Wow, it takes a while for these to break/burn in. tonight I am getting out of the head sound. A huge soundstage, and sound that defies normal explanations regarding phones. The imaging isn't pin point, it is more what you would get in real life, there is placement but it isn't tiny, it has body and presence. Everything is layered and so fast yet there are wonderful trailing notes when there should be.
I am currently using some Whiplash cable, silver. I will have to compare this to the stock cable.
I forgot that I could listen balanced since all of my cables are terminated in Hirose so right now I am listening balanced.
Listening to balanced is like being some kind of musical play land. . ..
Despite some of the HE1000 beta testers owning the SR-009 and HD 800, there have not been any in-depth comparisons, even after repeated requests on my part. The impressions in this thread are good, but not useful to me at all if they do not give me a very good idea of how it compares to at least these two headphones -- with all genres of music too, not just a few. I kind of get the feeling that I am going to have to either audition them for myself with my diverse selection of test tracks or gradually buy them all for even more extended listening. I wanted to simply try saving up for the most accurate and realistic-sounding one of the three and focus on building a system around that one...but if I can't even verify which one that is, I can't exactly do that. I might have the opportunity to audition the HE1000, Abyss, HD 800, and others in the near future...but probably not the SR-009, meaning that, in the context of my goal, it's still not enough. Perhaps buying them all in order of price, as my budget increases, would be the best course of action for me, since I did want to buy them all eventually anyway.
This is my formal review of the HE-1000 beta (only covering sonic aspects).
This review covers my listening experiences during my first week with the HE-1000.
I will continue to edit and update this review if my sonic impressions change.
Stand used in picture is the Silverstone EBA-01
Primary testing set-up consists of Spotify/Tidal/random assortment of FLAC files > via AmazonBasics USB 2.0 cable > Schiit Bifrost Uber > via Monoprice RCA cables > Schiit Lyr 2 > via single-ended stock headphone cable > Hifiman HE-1000
I do not believe in headphone burn-in, but I refrained from listening to the HE-1000 critically the first night, and left the HE-1000 playing continuously overnight. I have totaled approximately one week of listening time on the HE-1000 at the time of first posting this review.
I did critical music listening impressions first. Only after I wrote all my listening impressions, did I listen to test tone sweeps. I took measurements last. I did things in that specific order to prevent myself from getting biased.
My headphone collection currently includes: HE-560, LCD-X, K7xx, K553 Pro, EL-8 (closed), Alpha Prime, and the PM-3. Notable favorite headphones previously owned include ATH-M50x, Q701, K545, HE-400, and PM-1. Notable headphones extensively demoed include HD800, LCD-3, K812 Pro. My current favorite headphone prior to listening to the HE-1000 is the HE-560 for its great clinical micro-detail retrieval and neutral-oriented sound sig that maintains solid bass quality. I like to use the LCD-X as a complimentary genre-specific pair of headphones due to its outstanding bass quality, visceral bass impact, and organic texture-focused presentation.
Favorite musical genres include everything from electronic, edm, house, trance, hip hop, r&b, rock, female vocals, pop, alternative, metal, classical, instrumental, piano, acoustic music, soundtracks. I have very wide & varied listening habits depending on my mood.
Click here for my impressions of the prototype HE-1000 (vertical grills) during the New York mini meet.
I also asked some of my non-audiophile friends what they thought on the HE-1000's performance. I did not suggest anything prior to their listening and comparisons.
Just for reference, I've modded the headband with the addition of the Diono child seat belt wrap to achieve a better fit for myself midway through my first week of usage, production version HE-1k has been confirmed to have better-fitting shorter headbands
Please use this resource for the definitions of the audiophile terms I am using: http://www.head-fi.org/a/describing-sound-a-glossary
Disclaimer: This is a personal subjective sonic impression as part of the Hifiman beta testing program for the HE-1000. I am not a professional reviewer. As always, YMMV and I hope you enjoy the read
Intro:
I hate to start my review engaging in statements that almost sound-like heavily hyped up levels of exaggeration, but do you remember the first time you upgraded from a normal cheap pair of headphones to some audiophile-quality entry-level or mid-fi level pair of headphones? I remember the awe I had when I first moved from throwaway headphones to gear like the ATH-M50 and HE-400. That is the exact feeling I experienced when I began listening to the HE-1000. It was the indescribable giddy feeling that you have just unlocked a new secret level in this audiophile quest. ...And I am the reviewer that normally blows off most upgrades as either not worthwhile diminishing returns or a change in flavor over actual improvement.
Upgrading to the HE-1000 from the HE-560 as my primary headphones has provided a bigger jump in sound quality than any of my external component upgrades or any of my previous headphone upgrades including the jump from the HE-400 to the HE-560 (but not quite as much improvement as my first serious leap into the audiophile world going from random headphones to the HE-400).
I know many audiophiles who own some sort of combination of an 'analytical/clinical' pair of headphones and an 'organic/rich' pair of headphones, most commonly the HD800 + LCD-3. I personally choose the HE-560 + LCD-X combination after extensive comparisons between all those models for my own clinical + organic combo. I’ve found that the HE-1000 fixes the individual qualms I had about the HE-560 and LCD-X separately, which I tried to remedy by owning both to compliment each other.
The HE-1000 comprehensively bridges the gap between those two vastly differing presentation styles, offering an extremely coherent organic richness and textural layering while maintaining the surgically accurate hyper-detailed-focused sound and amazingly precise imaging. The HE-1000 brings together that delicious weighty visceral bass quality and rich layering I enjoyed on the LCD-X along with that meticulous examination of micro-details and precise imaging of the HE-560, and then goes even further in technical performance! The HE-1000 offers a new dimension to many sonic attributes that I thought I already had reached their maximal potential. The HE-1000 is a very sonically-capable and very strong technical performer that combines the strengths of my current two favorite headphones. The HE-1000's sound signature fits my personal tastes extremely well and it is basically the 'ideal goal' I had in mind while searching for that perfect flagship. Hence, I am really impressed and have quite strong positive impressions of this headphone.
I just wanted to state my bias and first reactions up front prior to diving into a deeper analysis of the HE-1000's sound, so you can evaluate yourself how my statements will relate towards your audio goals and personal listening preferences. Do note while the HE-1000 appears to be an extremely good fit for me, they may not be a perfect fit for you, so I will try to highlight some possible concerns and criticisms along the way in my attempt to review in as objective unbiased manner as possible.
HE-1000 (Side View)
HE-1000 (Frontal View)
Specific Sound Quality Break-Down
Bass: The bass sounds emphasized in quantity during a direct comparison against the HE-560, but does not seem to be a coloration or actual emphasis. The best way I can describe its presentation is that it just sounds like the difference between listening to bass via stereo speakers vs adding a subwoofer to the stereo speaker system. This is different than the way I feel about the bass emphasis of the LCD-X where there is an actual dark tilt or the warmer/richer sound signature or the PM-1 that adds a heavy warm tilt to its frequency response. The midbass punch of the note is not actually any more emphasized than the HE-560, but there is more textural presence of the lower sub-bass surrounding each mid-bass note on the HE-1000. The sound balance of the HE-1000 is still quite neutral but now there is just a subwoofer added to the system. It is quite a shocking adjustment as I have never experienced this sort of effect on a pair of headphones before.
There is solid improvement in bass quality from the deepness of sub-bass extension to tightness of notes to viscerality of impact. That was the most prominent improvement that I immediately noticed in direct comparisons. Very realistic weight and power behind bass notes while keeping the balance of lower frequency notes well proportioned to the rest of the frequency response. I personally would characterize the bass having a hint of warmness and never sounding thin. I do feel like there is a subtle emphasis on the upper bass which gives the HE-1000 a very authentic sense of body to the bass. For people favoring a colder presentation, these headphones never sound overly cold or sterile. It does reveal the sub-bass and midbass texture of songs that I previously considered to be cooler, which can provide a hint of warmth to the song. (refer to test track spoiler for more details). My personal sound signature preference is a tad bit more warmth/bass than an unmodded HD800, so I do personally view the HE-1000’s bass presentation as very natural and realistic sounding.
The most shining aspect of the HE-1000’s bass quality is simply its ocean-deep bass extension. The sub-bass presence is the closest thing to being felt, not heard, I've experienced with headphones. I have not had the pleasure of hearing the Abyss, but there is no other headphones that I have tried that replicates a subwoofer type experience with its bass presence. The bass is extremely tight with absolutely no extra bloat. The HE-1000 has an amazingly accurate sturdy sense of control throughout its bass response. It maintains a visceral and seismic punch that is greatly enjoyable. The bass is not over-bearing, but it does appear louder than the mid-range upon first impression (very much like how adding a subwoofer to a speaker system will give the initial impression of a bass emphasis). I would say that the HE-1000 is tonal warmer than the HE-560, but it does not appear to be a warmly-colored pair of headphones to my ears (the LCD-X and PM-3 sound relatively warmer to my ears than the HE-1000, and I consider both of those headphones to still be quite close to my personal ideal of neutral). The HE-1000’s bass response is more realistic and life-like than anything else I’ve heard previously.
During a lower frequency response sweep, I felt that there was a subtle emphasis to the 20-50 Hz and 150-200 Hz region to my ears. Ran 10 trials. Frequency response sweeps were only done after musical impressions and prior to measurements. No rattling during bass rattle test even up to 75% volume level on the Lyr 2 at low gain.
Midrange: The HE-1000 has an incredibly smooth and liquid coherency to mid-range while maintaining very clean articulation and good textural resolution. The micro-details and textural shifts are still definitely present and clearly audible, but there is a very strong focus towards the tonal balance and tonal shifts of the notes in midrange. Very realistic rendition of trumpets, violins, and pianos (those are the instruments I have personal extensive experience playing). Especially excels with female vocals. The pitch, tone, and timbre of instrumentals and female acoustic are extremely accurate with very subtle variation and textural change revealed effortlessly. Extremely realistic sounding and very enjoyable. The huskier female vocals are presented beautifully without any hint of raspiness and edginess. Slight hint of breathiness, but not overly emphasized. Breath sounds are smoothly incorporated into the rest of the composition without being prominently pushed forward, which gives a very natural air to the vocals and woodwind. I did note a bit of a sensation of midrange recession of certain male vocals, but it was very source-dependent and more evident in hip hop and some rock songs. Not an issue with alternative or r&b.
