[glassmonkey]

We all know that Sennheiser will release a baby HE-1 in the future, there are a lot of rumors about it.
It's wiser for HFM to release the baby Shangri-La before Sennheiser, so people can say things like the one you said to defend it.

I don't know this. Sounds like a bit of fan fiction. This might end up being true, and I'm pretty sure something else is coming on Sennheiser's horizon beyond the HD820, but I have no idea what it will be. Rumours don't necessarily equal reality.

With regards to Stax SR009, the Susvara is better sounding already. The SR009 lacks weight and soul in the instruments, especially in the bass. I've listened on ideal equipment in an ideal listening environment (quiet room, $100,000 MSB Select). The HD800 also doesn't have the bass rumble of the Susvara (love HD800, by the way). No way that the HD600 comes close to the Susvara, I did the comparison in my review of the Susvara.

I'm eager to hear the baby Shangri-La. This is partly because I've yet to be substantially impressed by the Shangri-La (in show settings) over the sound that the Susvara can already generate. I'm hoping I get an opportunity to compare Shangri-La and Susvara in a proper listening environment. I've listened to the HE-1 in a quiet proper listening environment.

I've let several non-audiophile friends listen to the Susvara, two got tears in their eyes. One of them got back to back comparisons to the Utopia, which I now have in house. The Susvara is superior. I don't know what the Shangri-La Jr. can do except remove some costs: no need to replace underperforming stock cable, no need for multi-thousand dollar amplifier, probably still need a DAC as I don't recall the Shangri-La having one built in.

I'm hoping HiFiMAN agree to do an upcoming show in Britain I'm helping organise. Then I'll finally get my opportunity.

 

[Thaudiophile]

That's quite subjective buddy, I have seen plenty of people preferring the Stax, focal utopia and even HD 800 to Susvara.

 

[ostewart]

I don't know this. Sounds like a bit of fan fiction. This might end up being true, and I'm pretty sure something else is coming on Sennheiser's horizon beyond the HD820, but I have no idea what it will be. Rumours don't necessarily equal reality.

With regards to Stax SR009, the Susvara is better sounding already. The SR009 lacks weight and soul in the instruments, especially in the bass. I've listened on ideal equipment in an ideal listening environment (quiet room, $100,000 MSB Select). The HD800 also doesn't have the bass rumble of the Susvara (love HD800, by the way). No way that the HD600 comes close to the Susvara, I did the comparison in my review of the Susvara.

I'm eager to hear the baby Shangri-La. This is partly because I've yet to be substantially impressed by the Shangri-La (in show settings) over the sound that the Susvara can already generate. I'm hoping I get an opportunity to compare Shangri-La and Susvara in a proper listening environment. I've listened to the HE-1 in a quiet proper listening environment.

I've let several non-audiophile friends listen to the Susvara, two got tears in their eyes. One of them got back to back comparisons to the Utopia, which I now have in house. The Susvara is superior. I don't know what the Shangri-La Jr. can do except remove some costs: no need to replace underperforming stock cable, no need for multi-thousand dollar amplifier, probably still need a DAC as I don't recall the Shangri-La having one built in.

I'm hoping HiFiMAN agree to do an upcoming show in Britain I'm helping organise. Then I'll finally get my opportunity.

I think the best thing one of my friends said about the Susvara, was it's like the band are in the room with you.

 

[Dobrescu George]

A Jr. Shangri-La sounds super awesome!

I can't wait to hear it, if it ever comes to Romania!

 

[protoss]

Lol totally forgot about this ! Its like this drop off the face of the planet.

Well welcome back JR.

 

[ToroFiestaSol]

I don't know this. Sounds like a bit of fan fiction. This might end up being true, and I'm pretty sure something else is coming on Sennheiser's horizon beyond the HD820, but I have no idea what it will be. Rumours don't necessarily equal reality.

With regards to Stax SR009, the Susvara is better sounding already. The SR009 lacks weight and soul in the instruments, especially in the bass. I've listened on ideal equipment in an ideal listening environment (quiet room, $100,000 MSB Select). The HD800 also doesn't have the bass rumble of the Susvara (love HD800, by the way). No way that the HD600 comes close to the Susvara, I did the comparison in my review of the Susvara.

I'm eager to hear the baby Shangri-La. This is partly because I've yet to be substantially impressed by the Shangri-La (in show settings) over the sound that the Susvara can already generate. I'm hoping I get an opportunity to compare Shangri-La and Susvara in a proper listening environment. I've listened to the HE-1 in a quiet proper listening environment.

I've let several non-audiophile friends listen to the Susvara, two got tears in their eyes. One of them got back to back comparisons to the Utopia, which I now have in house. The Susvara is superior. I don't know what the Shangri-La Jr. can do except remove some costs: no need to replace underperforming stock cable, no need for multi-thousand dollar amplifier, probably still need a DAC as I don't recall the Shangri-La having one built in.

I'm hoping HiFiMAN agree to do an upcoming show in Britain I'm helping organise. Then I'll finally get my opportunity.

I don't like 009 too, 007 with port and spring mods is the way to go. For commercial amps a BHSE is unbeatable, if you want to comission a build a KGSSHV Carbon is a no brainer.
The MSB amp was "dissected" at other forum and improved, the people who DIY it said it was a good cheap amp, but nowhere near the level of a BHSE for example. The DAC should follow the same awesome price-performance ratio so a Metrum Adagio should be much better sounding at a fraction of the price.

