[doctorjazz]

I thought on quick initial listen that the "snap" was missing as well. Maybe I've just acclimated to HEK world, but I don't find it lacking in that department anymore.

Just me, of course.

is it possible that the cause was the microzotl with  the hek ?

No, they both came about the same time, been getting accustomed to both together, I suppose. They are a great combination. Have the Ray Samuels HR-2 for comparison, which is pretty fine sounding itself, ZOTL just more open, wide stage, more dimensional (all small improvements, mind you...the trouble with these descriptions is that you often have small increments in improved sound, which are significant, but in trying to describe them, they sound like day and night differences).

 

[richard51]

No, they both came about the same time, been getting accustomed to both together, I suppose. They are a great combination. Have the Ray Samuels HR-2 for comparison, which is pretty fine sounding itself, ZOTL just more open, wide stage, more dimensional (all small improvements, mind you...the trouble with these descriptions is that you often have small increments in improved sound, which are significant, but in trying to describe them, they sound like day and night differences).

thanks very clear information.... I am interested by the Zotl ....

 

[money4me247]

sure. just something i've noticed in the impressions is all. want to hear this can for myself and form my own.

in regards specifically to the "snap," I had the chance to run volume-matched head-to-head comparisons between the HD800 and HE1k along with a few Audezes and my PM-3/HE-560 as a reference point. My thoughts on this subject is that I don't feel like the HE1k is missing "snap" compared to other flagship headphones, but the decrease sub-bass presence and subtly brighter tonality of the HD800 (compared to the HE-1k) contributes to bringing the "snap" into sharper focus compared to other flagship headphones. I was attempting to talk myself into just getting the HD800 & saving some money, but at the end of the day, I personally found the HE-1k to suit my preferences much better and worth the extra expense. A bit of additional background on me is that I personally found the HE-560 to have better bass presentation & smoother treble presentation that fit my tastes better over the HD800, but the HE800 is extremely competitive and I do give it an edge in sound stage width. However, the differences at this sort of price point (HE-560 & above) isn't as large as it sometimes appears in writing on the forums (in my personal opinion) & also is very dependant on the exact presentation & sonic attributes you are looking for, so if budget is an issue, there are many people quite happy with either the HE-560 or HD800 as a pair of endgame headphones. YMMV though.

 

[ruthieandjohn]

Today I received both the production version HiFiMAN HE1000 and the HiFiMAN EF-6 amp. 
 
The HiFiMAN HE1000 was sent from China day before yesterday via DHL and made it via Hong Kong to Ann Arbor, MI, today... 2 day transit.  WOW!
 
The HE1000 wood seems just a little deeper colored; the fit and assembly seems just a bit more robust, and there is a lushly-illustrated instruction book that could serve as a marketing brochure, with color pictures of the HE1000, HE1000 photographed against concert halls, and (oh, yes), instructions.  The three cables were there as were for the prototype, but this time had no velvet bag to contain them. The burnished metal plate on the outside of the box is covered with protective clear plastic.
 
My earlier comparisons had found the EF-6 amp to perform the best in driving the HE1000 of the 5 that I looked at (see link in my signature for more details).
 
They both look and sound exquisite together.  Power on the amp is such that I do not turn the volume above 30%.  The volume control is a sequence of detents, not a continuous turn, and I can just envision different parts of the circuitry being engaged at each hefty click.
 

 

[TonyNewman]

  Today I received both the production version HiFiMAN HE1000 and the HiFiMAN EF-6 amp.

 
Congrats on the HE1000.
 
On the EF-6 - just my 2 cents - I think there are many better SS amps out there. Auralic Taurus Mk2 and Simaudio 430HA are 2 that I own that I would put a long way ahead of the EF-6 (admittedly based on a limited demo of the EF-6).

 

[Wildcatsare1]

Congrats on the HE1000.

On the EF-6 - just my 2 cents - I think there are many better SS amps out there. Auralic Taurus Mk2 and Simaudio 430HA are 2 that I own that I would put a long way ahead of the EF-6 (admittedly based on a limited demo of the EF-6).

Tony, I have the Taurus Mk. 2 as well and my HEK gets here next week. Which do you prefer the single ended or balanced connection? What are you using as a DAC?

 

[doctorjazz]

@kayandjohn
Congrats on receiving the Hifiman stuff (my production-at least I THINK it is the production-version also came in a couple of days via DHL). Looking forward to your impressions of the gear. Many audiophiles do prefer using gear from the same manufacturer, that is the gear genreally used for voicing the gear, and should have a synergy beyond the absolute build of the gear (not that the build is bad mind you,don't actually have any experience with Hifiman amps at all, but there is an extra plus to the same manufacturer creating the gear).
And Kevin, very soon, really curious about your take as well...

 

[Wildcatsare1]

@kayandjohn
Congrats on receiving the Hifiman stuff (my production-at least I THINK it is the production-version also came in a couple of days via DHL). Looking forward to your impressions of the gear. Many audiophiles do prefer using gear from the same manufacturer, that is the gear genreally used for voicing the gear, and should have a synergy beyond the absolute build of the gear (not that the build is bad mind you,don't actually have any experience with Hifiman amps at all, but there is an extra plus to the same manufacturer creating the gear).
And Kevin, very soon, really curious about your take as well...

Doc Jazz, look for the audio fire sale on 7/8 to pay for the bloody things!

Edit: Preamature Post, the Wife can't stand when that happens....