There is a richness to the texture of the HE-1000, but I would not categorize the HE-1000 as lush or rich as that makes me think of the coloration of the Sony MDR-1R and Oppo PM-1. Whenever I hear lush or rich, I do immediately think colored and intimate. The HE-1000 does display a very ‘rich’ sense of warmth and fullness to notes, but definitely does not have an intimate presentation and it also does not display that sensation of a warm fuzzy blanket thrown over the midrange that other headphones commonly categorized as rich/lush. There is also a sense of brilliance to the notes in the upper midrange, so I do not think that the traditional definition of rich is appropriate here, but the HE-1000 does very smooth sense of underlying warmth and fullness to its midrange tonality. The midrange never sounds tinny or honky. Articulate clean clear details are presented with a very coherent fluid sense of movement to the textural and tonal shifts rather than abrupt sharp transitions.
The HE-1000’s midrange is definitely not forward or emphasized. It does not appear to really be laid-back to my ears either. The headphone presentation that spring to my mind with the word laid-back is the HD600 or HD650, and the HE-1000’s sonic character could not be more different. There is a great sense of energy to the HE-1000 and an amazing quickness that keeps the music extremely engaging rather than relaxing. I do get a sense that the bass and treble call more attention to themselves which can give the impression of a subtly u-shaped sound signature. The midrange does not seem significantly recessed though. Rather it is more of a subtle effect from the strength of the bass and brilliance of the treble regions. During a sine sweep, I did hear a very subtle drop off right after approximately 200 Hz and another small dip in the upper midrange.
Treble: The HE-1000's treble is extremely detailed and really stands out, specifically in terms of quality rather than actual quantity emphasis. The HE-1000 showcases the extremely subtle treble details and variations extremely well, so it can give a sense of prominence to the treble. However, I do not believe the treble is elevated in quantity compared to the rest of the frequency spectrum to my ears. Treble is very clean and airy without being sharp. It has an incredibly high level of detail and clarity. The HE-1000 nevers gets too aggressive, or piercing, or strident, or sibilant throughout all my 'treble trouble' test tracks. Only had slight issues when I went into some of my 192kbps mp3 files, where certain female vocals did not sound as realistic with a bit of a metallic edge. However, relistening to those same tracks at 320kbps or lossless, I did not hear those issues. No brittleness or harshness when using high quality sources.
Not exactly sweetened or smoothed off either to my ears. Treble is quite linear and flows well without any edginess. Can consider to be a delicate presentation, but carries a great sense of treble energy. Can hear a hint of sparkle, but no extra sizzle. Cymbals are not overly crisp or edgy, and plays with a slight rippling effect with its reverberation. Almost crisp, but that doesn't seem to be the right word for it as the treble does seem to have bit of liquid smoothness to its notes rather than overly sharp edges.
Treble does sound quite well-balanced overall and non-offensive with amazing treble extension. There is an extra sheen or brilliance to the treble that really calls attention to itself. The word that comes to my mind is a “shiny” treble. However, it is definitely not overly bright, peaky, or sharp treble. The treble is definitely quite engaging and gently tugs for my focus. Very energetic treble. It has an extremely airy and open feel. The “shiny” treble really stands out with an extra liveliness and vividness. It has a brilliant shine to the treble notes without being sharp or tonally bright.
There is a great sense of definition and clarity without any sibilance that I could detect even on my poor source files, so the 4-8 kHz region is quite well tuned. No exaggerated presence range from 4 kHz to 6 kHz, which fits my personal preferences. I do feel like this region is quite linear without any extreme emphasis or recession. The extremely wide sound stage can give the illusion of a slightly recessed presence range, but I did not detect a recession in that region during frequency response sweeps.
During a higher frequency response sweep, I felt that there was a prominent emphasis at 9 kHz, a slight dip at 11-13kHz, and subtle emphasis from 14 khZ-16kHz that was most noticeable at 15kHz to my ears. Still felt that the treble is quite linear despite the slight variation in this region. Please note my hearing only extends up to 18 kHz for treble. Ran 10 trials. Frequency response sweeps were only done after musical impressions and prior to measurements
Detail Resolution and Clarity: The subtle layering of tonal and textural shifts throughout the frequency response is astonishing. The level of low level micro detail is also quite stunning. Very resolving and revealing headphones without being overly bright or sharp. Does not sound like a traditional clinical/analytical pair of headphones in my opinion. Much more realistic weight and textural richness added. Does not sound like a traditional organic pair of headphones either in my opinion. Has the smooth coherent textural and tonal shifts without blurring the micro-details or adding a 'blending' or 'bloating' effect to notes. The HE-1000 is quite revealing of poor source materials, but it never seems to sound 'bad.' I could much easier tell when there are flaws due to compression, noise, or distortion in the source materials, but the rest of the music is still rendered quite realistically and tonally accurate. In a sense, it is weirdly revealing but very forgiving at the same time as my brain can immediately place the flaws that stand out as source errors due to the highly resolving nature of the HE-100 while the strengths of the HE-1000 draws my attention away towards the musical aspects. I've had a similar feeling to a lesser extent on my LCD-X (and even HE-560 on occasion), but on my K7xx, Q701, and HE-400 source distortions are immediately the focus of my attention and there is nothing else that can take my mind off it. I think it is the glaring, grainy, and harsh nature that source distortions played back as embedded and meshed within a track with those headphones, while the HE-1000 allows you to immediately recognize those flaws as distinctive errors separate from non-affected areas of music. The HE-1000 is extremely transparent and highly resolving.
Imaging and Soundstage: Simply amazing. Not only did the HE-1000’s imaging provide a laser-like precision to the exact dot in spatial localization of each and every particular sound, but I also even got the sensation that I could localize the precise reflections of the sounds as well! I felt like I could localize even the reverberation and reflections of notes and exactly where the sound is absorbed or echoed off on the surfaces. I even got the sense that I could hear the differences in studio size or concert hall that the songs were recorded! The HE-1000 really adds another dimension to what I've traditionally thought about sound staging and imaging. I could sense the differences in positioning of the point of impact and angle of attack between the strike patterns of drum rolls! I even felt like I could tell the direction that the trumpet was pointing throughout the performance. I could hear when a violin player plays a note with the bow slightly crooked compared to a straight bow due to the slight differences in tone production and the subtle localization differences from the sounding point of the bow. The HE-1000 has great focusing ability and very wide imaging projection, and truly provides a very detailed impression of the ambience of the studio/concert hall where the music was recorded. Sense of spaciousness is quite sublime. Do note that due to the strength of the HE-1000’s sub-bass presence causing a subtly warm underlying tonality, it may appear to be difficult to image certain notes as accurately as a brighter pair of headphones that lack the HE-1000's sub-bass resolution. The imaging and soundstage is still definitely one of the HE-1000's greatest strengths here. The test tracks I most extensively used for soundstage and imaging testing include “The Dreamer” by Jose James, “Sarasate: Zigeunerweisen, Op. 20” by Anne-Sophie Mutter, and “Time (Live in London 1974)” by Pink Floyd. (Additional test tracks below in spoiler tag)
Speed and Transient Response: It is fast. Like ninja fast. So fast that the attack of the following note can appear to be on top the decay of the previous note. Lightening fast transient responses with razor-clean attack and decay. I have never heard a faster pair of headphones (though do note I have never tried an electrostatic pair of headphones). This is another particularly stellar strength of the HE-1000.
I found that I could actually hear the difference between sampled bass notes in EDM songs vs the bass notes in live recordings based on the HE-1000’s accurate rendition of decay times present in the source music. The transient response decay time of the HE-1000 is fast enough that it will not give you a false sense of reverberation when there is none in the music. This is the first time I've so easily noticed the artificial nature of some of the drum samples used in my electronic music. The HE-1000 presents that extra snap of live performances extremely accurately.
Extremely precise sense of tempo and timing. Furious fast percussive sounds are vividly realistic with each individual hit rendered flawless regardless how tightly spaced together the notes are. (An amazing test track for percussion speed and bass quality is “Caravan” by John Wasson from the Whiplash OST and “Stab Me In The Back” by X-Japan).
These headphones are neither inherently wet or dry as the HE-1000 easily captures reverberation inherent in the track without adding any additional reverberation. The HE-1000 can fluently switch between a wetter or dryer presentation depending on the source recording. Absolutely no additional bloat and bleed to individual notes. Very wide sense of spacing between notes.
Dynamic Range: Dynamic range is wide. Actually crazy wide. Maybe even too wide. Songs not known for volume differences suddenly have subtle variations in loudness that really surprise me. Whispers are quite soft and inaudible. Loudness almost edges into earsplitting thunder. Almost makes me want to constantly readjust the volume during certain songs. The HE-1000 deftly flows through variations in volume levels with great macro and micro dynamic control throughout the entire dynamic range. Great agility with sudden abrupt volume contrasts. Low level micro-detail and subtle noise bubble extremely quietly beneath the surface amidst the rest of the higher volume notes.
During the dynamic range test at slightly higher than my normal listening volume, I could clearly hear the voice down to 36 dB below full scale. Then I could hear the barely audible voice for the next two levels (42db, 48dB) but could not discern any words. At the loudest volume I was comfortable with, I could detect the voice clearly down to 60 dB below full scale during the dynamic range test. I could barely hear the voice at 66 dB below full scale. I could not hear anything lower than that.
