[xxx1313]

  Hi........I have searched but cant find....so thought to save hours more trawling would ask!
Is anyone using the HE1000's with the Auralic Taurus mk2 amp and the Auralic Vega processor/dac?...and if so what are their thoughts on the results in comparison to other combinations?
Thanks in advance!

 
Hi Gray,
 
I use my my HE-1000 with Auralic Vega and Violectric V281 / Auralic Taurus MKII. Both amplifiers power the HE-1000 very well in my opinion. The V281 is still a bit more powerful, but in my opinion also the power of the Taurus MKII als more than enough to drive the HE-1000 really well (I use both with balanced output, normally with the Poti at 10 o'clock with V281 and 11 l'clock with Taurus MKII). So even for people listening much louder than me, there should be enough headroom left.
 
With the LCD-3 these two headphone amplifiers are on par, but with the HE-1000 I clearly prefer the V281. It offers more punch and attack and less elevated treble (which can be too much with the Taurus, which is rather on the bright side). Detail retrieval is on par, imaging more three-dimensional with the V281. If you are used to a rather bright presentation, then you can still be very happy with Vega / Taurus / HE1K (although imho the V281 is the better amplifier in this combination).

 

[sathyam]

I just bought one.  Should arrive in few days.      I hope it will be a good match with my Eddie Current 445 tube amp.

(since I finally decided for the HE1000 instead of waiting for availability of the Dharma, I also hope that the Enigma Dharma will not prouve to be better than the HE1000... :rolleyes: )

Can someone tell if the AK380+AK Amp can drive it (balanced mode) to it's full potential ? (it is not a matter of sound volume but of Quality sound)

AK380 + Amp is not enough for HEK. HEK needs more power. If you add in the CDM, that should make the combo sing better. The HEK needs oodles of power. I have found the only desktop amps to give it that power.

 

[bmichels]

AK380 + Amp is not enough for HEK. HEK needs more power. If you add in the CDM, that should make the combo sing better. The HEK needs oodles of power. I have found the only desktop amps to give it that power.

 
Did you tried the HE1000 + AK380/AK380Amp  yourself or is it a guess ?  Indeed some people says it is OK and some others like you says it will not be enough !  

 

[Gray]

   
Hi Gray,
 
I use my my HE-1000 with Auralic Vega and Violectric V281 / Auralic Taurus MKII. Both amplifiers power the HE-1000 very well in my opinion. The V281 is still a bit more powerful, but in my opinion also the power of the Taurus MKII als more than enough to drive the HE-1000 really well (I use both with balanced output, normally with the Poti at 10 o'clock with V281 and 11 l'clock with Taurus MKII). So even for people listening much louder than me, there should be enough headroom left.
 
With the LCD-3 these two headphone amplifiers are on par, but with the HE-1000 I clearly prefer the V281. It offers more punch and attack and less elevated treble (which can be too much with the Taurus, which is rather on the bright side). Detail retrieval is on par, imaging more three-dimensional with the V281. If you are used to a rather bright presentation, then you can still be very happy with Vega / Taurus / HE1K (although imho the V281 is the better amplifier in this combination).

Thanks for your input xxx1313.
I have been using the Auralic Vega and Taurus combination to drive the Audeze LCD-X's...but have the HE1000 on order now. I am hoping the combination of same brand Auralic units will prove to be more than the sum of their parts as I feel they are when running the Audezes......and create a similar cymbiosis between the HE1000's and the Taurus.
Thanks for your thoughts on the violectric amp too.

 

[sathyam]

Did you tried the HE1000 + AK380/AK380Amp  yourself or is it a guess ?  Indeed some people says it is OK and some others like you says it will not be enough !  

Yes. I have the setup and am talking from experience. I have the equipment I just talked about. For me, The HEK sounded a bit thin and shrill with the AK380 + Amp.

 

[bmichels]

Yes. I have the setup and am talking from experience. I have the equipment I just talked about. For me, The HEK sounded a bit thin and shrill with the AK380 + Amp.

Thans. So it looks like RWA "power mod" might be usefull.

 

[conquerator2]

Any LC-HEK impressions?

 

[doctorjazz]

Still waiting for the LC...

 

[immtbiker]

Thans. So it looks like RWA "power mod" might be usefull.

Is it a power mod, or a sound mod?