 

[doctorjazz]

@kayandjohn
Congrats on receiving the Hifiman stuff (my production-at least I THINK it is the production-version also came in a couple of days via DHL). Looking forward to your impressions of the gear. Many audiophiles do prefer using gear from the same manufacturer, that is the gear genreally used for voicing the gear, and should have a synergy beyond the absolute build of the gear (not that the build is bad mind you,don't actually have any experience with Hifiman amps at all, but there is an extra plus to the same manufacturer creating the gear).
And Kevin, very soon, really curious about your take as well...

Doc Jazz, look for the audio fire sale on

Got my Fire Hat and hose ready!!!!

 

[reeltime]

that lack of "pop"/"snap" on the snare is consistent with a lack of attack, softening/blunting of the leading edge of notes that's becoming common in descriptions of this can's sound signature from what i'm seeing

Yes, I hadn't read any other reviews and it was among my first notes when evaluating.  Rush's "Moving Pictures" was amazing on the HEK.  Peart's runs were crisp, clean and impressive on the toms (those are deeper drums).  When I switched to jazz and blues, where the snare is the articulation (meaning- it's critical to the drive and feel of the groove), it sounds muted a bit, lacking attack, like it's a little under the mix, whereas on the HD800 and my other headphones, the snare is in its proper placement, cutting through the mix.  
 
This isn't a deal breaker, but it is a weakness with this headphone.  It's the one area that has me reluctant to call this a perfect headphone, because it excels in so many other areas.
 
You can add EQ, which will solve a frequency issue, but it won't solve an attack issue.  But on an analog chain (my turntable), I don't have equalization. 
 
I also as a reviewer believe that a $3000 dollar headphone should not require equalization.  The HD800 and LCDs do not.

 

[ruthieandjohn]

   
Congrats on the HE1000.
 
On the EF-6 - just my 2 cents - I think there are many better SS amps out there. Auralic Taurus Mk2 and Simaudio 430HA are 2 that I own that I would put a long way ahead of the EF-6 (admittedly based on a limited demo of the EF-6).

There probably are better amps, but I'm not sure whether they would be better with the HE1000.

I think it is not only the SS amp, but the combination of the SS amp with the planar magnetic headphone.  I seriously considered the Auralic and the MicroZOTL (tube), but had no way to audition them.  HiFiMAN does state that the EF-6 is made for the nature of planar magnetics, and it does have the reputation of driving the harder-to-drive HE-6 so well that in listening tests, half the folks having both headphones preferred the HE-6 to the HD-800 (pretty high praise)... reference here  (red-and-blue chart).

 

[JaZZ]

  Yes, I hadn't read any other reviews and it was among my first notes when evaluating.  Rush's "Moving Pictures" was amazing on the HEK.  Peart's runs were crisp, clean and impressive on the toms (those are deeper drums).  When I switched to jazz and blues, where the snare is the articulation (meaning- it's critical to the drive and feel of the groove), it sounds muted a bit, lacking attack, like it's a little under the mix, whereas on the HD800 and my other headphones, the snare is in its proper placement, cutting through the mix.  
 
This isn't a deal breaker, but it is a weakness with this headphone.  It's the one area that has me reluctant to call this a perfect headphone, because it excels in so many other areas.
 
You can add EQ, which will solve a frequency issue, but it won't solve an attack issue.  But on an analog chain (my turntable), I don't have equalization. 
 
I also as a reviewer believe that a $3000 dollar headphone should not require equalization.  The HD800 and LCDs do not.

 
That's wishful thinking. Have a look at Headroom's or Inner Fidelity's FR graphs! The amplitude responses even of the most expensive and highly regarded headphones are far from being flat. It's not possible to create a perfectly neutral headphone. The acoustics between driver and ear simply don't allow for that. All that's possible is a decent approach. And still there are individual anatomics (HRTF!) leading to individual sonic results. You can leave it at that or try to get the best out of it.
 
As far as attack and frequency response go: The missing attack isn't caused by a slow reaction of the membrane, but by the dip in frequency response – which on its part causes a degradation of transient response. Frequency response and transient response always go hand in hand (see filter theory!). Therefore filling up the dip will provide an improvement of the perceived attack. I'm speaking from own experience with my headphones. Particularly my two electrostats benefit a lot from equalization. The attack – previously missing – is now fully there.

 

[icebear]

... As far as attack and frequency response go: The missing attack isn't caused by a slow reaction of the membrane, but by the dip in frequency response – which on its part causes a degradation of transient response. Frequency response and transient response always go hand in hand (see filter theory!). Therefore filling up the dip will provide an improvement of the perceived attack. I'm speaking from own experience with my headphones. Particularly my two electrostats benefit a lot from equalization. The attack – previously missing – is now fully there.

 
This doesn't seem to make sense to me ... I thought that "attack" i.e. powerful and correct representation of impulse is mainly defined by the ability of the driver to control the membrane movement both ways. It needs to speed up fast but also calm down fast, not to "water down" the acoustic signal's tails. Increasing the volume in a certain frequency area by a little does not change anything in terms of membrane movement characteristics, does it? But maybe we do have a different understanding of "attack"

.

 

[doctorjazz]

Not having attack problem...any more attack and I'd need medical attention.
just sayin.

 

[jamato8]

Not having attack problem...any more attack and I'd need medical attention.
just sayin.

I would agree, for my part. Maybe it is the shape of the ear, I don't know for sure but I get a very dynamic leading edge to the sound, when called for. The cleanest of that response and overall characteristics of the HE1000 have spoiled me for the most part, when listening to my other phones. I would like to see a portable design by Hifiman with this technology.