Sonic Criticisms:
I am afraid that I may be seeming to be stepping off into the crazy hype zone now, so let me offer some critical points to balance things out. I always thought that if a reviewer cannot find a flaw with a pair of headphones, they are just not listening hard enough. It was extremely difficult for me to find flaws with this headphone's sound quality and sound signature, so I guess have to slightly retract my comments against other reviewers =S
1) First critical point: My main sonic critique on the HE-1000 relates to its low level micro detail volume. I have seen references to 'plankton' by senior head-fi members, but honestly, I am not sure if I am referring to the same thing. I am talking about the extremely subtle low-level micro detail and subtle shifts that are generally inaudible or difficult to detect (especially if there is excessive coloration in the chain). It contributes to the subtle textural shifts and tonal variations as well as specific small detail sounds like the almost imperceptible breath sounds, squeaks, creaks, chair movements, or other random noises that are difficult to notice on less resolving gear. The low-level micro-detail is definitely presented at a realistically low volume. However, it is a very very low volume level. For audiophiles who really enjoy hearing those subtle details, the volume required for everything to truly shine at its best (in my opinion) is too loud for normal listening levels. I think this really contributes to how people were blasting the music on the HE-1000 during meet conditions, so that others clearly heard the music being played out the earcups. I actually found myself blasting the music at louder than my normal listening levels so that the leakage was loud enough I could really just have used the headphones as speakers.
2) Second critical point: This issue leads in from the first critical point and relates to volume issues I've been finding with the HE-1000. I didn't even notice I was pushing out too much decibels until I woke one day with painful ringing in my left ear after an extremely long session of critical listening. It became quite apparent how loudly the music was when I started testing different volume levels when my headphones off my head and observing the amount of sonic leakage. I was hitting over past 10 o'clock on my Lyr 2 on high gain with the HE-1000 (basically you can at that point take off your headphones and listen to them as speakers). I have recently adjusted to 7 o'clock on high gain which has much more minimal sound leakage, or even 10 o'clock on low gain (which has similar minimal sound leakage). I do still find myself wanting to push the volume up to beyond 12 o'clock on low gain for 'ideal sonic performance' which reaches the speaker-level levels of sound leakage from the HE-1000 earcups. This seems a bit ridiculous revealment for me considering that the HE-560 is considerably harder to drive spec-wise and I hardly ever even use high gain with the HE-560s. I never go above 11 o'clock on low gain for the HE-560, and I generally listen to music at very low volume levels in order to protect my hearing. I am a bit afraid that the HE-1000 sounds the best when played loudly.
I was also a bit afraid that I may not be providing enough power to the headphones and some of my issues may be due to clipping. However, my Lyr 2 does output 6.0 W RMS per channel at 32 ohms at high gain. That does seem like extreme overkill in terms of power for the HE-1000's specs. This result may be a function of the HE-1000's amazingly wide and capable dynamic range. The difference between a whisper and a shout is quite evident, but it is difficult juggling a volume level that is comfortable for certain songs that really swing between ranges. If this is a direct side-effect of the HE-1000's incredibly wide dynamic range, which I initially thought as an incredible pro, I am feel that it may be getting to be a bit too much for me personally. Also, not sure if my issues may relate to my choice of amplification pairing either. I am curious if others noticed this issue with higher powered or lower powered gear, and I do wonder about the true amplification requirements for these headphones despite very lenient specifications.
3) Third critical point: possible to initially mistake the sound signature as u-shaped due to the brilliance of the treble detail and the extraordinary bass presence. Mids can sound subtly recessed depending on your source tracks. I noticed this most apparently during hip hop and rap tracks as the rapper's voice is almost never more prominent than the bass or treble elements (though that may be due to the source track's mastering). Also, sometimes apparent in certain rock songs. This may actually actually have to do with the tuning of the fundamental frequency of the voiced speech of the male voice which is typically somewhere between 85-180 Hz. From my frequency test tone sweep, I did detect a slight recession in that area. That would explain why I did not encounter an issue with male acapella, male r&b, or male alternative where the vocalists are singing rather than speaking. I do personally think the sound signature is extremely well-balanced and more realistic than my previously considered 'neutral' ideal of the HE-560 with the extra presence of the sub-bass region responsible for the sense of power and weight behind notes. I am still not sure if I would like a subtle mid-range elevation to the HE-1000's sound signature, but I do think the midrange does not shine as brilliantly executed as the rest of the frequency response. I do also think that the midrange is responsible for my continual desire to overpower the volume knob as I do believe that I personally normally tune music listening levels based on the midrange. I am starting to strongly think this might be the reason for my continued desire for even more excessive volumes. While the treble is never sounds too sharp or too bright, the fact that I am boosting the volume of the treble so high since the mid-range may seem a bit subdued may be the reason for my discomfort.
4) Fourth critical point: the midrange tuning. I do strongly believe that these headphones are tuned very close towards neutral and my initial perception of a recessed midrange is simply due to the fact I am not used to that presence of sub-bass in a pair of headphones. However, I do think that the midrange is the area that would be capable for most improvement for me personally. Basically, I flip flop on this aspect a lot, so I am not really sure. It really depends on the genre of music that I am listening to to determine whether I feel like the midrange is prominent enough. For female vocal tracks, everything sounds perfect and the tonal balance is quite nice. EDM and electronic music always sounds great. For male R&B artists, things seem pretty well-balanced to me. Trumpets and brass instruments sound great to my ears with jazz very well-done. Violins and string instruments also seem true-to-life. Classical music I normally push up the volume regardless as the source material is usually much lower in volume. With certain male rappers and male guitarists in rock songs, the male voice seems a bit recessed to me (though extremely song and artist dependent). Guitars still seem pretty prominent when called for, so does not appear to me that the mid-range is actually recessed on a whole. Voices in general do sound exceptionally realistic with a good portrayal of timbre and tone as well. Different vocal sounds do all seem to be well-rendered and life-like. Sometimes certain elements seems a bit recessed to me but difficult to gauge whether it is the source material or the headphones. The dynamic range is not as wide, variable, and revealing on my other headphones, so difficult for me to accurately isolate some of the particulars. So I guess I am not really sure yet, but this would be the area that I would investigate more as I continue to test. {{update 5/28/15: there seems to some questions on what I meant in this section. I have posted a further explanation in this thread here. Will add a spoiler tag section with test track findings on the mid-range specifically soon}}
5) Fifth critical point: this is not really a critical point, but more an observation of different people's listening preferences. Some people do not enjoy having their senses being overwhelmed by subtle cues and micro-details and enjoy a more organic-focused, smooth presentation. At the end of my direct comparisons I touch upon this point again in a spoiler tag with the listening trials I did with my non-audiophile friends. I guess the thing that is nice with the wideness of the dynamic range that you can effectively hide the low level micro-detail if you play at lower volume levels. The HE-1000 does almost assault the senses at times with its insane speed and paralyzing amount of detail.
