[paradoxper]

  YouTube "review" of the (ridiously) expensive Goldmund HDA headphone Amp/AD + HE1000
 
Anyone heard the Goldmund HDA ? What's so special about it ? 
 

Surprised they're not pairing this with their HP1. I'll pass on the ******* ******** these companies continue to peddle.

 

[reddog]

I swapped out the factory tubes in the Lyr 2 for some new matched Gold Lions, and the HE1000's took another step up in performance ("liquidity"  and "air" improved, plus, greater pace and articulation). Very nice cans that show off the capabilities of the system upstream.

+1 I really liked how my gold lions made the HE1K sound.

 

[LouisArmstrong]

If you can use vintage genuine Gold Lions (not the remakes) on your system, even better. 

 

[Asr]

I got to listen to the HE-1000 today with a Moon Audio 430HA, and I compared them to LCD-3Fs, which I also own personally.

 
You might want to correct that as the Simaudio Moon 430HA, because Simaudio Moon is not the same company as Moon Audio. (I was scratching my head over what the Moon Audio 430HA was.)

 

[FredrikT92]

How picky are the HE-1000 with amps? 

 

[ruthieandjohn]

  How picky are the HE-1000 with amps? 

I would say... only in a positive way.
 
The HE1000 will likely sound like your best headphone even straight out of an iPod Touch Gen 5 (one of the best iPods for headphone driving).
 
However, it does continue to improve as you add better amps.  In the review of the HE1000 linked in my signature line, I actually compared the sound of the HE1000 to many different amps (some of which had DACs).  
 
As I recall, the ranking was
 
HiFiMAN EF-5 < CEntrance HiFi M8 < Joseph Grado HPA-1 = Sennheiser HDVD 800 < Schiit Lyr 2 < HiFiMAN EF-6 < HiFiMAN EF-6 w/ Schiit Bifrost Uber DAC.
 
Tables in the review elaborate upon which audio aspects of each amp (e.g., transparency, sound stage, bass) were best.

 

[doctorjazz]

Along these lines...got my Norne cables yesterday, balanced with adaptors for Pono and single ended. Haven't had a chance to listen via MicroZOTL, Ray Samuels HR-2, or CEntrance M8 (which I agree with your ratings, in that I'd put it at the back of the pack of my gear, with GEEK OUT Special Edition in front of it...). Did get a chance to listen through Pono balanced, sounds great. Have to compare the various combinations when I get the chance, but the Pono DAP is on sale for $249 today at Fryes, just sayin'

 

[Yoga]

HEK arrived this morning, obviously they're brand new but at first listen I'm a tad underwhelmed. 
 
As @negura mentioned they lack focus and sound a bit flat. Yes, they're smooth and easy listening, but they lack the dynamic range of the Abyss, which gives music more depth, precision and engagement to my ears.
 
I'll leave them be now until they have 150 hours burn in and compare again. Fingers crossed the sound opens up :¬)
 
LCD-3F are most certainly the closest competitor.

 

[JaZZ]

Finally I've joined the HE1000 club. I had an extensive audition at the store, FiiO X5 II, Chord Hugo and modded HD 800 with me, and liked the sound from the start. Now I'm at home listening to it. I would say it's the most neutral headphone I've heard to date. A bit of 2 kHz boost doesn't hurt, though, and improves impulsivity. I don't notice any striking lack of dynamics or punch, though, even with only 20 minutes of use. It's not a spectacular sounding headphone to my ears, though, which is a good thing in my book. Resolution is high, at least on HD 800 level, and what's impressive is the obvious absence of resonances. It would be nice if there were a tiny bit more sparkle and liquidity, but from the reviews there's hope in this regard. It seems to me that the shorter cable with the 3.5 mm plug provides a bit more of it. I especially appreciate the high detail in the bass – it sounds very natural to me.
 
