[sachu]

Quote:

Two products are released in relatively short order, one approximately twice the price of the other ($699 versus $1300-to-$1600, per the first post in this thread, the accuracy of which I'm not sure).
 
Regardless of what stage the HE-5LE is at, what does it matter?  Do you not realize CanJam is coming up?  For us, it's an important event, and the companies who exhibit there do occasionally try to launch products there.  Such events (like, on a much, much larger scale, CES) are good stages on which to launch products, as people (and maybe the press) are paying attention.
 
At CES 2009, Sennheiser launched a $1400 headphone called the HD800.  Guess what:  They also launched products priced far lower--at the same time.  Last year, they released three KLEER-using wireless full-sized headphones--at the same time.  (Yes, I'm being sarcastic to make a point.)
 
Companies release products close together--or at the exact same time--quite regularly.  We're not talking about two products in the same category priced the same, or near the same.  These are two entirely different price points.
 
As for the audiophool jargon comment:  Get your ears on them, sachu, then comment.  We have no idea at what level these headphones will perform or not--and I'm betting you weren't given the inside scoop.

I won't argue with you on this Jude.. will only say Head-Direct is no Sennheiser in terms of quality and consistency. 
I do plan to listen to them sometime..but seriously..why gold!? I do wish to see some rationalization for them to use gold traces. Perhaps they'll reveal more at CJ.
 
. 

 

[jude]

 
Quote:

I won't argue with you on this Jude.. will only say Head-Direct is no Sennheiser in terms of quality and consistency. 
I do plan to listen to them sometime..but seriously..why gold!? I do wish to see some rationalization for them to use gold traces. Perhaps they'll reveal more at CJ.
 
. 

I've been to Sennheiser's factory in Ireland, where many of their better headphones (and their best headphones, other than the HD800) are made.  They wouldn't even let me take photos of most of what I was seeing, which I can understand.  I can say this:  Their driver matching procedure (for the HD6XX series of headphones) is meticulous--I would be shocked if many (if any) other companies go through the rigors to assure driving matching that Sennheiser goes through for their higher-end headphones.  (And, again, that's just one quality point example I'm mentioning.)
 
That said, there aren't too many other companies making headphones that are Sennheiser, in terms of quality and consistency.  Have all the headphones you enjoy listening to come out of a Sennheiser factory?  If not, were the all the headphones you listen to and like built using the same precision that Sennheiser employs to get consistency of quality?  I doubt it.
 
If anything less than that standard constitutes failure, we wouldn't see any new headphones.  Companies like Head-Direct and Audeze have the stones to develop and make full-sized high-end headphones for us--and the manufacture of high-end full-sized headphones is not an easy thing to endeavor to make.  I praise them both for doing what they're doing in this regard.
 
To borrow your earlier grammar, "me thinks" you rush to conclusions, and "me thinks" pretty much nobody's going to stack up against Sennheiser's higher-end headphone quality control ('cept Sennheiser).

 

[sachu]

N/m..

 

[Jian]

 They then only charge 300 for hd6XX, and 1300 usd for hd800, afte all these, and through all the years of developing? Well I guess if he5, he5le and h6 are priced at 80 usd, 120usd and 250 usd, I'd be glad to say they are great phones come from a dedicated honourble small diy factory which I'd love to support wholeheartedly. Which company in the whole world has the abilty to develope 3 600+ phone within a year? Its not a product line , is a flagship line.

 

[Ypoknons]

I don't find it all that surprising that two different groups of passionate, innovation-driven people who are rivals in a given field would have differences... I admire both sides anyways. 

 

[thinker]

Quote:

One potato, two potato, three......

..... those whispers come from another headphone blog in another country, just wanted to make updates to the HEAD-FI community.
There is even more info but let Fang tell about it.One thing is sure its not anymore a DIY company.

 

[tvrboy]

Well, this practice is commonplace in luxury goods marketing ... introducing several "flagship" models within a short time span. It does make owners of the former flagship feel a bit cheated, but all's fair in love, war, and business. Having ordered the original and LE versions brand new, I now feel like an inadequate plebian because I won't have the best model. I did learn a lesson about flavor of the month hype though.
 