This list arranged by alphabetically by artist. Tried to find as many variation in genres and songs that are very good for testing HE-1000’s strengths. Obviously, many of these songs are useful for testing multiple sonic strengths. These are songs I am quite familiar with so I can take requests for more detailed song analysis via PM if interested. Treble characteristics: “Set Fire to the Rain” by Adele, "Blow Out Your Candles" by Adrian Hollay (very nice combination of warmth with coolness), “Sarasate: Zigeunerweisen, Op. 20” performed by Anne-Sophie Mutter, “Respect” by Aretha Franklin, “My Heart Will Go On” by Celine Dion, “Trumpet Voluntary in D Major: The Prince of Denmark’s March” performed by Clerkenwell Baroque String Ensemble, “Titanium” by David Guetta, “The Look Of Love” by Diana Krall, “May It Be” by Enya, “Your Song” by Ellie Goulding, “Bring Me To Life” by Evanescence, “Concerning Hobbits” from The Fellowship of the Ring Soundtrack, “When I Grow Up" by Fever Ray (Scandinavian coldness), “The Glass Menagerie” by Henry Mancini (good example of a cold song), “Manners” by Icona Pop, “Blue Train” by John Coltrane (brass and cymbals), “Your Love” by Jim Brickman, “A Time Before” by John Fluker,“How Long” by Kaskade, “My Life Would Suck Without You” by Kelly Clarkson, “Summertime Sadness” by Lana Del Rey, “Bleeding Love” by Leona Lewis, “My December” by Linkin Park, “Euphoria” by Loreen, “Execute Me” by Medina, “Our Love Is Easy” by Melody Gardot, “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)” by Nancy Sinatra, “Come Away With Me” by Norah Jones, “Easy To Love” by Patricia Barber, “I Knew You Were Trouble,” by Taylor Swift, “Elastic Heart” by Sia, “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston Midrange characteristics: “Life Goes On” by 2pac, “All Out of Love” by Air Supply, “Mr. Saxobeat” by Alexandra Stan (brass), “Rehab” by Amy Winehouse, “Wild Wild Horses” by Atmosphere, “You Were My Everything” by Aviation, “Yellow” by Coldplay, “Gangsta’s Paradise” by Coolio, “7 Days” by Craig David, “The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows” by Brand New, “I Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Beegie Adair, “All You Need is Love” by The Beatles, “The Wind Beneath My Wings” by David Hamilton, “Vindicated” by Dashboard Confessional, “I Will Follow You Into The Dark” by Death Cab for Cutie, “Vincent” by Don McLean, “Sunrise” by Doug Hammer, “Hotel California” by the Eagles, “I See Fire” by Ed Sheeran, “Sing for the Moment” by Eminem (hip hop with male vocal recession), “Do You Know? (The Ping Pong Song)” by Enrique Iglesias, “Come Fly With Me” by Frank Sinatra, “Moon River” by Frank Sinatra, “Shot Caller” by French Montana (hip hop with brass), “Europa (Earth’s Cry, Heaven’s Smile)” by Gato Barbieri, “Sweet Child O' Mine” by Guns N’ Roses, “Lips of An Angel” by Hinder, “Better Together” by Jack Johnson, “Dark Blue” by Jack’s Mannequin, “Goodbye My Lover” by James Blunt, “Papa's Got a Brand New Bag” by James Brown, “If” by Jamie Conway, “Evening Whispers” by Janie Becker, “Want To Want Me” by Jason Derulo, “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz, “Lights Off” by Jay Sean, “Show Me What You Got” by Jay-Z, “Naima” by John Coltrane, “Lake Erie Rainfall” by Jim Brickman, “Winter Morning” by Jim Brickman, “What A Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong, “Touch the Sky” by Kanye West, “Songbird” by Kenny G, “Maps” by Maroon 5, “Walk a Thousand Miles” by Matthew Ebel, “Speed Demon” by Michael Jackson (brass instruments), “The North Sea” by Michele McLaughlin, “So Sick” by Ne-Yo, “Suicidal Thoughts” by The Notorious B.I.G., “Ice Box” by Omarion (cold song). “Let Her Go” by Passenger, “Radioactive” by Pentatonix, “Tears of the East” by Philip Wesley, “Canon in D Major” performed by Pimlico Quartet, “Us and Them” by Pink Floyd, “Californication” by Red Hot Chili Peppers, “Savior” by Rise Against, “Brown Sugar” by The Rolling Stones, “Hallelujah” by Rufus Wainwright, “I’m Not The Only One” by Sam Smith, “Round Midnight” by Sonny Rollins, “Your Man” by Smash Mouth, “So Far Away” by Staind, “Sir Duke” by Stevie Wonder, “The Dream of You” by Tim Neumark, “How Do I Say” by Usher, “Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison, “Riptide” by Vance Joy, “Just the Two of Us” by Will Smith, “Kiss the Rain” by Yiruma Bass characteristics: “Rock Steady” by Aretha Franklin, “Burned With Desire” by Armin van Buuren, “The Nights” by Avicii, “Sail” by AWOLNATION, “Brass Monkey” by Beastie Boys, “Come Together” by The Beatles, “Stand by Me” by Ben E King, “Iron Man” by Black Sabbath, “Straight To Hell” by The Clash, “Lullaby” by The Cure, “Rebel Rebel” by David Bowie, “Monster” by DotEXE, “Dubstep Killed Rock n Roll” by Ephixa, “Deviance” by Excision, “Blood Red” by Feed Me, “I Can’t Stop” by Flux Pavilion, “Elements” by Fractal, “Concrete Angel” by Gareth Emery, “Welcome To The Jungle” by Guns N’ Roses, “Aggressive Expansion” by Hans Zimmer, “Rise” by Hans Zimmer, “Time” by Hans Zimmer, “Radioactive” by Imagine Dragons (bass texture), “I Want You Back” by Jackson 5, “Limit to Your Love” by James Blake, “N*ggas in Paris” by Jay-Z, “Fire” by Jimi Hendrix, “Caravan” by John Wasson [Whiplash OST], “Act a Fool” by Ludacris, “Love Lockdown” by Kanye West, “Alive” Krewella, “Dazed and Confused” by Led Zeppelin, “Teardrop” by Massive Attack, “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson, “Smooth Criminal” by Michael Jackson, “Remember the Time” by Michael Jackson, “You Made Me Realise” by My Bloody Valentine, “Everybody Talks,” by Neon Trees, “Lonely Girl” by Oceanlab, “Spottieottiedopaliscious” by OutKast, “The Island” by Pendulum, “Money” by Pink Floyd, “I'm Gonna Be(500 Miles)” by Proclaimers, “Know Your Enemy” by Rage Against the Machine, “Full Force” by Rameses B, “Children - Dream Version” by Robert Miles, “1812 Overture” performed by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, “Love is Darkness” by Sander Van Doorn, “All Star” by Smash Mouth, “I Wish” by Stevie Wonder, “Break Your Heart” by Taio Cruz, “No Mercy” by TI, “Secrets” by Tiesto, “Hipsta” by Timmy Trumpet (viscerality of bass yo!), “Another Bites the Dust” by Queen, “Heartbeat” by Vicetone, “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes, “On My Level” by Wiz Khalifa, “Stab Me In the Back” by X-Japan, “Min Ojesten” by Xander (at 1:33, the textural warmth of the HE-1000 really kicks in to this traditionally colder song), “Nuclear” by Zomboy Imaging/Soundstage: “Back In Black” by AC/DC, “Book of Days” by Enya, “Caribbean Blue” by Enya, “November Rain” by Guns N’ Roses, “Spirited Away - One Summer’s Day” by Joe Hisaishi, “The Dreamer” by Jose James, “Somewhere I Belong - Live in Texas” by Linkin Park, “Now We Are Free” by Hans Zimmer, “The Thin Red Line” by Hans Zimmer, “Time (Live in London 1974)” by Pink Floyd, “Yellow Submarine” by Ringo Starr (Ringo Live At Soundstage), “Whispers In The Dark - Comes Alive Version” by Skillet, “Futile Devices” by Sufjan Stevens, “Words” by Yiruma Speed and control: “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC, “Invincible” by Adelitas Way, “Flower of Life” by Au5, “The Diary of Jane” by Breaking Benjamin, “Can You Keep Up” by Busta Rhymes, “Eurodancer” by DJ Mangoo, “Bitterphobia” by Eminem, “Rap God” by Eminem, “Renegade” by Eminem, “The Might of Rome” by Hans Zimmer, “Point of No Return” by Immortal Technique, “Giant Steps” by John Coltrane, “Faint” by Linkin Park, “Elements” by Lindsey Stirling, “Raver’s Fantasy” by Manian, “Enter Sandman” by Metallica, “The Magic Flute, K. 620: Overture” performed by Metropolitan Philharmonic Orchestra, “William Tell Overture” performed by Metropolitan Philharmonic Orchestra, “The Tsar Of Saltan, Op. 57: Flight of the Bumblebee” performed by Metropolitan Philharmonic Orchestra, “Last Resort” by Papa Roach. “Testify” by Rage Against The Machine, “Snow” by Red Hot Chilli Peppers, “That’s All She Wrote” by T.I., “Let’s Go” by Travis Barker, “Frum Da Tip Of My Tung” by Twista, “Kill Us All” by Twista, “River Flows In You” by Yiruma, “Silent Jealousy” by X Japan Dynamics: “Path” by Apocalyptica, “Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-Sharp Minor I. Moonlight” performed by Bernhard Jarvis, “The People” by Common (very well-balanced male rapper vocals here), “American Pie” by Don McLean, “Everlong” by Foo Fighters, “Estranged” by Guns N’ Roses, “Axel F” by Harold Faltermeyer, “1973” by James Blunt, “Aspenglow” by Jim Wilson, “All Along the Watchtower” by Jimi Hendrix, “Eptesicus” by Hans Zimmer, “Dream Is Collapsing” by Hans Zimmer, “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin, “In the Closet” by Michael Jackson, “Dying” by Hole, “One Mic” by Nas, “Down By The Water” by PJ Harvey, “Suite No. 3 in D Major” performed by the Pimlico Quartet, “Careful With That Axe, Eugene” Pink Floyd, “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen, “Passions” by Rachel Currea, “The Suite Bergamasque: III. Clair de Lune” performed by Robert Einstein, “Angie” by The Rolling Stones, “Je t'aime moi non plus” by Serge Gainsbourg (romantic whispering), “The Sound of Silence” by Simon & Garfunkel, “The Girl From Ipanema” by Stan Getz, “Bring Em Out” by TI, “Hooker With A Penis” by Tool, "Art of Life" by X Japan, “Wait (The Whisper Song)” by Ying Yang Twins (low level male vocals) Low-level detail: every song I listened to I could catch new details I haven’t heard before! Even when I was using “The Nights” by Avicii simply for a bass quality test, I randomly witnessed the power of the HE-1000's micro-detail rendering abilities. Did you know that there was an electronic distortion mimicking a human scream screaming out twice (once louder and once softer) hidden within the bass notes and repeating chorus of the word 'die' from 1:05 to 1:15? Neither did I until after I heard it so clearly on the HE-1000 that I had to go back and check on the HE-560. It turns out to be present and detectable on both headphones, but it was just something I never even noticed despite hearing that particular song hundreds of times. It is also present in the second repetition of that chorus, but at much lower levels. Not even detectable on the HE-560. At 0:46, after Avicii sings 'afraid,' there is an distorted electronic-sounding hidden chorus that echoes the majority of Avicii's remaining words, becoming more prominent after “just a child” and “nights that die” with an extra raspy echo distortion added prior to morph into the buzzing distortion. Their vocal emphasis also subtly shift between left and right channels. The textural detail was rendered exceptionally clearly.
While there have been comments on a 'warmth' to the HE-1k, I strongly believe the subtle addition of tonal warmth is more so due to the improved presence of subbass from the HE1k's amazing lower frequency response extension, rather than any specific quantitative boost in the lower frequency regions. A "sub-woofer' effect so to speak. Hence, cold and bright songs still sound cold and bright without extra added warmth.
