[Cotnijoe]

  Anyone else bothered by the apparent release of the HEK? 
 
I mean, quite a few very experienced beta testers aren't exactly happy with the results.
Yes, I know it's all subjective. Still, isn't that part of the beta - to consult feedback and make appropriate changes.
For all you fanboys that are happy with the current state, great.

 
I'm also a little disappointed with that. Considering how many people have voiced certain concerns with sound, it seems the only real change is a physical change.

 

[Decoy]

  Anyone else bothered by the apparent release of the HEK? 
 
I mean, quite a few very experienced beta testers aren't exactly happy with the results.
Yes, I know it's all subjective. Still, isn't that part of the beta - to consult feedback and make appropriate changes.
For all you fanboys that are happy with the current state, great.
 
This isn't a cheap offering and it seems a little ridiculous they're now rolling out either A. The current version.
or B. Some new improved version. Is it unreasonable to further explore more testing..
 
Or maybe I'm the only person fed up with the BS from these companies rolling out a new revision under our noses.
Yes, I'm talking about Aude'ze. 

What a bunch of presumptuous nonsense.
 
(1)  The response from the beta has been overwhelmingly positive.  Even its critics say the headphones are amazing.  The fact that someone loves the sound of the HE1K doesn't make them a fanboy ready to lap up whatever garbage HiFiMAN releases.
 
(2)  The biggest critique of the headphone lacks attack.  Do you think this is news to the HiFiMAN team?  Dr. Fang has been working on these for 7 years.  He knows how these sound better than anyone else.  Why haven't they changed this?  The most likely explanation: It is a limitation of the technology.  No headphones will be perfect.  If it could be fixed in a month or two, it would have already been done.
 
(3)  The fact that some respected members have criticized the treble peak, doesn't mean that it is in need of "fixing."  I absolutely love the sound of my HD800, yet a number of respected Head-Fi'ers find it bright and fatiguing.  Some find the soundstage unnatural.  To assume that because some people weren't thrilled by the voicing, it must be a problem --it's a matter of taste.
 
I want manufacturers to continue to improve their products.  It is asinine demand that companies to cease development on the product just because it is in production.  Yes, Audeze made modifications.  Everyone does this.  Stax - Yes, Sennheiser - Yes, Audeze - Yes, HiFiMAN - Yes.  It is not just with headphones.  Everyone does this.

 

[paradoxper]

  What a bunch of presumptuous nonsense.
 
(1)  The response from the beta has been overwhelmingly positive.  Even its critics say the headphones are amazing.  The fact that someone loves the sound of the HE1K doesn't make them a fanboy ready to lap up whatever garbage HiFiMAN releases.
 
(2)  The biggest critique of the headphone lacks attack.  Do you think this is news to the HiFiMAN team?  Dr. Fang has been working on these for 7 years.  He knows how these sound better than anyone else.  Why haven't they changed this?  The most likely explanation: It is a limitation of the technology.  No headphones will be perfect.  If it could be fixed in a month or two, it would have already been done.
 
(3)  The fact that some respected members have criticized the treble peak, doesn't mean that it is in need of "fixing."  I absolutely love the sound of my HD800, yet a number of respected Head-Fi'ers find it bright and fatiguing.  Some find the soundstage unnatural.  To assume that because some people weren't thrilled by the voicing, it must be a problem --it's a matter of taste.
 
I want manufacturers to continue to improve their products.  It is asinine demand that companies to cease development on the product just because it is in production.  Yes, Audeze made modifications.  Everyone does this.  Stax - Yes, Sennheiser - Yes, Audeze - Yes, HiFiMAN - Yes.  It is not just with headphones.  Everyone does this.

I'll say I believe Iron Dreamer is the only person with a wealth of experience who has compared the HEK favorably. Maybe Frank, meh.
 
For the most part, a very good handful of people with varying resolving gears haven't been wowed by what should be
either a flagship or statement product.
 
To be fair, Stax, Aude'ze, Senn, etc didn't open a beta program up. However, nor did we see a 009 V2, HD800 V2 and so on.
So I think concerns about a later revision are very reasonable. 
 
Perhaps I'm just full of hoopla. It is all subjective. Some will love it, others will hate it. That's life.
I just think it all feels a little rushed.

 

[daltonlanny]

I'll say I believe Iron Dreamer is the only person with a wealth of experience who has compared the HEK favorably. Maybe Frank, meh.

For the most part, a very good handful of people with varying resolving gears haven't been wowed by what should be
either a flagship or statement product.

To be fair, Stax, Aude'ze, Senn, etc didn't open a beta program up. However, nor did we see a 009 V2, HD800 V2 and so on.
So I think concerns about a later revision are very reasonable. 

Perhaps I'm just full of hoopla. It is all subjective. Some will love it, others will hate it. That's life.
I just think it all feels a little rushed.

