[Pelilin]

I just been told that Hifiman have a lot of QC issue complaining regarding their TOTL product from my local dealer. Is it true? Im worried hahahaha.

 

[Slackaveli]

The Juice World track has excellent subbass on the SE, can hear it all and it's clear as day, hearing all the 808 notes as they walk in the low space.

Thanks. Yeah the subbass is wild in that one. Gotta be like 35hz or lower.

 

[Slackaveli]

I just been told that Hifiman have a lot of QC issue complaining regarding their TOTL product from my local dealer. Is it true? Im worried hahahaha.

That's the old days . I havent heard anything like that lately. They all come with 3-3.5yr warranty, too.

 

[morpheus69]

Thanks. Yeah the subbass is wild in that one. Gotta be like 35hz or lower.

Maybe even lower, i swear the SE moves air at the lowest points.. definitely get some pressure.

 

[andrewchoppa]

I just been told that Hifiman have a lot of QC issue complaining regarding their TOTL product from my local dealer. Is it true? Im worried hahahaha.

My dealer in Melbourne raves about hifiman as a brand and recommends the hek stealths over a lot more expensive cans. I reckon he’s spot on.

 

[Slackaveli]

My dealer in Melbourne raves about hifiman as a brand and recommends the hek stealths over a lot more expensive cans. I reckon he’s spot on.

I honestly just can't imagine someone listening to these and disliking them. Doesn't seem possible. Sure, you may like something else better or whatever, but disliking them? Naw, Fam.

 

[Pelilin]

I honestly just can't imagine someone listening to these and disliking them. Doesn't seem possible. Sure, you may like something else better or whatever, but disliking them? Naw, Fam.

He1kse sound similar to empy2(the was hyped a lot last december as the best HP) and empy2 is not better than he1kse according to my dealer who have listened to almost all headphone. I wonder how they compare. Price wise of course now he1kse is cheaper and a great deal compared to empy2. But i love the look of empy2.

 

[Slackaveli]

HE1000se is a true Flagship. Ive even seen people with Modhouse Tungstens say HE1000se is comparable to them.

 

[joseph69]

Just placed an order for the SE which I've been interested in hearing since its introduction.
Unfortunately--I returned my Stealth and received my AffinityAdapters the very next day (no tracking updates) so I wasn't able to use either, my Danacable LRP or WireWorld Nano-Platinum Eclipse to compare with my V2, only their stock cables--which wasn't a bad thing. At least I'll be able to do a comparison with all three cables now. Looking forward to hearing the SE even ore than the Stealth from reading nothing but great opinions throughout the years since it production.

 

[borkenarrou]

La La Land soundtrack is a treat with the SE.

 

[aurimasma]

He1kse sound similar to empy2(the was hyped a lot last december as the best HP) and empy2 is not better than he1kse according to my dealer who have listened to almost all headphone. I wonder how they compare. Price wise of course now he1kse is cheaper and a great deal compared to empy2. But i love the look of empy2.

I own HE1000se, HE1000 Stealth and had Empy2 on lone for a couple of days.
Here's my take on all of them:
1. Stealth is wonder headphone for the price it's going now. A true no brainer.
2. SE is tiny bit better in all aspects you can think of (just a very very tiny bit). But it costs 1/3 more. Tonal ballance is pretty much identical. (Now, some people find one to be brighter and some do the opposite. Same with low end. Some people find one to have more base than the other, some quite the opposite. I think that these miniscule changes are perceived differently due to differences in peoples' hearing.)
So, Stealth vs SE: are 600-700 € more worth for a tiny bit better technicalities? (And I do mean just a tiny bit better).
3. Empy2, while significantly different in tonal ballance from og Empy, still tries to preserve laid back character, but without being too dark and too laid back like the og Empy was.
Of course build quality is out of this world. Hifiman doesn't even come close. But the sound quality is quite the opposite. Meze doesn't even come close to Hifiman's higher end offerings. I'm not saying that Empy2 or og Empy sound bad. Their don't. But they just don't sound on the same level as Stealth or SE.

Here's the gist of what I'm trying to say:
Empy2 is perfect headphone for people who like to feel quality in their hands, but haven't developed their listening skills to the point where Empy2 feels lacking. I get why people rave about Empys. They can be a perfect headphone for the right owner.
Stealth and SE, on the other hand, are all about sound quality. They have a better build than some of the cheaper Hifimans, but not on the same level as Empys. But they are pure technicalities monsters. And I find tonal ballance to be more natural then Empy2. Stealth and SE are for people who prioritize sound quality above everything else.

If you want build quality and technicalities with a good tonal ballance in one package, I would suggest to take a look at Diana MR. But it's more than double the price of Stealth. And you would be paying more than double only for the build quality. That's way I'm saying that Stealth is a steal for the price it's going now.