If I was the marketing manager for Head-Direct, I would have never introduced the LE version. Instead, I would just continue the HE-5 line and replace the defect-prone wood housings with plastic ones, for the same price. A new model, even if it's new in name only, so soon after the introduction of the original, will cause some consumers to think that Head-Direct is pursuing a short term money grabbing strategy and buying their products is a silly idea because they will be obsolete in 6 months. That's not the truth, but that's what some potential customers will think. I remember vcoheda commenting that he's afraid the HE-5 line will turn out like the Jade headphones, with many updates one after another. Well, there's one qualified customer lost by a silly marketing campaign.
 
All I'm gonna say about the HE-6 is that it better have no problems at all. I know CanJam is a great time to launch, but a perfect product introduced next year will make a lot more money than a shoddy product introduced this year.

 

[Happy Camper]

And so the hype gears up. I am in the "no guts, no glory" camp. If you want to be known for quality though, you don't do your quality control/assurance with the customer's purchased product. While I could understand a minor tweak to the construction, the sound quality should be nailed before release.

 

[SanJoseCanJunkie]

I'm confused as hell by all the bellyaching in this thread - by my count Sennheiser offers over 40 models at different prices, AKG offers at least 20, and Grado offers a dozen models.
 
 
HifiMAN is offering TWO headphones at two totally different price points/classes, and there is bitching that it's too many, too soon?  Not cool.

 

[jude]

Quote:

I'm confused as hell by all the bellyaching in this thread - by my count Sennheiser offers over 40 models at different prices, AKG offers at least 20, and Grado offers a dozen models.
 
HifiMAN is offering TWO headphones at two totally different price points/classes, and there is bitching that it's too many, too soon?  Not cool.

Agreed.  And you said in three sentences, what I said in many more.

 

[JIGF]

Definitely. We have to cut down some slack to Hifiman; they are a relatively new company that has gathered a lot of praise in a very fast time, and I think they are doing pretty well so far, the start may have had some rough edges, but what company hasn't, and still, there are plenty of people that are very happy with what they have released so far, including me. 

 

[cegras]

Quote:

 

I've been to Sennheiser's factory in Ireland, where many of their better headphones (and their best headphones, other than the HD800) are made.  They wouldn't even let me take photos of most of what I was seeing, which I can understand.  I can say this:  Their driver matching procedure (for the HD6XX series of headphones) is meticulous--I would be shocked if many (if any) other companies go through the rigors to assure driving matching that Sennheiser goes through for their higher-end headphones.  (And, again, that's just one quality point example I'm mentioning.)
 
That said, there aren't too many other companies making headphones that are Sennheiser, in terms of quality and consistency.  Have all the headphones you enjoy listening to come out of a Sennheiser factory?  If not, were the all the headphones you listen to and like built using the same precision that Sennheiser employs to get consistency of quality?  I doubt it.
 
If anything less than that standard constitutes failure, we wouldn't see any new headphones.  Companies like Head-Direct and Audeze have the stones to develop and make full-sized high-end headphones for us--and the manufacture of high-end full-sized headphones is not an easy thing to endeavor to make.  I praise them both for doing what they're doing in this regard.
 
To borrow your earlier grammar, "me thinks" you rush to conclusions, and "me thinks" pretty much nobody's going to stack up against Sennheiser's higher-end headphone quality control ('cept Sennheiser).

 
A good faith effort isn't enough for our money, though.
 

 

[aFo]

I don't get why people are down on this. Technology is always changing, you're never going to have the latest and greatest. Personally, I'm very excited to hear impressions on this hd800 killer. And a $700 or so price difference between the LE and 6 should prevent any cannibalization

 

[2God]

I didn't quite 'dig' the design of the earlier versions, hope it's a new design. The price would put this all the way up 'there'with the PS1ks, HD800s, and whatnot. Lets just hope the sound will do the same too.

 

[Skylab]

Quote:

I don't get why people are down on this. Technology is always changing, you're never going to have the latest and greatest. Personally, I'm very excited to hear impressions on this hd800 killer. And a $700 or so price difference between the LE and 6 should prevent any cannibalization

 
Not only that, but shouldn't we be encouraging new high-end headphone introductions, not discouraging them?  Don't we want attempts at the state of the art?  It's not like anyone is going to force any of you to buy, or even try, these.
 
More choices are better, people.  Much better.  Rejoice in having choice - you can vote with your wallet.