[size=1em]This prevents classical music from sounding 'too fuzzy or too warm' as there will not be additional sub-bass presence recorded in the track while the HE-1000 still [/size][size=1em]extremely accurately [/size][size=1em]picks up that sense of body provided by the 220-240 Hz region to string instruments, which gives classical music a very realistic timbre and weight without actually sounding tonal warm. The tight transient speed of the HE-1k allows no extra warmth/bleed/reverb to appear in source tracks where there isn't any. This effect is especially apparent on 'colder sounding tracks' such as Scandinavian rock as well if you are familiar with the tonal presentation that genre.[/size]
[size=1em]If you are familiar with the song [/size]“[size=1em]The Glass Menagerie[/size]”[size=1em] by Henry Mancini, it is the perfect test track to illustrate this phenomenon. There is an [/size][size=1em]unmistakable 'frost' pervading the undertones. [/size][size=1em]Headphones such as the LCD-X or the PM-1 will give the entire song a warmer/richer presentation while the song is normally supposed to have a [/size][size=1em]cooler[/size][size=1em] [/size][size=1em]'chilly' presentation. On the LCD-X and PM-1, there is a feeling that a warm fuzzy blanket drapes over the music. The HE-1000 attacks music with a cold presentation in a completely different manner. The HE-1000 conveys that 'chilled' sense astonishingly accurately, so the cold presentation remains cold, but there is still a realistic fullness and body to underlying notes to prevent the music from sounding sterile or lifeless. [/size][size=1em]Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker, Op. 71: Act II Tableau 3: Pas de Deux is a great example of a cool yet slightly dark track that the HE-1000 renders quite refreshingly evenhandedly.[/size]
Some other notable test tracks include:
Chopin's Étude, Op. 25: No. 11 in A minor "Winter Wind"
Debussy's Children's Corner, L. 113: IV. "The Snow Is Dancing"
Liszt's Transcendental Étude No. 12 in B flat minor "Chasse-neige"
Sibelius' Lemminkäinen Suite, Op. 22: II. "The Swan of Tuonela"
Strauss' Eine Alpensinfonie (Alpine Symphony), Op. 64: (in particular Apparition, On the Glacier, On the Summit, Vision, Elegie portions imo)
Vivaldi's The Four Seasons Concerto No. 4 in F minor, Op. 8, "L'inverno"
[size=1em]This tonal accuracy and precise speed is how I believe this is how the HE-1k excels at both classical and pop music without sacrificing anything at the the expensive of either genre. [/size][size=1em]I want to reiterate that these headphones excels at reproducing 'colder' presentations of music as well and the HE-1k definitely does not sound like a 'traditionally-warm' pair of headphones to my ears. I have personally found the HE-1000 to be particularly very well-suited for classical music especially considering its spacious soundstage and precise imaging.[/size]
HE-1000 folded flat with earcup face down
Measurements:
***{{Update 5/28/15: I have been able to do quite a few measurement trials on HE-1000. I will be posting my personal measurement results at the conclusion of the beta period if Hifiman does not further tune the sound. Otherwise, I may refrain from posting beta measurements as it may not be representative of the final product. Special thanks to everyone who helped me out here!! Will credit you guys once I update this section.}} ***
***{{Update 6/11/15: Since there has been chatter on the threads about pre-production measurements, I went ahead and posted my own measurement findings to this thread. Link HERE. Note: possible sonic changes between the beta unit and the production models}}***
***{{Update 6/13/15: Posted some measurements into this review, included FR curves & CSD plots for the HE-1000 and HE-560 measured on 5/24/15. Additional measurements found in the link in the update above}}
I wrote my sonic impressions prior to doing personal measurements.
Please note I am a relative amateur at measuring headphones. My personal measurements may not be as accurate as other sources. May update measurements as I run more trials. Any feedback or suggestions for improvement appreciated. Let me know if you spot any errors.
FR curves: The dip in the 6-8 kHz region is an artifact from the interaction from the mic placement with the shape of the ear folds. This artifact appears in all my measured frequency response curves via my current personal measurement set-up.
CSD Plots: The wall at 5 kHz is a phenomenon known as the "ortho wall" artifact. (there is great information on the topic from the "Loudspeaker and Headphone Handbook." Google the two quoted terms for additional more information)
You can NOT directly compare my personal measurements to other frequency response curves made by other people!!! There will be inherent discrepancies due to differences in measurement set-up, so comparing measurements from different sources is not reliable!! You can compare my measurements of the HE-1000 against measurements I made of other headphones.
Measurement Chain f[size=1em]or the [/size][size=1em]Trials Done on 5/24/15[/size]
[size=1em]Dell XPS m1530 with Windows 7 > ARTA Generates Sine Sweeps > Steinberg UR-22 USB Interface with Yamaha ASIO > Line Out > Oppo HA-2 Amplifier > HE-1k headphones placed upon my own head (left ear being measured) > Pannasonic WM61-A Microphone > Steinberg UR-22 > Laptop > ARTA analysis [/size][size=1em](demo version)[/size]
[size=1em]Note: I used a Panasonic WM61-A microphone in my measurement set-up. The WM61-A does actually measure very flat until the upper treble range when calibrated. Its unequalized response should be flat within +/- 1.5 dB to 20 kHz. Frequency response curves are smoothed to 1/24 octave.[/size]
Two different trials were included to show the variability that can occur during measurements FR Curve Note: Peak at 7kHz is an artifact from my personal set-up present in all measured tests (not audible)
I am unsure what causes the jagged sawtooth pattern throughout the midrange, but NOT audible during sweeps CSD Plot Note: The wall at 5kHz is an artifact referred to as the "ortho wall" (not audible)
***Refer to measurement disclaimer above for more important notes and additional information***
***Note: Measurements for the HE-1000 BETA unit; may subject to change on final production model***
Multiple screen captures included to show the variability that can occur during the sweep
Peak at 7kHz is an artifact from my personal set-up present in all measured tests (not audible)
I am unsure what causes the jagged sawtooth pattern throughout the midrange (NOT audible)
***HE-1000 BETA Measurements***
Multiple screen captures included to show the variability that during the sweep
Peak at 7kHz is an artifact from my personal set-up present in all measured tests (not audible)
I am unsure what causes the jagged sawtooth pattern throughout the midrange (NOT audible)
***HE-1000 BETA Measurements***
Multiple screen captures included to show the variability that during the sweep
Peak at 7kHz is an artifact from my personal set-up present in all measured tests (not audible)
I am unsure what causes the jagged sawtooth pattern throughout the midrange (NOT audible)
***HE-1000 BETA Measurements***
Direct Comparisons:
Please remember these are my own personal subjective impressions. YMMV!!!
Click here for my HE-560 vs LCD-X comparison. Click here for my HE-560 vs LCD-X vs LCD-3 vs HD800 impressions.
Against the Hifiman HE-560:Good reference point for flagship w/ a neutral clinical presentation.
Prior to the HE-1000, I did consider to HE-560 to be closest reflection of my ideal rendition of 'neutral.' I did also wish for a bit extra bass impact and presence to the HE-560, which lead me to acquire the LCD-X as a complementary pair of headphones.
HE-1000 vs HE-560 (above image)
There are quite a few a very distinctive changes between in sound signatures of the HE-1000 and the HE-560.
Bass: The most noticeable FR difference between the HE-1000 and the HE-560 is the bass. The lower frequency response on a whole appears more prominent in quantity on the HE-1000 in a direct comparison against the HE-560. However, it does not seem to be an actual coloration or true quantitative frequency response emphasis, but rather just sounds like the addition of a subwoofer to a set of stereo speakers while still maintaining a well-balanced frequency response curve.
When the HE-560 presents a punchy tight bass note, the HE-1000 also reproduces that that same punchy tight note at a similar volume level. The difference is that the HE-1000 also reveals additional sub-frequency notes and textural shifts that were previously inaudible on HE-560 with its superior bass extension, detail retrieval, and transient response. This really contributes a much more visceral and textured bass presence. The HE-560 actually sounds a bit anemic in the bass department after a direct comparison. On the HE-560, you hear that mid-bass punch of a note as an tight single note, but the texture surrounding it and subtle elements in the rest of the lower frequency response that accompanies a realistic bass note has disappeared. With the HE-1000 there is a sense of fullness and richness to the bass while maintaining an extremely tight and fast speed to each note as well as improved sub-bass extension and presence. Even the subtle textural changes of source-recorded 'bloom or bloat' to certain bass notes is rendered exceptionally tightly and cleanly without any additional blurring effect.
The difference in bass presentation between the HE-560 and the HE-1000 is a very different experience compared to the way I feel about the LCD-X where there is an actual dark tilt to the sound signature or the PM-1 that has a warmer coloration. The HE-1000 presents an addition of fullness and weight contributed primarily by its superior technical ability to reach deeper low bass extension and its superb translation of the subtle textural and tonal elements present in each bass note. Rather than how other warmer orthodynamics contribute that weighty sensation through slightly slower transient response times that lead to additional reverberation and a small sense of bloat which gives that extra fullness to the sound, the HE-1000 actually renders the bass notes and textural changes extremely tightly and the source dictates the amount of reverberation is heard. The edges to the textural changes between bass notes is extremely clean and clear, but smoothly rendered so that you can notice every subtle shift in tonality.
The stunning thing is that the HE-1000 renders warmth and richness without appearing to be an overly warm-tilting pair of headphones! The sound balance still appears quite neutral, but now there is just a subwoofer added to your headphones. From subbass extension to the sensation of the presence of subsonic 'felt' bass to the transient response of individual notes to the rendition of bass texture and tone to viscerality of the impact, every feature of bass sonic quality shows a tremendous amount of improvement. This is definitely one of the more prominent improvements that you immediately notice in a direct comparison of the HE-560 against the HE-1000.
Midrange: Upon initial listening impressions, I did get the sense that the HE-1000’s mid-range seemed slightly recessed to the rest of the sound spectrum during direct comparisons against the HE-560. I am still unsure whether this effect is simply due to me needing 'brain-burn-in' time adjustment from the HE-560's sound signature (which does not have the same level of quality of bass impact or presence as the HE-1000 or the same level of quality in its treble detail, which may contribute to that sort of u-shaped feeling). My initial immediate focus on the sonic improvements in the bass and treble region may also made me neglect the midrange during my first few initial listening sessions.
The HE-560’s midrange does seem a bit thin in direct comparison to the HE-1000. The HE-560 does not have that liquid textural flow and smoothness to its mid-range like the HE-1000. The HE-560 has a bit more abruptness to its notes in the mid-range. I think the midrange is one of the HE-560’s greatest strengths so it does actually perform quite well here even in direct comparison. The HE-1000’s mid-range does appear to be a significant overall improvement with a coherent sense of richness to its articulate clean presentation.