 

[Pelilin]

I own HE1000se, HE1000 Stealth and had Empy2 on lone for a couple of days.
Here's my take on all of them:
1. Stealth is wonder headphone for the price it's going now. A true no brainer.
2. SE is tiny bit better in all aspects you can think of (just a very very tiny bit). But it costs 1/3 more. Tonal ballance is pretty much identical. (Now, some people find one to be brighter and some do the opposite. Same with low end. Some people find one to have more base than the other, some quite the opposite. I think that these miniscule changes are perceived differently due to differences in peoples' hearing.)
So, Stealth vs SE: are 600-700 € more worth for a tiny bit better technicalities? (And I do mean just a tiny bit better).
3. Empy2, while significantly different in tonal ballance from og Empy, still tries to preserve laid back character, but without being too dark and too laid back like the og Empy was.
Of course build quality is out of this world. Hifiman doesn't even come close. But the sound quality is quite the opposite. Meze doesn't even come close to Hifiman's higher end offerings. I'm not saying that Empy2 or og Empy sound bad. Their don't. But they just don't sound on the same level as Stealth or SE.

Here's the gist of what I'm trying to say:
Empy2 is perfect headphone for people who like to feel quality in their hands, but haven't developed their listening skills to the point where Empy2 feels lacking. I get why people rave about Empys. They can be a perfect headphone for the right owner.
Stealth and SE, on the other hand, are all about sound quality. They have a better build than some of the cheaper Hifimans, but not on the same level as Empys. But they are pure technicalities monsters. And I find tonal ballance to be more natural then Empy2. Stealth and SE are for people who prioritize sound quality above everything else.

If you want build quality and technicalities with a good tonal ballance in one package, I would suggest to take a look at Diana MR. But it's more than double the price of Stealth. And you would be paying more than double only for the build quality. That's way I'm saying that Stealth is a steal for the price it's going now.

Wow i think why people like the empy2 must be because the treble. Is empy2 easier to pair and drive compared to he1kse? I tried HE1KSE with my Golden Serenade and it was heaven. Buuutt... when i use my bluetooth dongle (Neutral) it is a little bright but still amazing. What do you think?

 

[TheAttorney]

If you want build quality and technicalities with a good tonal ballance in one package, I would suggest to take a look at Diana MR. But it's more than double the price of Stealth.

I wasn't convinced by Diana MR when compared to either HEKse or Meze Elite. One really must try the Diana to know whether its sound signature and clamping mechanism suits your preferences. No amount of reading reviews could have prepared me for the practical realization that Diana was not for me.

I think the Meze Elite (a step above Empy2 in price and SQ) is a better bet for combined build quality and tonal balance as an alternative to HEK. I class these two as broadly equal overall SQ, but with different strengths. First the common ground:

Both HEKse and Elite are comfortable and easy to drive, and both have that difficult-to-define ability of effortlessly drawing you into the musical performance.
Both are very transparent to upstream improvements, including streamer and DAC, but in different ways:

The HEK's slight treble peakiness gradually reduces with upstream improvements, but a slight tonal thinness is never totally eliminated on poor recordings already that way inclined.

The Elite's slight veil (compared to HEK) gets gradually cleared up with upstream improvements (and with the angled pads), but can still not quite achieve the open airiness of HEK. The Elite's seem incapable of sounding bad on any recording, but also seem incapable of quite reaching HEK levels of clarity on good recordings. Despitee their respective slight weakneses, both are great headphones. The Elite has better build quality to justify its higher price, although at the time I bought them, they were both in the same price ballpark.

 

[Pelilin]

I wasn't convinced by Diana MR when compared to either HEKse or Meze Elite. One really must try the Diana to know whether its sound signature and clamping mechanism suits your preferences. No amount of reading reviews could have prepared me for the practical realization that Diana was not for me.

I think the Meze Elite (a step above Empy2 in price and SQ) is a better bet for combined build quality and tonal balance as an alternative to HEK. I class these two as broadly equal overall SQ, but with different strengths. First the common ground:

Both HEKse and Elite are comfortable and easy to drive, and both have that difficult-to-define ability of effortlessly drawing you into the musical performance.
Both are very transparent to upstream improvements, including streamer and DAC, but in different ways:

The HEK's slight treble peakiness gradually reduces with upstream improvements, but a slight tonal thinness is never totally eliminated on poor recordings already that way inclined.

The Elite's slight veil (compared to HEK) gets gradually cleared up with upstream improvements (and with the angled pads), but can still not quite achieve the open airiness of HEK. The Elite's seem incapable of sounding bad on any recording, but also seem incapable of quite reaching HEK levels of clarity on good recordings. Despitee their respective slight weakneses, both are great headphones. The Elite has better build quality to justify its higher price, although at the time I bought them, they were both in the same price ballpark.

Is this HEK or HEKSE ? Amazing that a headphone from a long time ago still one of the best today.

 

[skhan007]

Guys- I'm researching the HE1000 Stealth and reading great feedback on this thread. I'm understanding that it's close to the pricer SE. Do you guys think it will pair well with the Woo WA22? Listening mostly to prog, fusion, rock, and some jazz.