It's not fan fiction, just see the pictures and time lines I posted.
What makes the Shangri-La cost 50k and the Jr 8k? The price difference doesn't make sense. If you hold the SR-007 and a HD650, it's clear why one costs 300$ and the other 2000$, for the love of god I can't see that logic here.

Due to low sensitivity, Susvara needs a multi thousand dollar amplifier, you can't drive it and get good sound quality out of a cellphone and high power amps are expensive, good sounding high power amps are even more expensive. You can use Shangri-La and Jr with Stax amps, but they only come as a package with their respective amps...that's because the amps are so bad it is the only way they will sell them: as a package.

Too many red flags, it also doesn't help what they did with the HE-1000: beta testers program, release the thing exactly as it was before the beta testers program, then some months later release a "fixed" V2 (same with Edition X)...what are the prices for the original HE-1000 now? How are you sure they won't do it with the two Shangri-La and Susvara?

In a nutshell, too many red flags, I do not like. If you like them that's fine, but you can't ignore reality.

 

[Dobrescu George]

I'm curious, what would it take to drive a Shangri-La? It can be driven from something like iDSD BL, or it requires a stronger amplifier?

 

[glassmonkey]

That's quite subjective buddy, I have seen plenty of people preferring the Stax, focal utopia and even HD 800 to Susvara.

Umm, welcome to HeadFi?

I'm curious, what would it take to drive a Shangri-La? It can be driven from something like iDSD BL, or it requires a stronger amplifier?

Shangri-La Jr. Is electrostatic, so need a special amp.

 

[astrostar59]

No, but I was very underwhelmed by the big brother at Can-Jam last year. Very bright and not realistic tone to it at all. No idea what was going on there, and I used my own 3 track AIFFs cluster off USB stick as I also used on the same day in the BHSE / 009, Felix Amp / Focal Utopia and Chord DAVE DAC-AMP / LCD-4, Head-Amp GSX / LCD-4. The Shangri La was beaten by all those systems IMO.

 

[Ithilstone]

Well I had a chance to check out Shangri-La on 3 occasions also had a chance to spend some time with Susvara
Even though my first hifi set up was STAX I am a planar fan all way through now - So no surprise that I preferred Susvara ;]

It does not stop me from getting a bit excited about Shangri-La Jr. and will be checking it out as soon as possible.

About price...
Yes there is a Jr. price tag - that is above my pay grade - same as Susvara btw
but there will be people that will pay it happily, and so if Hifiman gets some extra funding to develop something new and then it will end up
being used in sub $500 HPs then why not - and to all those that will say - price tags like that are only to make Dr. Fang rich well - no one is forcing people to buy...
As long as we getting something like HE-400i that were really good value for $499 and now even better for $249 then we really do not have a reason to complain!

If you can only be happy with the next new shiny TOTL HP then ... you will have to pay or be unhappy ;]]]

We just need to remember that almost everything around HiFi is subjective - quality, price, sound signature
So why don't we let companies like Hifiman and Sennheiser make stuff for $10 all way up to $50k so they can satisfy all subjective needs... ;]]]

 

[glassmonkey]

Well I had a chance to check out Shangri-La on 3 occasions also had a chance to spend some time with Susvara
Even though my first hifi set up was STAX I am a planar fan all way through now - So no surprise that I preferred Susvara ;]

It does not stop me from getting a bit excited about Shangri-La Jr. and will be checking it out as soon as possible.

About price...
Yes there is a Jr. price tag - that is above my pay grade - same as Susvara btw
but there will be people that will pay it happily, and so if Hifiman gets some extra funding to develop something new and then it will end up
being used in sub $500 HPs then why not - and to all those that will say - price tags like that are only to make Dr. Fang rich well - no one is forcing people to buy...
As long as we getting something like HE-400i that were really good value for $499 and now even better for $249 then we really do not have a reason to complain!

If you can only be happy with the next new shiny TOTL HP then ... you will have to pay or be unhappy ;]]]

We just need to remember that almost everything around HiFi is subjective - quality, price, sound signature
So why don't we let companies like Hifiman and Sennheiser make stuff for $10 all way up to $50k so they can satisfy all subjective needs... ;]]]

Well said! I for one am very curious about the new $499 Sundara.

 

[Dobrescu George]

I quite like the naming scheme used by HIFIMAN

 

[glassmonkey]

I quite like the naming scheme used by HIFIMAN

It's kind of like my cats growing up: Spot, Sky, Spirit, Sammy, Samir, Solomon, Scout, Sebastian, and Stimpy. We had loads of kittens. All S names. We never had a Jr., though.

 

[Ithilstone]

From CES - Jr.s seems to be getting some positive (very) first impressions

Well paint me very interested in those

Shangli-La Jr.. If the Shangri-La and Audeze LCD 4 had a love child it would be the jr. It is all the electrostatic goodness with almost insane sound and a sexy set up for 8000.00. So take everything I have ever said about the the LCD 4 and kick it up a notch. Once again, for the money I don't know if you can find anything better since it is the Phones and the Amp.

 

[glassmonkey]

From CES - Jr.s seems to be getting some positive (very) first impressions

Well paint me very interested in those

Thanks for sharing.