Hifiman HE1000-SE
Jul 15, 2023 at 6:02 PM Post #4,311 of 5,252
Jul 18, 2023 at 3:10 PM Post #4,312 of 5,252
As someone with a HiFiMan Arya Stealth and Meze Elite Tungsten (detailed impressions here (post #4,662)) who makes extensive use of EQ and is currently saving up to be able to audition the Susvara, LCD-5, and higher-end estats such as the Audeze CRBN, Stax SR-X9000, Shangri-La Jr., and Warwick Acoustics Bravura, would it be worth adding the HE1000se to my collection at its current sale price, or would it be best to wait and include it in that prospective audition a few months from now?

I tend to seek objective improvements and rather use headphones as platforms for EQing to an ideal target for maximum clarity and natural tonal balance consistent with Harman or diffuse-field. This has been my preferred way to consume classical, electronic, and acoustic music, especially rich symphonic works. As for improvements over the Arya with the HE1000se, it would mainly be worth it if I could hear the following:
  • Sine sweeps reveal minimal high-Q (sharp) resonances. That is, there shouldn't be too many rapid fluctuations in the loudness of pure tones during that sweep, or when EQing those high-Q resonances to be flat, they should stay flat between different wearings of the headphones. For example, the Elite and some other headphones exhibit minimal to no hard to EQ resonances whereas the Arya has fluctuating resonances at 4 kHz and peaks in the top octave that you can EQ away in one seating, but in the next session shift such that peaks are accentuated and troughs are deepened. This 4 kHz resonance is also audible when listening to isolated single-sample transients. My philosophy is that resonances or difficult to resolve frequency response unevenness detracts from the transparency into the recording. The Meze Elite was one case where sine sweeps of the top octave already sounded exquisitely smooth without EQ despite what published frequency response measurements suggest.
  • Compared to the Arya, when playing through sine sweeps, the pure tones should remain steadily centered in the sonic image throughout the entire audio band. This implies excellent channel balance or driver matching and hence coherent and vivid imaging across the entire audio band. The Arya has noticeable points, particularly around the 4 kHz resonances and around the top octave, where the imaging of pure tones wanders left and right.
  • When playing loud subbass pure tones at the same volume, the HE1000se's bass clipping or distortion sounds should sound quieter than the Arya's, suggesting improved distortion characteristics and bass quality.
  • Playing single-sample transients like in http://pcfarina.eng.unipr.it/Acustica-samples/Dirac.wav produce sharp sounds with exquisitely fast and clean decay. With the Arya and Elite, for example, both, consistent with their CSD graphs, when EQed to similar tonality exhibit similar high-Q resonance spreads which I found in an audition to not decay as fast as the DCA Expanse or Final Audio D8000 Pro, though the Arya and Elite sounded sharper, the Arya with its Nanometer Thickness Diaphragm being the sharpest I've heard to date, sounding the closest to a static pop. Underdamped transients like with the Susvara could theoretically add to the music reproduction's noise floor. Bass ringing as in the Elite possibly contributes to some sense of "impact", but I am now searching for absolute cleanness. The HE1000se would be worthwhile to me if it achieves the Arya's level of transient sharpness or more, but with a clean decay.
  • A noticeable increase in openness or spatial immersion to the Arya as a consequence of the different driver design / magnet array. One reason I chose the Meze Elite over the 2022 Focal Utopia, DCA Expanse, or Final Audio D8000 Pro at the shop (no local shops had an HE1000se available for audition) was the large planar presentation and earpad spaciousness that I so craved more of over the Arya. The leather hybrid pads have inner ear apertures that are a bit shorter but wider than the Arya's, so I felt no loss of "soundstage" (which I personally perceive solely as the extent to which a headphone's driver size and earpads obstructs one's perception of the recording's own stereo image, whereby the pencil in Yosi Horikawa's "Letter" for example doesn't really traverse any larger of a space through the headphones I've heard: for me, the more space around the ears, the better, the rest coming down to EQ). Likewise, the leather feel was a nice change in style of comfort, and possibly contributes favourable non-tonal subjective preferences even when EQed to the same target. In this regard, as one who would rather EQ headphones to sound the same (i.e. "perfect" to my ears) and do quick ad hoc PEQ adjustments when needed, my Elite and Arya mainly complement each other for comfort, or to give the other's pads some time to cool down.
Now, whether this HE1000se clearance sale bodes an upcoming successor model, I don't know.
 
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Jul 18, 2023 at 6:37 PM Post #4,313 of 5,252
whereas the Arya has fluctuating resonances at 4 kHz and peaks in the top octave that you can EQ away in one seating, but in the next session shift such that peaks are accentuated and troughs are deepened.
Compared to the Arya, when playing through sine sweeps, the pure tones should remain steadily centered in the sonic image throughout the entire audio band. This implies excellent channel balance or driver matching and hence coherent and vivid imaging across the entire audio band. The Arya has noticeable points, particularly around the 4 kHz resonances and around the top octave, where the imaging of pure tones wanders left and right.
I can confirm mine have those problems too. You can hear a distinct dip around 3600hz and a distinct peak around 3900hz. This seem to depend on pad's compression as well. Similar thing happen around 8-9k too. Image seem to wander left and right around those frequencies when i do sweep. Not ideal. Headphone sounds great but have too much dips and peaks in the upper frequencies to my ears.
 
Jul 19, 2023 at 12:51 PM Post #4,314 of 5,252
I can confirm mine have those problems too. You can hear a distinct dip around 3600hz and a distinct peak around 3900hz. This seem to depend on pad's compression as well. Similar thing happen around 8-9k too. Image seem to wander left and right around those frequencies when i do sweep. Not ideal. Headphone sounds great but have too much dips and peaks in the upper frequencies to my ears.
 
Jul 19, 2023 at 12:54 PM Post #4,315 of 5,252
Has anyone tried the HEKSEs with the Topping A70Pro?
 
Jul 19, 2023 at 1:41 PM Post #4,316 of 5,252
Can anyone say that Topping D90LE/A90D would be good stack for HE1000se (or HE1000 Stealth)? Or would you recommend something else for a similar price point?

I heard that, and actually prefer SMSL D400EX + Singxer SA-1.

However, recently I tested EF600, and I simply prefer this All in One device even more than SMSL + Singxer. Tonality just more natural, more meat on the bone, while still project spacious soundstage (and good depth too). Best part: EF600 is much cheaper than combination of D400EX + SA-1.
 
Jul 19, 2023 at 5:29 PM Post #4,317 of 5,252
My SE arrived today and I'm shocked by how different it sounds from the last time I owned it back in 2019. I used think the vocals were sibilant and the brightness required EQ. Now everything sounds perfect.
 
Jul 19, 2023 at 5:34 PM Post #4,318 of 5,252
My SE arrived today and I'm shocked by how different it sounds from the last time I owned it back in 2019. I used think the vocals were sibilant and the brightness required EQ. Now everything sounds perfect.
The SE sounds great, the sub bass, bass speed and clarity, not to mention the micro/macro details are untouched in the Egg Shape land! Also you are older, the V2 are sibilant in comparison.
 
Jul 19, 2023 at 5:52 PM Post #4,319 of 5,252
My SE arrived today and I'm shocked by how different it sounds from the last time I owned it back in 2019. I used think the vocals were sibilant and the brightness required EQ. Now everything sounds perfect.
Are you running it on the same gear as before or different equipment?
 

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