i was the only headphone I used to compare those two different chains.)

 

Ok now I think I know your point of preference… I want to hear the HE-1000 together with EF-1000 and other amps for myself before I comment further on this subject, but I am skeptical to this lacking in warmth and involvement from Hifiman’s statement amp. Especially as some people has describe the HE + HF as sounding as lush and euphonic as the HE-90, and this in direct compere.

 

[DVass13]

Price aside, did you find the Abyss better than the hd800 and lcdx?

 
It has been a few  months since I demo'd them, but from what I remember (I'd have to look at the notes I took at the time to confirm this) the Abyss combined the best qualities of both. They had a wide sound stage - not quite as wide as the HD800 but much better than the X. They were very musical to my ears and for the first time in a long time I was completely enveloped in my music. I sat in my chair for at least an hour without moving or saying a word. The bass was deep and natural. The only down-side I noticed was the fit. I have a smaller head and I didn't feel as though these would stay on my head if I moved suddenly. They were quite comfortable to wear while stationary, but I noticed that if I tilted my head forward or back quickly they would slip. The same for quick side to side movements. Everything aside, though, I loved them. I thought for sure that I would be happy with selling my HD800s and LCD-Xs and anything else I have to go for just the Abyss... but the price tag is just too steep. If they were $2500 I could probably go for them, but at more than twice the price (or I guess now you can get the "lite" version that comes with just the headphones and no accessories for $4500) it's not worth it. I'm hoping that the HE-1000s will give the Abyss some competition from a sound quality point but still manage to keep the price tag around some of the other TOTL headphones. I'm not going to be like most others around here and say I'm "in" or "out" having never heard these or knowing what the price will be, but I think most people would agree that if the HE-1000 do come out at ~$5000 they're not going to be a typical production model but truly a statement product. I'd hope for under $3000 and sound quality that rivals the Abyss, but I have no problem waiting a month or two (or more) until the production version is available and I have a chance to demo it.