Treble: The HE-1000's treble is extremely detailed and really stands out (in terms of quality more so than quantitative emphasis). I would say that the HE-560 has a bit peakier treble, which makes it seem brighter and sharper in comparison. The treble on the HE-1000 does appear much smoother and linear than the HE-560. On the HE-1000, the extremely subtle treble variations/features/details can be heard very well, so it can give a sense of prominence to the treble, but I do not believe the treble is actually elevated in quantity compared to the rest of the frequency spectrum to my ears. The treble quality is much superior on the HE-1000 with much better clarity and definition. After a direct comparison, I can hear a bit of artificialness to the HE-560’s treble. Female vocals on the HE-560 seem to have a strange edge in comparison to the naturalness of the HE-1000’s treble presentation. This is a pretty subtle difference, but I never noticed that the HE-560 had such a prominent 4 kHz treble spike giving a slight edginess to vocals until I heard the HE-1000. Cymbals do seem a bit crispier/edgier on the HE-560, which I believe is due to the HE-560’s 4 kHz emphasis. There is a sense of organic tonality mixed with a brilliant sheen on the HE-1000’s treble which really provides a realistic timbre and life-like flowing musical quality. I haven’t encountered sibilance on either the HE-560 or HE-1000 unless the source material is extremely poor. The treble on the HE-1000 feels extremely airy and open, even more so than the HE-560.
The soundstage and imaging is a significant improvement to the HE-560. I wish I did have a HD800 with me currently for a direct comparison, but I do recall that I thought that the HD800's sound stage (while extremely impressive) only relatively edged out the HE-560 while the HE-560 remained quite competitive. I do strongly feel like the height, width, and depth of the HE-1000’s soundstage extends out farther than any other headphones I’ve tried, but it is hard to be sure without direct comparisons. Definitely much improved over the HE-560 from direct comparisons.
I do personally believe that the HE-1000 offers an direct and significantly noticeable upgrade to the HE-560 is every sonic aspect. This is quite an impressive accomplishment to my ears as I already felt that the HE-560 was one of the most technically capable headphones currently on the market.
Two different trials were included to show the variability that can occur during measurements FR Curve Note: Peak at 7kHz is an artifact from my personal set-up present in all measured tests (not audible) CSD Plot Note: The wall at 5kHz is an artifact referred to as the "ortho wall" (not audible) edit: I feel the CSD measurements here are not as well done as I would like, I will try to do a new trial & update this posting this week.
***Refer to measurement disclaimer above for more important notes and additional information***
***Hifiman HE-560 Measurements on 5/24/15***
Against the Audeze LCD-X: Another good flagship reference point (darker-presentation)
The HE-1000 does not have unique coloration and darkness associated with Audeze house sound. Prior to a direct comparison between the HE-1000, I had personally ranked the LCD-X's bass performance as the best bass quality currently available on a flagship model (do note I have not tried the Abyss). I was specifically impressed with the LCD-X's bass texture, definition, weight, and visceral impact.
HE-1000 vs LCD-X w/ modded leather suspension strap (above image)
Bass: Upon review of the LCD-X after listening to the HE-1000 extensively, I do personally judge the bass performance of the HE-1000 to be much more competitive. As stated earlier in the HE-560 comparison, the LCD-X achieves its weighty visceral bass nature through subtle prolongation of the decay times along with a dark coloration throughout the frequency response. The HE-1000 gets that amazing visceral bass impact in a different manner. Hence, the HE-1000's bass performance truly shines if the recording has a shining bass rendition, but it will not add extra richness to lower frequencies when there is none (most apparent on tracks displaying a cooler bass presentation).
Instead of achieving a sense of richness and fullness through a warm/dark coloration throughout the frequency response or additional reverberation provided by longer bleed times behind a bass note, the HE-1000 focuses its efforts on its portrayal of the extremely low almost subsonic frequency response to provide an actual felt presence of bass similar to the sensation provided by a subwoofer. These vibrations surround certain bass notes depending on the source and give each bass note their own sense of natural weight. Note this can be missing in certain sampling of bass notes electronic music which makes for quite an interesting catch to see that the bass note seems to be digitalized. The HE-1000's actual bass notes is actually clean (even tighter than the HE-560 & LCD-X) so the natural sense of reverberation is rendered by its transient response speed's ability to replicate the source-encoded decay times comprising of subtle textural and tonal bass cues response for the effect of a fading bass note. Extremely subtle shifts in texture easily identifiable in the HE-1000's bass allows for a very rich organic presentation if found in the source material. It is surprising how many seemingly unexpected source files will actually appear which rich once the headphones are rendering the extremely low sub-bass notes to fill out the punchiness of the midbass. Most noticeable difference in bass presentation is the extra bass frequency boost on the LCD-X and the subtle blurring effect of edges of the bass notes. More bass bloom on the LCD-X. The LCD-X gives off a feeling of a more aggressive and extremely fast bass line, most notably due to the distinctive mid-bass emphasis with a very punchy tight bass notes, but definitely a cleaner and tighter presentation after a direct comparison in the favor of the HE-1000. The HE-1000's bass can appear to be slower at times depending upon the amount of sub-bass frequencies present around the mid-bass notes. The LCD-X's midbass rises really prominent above those lower frequency details in comparison to the HE-1000, so you always get that tight punchy presentation of the bass notes with the same reverb time due to the specific decay time of the transient response of the LCD-X. The HE-1000's bass changes speed better as its transient response follows the pre-recorded cues more tightly. Its fast transient response actually disappears if there is enough decay recorded in the source, so that the bass note gives a very realistic time-variable-dependent-on-the-source reverb sensation.
Mid-Range: The midrange of the LCD-X is not as clear, clean, and articulate to the HE-1000 in a direct comparison. Unlikely to notice the difference in clarity without a direct comparison. LCD-X still has a extremely high quality liquid-like midrange. The HE-1000 has a similar liquid feeling, but the textural changes can be more abrupt depending on the source, while the LCD-X always slightly blends together textural changes and shifts. The midrange does seem similarly slightly recessed on the LCD-X (imo) due to its prominent bassline. The dynamic range of the LCD-X is not as wide as the HE-1000. Midrange does sound louder than the LCD-X but it was difficult for me to volume-match this comparison due to the extremely easy driveability of the LCD-X. The tonality of instruments (brass, string, and wind) seem more realistic on the HE-1000 to my ears. Same with vocals. The HE-1000 generally has more accurate timbre and tonality of human voices with the exception for certain sources with male vocals seeming a bit overtly recessed on the HE-1000.
Treble: The treble of the LCD-X seems to have a darker/warmer tint while keeping an interesting sparkling element to the top registers. Treble does seem more laid back to me and relaxed in comparison to the HE-1000's treble presentation. Treble detail superior on the HE-1000. The treble is sharper and slightly brighter overall on the HE-1000. The treble is more prominent on the HE-1000 and easier to clearly hear. The HE-1000 does seem to have a similar sparkling effect to the sheen of the treble notes. Both are very enjoyable treble presentations that never get too aggressive or fatiguing at normal listening volumes. There is a subtle treble edge that is more prominent on the LCD-X (more noticeable with cymbal crashes and certain wind chime notes, I would estimate somewhere in the 6 kHz to 10kHz region). Slight emphasis of the drawing out of the some “S” sound during certain female vocals on the LCD-X depending on source material (issue is due to source recording not the LCD-X, just more noticeable on the LCD-X).
The LCD-X does sound richer and warmer with less sharp details revealed and a more blended together feeling at the edges of notes. There is less focus on individual notes and micro-details on the LCD-X with the focus on the organic textural shifts instead. Soundstage and imaging on the HE-1000 is clearly superior than the LCD-X (though the LCD-X does stay quite competitive in this aspect despite its coloration). Speed of the HE-1000 is also noticeable quicker with better transient response.
However, do note I personally think that there is still a niche for the LCD-X. A few of my non-audiophile friends stated they preferred the 'smoother' (aka less prominence to treble detail), less 'sharp' (they are not used to the amount of treble detail on the HE-1000 with a more beats/bose type background), 'richer/cozier' (they actually misused the word rich, they were referring to the smaller sound stage & more intimate presentation) and more 'blendy/blurred' presentation (referring to the organic textural focus over micro-details and slower transient response). They also made a funny comment that the LCD-X sounded 'slow and relaxed' in comparison. (lol right? the LCD-X being called relaxed by non-audiophiles when the LCD-X is already one of the fastest headphones out there). Note the word choices in quotes were word choices of non-audiophiles, so not used in the traditional audiophile definitions. Used parenthesis to explain what they actually meant. Everyone was able to easily appreciate that the HE-1000 as the more technically capable pair of headphones that produced better sound quality. Some of them just preferred a dark presentation to their music (considering their consumer headphone background with a heavy bass emphasis). Other people were blown away by the HE-1000 and picked that as their favorite. No one preferred the HE-560's neutral presentation, though one person was impressed by its technical prowess. None of my other headphones were considered competitive (though one person picked the AKG K7xx due to its looks, comfort, and brand name - only brand name recognized).
The difference between my tube amplifiers becomes immediately apparent to the point that it is even easy for non-audiophiles to discern the differences in presentation. The coloration and warmth of the WA7+WA7tp is further accentuated in comparison to the Lyr 2. I do personally prefer the sonic presentation of the Lyr 2 and I think that the Lyr 2 definitely provides a more detailed and clearer presentation of the music with a much larger sound stage. The WA7+WA7tp sounded closed-in and congested in comparison, but it does maintain a very lively sense of energy and warmth that some of my friends preferred. They all recognized that the Lyr 2 had better detail resolution with a more spacious, cleaner, and clearer sound. I personally think the Lyr 2 is the better technical performer and better pairing than the WA7+WA7tp for the HE-1000.
I wish I didn't sell my Herus dac/amplifier combination so quickly as I would have liked to see if the subtle differences in presentation between the Herus and the HA-2 were magnified by the HE-1000 as well. I found the Herus to be a brighter dac compared to my other equipment.
I also paired the HE-1000 with the Oppo HA-2. I was easily able to reach listenable volumes. I do recall a comment made by Dr. Fang to a fellow head-fier during a meet that the Chord Hugo is not ideal or powerful enough for the HE-1000 with 600 mW at 32 ohms, so hypothetically, the 220 mW at 32 ohms of the Oppo HA-2 is considered underpowered.
