HIFIMAN HE-R10 Closed-Back Headphones Discussion & Impressions

[tdx]

Thanks for sharing, i just placed an order. I need a closed back for a hot day (aic 10 make my room like a bbq grill place) I see it easy to drive, will test it on my rs8 dap for portable and aic 10 at home. Thanks again mr.@spawn300z for the link.

As a matter of fact I'm driving them on my AIC 10 as we speak. Trust me you will not be disappointed with the pairing

 

[chris0815]

Damn. I paided 4k - still I don't regret it. My favorite headphone. I only use closed backs for 99% of my time. R10P is really great.

 

[Slim1970]

Damn. I paided 4k - still I don't regret it. My favorite headphone. I only use closed backs for 99% of my time. R10P is really great.

Same here, but we got to enjoy these headphones for years before now. Hopefully these lower prices will give others a chance to hear what we've been hearing for years

 

[chris0815]

Wise words. I love it, I pair it with a cayin ha-3a and a ef500 as dac.
And I also use these with ef400.

 

[OM hawk]

The burn in process is now complete, I believe I'm at 80 hours or so, and the overall sound is much improved from out of the box: bigger staging, better bass, and I think there was some wonkiness in the midrange that has now calmed down. The R10d is a big step up from the R9, with a much more natural tuning, even better soundstaging, and a level of detail that to me seems comparable to other headphones I own in the 1k price range, like the Aeon 2 Closed, Beyerdynamic T1 3rd Gen, and Kennerton Vali.

The soundstage on this thing really blows the Aeon 2 Closed out of the water, as well as the other closed back that I'm familiar with, the Neumann NDH20. I am currently using a mogami copper headphone cable, which is definitely on the warm/smooth side, not the best synergy with my iFi idsd Neo 2 dac/amp (because the Neo 2 is also warm and smooth), and I expect to hear a lot better detail after I get one of my dead neutral silver cables reterminated for the R10d.

Initially I thought the bass on the R10d, although it doesn't have the R9's obnoxious mid bass hump, was a bit limp, but after the burn in, I at times find myself enjoying the bass of this headphone specifically, so it seems the bass is just different, rather than less good than what I'm used to. Maybe it depends on how low the bass is in a given recording.

I greatly appreciate the light weight, but not so much the cable microphonics. The R10d is light and comfortable enough to be "daily driver material" for me, and if switching to a dual entry braided cable solves the microphonics issue, I could really see myself falling in love with this headphone. I do have some concerns with the fake leather on the headband, in terms of longevity. Maybe I can find someone to mod just the headband part of it.

 

[OM hawk]

Also, just in case anyone reading this hasn't realized, the R10d is 300 bucks brand new, and as I've said it sounds as good as any 1k headphone I've heard. I want to commend Hifiman's absolutely SAVAGE business strategy, you are literally Conan the Barbarian, Hifiman. If you value a big soundstage, and you don't need maximum sound isolation, this is one of the best closed cans you could possibly hope for.

 

[carbonF1]

Jumping in to leave a quick update - the open box R10P (v2) seems to be out of stock at Hifiman and the other authorized retailers at the moment, even though the Hifiman website says its in stock and will let you order one. No ETA provided when Hifiman customer service confirmed stock.

The price is appealing, so I ordered one last Sunday but maybe this is a sign for me to wait a little longer and buy a Susvara first lol.

 

[mudnut]

Jumping in to leave a quick update - the open box R10P (v2) seems to be out of stock at Hifiman and the other authorized retailers at the moment, even though the Hifiman website says its in stock and will let you order one. No ETA provided when Hifiman customer service confirmed stock.

The price is appealing, so I ordered one last Sunday but maybe this is a sign for me to wait a little longer and buy a Susvara first lol.

Did Hifiman notify you that they were out of stock after you placed an order? Did they cancel it or keeping it on backorder? It's been more than a week since I placed my order and it's still showing being processed. Hopefully, the delay is because of China's national holiday.

 

[carbonF1]

Did Hifiman notify you that they were out of stock after you placed an order? Did they cancel it or keeping it on backorder? It's been more than a week since I placed my order and it's still showing being processed. Hopefully, the delay is because of China's national holiday.

no, I reached out to Hifiman CS and got the update as their response. I was thinking the same thing that the delay is partially b/c of the holiday. They (Hifiman) are keeping it on backorder but I requested cancellation.

 

[mudnut]

no, I reached out to Hifiman CS and got the update as their response. I was thinking the same thing that the delay is partially b/c of the holiday. They (Hifiman) are keeping it on backorder but I requested cancellation.

Thanks for the info. Not sure how they plan on replenishing R10P open box stock since I doubt anyone would be ordering a brand new pair given the massive open box discount.

 

[elwappo99]

These are down to $219 from hifiman https://store.hifiman.com/index.php/he-r10d-openbox.html

 

[Kukuk]

Killer deal. I remember I paid I think $260 for the R9, and felt I absolutely stole them. The R10D is mostly a step up over them.

Looking at the Fall Sale main page, it looks like those are the wired version, which is fine to be honest. The bluetooth adapter doesn't sound all that great. I'd be curious to know if it comes with all the extra cables, because that, to me, would be a bigger value add. When I got mine last year it came with a 4-pin XLR cable, plus 1/8" and 1/4" cables. Not sure why they didn't just bother with an adapter, but I'm not complaining!

 

[nioh]

Is the R10P a steal at the current special price of $1599 for an open box? How does it compare to other close backs like the Caldera or Stellia? I don't need a closed back but could use one that has a deep and impactful bass.

After having the Audivina for less than a week I was impressed that I couldn't resist and placed an order for the HE-R10P open box.
Of course I contacted CS before placing the order and I was told that they don't have stock but I can place an order and they will ship it as soon as they have stock. If not I can always cancel the order.

Now the wait begins ...

 

[nioh]

It's here ! Only took them 4 days to deliver, not bad.

My first impressions of HE-R10P Stealth Magnet, compared to the Audivina (sound might change slightly after some burn-in)
First thing I noticed is the speed. This one is faster.
Mids and trebles are emphasized.
Bass is lower.
Slightly larger staging.
Heavier
Less comfortable (probably due to the extra weight and clamping force)
Sound isolation better than Audivina but still not as good as some other closed backs
Comes in a premium box but no headphone case provided

IMHO, Audivina is a steal at it's current price. It has a very balanced tuning and is super comfy, you forget it's on your head.
HE-R10P has peak trebles so might need some EQ here.

I'm keeping both. Audivina seems like the kind of headphones where I can relax and forget time flowing by.
HE-R10P on the other hand could be a daily driver, with some EQ or a different more suitable AMP.

 

[Gintaras]

It's here ! Only took them 4 days to deliver, not bad.

My first impressions of HE-R10P Stealth Magnet, compared to the Audivina (sound might change slightly after some burn-in)

I suggest, spend more time comparing Audivina and HE-R10P and post your findings after a few days and even weeks of testing. The reason is simple, our ears need time to adjust their memory. Now you are used to the Audivina signature, in a few days it will change and then you will be more likely to discover if Audivina is as good or less good.
I am listening and comparing my D8000 pro's to the Audivina's and I still have no conclusion. On some sessions I prefer the D8000 pro's, but on others I lean more towards the Audivina's. Since my ears are still in the process of getting used to the new sound, I reserve the right to be wrong. That said, i still think the Audivina are damn good headphones, nothing short of amazing when paired with the right amp, and we're talking here about comparing them to some of the coolest and most hyped headphones out there right now, given the highest user approval rating for the D8000 pro and a price tag double the original Audivina price tag.