[freeza2001]

The customer service told me that the headband material is made of synthetic leather.

He is from the official preorder link provide by the official HIFIMAN store front.

To me thats official enough. Since they are taking preorder money from people base on the promotional image.

Just saying.

Maybe the wrong product information was given to him.

Either way its incompetence vs lying.

 

[GREQ]

The customer service told me that the headband material is made of synthetic leather.

He is from the official preorder link provide by the official HIFIMAN store front.

To me thats official enough. Since they are taking preorder money from people base on the promotional image.

Just saying.

Maybe the wrong product information was given to him.

Either way its incompetence vs lying.

Soooooooooo, that's just a fancy way of saying 'pleather'..... right?

 

[Mediahound]

The customer service told me that the headband material is made of synthetic leather.

He is from the official preorder link provide by the official HIFIMAN store front.

To me thats official enough. Since they are taking preorder money from people base on the promotional image.

Just saying.

Maybe the wrong product information was given to him.

Either way its incompetence vs lying.

That does not appear to be Hifiman's website. Their official website is: https://hifiman.com/#1 where the R10 is not there yet.

 

[freeza2001]

The official site doesn't even have the new he400i 2020 version on it.

People in china normally shop through the estore front from taobao. So most company set up set up a offical store front there for retail.

The He-10 announcement was done through Taobao aswell.

 

[freeza2001]

Soooooooooo, that's just a fancy way of saying 'pleather'..... right?

YES.... But right now all we doing is speculation base on the limit information on hand.

So I hope the final product is made of suede or even sheep skin to match the asking price.

 

[ubs28]

Soooooooooo, that's just a fancy way of saying 'pleather'..... right?

That is why I don't take headphones serious anymore. When Focal Utopia launched, $4000 was already out there. But it was justified as:
- Carbon fibre headphone with real lambskin leather.
- Beryllium driver which only a few speaker companies can create. And it is very difficult and expensive to make. You will find these type of drivers in $230.000 speakers.

Now we got headphones costing $5000 for a standard dynamic / planar headphone with pleather. I don't care how good Dr. Fang think it sounds, it is crazy

 

[Malevolent]

That is why I don't take headphones serious anymore. When Focal Utopia launched, $4000 was already out there. But it was justified as:
- Carbon fibre headphone with real lambskin leather.
- Beryllium driver which only a few speaker companies can create. And it is very difficult and expensive to make. You will find these type of drivers in $230.000 speakers.

Now we got headphones costing $5000 for a standard dynamic / planar headphone with pleather. I don't care how good Dr. Fang think it sounds, it is crazy

The thing is, the perceived success of headphones like the Utopia and, potentially, the HE-R10, will embolden other manufacturers to raise the prices for their new flagships. That would be the start of a difficult period for all enthusiasts in this hobby.

 

[elvergun]

The thing is, the perceived success of headphones like the Utopia and, potentially, the HE-R10, will embolden other manufacturers to raise the prices for their new flagships. That would be the start of a difficult period for all enthusiasts in this hobby.

I think that the difficult period has already began.

 

[KPzypher]

The thing is, the perceived success of headphones like the Utopia and, potentially, the HE-R10, will embolden other manufacturers to raise the prices for their new flagships. That would be the start of a difficult period for all enthusiasts in this hobby.

Precisely. Since most boutique shops does not disclose sales numbers, we can only judge by forum reception and reviews. So this 'perceived success' irrelevant to true sales will drive the price of other flagships or force other companies to follow suit. It's a win-win for the companies. Mediocre build quality means very little money goes into production cost, so even with low sales its relatively easy to recoup the sunk cost. People need to understand that in turn affects everyone in the flagship market. And to be honest, we are already deep into this phenomena.

Edit: And any argument about R&D cost driving up the sales price is nonsense when you're reusing parts and copying designs from other HPs, or outsourcing components.

 

[radnor]

someone PM me when there is an actual LISTENING IMPRESSION on this thread.

 

[KPzypher]

someone PM me when there is an actual LISTENING IMPRESSION on this thread.

While you wait, ask the MOD to delete all your previous posts, since none are even remotely related to listening impressions.

 

[Roderick]

The thing is, the perceived success of headphones like the Utopia and, potentially, the HE-R10, will embolden other manufacturers to raise the prices for their new flagships. That would be the start of a difficult period for all enthusiasts in this hobby.

I would not mind if this creates new super expensive luxury segment of headphones. Speakers have it, amps, turntables, cars, handbags, clothes etc. For a long time headphones have been one hobby where you can buy flagship products without being a millionaire. It's sad it will change but it's a natural developement and as long reasonably priced products keep evolving I'm ok with that. Of course those headphones should ooze luxury like orpheus or $100k sonus faber speakers.

I could spend $5000 on headphones but it would be a carefully planned purchase. I would do it with only something that has no build quality issues, long warranty and manufacturer should have a reputation of not messing up the value of the products by releasing new revisions every six months. (At this moment I don't think such headphone even exists)

In a upside down way hifiman products are the ultimate luxury headphones. Buying something like Susvara or he-10r I would accept that I'm fine it might break during and after warranty period. I would have to be fine loosing $6000 in just a few years.

While ago I saw this on facebook. It's paint on susvara magnets flaking.

 

[gikigill]

98% of all Rolls Royces made are still in operation, vintage watches more than 50 years old go for multiple times their original prices, so not sure how something that breaks in a few years is a sign of luxury. A vintage Fender will go for thousands more than a new one (upto $20k IME) and will be in top notch shape.

The Susvara magnets flaking isn't a surprise since my experience with Hifiman planars is that there is basically foil glued with massive gaps in the traces of a Mylar diaphragm to design a planar driver. Havent bought a Hifiman made after 2013.

 

[Roderick]

98% of all Rolls Royces made are still in operation, vintage watches more than 50 years old go for multiple times their original prices, so not sure how something that breaks in a few years is a sign of luxury.

I phrased myself poorly. What I ment is that in it's own twisted way Hifiman is the ultimate rich person headphone as it's allmost disposable. Not many have afford to buy such things in the long run.

 

[ubs28]

I would not mind if this creates new super expensive luxury segment of headphones. Speakers have it, amps, turntables, cars, handbags, clothes etc. For a long time headphones have been one hobby where you can buy flagship products without being a millionaire. It's sad it will change but it's a natural developement and as long reasonably priced products keep evolving I'm ok with that. Of course those headphones should ooze luxury like orpheus or $100k sonus faber speakers.

I could spend $5000 on headphones but it would be a carefully planned purchase. I would do it with only something that has no build quality issues, long warranty and manufacturer should have a reputation of not messing up the value of the products by releasing new revisions every six months. (At this moment I don't think such headphone even exists)

In a upside down way hifiman products are the ultimate luxury headphones. Buying something like Susvara or he-10r I would accept that I'm fine it might break during and after warranty period. I would have to be fine loosing $6000 in just a few years.

While ago I saw this on facebook. It's paint on susvara magnets flaking.

It already exist. There is a $120.000 Focal Utopia headphone version with diamonds and gold.

Not sure who will buy it. I am pretty sure Bill Gates doesn’t own one.