[dxanex]

  Just saw this (p)review with some nice pics:
http://theaudiotraveler.com/2015/01/14/ces-2015-hifiman-takes-things-to-1000-and-blows-my-doors-clean-off/
 

 
Looks like the dust cover is made of some kind of metal mesh.

 
I know it's in the eye of the beholder and all that, but man these are some gorgeous headphones. The folks over at BMW DesignworksUSA should have done a little more research when they were designing the Audeze EL-8.

 

[Beagle]

The headphones themselves look beautiful. It's when they are being worn that they look rather silly...

 

[YtseJamer]

I really hope that the HE-1000 will not cost $2500 USD because the total cost for someone like me in Canada will be around $3400 CAD.  (With the shipping and the customs fees.)
 
As of today, $2500 USD = $3000 CAD...

 

[bfreedma]

  The headphones themselves look beautiful. It's when they are being worn that they look rather silly...

 
Is there a high end headphone out there that we wouldn't say the same thing about?
 
I think the Abyss proves that, at the end of the day, we aren't that concerned about how they look when worn.

 

[Stillhart]

   
HIFIMAN's worst track record is having 3-4 revisions within 1 year. Just take a look at the HE-400/HE-560 threads. And those revision are not upgrades, but fixes for design flaws. One can argue most of those are minor fixes, but it also tells the product is actually unfinished in the beginning.
 
And at times HIFMAN also decides just "not" to fix certain things that can be easily fixed:
 
Examples:
(1) Easily oxidized HE-6 stock cables: The copper core of HE-6 stock cables will get oxidized "inside" its plastic insulator jacket within 1 year of usage, turning to green/white color. HIFIMAN just tells their HE-6 customers it won't affect sound quality. Well, one can argue most HE-6 owner will not use the stock cables anyway. But even $5/feet OFC speaker cables won't oxides within its insulator jacket after being cut. It is a cable supplier issue.
(2) Uneven thickness of earpads: the right/left earpads can be of even thickness (happens most often with the velor pads), earpads bought in different time period will have different thickness (Focus pads). Again a supplier management issue.
(3) Scratched up parts/outter box: Again can be easily solved with better logistics partner management
 
Other smaller Chinese manufacturers, like Fiio, iBasso, and even audio-gd does better than HIFIMAN for releasing finished products, supplier management and QC.

 
Again, those aren't issues with multiple "revisions" those are QC issues.  I agree that QC issues are valid.  But "revisions" is like when Audeze added "fazors" to all their headphones so you have multiple versions of the same headphone that sound different.  None of these are examples of that.
 

   Well, I guess you just won first prize for exaggeration of the year

.

 
Listen to them for yourself and decide.  For me, they are the best I've ever heard. 
 

   
Is there a high end headphone out there that we wouldn't say the same thing about?
 
I think the Abyss proves that, at the end of the day, we aren't that concerned about how they look when worn.

 
+1

 

[Xenophon]

  I really hope that the HE-1000 will not cost $2500 USD because the total cost for someone like me in Canada will be around $3400 CAD.  (With the shipping and the customs fees.)
 
As of today, $2500 USD = $3000 CAD...

Well, what looks like a curse to you seems like a blessing in the EU...counting import duty, VAT and handling charge I arrive at the EUR equivalent of 3173 USD or 3782 CAD.  But we'll see about pricing.  Anyway, I'm not in the running for this one.

 

[SilentFrequency]

Just saw this (p)review with some nice pics:
http://theaudiotraveler.com/2015/01/14/ces-2015-hifiman-takes-things-to-1000-and-blows-my-doors-clean-off/




Looks like the dust cover is made of some kind of metal mesh.

Thank you for that link!

