[thecrow]

You want a airy and diffuse sound:
take the V2.

You want a direct, precise sound, with a lot of impact and punchy bass:
take the V2 Stealth.

Ohhhhh…..that sounds a lot like how i described the hekse v original v2
(note: when i write “hekse” that is not the stealth v2, though it had stealth magnets. The se stood for ”special edition” at the time of release)

Now we need an hekse v hekv2 stealth comparison


And if the v2 stealth is easier to drive v the v2 then that also sounds a similar comparison when comparing v2 to hekse

 

[BowWazoo]

So, he hears absolutely no difference between the SE and the V2 Stealth.

https://www.hardwareluxx.de/communi...00-v2-stealth-rundreise.1328653/post-29661732

For me unimaginable.
Other magnets are installed and arranged differently.
It is unclear whether basic rules for the a/b comparison, such as level adjustment, have been implemented.

 

[Daiyama]

Maybe I have overlooked this, but in the mean were you able to directly compare the HE1000V2 with the HE1000V2 stealth? I only remember that you said that you have sold the HE1000V2 some time before acquiring the HE1000V2.

 

[BowWazoo]

Yeah right.
A friend still has the V2. I was thinking about going there to do an a/b comparison. But it has become clear that the upgrade (for me) is so big, that a return to the V2 is out of the question.

 

[Louisiana]

It's always interesting to see how different people's perceptions are.
While one person hears no difference, it is "a completely different headphone" for another.

I'm still curious about measurements, since I could not hear any difference between HE1000se and V2 Stealth, as already written, on 3 different sources.

 

[BowWazoo]

Yes absolutely. In principle, hardly any statement is representative. You have to hear for yourself

 

[Dixter]

Putting this here as reference - this is for HEK vs HEKv2 ....( Sound wise, the difference between these two headphones is very minor) and now we have the new kid on the block the HEK Stealth.... this needs to be tested against the HEKse as of today the HEK Stealth is the HEKse sans black headband/darker wood.... and the new cable being delivered with the HEK Stealth might be the more appealing option ?

https://www.headphoneer.com/hifiman-he-1000-mk1-vs-mk2/

 

[Dixter]

and from across the pond we have...
"After 30 minutes with the new V2 Stealth compared to my SE I hear no, but really no difference, not even minimal.
They are also absolutely identical in terms of volume, on the R28, low gain, both at 62, sounds the same to me, I can't measure it."

https://www.hardwareluxx.de/communi...00-v2-stealth-rundreise.1328653/post-29661732

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Young Padawan your in the wrong thread.
Difference's were big enough for BoWazoo to kick the V2 out for the V2 stealth.

To be fair, that happened before Stealth arrived, so no direct comparison was made.

 

[Dixter]

I think we have come full circle with the HEK family... no matter what version you have it all depends on your own personal ears, the entire chain.. DAC/AMP/Cables/humidity/choice of drink and how much... we seem to all agree,... all of the HEK variants sound good... its just how you setup the chain to your ears and hope your ears are good enough to hear what the HEK is presenting to them... enjoy em

 

[BowWazoo]

Yes.
I prefer the V2 non Stealth, over any TOTL I've had so far.

 

[Dixter]

Yes.
I prefer the V2 non Stealth, over any TOTL I've had so far.

besides my HE6sev2 the other Hifiman one is my HEKV2.. and I think its amazing... I'm hoping it lasts a long long time as they aren't made anymore... I am trying my very best to not catch the Susvara fever, but its hard one to ignore too

 

[EternalChampion]

Translate to English, then find word "emotion".

https://www.hardwareluxx.de/communi...tealth-rundreise.1328653/page-3#post-29650570

How accurate is this? Anemic vocals will definitely be a deal-breaker for me.

 

[thecrow]

Translate to English, then find word "emotion".

https://www.hardwareluxx.de/communi...tealth-rundreise.1328653/page-3#post-29650570

How accurate is this? Anemic vocals will definitely be a deal-breaker for me.

Fwiw, as i have not heard the stealth but have owned the v2 and se….

i found the se was a bit more precise in its placement, imaging, separation and tighter/cleaner in its bottom end, with a more definite/precise kick in that regard. Whereas the v2 was a bit more “tactile” in its overall sound, particularly noticeable in lower mids/bottom end. Not as tight.

that could well be what is happening here, especially IF the hekse is very similar/same in sound as the hekv2 stealth

two different flavours of something similar to choose from based on one’s preferences and setup.

 

[gancanjam]

Yes, the problem is that most people simply have no idea about this technology, and believe the fairy tales that the manufacturers or "serious" youtubers tell.

One of the basic misconceptions, as mentioned earlier, is that most people don't understand that you can't hear unused power.

Of course you should ask yourself how much power do I need. A listening test is all you need to find out.
Can I reach the desired volume with an amplifier? Yes or no?
If so, a second question arises to be on the safe side: is the bass distorted at high volumes? If no: bingo.
The amplifier matches the load.
If so: the amplifier is clipping and delivering too little power.

In the case of the A90D, I can say with absolute certainty that it also delivers high volumes with absolute clarity, without any distortion on the Susvara. I have nothing more to say about it.

However, I'm definitely in favor of having power in abundance.
Because how much power you need, depends essentially on how loud and what you hear. There's a huge difference between listening to jazz at medium volumes, and listening to edm at very high volumes.

When I still had the he6se and the fluxlab fa10, I measured how much power I needed.



With Jazz, medium volume, I actually only needed 300mw per channel.



At high volumes with EDM, it was 2.5W per channel!


And again: you can't hear unused power!

Therefore it is nonsense to say that the a90d, with a measured output of 3.7 watts per channel, at 50 ohms, has to little power for the Sus.

Appreciate your impressions and sharing. I think we both have similar rigs like HE1Ks and even hidden gems like Flux FA10 amp. I agree with you on certain things while have a slight alternate view on others. I like my HE1000 V1 the best compared to V2 or even SE so when you said you like the stealth and dont have an incentive to go to Susvara then I feel the same way in that thought process. Susvara did not knocked me off, it gave me a very refined experience but not enough to declare that as a revelation. Having said that I am on the same boat as many others who said the Topping stack is not quite a match to Susvara, had listened to Susvara with different $10K to $20K+ setup and always it "felt' that the rigs are not bringing out the best in Susvara and there is more hidden juice to it, Susvara is very stack dependent. I love FA-10 with HE1000 but even with that 16W power, not sure if even FA-10 can bring out the details Susvara want to spit out. While the audio measurement numbers like noise level, blackness, distortion ratio, listening loudness etc. is important, the numbers are not a be all and end all to determine a DAC or Amp and do think Topping stack cannot justify Susvara potential. Anyways, we all have different ears so if you are happy with Topping + Susvara combo then good for you my friend. Also good to see another FA-10 enthusiast like me, it is fantttaaastic amp for HE1K and HE6 HPs !!