WaveTheory
100+ Head-Fier
Hello, Fellow Audiophiles!
This morning my comparison video of the HEDDphone 2, HiFiMan HE1000se, and Modhouse Tungsten DS went live on YouTube (watch here). All 3 of those headphones sound excellent and represent excellent values. They are all also right about $2000US (though HE1000se went on sale for $1700 between my making the video and posting it publicly - I don't know if that price is permanent but $2000 probably is).
Having had the privilege of reviewing headphones and associated audio gear for a few years now, and thanks to the generosity of the audiophile community, I've had the opportunity to hear a broad cross section of the headphone market from the entry level all the way through the top of the line. Here near the halfway point of calendar year 2024 and having recently reviewed the Tungsten and HEDDphone 2, I find myself seeing the headphone market taking shape such that $2000 currently represents something of a value and performance sweet spot for hi-end headphones. In my opinion, the trio of HEDDphone 2, HE1000se (HEKse), and Tungsten DS have warped the price-to-performance curve in their favor to a degree such that I'm finding myself making these recommendations to the headphone community:
1) Shop around and play around with different headphones to your heart's content up until a value of somewhere in the $1200-1500 range.
2) If you're looking for meaningful sonic improvement over the mid-fi/low hi-fi categories, I recommend pinching your pennies to get to $2000 where you can snag your preferred model of the HEDD2, HE1000se, Tungsten DS trio.
3) To meaningfully outperform HEDD2/HEKse/Tungsten DS, be prepared to spend in excess of $4000US just for the headphone, while at the same time being aware that not every $4k+ headphone will bring the combination of tuning and technicalities that you will like more than what your preferred member of that trio already brings. In other words, be careful jumping up. There is a WIDE range of sounds and technical chops at the ultra hi-end of the market and not every unit is a guaranteed tuning, technical, or enjoyment upgrade over HEDD2/HEKse/Tungsten DS. Of note here is that I'm not shaming anyone for exploring the TOTL. There are some stunners up there (proud owner of OG Susvara and OG Utopia here). There are also some that are...let's just say less than stunning. I simply attempt to establish realistic expectations.
I flesh out those 3 points, as well as how my music tastes and sonic preferences have formed them, in the video linked above.
I create this post to ask: What do you think? Is $2000 emerging as a hi-end headphone sweet spot in the middle of 2024? Am I thinking about his all wrong?
I am NOT the final word on any of this. Nor is as any other reviewer or any other individual commenter, manufacturer, or retailer. The final word, as always, rests with the person contemplating whether or not they should enter their credit card info to get [insert headphone name here]. But I'm very curious what the community thinks.
So Head-Fi community, please (respectfully) discuss!
This morning my comparison video of the HEDDphone 2, HiFiMan HE1000se, and Modhouse Tungsten DS went live on YouTube (watch here). All 3 of those headphones sound excellent and represent excellent values. They are all also right about $2000US (though HE1000se went on sale for $1700 between my making the video and posting it publicly - I don't know if that price is permanent but $2000 probably is).
Having had the privilege of reviewing headphones and associated audio gear for a few years now, and thanks to the generosity of the audiophile community, I've had the opportunity to hear a broad cross section of the headphone market from the entry level all the way through the top of the line. Here near the halfway point of calendar year 2024 and having recently reviewed the Tungsten and HEDDphone 2, I find myself seeing the headphone market taking shape such that $2000 currently represents something of a value and performance sweet spot for hi-end headphones. In my opinion, the trio of HEDDphone 2, HE1000se (HEKse), and Tungsten DS have warped the price-to-performance curve in their favor to a degree such that I'm finding myself making these recommendations to the headphone community:
1) Shop around and play around with different headphones to your heart's content up until a value of somewhere in the $1200-1500 range.
2) If you're looking for meaningful sonic improvement over the mid-fi/low hi-fi categories, I recommend pinching your pennies to get to $2000 where you can snag your preferred model of the HEDD2, HE1000se, Tungsten DS trio.
3) To meaningfully outperform HEDD2/HEKse/Tungsten DS, be prepared to spend in excess of $4000US just for the headphone, while at the same time being aware that not every $4k+ headphone will bring the combination of tuning and technicalities that you will like more than what your preferred member of that trio already brings. In other words, be careful jumping up. There is a WIDE range of sounds and technical chops at the ultra hi-end of the market and not every unit is a guaranteed tuning, technical, or enjoyment upgrade over HEDD2/HEKse/Tungsten DS. Of note here is that I'm not shaming anyone for exploring the TOTL. There are some stunners up there (proud owner of OG Susvara and OG Utopia here). There are also some that are...let's just say less than stunning. I simply attempt to establish realistic expectations.
I flesh out those 3 points, as well as how my music tastes and sonic preferences have formed them, in the video linked above.
I create this post to ask: What do you think? Is $2000 emerging as a hi-end headphone sweet spot in the middle of 2024? Am I thinking about his all wrong?
I am NOT the final word on any of this. Nor is as any other reviewer or any other individual commenter, manufacturer, or retailer. The final word, as always, rests with the person contemplating whether or not they should enter their credit card info to get [insert headphone name here]. But I'm very curious what the community thinks.
So Head-Fi community, please (respectfully) discuss!