Unfortunately from link author (Scot Hull)

"The new headphones are going to be expensive, too. Did I mention that? Yeah. Like “cleanly between the flagship Audeze and the flagship Abyss”

 

[conquerator2]

Well, our local currency is weakening too... good for export but bad for import 

Luckily importing from China is still not too bad. Importing from the US is more difficult 

 

[Jalo]

Well, with words like hologragraphic, speaker like experience, out of head experience, nanometer gossamer thin membrane, non-symmetrical magnetic structure (whatever that means, I am a sucker for technology), Deep bass, top-to-bottom coherence, an effortless top end, wrapped up in a fully immersive and wildly out-of-the-head experience, the very best headphone on the market today, "maybe the best headphone experience I’ve ever had?” (Scot Hull), Very very good (Tyll). Call me a sucker, but I am all in. My listening repertoire consists of R-10, L3000, Orpheus HE90, SR009, all of Audeze etc, and I of course own the HD800 with a cable that cost more than the phone itself (just to show how irrational I am) Still, I doubt if I can use the above words to describe each of these phones individually. So, I am canceling all my purchasing plan until I audition and possess the beauty.

 

[SilentFrequency]

Well, with words like hologragraphic, speaker like experience, out of head experience, nanometer gossamer thin membrane, non-symmetrical magnetic structure (whatever that means, I am a sucker for technology), Deep bass, top-to-bottom coherence, an effortless top end, wrapped up in a fully immersive and wildly out-of-the-head experience, the very best headphone on the market today, "maybe the best headphone experience I’ve ever had?” (Scot Hull), Very very good (Tyll). Call me a sucker, but I am all in. My listening repertoire consists of R-10, L3000, Orpheus HE90, SR009, all of Audeze etc, and I of course own the HD800 with a cable that cost more than the phone itself (just to show how irrational I am) Still, I doubt if I can use the above words to describe each of these phones individually. So, I am canceling all my purchasing plan until I audition and possess the beauty.

I agree that the HE-1000 is totally beautiful and makes the Abyss look so ratchet

 

[Stillhart]

Well, with words like hologragraphic, speaker like experience, out of head experience, nanometer gossamer thin membrane, non-symmetrical magnetic structure (whatever that means, I am a sucker for technology), Deep bass, top-to-bottom coherence, an effortless top end, wrapped up in a fully immersive and wildly out-of-the-head experience, the very best headphone on the market today, "maybe the best headphone experience I’ve ever had?” (Scot Hull), Very very good (Tyll). Call me a sucker, but I am all in. My listening repertoire consists of R-10, L3000, Orpheus HE90, SR009, all of Audeze etc, and I of course own the HD800 with a cable that cost more than the phone itself (just to show how irrational I am) Still, I doubt if I can use the above words to describe each of these phones individually. So, I am canceling all my purchasing plan until I audition and possess the beauty.

 
I pretty much agree with all those descriptors above based on my auditions with them.  I'm excited for someone with your lineup of TOTL headphones to hear them and give your opinion too.

 

[SilentFrequency]

I know it's in the eye of the beholder and all that, but man these are some gorgeous headphones. The folks over at BMW DesignworksUSA should have done a little more research when they were designing the Audeze EL-8.

I actually really like the styling of the el8's and they seem to be well received in that dept by other members so far but with this really pretty he-1000 I think it's such a positive thing that manufacturers now realise that styling is just as important as sq

 

[Jalo]

I pretty much agree with all those descriptors above based on my auditions with them.  I'm excited for someone with your lineup of TOTL headphones to hear them and give your opinion too.

I wanted to clarify that I do not own those phones, but do have the opportunity to listen to them extensively.

 

[Anda]

non-symmetrical magnetic structure (whatever that means, I am a sucker for technology)

 
This:

 

[Jalo]

I actually really like the styling of the el8's and they seem to be well received in that dept by other members so far but with this really pretty he-1000 I think it's such a positive thing that manufacturers now realise that styling is just as important as sq

I listened to the EL8 at CES and yes, the styling is pleasing but nothing stood out like the HE1000. The BMW designing team may be awesome with cars, but for headphone it may be their first time. It is not bad with the EL8, but a totl product like the HE1000 requires a unique, all to its own styling and the HE1000 has it. Personally I would like the grill to be closer together (to better protect the nanometer gossamer membrane), but I am satisfy with what it's got now. If I own this beauty I plan to take it outside and wear it with my portable system for the world to enjoy.