Wearing comfort could be better – if the headband would be looser to distribute the weight to a larger surface. It isn't really bad, though, and gets better the longer I have it on my head (which is better than the opposite). The right earpiece shows something like a «Stax fart».

 

[jibzilla]

  HEK arrived this morning, obviously they're brand new but at first listen I'm a tad underwhelmed. 
 
As @negura mentioned they lack focus and sound a bit flat. Yes, they're smooth and easy listening, but they lack the dynamic range of the Abyss, which gives music more depth, precision and engagement to my ears.
 
I'll leave them be now until they have 150 hours burn in and compare again. Fingers crossed the sound opens up :¬)
 
LCD-3F are most certainly the closest competitor.

 
Lcd-3f was awfully mid-centric to me as well as the 3c. I would say the X is the biggest competition. Both he1k and X are way more tonally balanced than 3c and f. The he1k is more refined, detailed and comfortable than the X, but more polite and less full sounding.

 

[isquirrel]

HEK's are a neutral headphone, takes a while to get used to anything else after being used the Abyss, my 1st response with the HEK was where's the bass, its there okay, actually I think its more extended than the Abyss and certainly has more detail & texture. I realised later that in contrast the Abyss imprints its bass signature on everything, its not as accurate. When I listen to some large scale orchestral pieces and some soundtracks (Hans Zimmer - Inception etc) I realised that there is plenty of bass extension there alright, but its more accurately proportioned within the music. The Abyss bass can be quite a party trick.
 
No doubt the HEK is higher resolution. Took me a few days for my ears to re-adjust. The HEK scales very well, and is accurate to the source, have run it with different DAC's and it reveals and rewards the better equipment.
 
Also received the DHC Spore4 Silver yesterday, quite different to what I was expecting being Silver I thought it would be brighter, not so, big upgrade over the stock cable. Lovely texture and harmonic richness to the sound whilst being open and transparent. Suits the HEK well and lifts it to a new level ( as one would hope given the $) 

 

[negura]

  HEK's are a neutral headphone, takes a while to get used to anything else after being used the Abyss, my 1st response with the HEK was where's the bass, its there okay, actually I think its more extended than the Abyss and certainly has more detail & texture. I realised later that in contrast the Abyss imprints its bass signature on everything, its not as accurate. When I listen to some large scale orchestral pieces and some soundtracks (Hans Zimmer - Inception etc) I realised that there is plenty of bass extension there alright, but its more accurately proportioned within the music. The Abyss bass can be quite a party trick.
 
No doubt the HEK is higher resolution. Took me a few days for my ears to re-adjust. The HEK scales very well, and is accurate to the source, have run it with different DAC's and it reveals and rewards the better equipment.
 
Also received the DHC Spore4 Silver yesterday, quite different to what I was expecting being Silver I thought it would be brighter, not so, big upgrade over the stock cable. Lovely texture and harmonic richness to the sound whilst being open and transparent. Suits the HEK well and lifts it to a new level ( as one would hope given the $) 

 
It's interesting how the HEK are perceived as neutral headphones... if the HEK have a neutral signature, how would you describe the HE-6s, SR-009s or the Abyss?

 

[jamato8]

   
It's interesting how the HEK are perceived as neutral headphones... if the HEK have a neutral signature, how would you describe the HE-6s, SR-009s or the Abyss?

Not neutral? 

 

[JaZZ]

  It's interesting how the HEK are perceived as neutral headphones... if the HEK have a neutral signature, how would you describe the HE-6s, SR-009s or the Abyss?

 
There are no neutral headphones. Such a characterization must always be read as «relatively neutral». So there are different variants of relatively neutral headphones.

 

[doctorjazz]

I've found that what I use to drive the HEK makes a big difference in this "impulse" or "drive" stuff. Currently mostly using Linn LP12 into Pro-Ject phono amp into MicorZOTL, much more energy! Just got Norne Cables, haven't listened extensively yet, but think that also makes a difference in these areas.