[tradyblix]

@boodi @tradyblix - Thanks to both of you for sharing. I really, really appreciate it

Cheers!

Good luck with whatever you get.

 

[RadekB]

I find it normal really..

many brands cut prices after years of sale on item X or Y , for market conditions / updating models / brands competition etc

Isn't it normal ?

I'm not saying that this isn't true, but I can't think of any cases in the last 2-3 years in the TOTL market that fit these specific circumstances. Furthermore, I can't find a compelling reason for HiFiMan to take this approach - HE1000se does not seem to have any competitor in its class.
Anyway, I'm probably just wasting my time thinking about it too much ...

 

[boodi]

Besides the reasons i already listed , it can be that what was worth 3.5k some years ago now has gathered a much wider audience and appeal and price subsequently followed margins .
Also .
There are many things to account .
Market for hiend audiogears has been growing enormously and it is very speculative too , more so then before in the last years ; that is why brands are akin to spend quite some money and time in designing and producing more and more prototypes ( therefore you have more and more totl products in headphones and brands , also more productors rising and competing..)

 

[Spawn300Z]

You guys making a bigger deal of the price drop than what it is. The HEK has been around for a long time. With some incremental changes. So they have got back their R&D investments by now and can reduce pricing at this time. Now you can get more people into the product and make more money. People will now by new instead of used.

As for the Susvara, until there is a real major challenger to its throne comes t market they don’t have to do anything. You just deal with resellers or buy used.

 

[DarginMahkum]

I don't know when the first HE1000 was released but it must have been at least 10 years, so it has been a while since these headphones have been released. What Hifiman mean did throughout all these years is providing a very comfortable very well tuned low distortion planar magnetic headphones that kept improving with time, staying ahead of the market and still has one of the best tunings the market. Companies like Audeze still couldn't catch up with HifiMan in these areas. LCD5 has a bad tuning with lots of hype, andI would take even an HE1000 over LCD5 anytime.

There hasn't been anything revolutionary since the release of these headphones, maybe under the hoods some things were updated some new magnets etc but there is nothing really that's a new technology. Now there are new headphones like from Dan Clark audio which can do the tuning, distortion figures, the comfort and everything physical at least as good, if not better than what HFM does so there is something new in the market. I think it's the new benchmark in regards to what the planar magnetic headphones are providing. The Susvara has probably one of the best tunings in the market and also the HE1000 series is not too far behind it.

Maybe that is what the HFM is preparing for, a major update, though the release of Audivina doesn't give me much hope. I still hold HFM above most of the brands except DCA.

By the way, a fellow HeadFier said that the HE-1 did cost millions in research which is now being sold for 50k$.

 

[boodi]

on the other hand some people *really* don't like stealth or expanse. so..
more general consensus towards late totl newcomers for sound signature is still Susvara is leading ( more people using Susvara as endgame / for years too , then the one updating to other totl brand models )

 

[DarginMahkum]

on the other hand some people *really* don't like stealth or expanse. so..
more general consensus towards late totl newcomers for sound signature is still Susvara is leading ( more people using Susvara as endgame / for years too , then the one updating to other totl brand models )

Not liking it is one thing but DCA managed to develop a very precise tuning system. Also their build and folding mechanism are ahead of anything else in the market.

I personally chose Stealth over Susvara, but I would love to have an HEK alongside it.

 

[Spawn300Z]

on the other hand some people *really* don't like stealth or expanse. so..
more general consensus towards late totl newcomers for sound signature is still Susvara is leading ( more people using Susvara as endgame / for years too , then the one updating to other totl brand models )

I like both and that’s while having the Susvara and the HEXSE. Even though I can transport the HEXSE I prefer not to. The Expanse and Stealth are very transportable. When connected to my Susvara built chain they are great headphones but still beat by Susvara. But when traveling I take one of the or both connected to my Chord Hugo 2 and Cayan C9 and I don’t feel I’m missing a lot on the go. They both need to be powered properly to shine.

 

[boodi]

( sound signature wise , that is stage air timbral rendering bass presence etc) I just read they are quite different in many regards.

 

[boodi]

I like both and that’s while having the Susvara and the HEXSE. Even though I can transport the HEXSE I prefer not to. The Expanse and Stealth are very transportable. When connected to my Susvara built chain they are great headphones but still beat by Susvara. But when traveling I take one of the or both connected to my Chord Hugo 2 and Cayan C9 and I don’t feel I’m missing a lot on the go. They both need to be powered properly to shine.

I guess you quite equally like hekse and Expanse .. or one of them have a clear edge on the other ( minding your taste / music preference etc ) ?

 

[Spawn300Z]

I guess you quite equally like hekse and Expanse .. or one of them have a clear edge on the other ( minding your taste / music preference etc ) ?

I do like both but would depend on what I’m listening to. With DCA units I feel more comfortable traveling with them or the Diana V2.

I do tend to lean more to the Hifiman Planars but these are the 1st DCA Headphones I really liked.

The Stealth is my favorite Closed Back. I have the Stellia still but it more because the Stellia and Utopia 22 are my only dynamic drives left in my collection. But I haven’t compared to the Hifiman R-10P.

Sold of my Meze Empyreans and thinking about letting go my LCD-4Z.

 

[DarginMahkum]

( sound signature wise , that is stage air timbral rendering bass presence etc) I just read they are quite different in many regards.

Their (Susvara vs Stealth) tuning is much more similar than different. Main differences are: 1) Susvara has the usual HFM mids with the recession around 2kHz, which gives more depth and warmth to the vocals. Stealth is very Harman, meaning sharply focused and analytical. 2) Susvara has quite neutral bass but Stealth bass is more about subbass 3) Highs on Susvara is again very HFM, which is very sparkly giving a more airy presentation, Stealth treble is again very Harman, that is dry and more precise, but might sound not as fun. 4) Stealth is very dampened and sounds like an an-echoic chamber without any sound reflections, Susvara is very open and the airy treble extends it even further.

 

[boodi]

Their (Susvara vs Stealth) tuning is much more similar than different.

reading after it really reads like you describe 2 quite different tuning

 

[boodi]

@DarginMahkum thanks for description, appreciated.

What i read from you is quite precise and also quite in line with what i gathered around from other users , ..
I am still inclined trusting my preference for the slightly euphonic presentation of Susvara ( which will likely be my next purchase )

 

[boodi]

Also I'd really like to hear them both . Really.
Even the aeon noire .

But considering there is no DCA dealer around where I live , and that Susvara is the easier and closer bet ( and the 30day return policy ) i am leaning more and more to them .