[sendler2112]

Don’t think you would want a pure silver cable for the HEKSEs. I would go Hybrid or Copper.

I have a pure Silver cable, and several other types. And it is by far my favorite. See my post above. It is more transparent, blacker between the instruments, by far the best at tracing out reverberant tails all the way to the lowest noise floor. Faster, wider, deeper. Well worth the $200 if you are going to spend $2000 on a headphone and $2000 on a DAC and amp.

Did you just get your HEKse? Or older one? All the new ones should have the 3 black cable set.

Did you just get your HEKse? Or older one? All the new ones should have the 3 black cable set.

Got it about 1 month ago as a refurb from the HiFiMan site for $1700. 3 tan rubbery cables and in a plain brown box

 

[markkr]

Using a Norne Fusion on mine, absolutely delicious in every way.

Edit: everyone likes photos

 

[nighthink]

Using a Norne Fusion on mine, absolutely delicious in every way.

Is that some kind of silver+copper variant? Would be interested in what kind of awg or how many wires.
I'm considering Norne's Drausk or similar all copper version. still afraid to go silver with hekse, but maybe for nothing .

 

[up late]

i compared the he1000-se and susvara in-store today. i've auditioned the susvara there a couple of times but hadn't tried the he1000-se. fwiw, the astell&kern a&ultima sp2000t was the source streaming roon to the burson conductor 3x grand tourer. both headphones were connected to the 3xgt via the single ended output, which was set to low gain. i used some of my usual test tracks for the comparison.

now for the disclaimer and it's a biggie as it adversely affected the audition and my mood. the salesman was a loud and incessant talker. his interactions with another customer were distracting and extremely annoying. i contemplated silencing them both by my own hand but fortunately that wasn't required as the customer left after 30 minutes or so. mercifully, the salesman was replaced shortly afterwards by a much quieter one.

with that out of the way, i found the he1000-se to be a highly resolving headphone that was crystal clear with prominent treble. the susvara's treble was more subdued, which i appreciated. it also had slightly more bass presence to my ears. but these headphones were more similar than different overall. i actually found myself noticing details from the he1000-se that i didn't with the susvara. the former also gave me some holographic moments. female vocals sounded drier from the he1000-se tho. both headphones were very comfortable but i'd give the edge to the susvara there. the shape of its ear cups suited me a little better. it was apparent that the he1000-se was the more efficient headphone. i had to ratchet up the volume for the susvara significantly to reach a similar listening level.

take this all with a pillar of salt.

 

[markkr]

Is that some kind of silver+copper variant? Would be interested in what kind of awg or how many wires.
I'm considering Norne's Drausk or similar all copper version. still afraid to go silver with hekse, but maybe for nothing .

Specs are in my signature. Its a silver/copper hybrid 17awg

 

[leylandi]

single ended output, which was set to low gain

Why?

 

[up late]

Why?

because

 

[TheAbyss2022]

i compared the he1000-se and susvara in-store today. i've auditioned the susvara there a couple of times but hadn't tried the he1000-se. fwiw, the astell&kern a&ultima sp2000t was the source streaming roon to the burson conductor 3x grand tourer. both headphones were connected to the 3xgt via the single ended output, which was set to low gain. i used some of my usual test tracks for the comparison.

now for the disclaimer and it's a biggie as it adversely affected the audition and my mood. the salesman was a loud and incessant talker. his interactions with another customer were distracting and extremely annoying. i contemplated silencing them both by my own hand but fortunately that wasn't required as the customer left after about an hour. mercifully, the salesman was replaced shortly afterwards by a much quieter one.

with that out of the way, i found the he1000-se to be a highly resolving headphone that was crystal clear with prominent treble. the susvara's treble was more subdued, which i appreciated. it also had slightly more bass presence to my ears. but these headphones were more similar than different overall. i actually found myself noticing details from the he1000-se that i didn't with the susvara. the former also gave me some holographic moments. female vocals sounded a little drier and grainy from the he1000-se tho. both headphones were very comfortable but i'd give the edge to the susvara there. the shape of its ear cups suited me a little better. it was apparent that the he1000-se was the more efficient headphone. i had to ratchet up the volume for the susvara significantly to reach a similar listening level.

take this all with a pillar of salt.

I do wonder how many people have actually heard the full capabilities that the Susvara offers as the amplifier that you used is not up to the task to drive Susvara especially in low gain. All amplifiers should be run on the highest gain mode with Susvara, even DCS told me to put their DCS Lina amp in high gain with Susvara.

 

[up late]

I do wonder how many people have actually heard the full capabilities that the Susvara offers as the amplifier that you used is not up to the task to drive Susvara especially in low gain. All amplifiers should be run on the highest gain mode with Susvara, even DCS told me to put their DCS Lina amp in high gain with Susvara.

clearly both the amp and i are unworthy of the susvara. i've listened to it before with this amp on high gain, however and it didn't sound noticeably different to me this time around. i find the interface on the burson laggy. it was easier for me to have it on low gain for the he-1000se and simply increase the volume for the susvara rather than continually switch between low and high gain for each headphone. ymmv with a dcs lina amp.

 

[sendler2112]

Gain doesn't affect the total power of an amp to drive a difficult load if the adequate volume level is achieved on a lower gain. In my experience with several different headphone and speaker amps, the best sound quality will be always achieved on the lowest gain of any amp that allows this selection. Negative feedback will be less and you will be operating in a better sounding operating area of whatever volume control is involved.

 

[up late]

Gain doesn't affect the total power of an amp to drive a difficult load if the adequate volume level is achieved on a lower gain. In my experience with several different headphone and speaker amps, the best sound quality will be always achieved on the lowest gain of any amp that allows this selection. Negative feedback will be less and you will be operating in a better sounding operating area of whatever volume control is involved.

that was my understanding

 

[TheAbyss2022]

Gain doesn't affect the total power of an amp to drive a difficult load if the adequate volume level is achieved on a lower gain. In my experience with several different headphone and speaker amps, the best sound quality will be always achieved on the lowest gain of any amp that allows this selection. Negative feedback will be less and you will be operating in a better sounding operating area of whatever volume control is involved.

I agree that low gain is superior for sound quality and background noise however , even amps the Bakoon 13R which is an endgame amp for Susvara needs to be run on "high power" (high gain) mode to get more volume as there is not enough volume output on the low power mode.

I am still waiting for Hifiman to release a more power efficient version of the Susvara as the rest of their lineup has transitioned to more power efficient designs and hopefully a price cut like the rest of their lineup!

 

[up late]

I agree that low gain is superior for sound quality and background noise however , even amps the Bakoon 13R which is an endgame amp for Susvara needs to be run on "high power" (high gain) mode to get more volume as there is not enough volume output on the low power mode.

I am still waiting for Hifiman to release a more power efficient version of the Susvara as the rest of their lineup has transitioned to more power efficient designs and hopefully a price cut like the rest of their lineup!

the volume ranged anywhere between 50 and 70 on low gain. there was ample volume available for my preferred listening level.

 

[sendler2112]

Although, A true balanced DAC and amp will have twice the clean gain and power as a single ended output of a balanced amp.

 

[up late]

Although, A true balanced DAC and amp will have twice the clean gain and power as a single ended output of a balanced amp.

for some unknown reason the he1000-se and susvara came with single-ended cables today. the susvara had a balanced cable fitted previously. my head-amp is single ended so having a balanced connection isn't important to me.