[andjar]

Great write up.

My dream egg shape headphone would be Arya Stealth with more relaxed, wider expanded soundstage + a bit more texture and nuance in sub bass area, a bit more tactility from the driver overall but keeping rest of the perks of Arya Stealth which is very fast, precise, resolving, engaging sound.

You pretty much described the HE1000 Stealth .

 

[dleblanc343]

Great write up.

My dream egg shape headphone would be Arya Stealth with more relaxed, wider expanded soundstage + a bit more texture and nuance in sub bass area, a bit more tactility from the driver overall but keeping rest of the perks of Arya Stealth which is very fast, precise, resolving, engaging sound.

You should try HE1000V2 Stealth, that's pretty much how I would describe it.

I just traded for one to add to my collection of HiFiMAN and it has to be the highest scaling of my 4 HE1000 variants - superb headphone, especially for $1399. Packaging is way less luxurious, explains the cost-cutting.

It does sound more intimate compared to HEKv1 and v2 original, but the treble is entirely refined and much less granular, dynamics are on another level altogether. I would almost classify it as an entirely different voicing and definitely more similar to HE1000SE side-by-side - just with better scalability and less hashy treble.

Susvara is still the top of the crop from HiFiMAN, but I think the best bang for your buck offerings in the line-up are the Arya SE & now HEKV2 Stealth. HE1000v2 Stealth is on the technical level of Caldera, though tuning is not as refined. That's praise considering the price difference and with a bit of a treble shelf at ~6kHz to shave 1.5-2dB of energy, it's sublime.

 

[Yeahnahrighto]

Hi all, has anyone with an he1000v2 (or any other hek) replaced their pads with new stock ultrapads after a few years and noticed any sonic improvement?

I bought an hekv2 used and it's seen a few years of use, just wondering if it's worth grabbing a new pair of ultrapads and popping them on.

 

[boodi]

If the pads are deformed and squished , putting new ones will restore the original ear-driver distance , eventually resulting in a more correct sound space behavior

 

[TheAttorney]

Depending on how old your pads are, there's a newer V2 version of the Ultrapads.

I don't know when they made the change, but Hifiman claims there are significant improvements overthe original Ultrapads:

"The newly updated HE1000 V2/Edition X V2 ear pads have been specially re-designed to become thicker with an asymmetrical shape that follows the form of the ear cups. The beveled design contours to the shape of your head for superb comfort and extended listening.

The premium ear pads also have a new surface that makes contact with the head. This material had been changed from Velour to Polyester to increase sound transparency. The surrounding pleather material has not been altered."

 

[boodi]

Hi all, has anyone with an he1000v2 (or any other hek) replaced their pads with new stock ultrapads after a few years and noticed any sonic improvement?

I bought an hekv2 used and it's seen a few years of use, just wondering if it's worth grabbing a new pair of ultrapads and popping them on.

If yours are asymmetrical and have polyester cotact mesh surface ( it has a 'net design' on ) then you have the newer ones, in this case changing them ( and the result) will depend on how squeezed and deformed they are now

 

[andrewchoppa]

Hi guys, Just received my first pair of HE1000 Stealths - wow!!!!!!!!!!!!
I own Sendy Peacocks and Abyss Diana V2s as well - Stealths blow everything out of the water!!!!! BY A COUNTRY MILE!!!!!!!

I have a Cayin IHA-6a paired with a (not deleivered yet) Eversolo DMP-A6 as 1 stack and a Geshelli J2 Dac paired with a (not delivered yet) Eufonika hybrid tube stack. Everyone always says Planars don't play well with OTLs but I have read reviews that say they do (Auris, Feliks Audio etc). What are the best pairings for the Stealths in people's opinions?

I will go back and start reading this forum to see if this has already been covered but 869 pages - wow......

Thanks in advance!!

 

[borkenarrou]

Everyone always says Planars don't play well with OTLs but I have read reviews that say they do (Auris, Feliks Audio etc).

OTL (output transformer less) tube amps doesn't sound great with planars because of the high output impedence, AFAIK both these brands uses OTC (output transformer coupled) which does work well with planars.

 

[oozy2007]

had to return HE1000 Stealth didnt think the soundstage was big enough for me, does anyone have HE1000se do they have bigger soundstage in comparison to HE1000 Stealth?

 

[boodi]

Way bigger

 

[boodi]

standard V2 = big soundstage , more diffuse soundstage and bass
v2stealth = more precise and intimate , more proximal in distances , more energic/organic ( think v2+tubes in some way ), more thick and more kick in bass
hekse = very precise in placement and separation , big stage and height , deep bass / overall less organic , more airy then both

@oozy2007

 

[yeboyi]

didnt think the soundstage was big enough for me

What was your reference point ? HD800S ?

 

[andjar]

had to return HE1000 Stealth didnt think the soundstage was big enough for me, does anyone have HE1000se do they have bigger soundstage in comparison to HE1000 Stealth?

Some say the soundstage between HEKS and HEKSE is similar... some even saying the Stealth sounds wider.
If you really want a wide soundstage ,you'll have to go with a HE1000v2 original or an Arya v2(non-stealth).

 

[morpheus69]

Some obviously like the sound of the V2 Arya and he1000 but they aren’t getting a true full stage. I believe people are confusing the fuller sound of the stealth and SE for less stage. Not true. They actually present a truer sound and fit the type of music you are playing.

 

[boodi]

he1000stealth stage felt perimetral in many recordings and genres really to me ( from 2 chains )
hekse stage definitely may vary to a great extent depending on recordings , rec intentions and rec quality too