When I tested the HA-2 with the HE-1000, I found that even ‘underpowered,’ the HE-1000 still performs extraordinarily well. The HA-2 is inherently brighter than my Lyr 2 and WA7+WA7tp set-up, so it has difficult for me to isolate differences from equipment from differences due to power. There is a subtle hint of raspiness invades the edges of certain notes and a bit more bloom appears in the bass notes. It becomes more difficult to identify the very subtle layering to the texture and tonal shifts. Perhaps also loss of the low-level micro-detail, but after I heard the micro-detail with the HE-1000, my brain would naturally focus on those elements again in direct comparisons, so it is really hard for me to really judge that aspect critically. Sound stage may decreased a bit, but very difficult for me to objectively tell in a time-lapsed comparison as well. This may be a controversial statement, but I really do believe from my direct side-by-side comparisons that the HE-1000 still performs better under-powered than other flagships well amplified. There is simply an extremely well-done realistic tonal balance and frequency response curve that the HE-1000 displays that really shines through for my ears personally even when its overall sound quality is slightly muted and not optimized. I personally preferred the HA-2 powering the HE-1000 over the WA7+WA7tp as well.
***{{Update 6/6/15: Additional thoughts on amplifier pairings HERE - extensive audition including really hi-end gear}}***
Conclusion:
At $3000 MSRP, the HE-1000 is edging into the exotic headphones category only held by top tier electrosonic headphones like the STAX SR-009 ($4,450 not including required dedicated electrostatic amplifier), a dynamic headphones using extremely exotic materials such the Ultrasone Edition 5 ($4,999), the infamous JBS Abyss AB-1266 planar magnetic ($5,495), or discontinued gems such as the Sennheiser Orpheus HE90 (pricing variable, but can go up to $15,000-$40,000). This represents the the pinnacle of luxury and excess in the headphone world. The HE-1000 quickly leaps over the traditionally $1,599 flagship price point set by the Sennheiser HD800, and even jumps over the premium $1,945 price point set-by the Audeze LCD-3 and recently followed by the $2,000 McIntosh MHP1000.
Headphones are definitely trending towards even more exorbitant price points, but the real question for passionate audiophiles is whether the sound quality is also scaling up enough with the price point. This is a very personal and subjective question with no unbiased answer.
For me personally, I find the differences among current flagships (including the HD800, K812 Pro, LCD-X, LCD-3, HE-560) to be minimal enough that I do not understand the discrepancy in price points. I think of them as differences in “flavor” (with the largest discrepancies in their sound signature/frequency response tuning along with some subtle differences in transient speed and sound stage/imaging abilities that require extensive side-by-side direct comparisons to truly appreciate). The HE-1000 is the first flagship that has left me feeling like I am truly getting a significant sonic upgrade and improved technical prowess. Do note that I have not had the opportunity to directly compare the HE-1000 against a STAX-SR-009 setup, a modded HE-6 driven by speaker amplifiers, JSB Abyss with the Crimson gold, or a multi-thousand set-up specifically built around the HD800.
The common 'summit-fi' head-fi combination of the HD800 + LCD-3 equals $3,544. That combination also includes a mandatory quest to either find two amplifiers that match well with each headphone or a single amplifier that matches well with both. That approach concedes that it is 'impossible' to find a single pair of headphones to does it all, and divides resources into optimizing two premium systems. Another commonly considered 'summit-fi end-game' set-up will be the SR-009 + a dedicated high performance electrostatic amplifier with a price point that will hit at least $9k. When placed in that perspective, a single $3,000 end-game level flagship with the ability to sound fantastic paired with a mid-fi sub-$1,000 amplifier does seem like a good value.
I personally prefer to simply have a single system that satisfies all my criteria. The issue for me so far on my audiophile journey was finding that one system. Once found, I do personally believe that it is worth the price point if it is within your means. The issues I usually have with pricing is when the product fails to deliver sonically to my expectations at a specific price point while other alternatives at the same or more competitive price points do deliver. From my own experience trying out flagships (note I've never tried any exotic over-$2k flagships), I am not currently aware of any other alternatives on the market that can match the HE-1000's performance and fit so perfectly with my personal preferences. I do think that the HE-1000 is a solid value. At $3,000 though, it would still require much careful thought & consideration with a realistic assessment of my financial situation prior to pulling the trigger despite my overwhelmingly positive sonic impressions of its performance. Other unannounced factors such as warranty, comfort, fit, and final build quality will also play a role in my final decision. Link here and here for some of my current concerns.
For those who are uncomfortable with a $3,000 price point, an alternative strategy is waiting to see what of the sonic improvements achieved in the HE-1000 trickle down to an eventual HE-6 successor.
Sound signature is very neutral-oriented with minimal colorations and no glaring flaws to my ears. I personally do think it provides an extremely realistic natural sound comparable to a speaker setup or a live concert. The HE-1000 has a powerful seismic ocean-deep bass, clean textured articulate mid-range with a subtle sense of liquidness, and an airy brilliance to the treble that really shines. Sound quality attributes in detail retrieval, resolution, speed, soundstage, and imaging breaks through to a whole another level compared to the contemporary $2000 and under flagships.
Greatest sonic strength is its rocket fast transient response speed and its massive around-the-room sound stage combined with an almost molecular sense of precision to its imaging. Frequency response strength (imo) is definitely its bass quality. Outperforms the LCD-X to my ears, which I personally considered to have the best bass quality out of the flagships. Gives a subwoofer effect to the listening experience that I have never ever encountered previously in headphones.
Greatest sonic con in my personal opinion is its dynamic range. I personally feel like it is simply too wide. The quiet low level detail that the HE-1000 effortlessly picks up is simply too quiet and requires boosting up the volume to enjoy. Also, I found some source-dependent issues in the mid-range for certain male vocalists.
Its treble brilliance can be a subjective pro or con in my view depending on your treble presentation preferences. It is not a sharp or tonal bright treble, but rather an extremely vivid and energetic treble presentation. I personally rated this aspect extremely positively for my ears and listening preferences.
In the end, I personally feel that these headphones have achieved exactly what I am looking for in a true “end-game, summit-fi” pair of headphones. With all the other flagship headphones, I could easily eventually find some sort of noticeable (but acceptable flaw) and I always felt like the constant parade of flagships were simply different flavors & different sound signatures dependent on individual sonic preferences. The HE-1000 to my ears represent a game-changer, an actual legitimate technical improvement over the rest of the top of the line gear I have tried. It blends together what I previously thought to be exclusive strengths of more clinical-oriented vs organic-orientated headphones into one impressive complete sonic package.
I would highly recommend anyone looking for an open pair of truly ground-breaking flagship orthodynamic headphones with a cost-is-no-object mentality to audition these headphones. Please note that this is my sonic impressions of a beta unit after one week's time with them. As my sonic impressions continue to evolve, I will be editing this post accordingly. Critical feedback or questions on my review are welcome!
product link: http://hifiman.com/he1000/
Please note that these are not yet officially available for purchase.
Final notes: Edits done so far were primarily to clean up text to improve reading comprehension. Additional content updates to this review added in italics this format: "{{Update date: new content}}."
5/26/15: "Tonal Presentation for Classical Music" analysis under my previous test track spoiler in spoiler tag
5/28/15: Added link answering questions on my fourth critical point under Sonic Criticisms (Link HERE)
5/28/15: Updated Measurement section answering PM requests for measurement results
6/6/15: Added link to thoughts on TOTL amplifier pairings to the end of the Amplifier section (found HERE)
6/11/15: Added the link to some of my beta unit measurements posted in this thread due to Tyll releasing his pre-production measurements (Link HERE)
6/13/15: Added measurement disclaimer, measurement set-up, FR & CSD for the HE-1k, sine sweeps on the HE-1k added to the Measurements section
6/13/15: Added the FR & CSD measurements for the HE-560 to end of the "Against the HE-560" section under Direct Comparisons
6/14/15: I feel like I can get better CSD measurements for both the HE-560 and HE-1k, will rerun some further trials this week & update this review.
Despite some of the HE1000 beta testers owning the SR-009 and HD 800, there have not been any in-depth comparisons, even after repeated requests on my part. The impressions in this thread are good, but not useful to me at all if they do not give me a very good idea of how it compares to at least these two headphones -- with all genres of music too, not just a few. I kind of get the feeling that I am going to have to either audition them for myself with my diverse selection of test tracks or gradually buy them all for even more extended listening. I wanted to simply try saving up for the most accurate and realistic-sounding one of the three and focus on building a system around that one...but if I can't even verify which one that is, I can't exactly do that. I might have the opportunity to audition the HE1000, Abyss, HD 800, and others in the near future...but probably not the SR-009, meaning that, in the context of my goal, it's still not enough. Perhaps buying them all in order of price, as my budget increases, would be the best course of action for me, since I did want to buy them all eventually anyway.
Sir, most of us have day time jobs. As for me, my job takes up all my waking hours (sometimes a substantial portion of my supposed sleeping hours) and in between I find solace in the music setup I have at office.
Sir, most of us have day time jobs. As for me, my job takes up all my waking hours (sometimes a substantial portion of my supposed sleeping hours) and in between I find solace in the music setup I have at office.
Not quite there in term of transparency. The Sr009 is more transparent in a direct comparison coming out of both the Kgsshv and bhse. However, the he1000 is more forgiving and definitely warmer sound wise. The he1000 also respond well with a cable upgrade. The silver dragon that I have does tighten up the sound while increasing the speed slightly. The he1000 is one heck of a headphones in my book.
Since people are asking for SR009 comparisons, can I just chime in and say I agree with that impression (with the KGSSHV). I also find the HD800 (modded with rug liner, no dust cover) more transparent, in terms of absolutely realism.
Some might not get it with lesser amps. I certainly think the HE1000 sounds better than my HD800 when driven with a cheap amp or, hmmm, out of my motherboard. The HE1000 is easy to drive but scales with better equipment. But it doesn't suck with lesser equipment like the HD800 does. Oh god, I dread thinking about how the HD800 sounded off my Little Dot MKIV.....
So do you two feel that the SR-009 is more accurate than the HE1000 in every way?