+1

 

[Decoy]

  I'll say I believe Iron Dreamer is the only person with a wealth of experience who has compared the HEK favorably. Maybe Frank, meh.
 
For the most part, a very good handful of people with varying resolving gears haven't been wowed by what should be
either a flagship or statement product.
 
To be fair, Stax, Aude'ze, Senn, etc didn't open a beta program up. However, nor did we see a 009 V2, HD800 V2 and so on.
So I think concerns about a later revision are very reasonable. 
 
Perhaps I'm just full of hoopla. It is all subjective. Some will love it, others will hate it. That's life.
I just think it all feels a little rushed.

Purrin is very positive.  Money4me247 is very positive and he spent time on some superb setups.  There are a lot of people with excellent gear that are raving about this headphone.  And like I said, it is likely the lack of attack issue is almost certainly a limitation of the technology.  Holding off for a few weeks/months won't do anything.  
 
Why are you assuming there will be a HE1K V2?  No one from HiFiMAN has indicated anything of the sort.  You also seem to be holding onto the assumptions that this is "fixable."  If the HD800s were being released, would you be fretting over the impending release of the HD800 v2 to fix the brightness?  Speculation about this is just silly.

 

[negura]

 

 
Just one question: How are you so sure of the cause?
Are you even part of the beta?

 

[paradoxper]

  Purrin is very positive.  Money4me247 is very positive and he spent time on some superb setups.  There are a lot of people with excellent gear that are raving about this headphone.  And like I said, it is likely the lack of attack issue is almost certainly a limitation of the technology.  Holding off for a few weeks/months won't do anything.  
 
Why are you assuming there will be a HE1K V2?  No one from HiFiMAN has indicated anything of the sort.  You also seem to be holding onto the assumptions that this is "fixable."  If the HD800s were being released, would you be fretting over the impending release of the HD800 v2 to fix the brightness?  Speculation about this is just silly.

Purrin. Sure. Money hasn't had any "TOTL" rigs. I see plenty of people who like the HEK and many more
who like them more than the LCD2 or 560 or what have you. Not HD800, 009, Omega, HE90, LCD3, etc.
 
HEK will be judged against every other flagship. And in comparison it seems to be sort of mediocre.
 
Anyways, we can argue back and forth all evening..
 
My contention is it just seems the production has moved quite quickly. I wonder if enough time has been given to even tweak the HEK per some beta notes.
Further, I feel a bit skeptical of HifiMan's QC - as they've had issues in the past. So naturally, I am curious if there unit variations.

 

[Decoy]

   
Just one question: How are you so sure of the cause?
Are you even part of the beta?

I am not part of the beta.  My retail one has been shipped.  I'm not even sure I will like the HE1K.  But it doesn't have any bearing on anything I have said.

 

[negura]

  My retail one has been shipped.

 
Interesting.

 

[Decoy]

  Purrin. Sure. Money hasn't had any "TOTL" rigs. I see plenty of people who like the HEK and many more
who like them more than the LCD2 or 560 or what have you. Not HD800, 009, Omega, HE90, LCD3, etc.
 
HEK will be judged against every other flagship. And in comparison it seems to be sort of mediocre.
 
Anyways, we can argue back and forth all evening..
 
My contention is it just seems the production has moved quite quickly. I wonder if enough time has been given to even tweak the HEK per some beta notes.
Further, I feel a bit skeptical of HifiMan's QC - as they've had issues in the past. So naturally, I am curious if there unit variations.

 

   
Interesting.

I concur.

 

[bfreedma]

 My retail one has been shipped.

 
Interesting.

It certainly appears that retail production units were being built very early in the "beta" program if they are being shipped now or very soon.

 

[doctorjazz]

The Beta seems to be more about the mechanics (like the band size) than the tuning, from what I can tell.
I haven't counted, but it seems to me there were many more posts along the lines of "best headphones ever", with some in the "revealing but uninvolving" camp (and, in my brief audition, I was in the latter camp. Just sayin')

 

[daltonlanny]

No offense, but it just kind of seems that this beta program was really for nothing, since the productions units were probably already being built.
Just my 2 cents.

 

[goldendarko]

It was a discount for blind buyers if nothing else, cool with me since I'm one of the ones who is very happy with them. 

 

[rgs9200m]

It sounds like the beta program was like a field test just looking for major flaws in operation or performance. I speculate this was due to the drama in the HE560 rollout. Hifiman obviously didn't want to repeat that experience. And of course, they didn't want an Ultrasone ED10 debacle. (No viral videos of Tyll sickened by a production phone will be forthcoming now.)
So from that perspective, I can see that the beta test makes sense. It was a last minute pause before showtime, and that makes perfect sense to me.
It was not an attempt to make sure 100% of headphiles testified that this was the ultimate headphone (or even a worthwhile one), an impossible quest anyway.
(Again, all just speculation here of course...)