How would you rank the SR-009, HE1000, and HD 800 in terms of transparency, accuracy, realism, or whatever else you want to call it? If it's not so simple a matter as ranking them, please elaborate, with descriptions of how each one is more accurate than the others. Also list any other headphones that you feel are even more accurate, if applicable.
Please bear in mind that your opinions hold weight for me. I prioritize accuracy above all else and don't want added warmth that isn't in the recording. If you honestly feel that the SR-009 (or HD 800, for that matter) is more accurate than the HE1000, I may alter my plans to focus on building a system around it instead. (Though I would like to buy them all eventually.)
I would rank these as follows in terms of transparency and realism when playing classical (orchestral) and unplugged live recordings (Rodrigo y Gabriela, Phantom and Les Miserables). Do note I highly rank a sense of space and dimension, as that contributes to the feeling of the size of the venue and being there:
HD800 (driven by EC 445) > SR009 (driven by SR009) > HE1000.
Nothing beats a great pair of speakers, of course.
I might need to mod the HE1000 (as I did with the HD800, with no dust cover/ rug liners, and HE6, with no grill/ vegan pads) to make it a fair comparison.
Big caveat: transparency inthose sorts of recording, where the illusion of a venue is paramount, might not matter for someone who listens to produced music, which to be honest tends to be the norm for fans of pop / rock / metal / electronica. For those types of music, I tend to put on the HE1000, and prefer that to the HD800 (too lean / bright / reveals all sorts of nasties in the recording) and to the SR009 (too ethereal, too "nice", on the bright side of things).
Despite some of the HE1000 beta testers owning the SR-009 and HD 800, there have not been any in-depth comparisons, even after repeated requests on my part. The impressions in this thread are good, but not useful to me at all if they do not give me a very good idea of how it compares to at least these two headphones -- with all genres of music too, not just a few. I kind of get the feeling that I am going to have to either audition them for myself with my diverse selection of test tracks or gradually buy them all for even more extended listening. I wanted to simply try saving up for the most accurate and realistic-sounding one of the three and focus on building a system around that one...but if I can't even verify which one that is, I can't exactly do that. I might have the opportunity to audition the HE1000, Abyss, HD 800, and others in the near future...but probably not the SR-009, meaning that, in the context of my goal, it's still not enough. Perhaps buying them all in order of price, as my budget increases, would be the best course of action for me, since I did want to buy them all eventually anyway.
Took a look at your profile and it looks like your musical tastes are all-encompassing. From what I hear, the HE1000s would probably be THE HEADPHONES for your. Now, as for me, I listen 99% of the time to classical (orchestral, chamber, solo piano, Opera) and it doesn't sound like the HE1000s are the ones for me. I'm extremely happy with the HD800s and T1s for classical, so it does, indeed, seem like I will not be getting the HE1000s despite my obsessive-compulsive tendencies. Now, if the classical-music lovers camp starts to rave about the HE1000s with classical, I may be forced to reconsider.
+1
I totally agree.
If you are a listener to ALL genres of music, the HE1000 would probably be the best choice as an all rounder.
The HD800 are too annoyingly bright and ruthlessly revealing if you listen to alot of main stream rock, pop, top 40, R&B, hip hop, etc., but really EXCELLENT on well recorded music, classical, and a good matching system.
But, regardless of what alot of people claim, the HD800 is NOT neutral. There are way too many frequency response graphs that show a spike around 6khz, as well as a broad midrange recession centered around 3khz, plus the 6khz spike is obvious to many listeners, hence all the mods to reduce it, plus all the ones are put up for sale.
I think the broad upper midrange recession, followed by the spike at 6khz, makes it even more picky of bad, or so so recordings, and the analytic qualities somewhat more obvious as well
I honestly feel the HE1000 is enjoyable with most all of my music, but it also revealing enough to also show flaws in recordings and upstream components, but doesn't shove it in your face like the HD800 does.
I couldn't bear the HD800 over a couple of weeks. They were just way too analytical with 90% of my music, so I returned them.
But, sadly, in the end, your hearing, your tastes, your particular system, and your component synergy, will be the deciding factor, cause everyone hears differently, has different musical and sonic tastes, plus, the sound of different amps and sources together, in a system can vary way too much.
So you can read reviews and comparisons all day long and they will of course be helpful, but in the end, you must decide which is best for you and your tastes
Okay, I read your exhaustive review. Very impressive, I must say. Nice photos too.
So just to be clear, do you feel that the HE1000 surpasses the HD 800 in every category, including neutrality, detail, and overall accuracy and realism?
It's a shame you didn't get to hear the SR-009 and Abyss, to contrast against the HE1000. @chowmein83 did, and posted comparisons elsewhere, but not as in-depth as I would like -- certainly not enough to make a buying decision from, considering these are among the most expensive headphones in history.
That being said, your review in and of itself has made me even more inspired to buy the HE1000, to an extent that I might prioritize it over the HD 800 despite the cost differential.
A side note: you kept saying high and low impedance for your amp when I think you just meant high and low gain.
Since people are asking for SR009 comparisons, can I just chime in and say I agree with that impression (with the KGSSHV). I also find the HD800 (modded with rug liner, no dust cover) more transparent, in terms of absolutely realism.
Some might not get it with lesser amps. I certainly think the HE1000 sounds better than my HD800 when driven with a cheap amp or, hmmm, out of my motherboard. The HE1000 is easy to drive but scales with better equipment. But it doesn't suck with lesser equipment like the HD800 does. Oh god, I dread thinking about how the HD800 sounded off my Little Dot MKIV.....
I would rank these as follows in terms of transparency and realism when playing classical (orchestral) and unplugged live recordings (Rodrigo y Gabriela, Phantom and Les Miserables). Do note I highly rank a sense of space and dimension, as that contributes to the feeling of the size of the venue and being there:
HD800 (driven by EC 445) > SR009 (driven by SR009) > HE1000.
Nothing beats a great pair of speakers, of course.
I might need to mod the HE1000 (as I did with the HD800, with no dust cover/ rug liners, and HE6, with no grill/ vegan pads) to make it a fair comparison.
Big caveat: transparency inthose sorts of recording, where the illusion of a venue is paramount, might not matter for someone who listens to produced music, which to be honest tends to be the norm for fans of pop / rock / metal / electronica. For those types of music, I tend to put on the HE1000, and prefer that to the HD800 (too lean / bright / reveals all sorts of nasties in the recording) and to the SR009 (too ethereal, too "nice", on the bright side of things).
I honestly want the highest amount of accuracy with all recordings. However, if a headphone always sounds too bright with non-acoustic genres, I would venture to say that it is the headphone that is bright, since not all non-acoustic recordings are bright. I don't mind hearing nasties, if they are actually in the recording itself.
That being said, there's no doubt in my mind that the HE1000 is the best all-rounder, especially with its ability to sound good with all music on so many different systems.
After giving it a bit more thought and taking all factors into account, here is my current plan:
(Optional first step: STAX SRS-2170 system, since it's so cheap imported from Japan.)
Save up for and buy the HE1000, along with an affordable amp like the Magni 2.
Add the HD 800 to the collection sometime after. (Since I want to get a custom paint job, extensive modifications, and hardwired balanced cable for the HD 800, it would actually end up costing more than the HE1000!)
Upgrade to the Ragnarok and Yggdrasil.
Maybe get the Abyss too.
Expand into high-end electrostats like the STAX SR-009 and Sennheiser Orpheus HE 90.
Collect a ton of other headphones for various purposes -- before, during, and after the high-end stuff.
Decisions, decisions...
If anyone thinks I should get the HE1000, then upgrade to the Ragnarok and Yggdrasil without buying the HD 800 first, speak up! But make sure to give your reasons in the context of my requirements.
Took a look at your profile and it looks like your musical tastes are all-encompassing. From what I hear, the HE1000s would probably be THE HEADPHONES for your. Now, as for me, I listen 99% of the time to classical (orchestral, chamber, solo piano, Opera) and it doesn't sound like the HE1000s are the ones for me. I'm extremely happy with the HD800s and T1s for classical, so it does, indeed, seem like I will not be getting the HE1000s despite my obsessive-compulsive tendencies. Now, if the classical-music lovers camp starts to rave about the HE1000s with classical, I may be forced to reconsider.
Yep, I listen to just about everything! But I want the most accurate sound possible. (Been sorely disappointed with colored headphones and allegedly accurate headphones that were nowhere near as accurate as I require.) I guess all these TOTL headphones are the most accurate in certain areas, with none being the ultimate headphone that is the best in every category.
+1
I totally agree.
If you are a listener to ALL genres of music, the HE1000 would probably be the best choice as an all rounder.
The HD800 are too annoyingly bright and ruthlessly revealing if you listen to alot of main stream rock, pop, top 40, R&B, hip hop, etc., but really EXCELLENT on well recorded music, classical, and a good matching system.
But, sadly, in the end, your hearing, your tastes, and your particular system and component synergy, will be the deciding factor, cause everyone hears differently and has different musical and sonic tastes, and the sound of different amps and sources together, in a system can vary way too much.
So you can read reviews and comparisons all day long and they will of course be helpful, but in the end, you must decide which is best for you and your tastes
What confuses me is how the HD 800 sounds bright if it's supposedly neutral. I mean, not all recordings in those genres are bright. I want ruthlessly revealing, but don't want excessive brightness that is not in the recording.
The HD800's brightness is overstated, there's plenty of crowd favorites out there on the market right now that have more troublesome treble than the HD800. Add to the fact that the upper-midrange of the HD800 is slightly recessed compared to its lower-midrange and bass, and it sounds like a somewhat warm headphone through the midrange.
If you're looking for revealing but not excessively bright, the HD800 is a top headphone for you mr. pokémon trainer. It can get warmer with a broadband eq shelf of around 3db from 6khz up, or an anax mod.
Coming from a planar, the major drawback the HD800 has is that it doesn't quite put out as much energy sub 50hz, but it still extends very well for an open headphone.
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