 

[doctorjazz]

Didn't their mods have to do with impedance matching (whatever that means... )

 

[reeltime]

 
I knew what I said would be objectionable, that's why I said IMO, YMMV disclaimers on the placebo effect

 

Y'know, there's an implied "you dummy" when people post these cable/amp "science" impressions. The person who asked about cables didn't need the impression, he was already of the impression it might help if the stock cable wasn't the best (his question, uf I understand correctly, wasn't, "would a cable upgrade EVER help improve the sound?", but, "is the cable included with my $3,000 headphones of a quality that would be hard to surpass, or did they "cut corners" on the cable and an upgrade would still help improve sound quality"?
Sticking IMO/YMMV doesn't change the intention of the post...IMO, of course!

 
I'm of the "cables are generally hooey" camp.  As long as the cable isn't busted up and is of reasonably decent quality, you're pretty much good to go.
 
HOWEVER-- I decided to try an aftermarket cable with the HE1000 because I thought the HE was a near-perfect headphone except when it came to snare attack.  For whatever reason, on my favorite tracks, when the snare would hit, there was a genuine lack of pop to the sound that my HD800 had no problem reproducing.  It sounded as if the snare drum was a bit buried in the mix, and it really had me on the fence because the HE1000 was crazy great in every other conceivable way.  
 
I bought the Moon Audio HE1000 cable -- and suddenly the snare drum was right back where it should be.  When I went back to the old cable-- the problem reappeared.  It makes NO sense to me logically, but I can't deny what my ears are hearing.  The stock balanced cable left my experience lacking, where the Moon Audio cable cleared up what was annoying me.  I'm still a happy HEK owner and I admit I haven't used my HD800 in months.  

 

[Gray]

Well its early days yet but the HE1000's arrived yesterday and I spent a few hours during the day and evening putting them through their paces. I am using my Auralic Vega Dac and Auralic Taurus mk2 headphone amp to drive them....and am used to the sound of the LCD-X and the Sennheiser HD800 with this same amp and Dac.
Total first impressions straight out the box......the HEK have a delicacy and a finesse to their sound which totally eludes the LCD-X's...but by the same token they have a power and musicality which in my opinion totally eludes the HD800's.
I know the HD800 is a much vaulted headphone but it has never quite done it for me. Perhaps I have never quite used the 'right' amplifier with them or perhaps they just don't meet my needs from a headphone. I find them to be incredibly detailed ...but quite sterile and uninvolving to the point where they have remained in their box and the LCD-X's had become my go to headphone for all genres of music.
My initial findings listening to the HEK's suggest that this is a headphone that offers me the best parts of both the other two headphones in one package...which is quite an achievement IMO.
By the end of the evening the sound had opened up sufficiently to include a tight thudding bass where the music required it, but also they were giving me a complete overview of the recording or the mix which is as the producer intended. Delicate and crystalline one minute....full blown onslaught the next in equal measure.
Highlight of the night....and it was 2am by this time (I just couldn't take them off!) was Gaucho by Steely Dan. An album I know and love very well. I have never heard it sound so good via a set of headphones. They draw you in to the music to the point where you forget you are listening through a pair of headphones. Oh and they are very very comfortable as well which is a major factor with extended listening.....which I suspect is going to be a common occurrence with these magnificent cans!
I have always been somewhat sceptical regarding 'burning in' of hifi components but I have read that the HEK's need hundred's of hours of burn in before they reach their true potential. To that I say, how can they sound so much better than they already do...after just 5 or so hours of listening?
And what is the science behind such a claim? Am I supposed to believe that I will wake up one morning after the headphones have had 150 hrs of burn in and their sound is suddenly transformed to even more greatness. What I am trying to ask is ..what actually happens to the inner parts and components after this protracted period to change their sound signature.
Is it not more likely a case of our ears getting used to a certain sound having been used to another headphones sound signature for so long?
Regardless of all that the HE1000's are magnificent headphones ...and look stunning as well....and have certainly gone to the top of my wall of fame after just one day!!

 

[potkettleblack]

  Well its early days yet but the HE1000's arrived yesterday and I spent a few hours during the day and evening putting them through their paces. I am using my Auralic Vega Dac and Auralic Taurus mk2 headphone amp to drive them....and am used to the sound of the LCD-X and the Sennheiser HD800 with this same amp and Dac.
Total first impressions straight out the box......the HEK have a delicacy and a finesse to their sound which totally eludes the LCD-X's...but by the same token they have a power and musicality which in my opinion totally eludes the HD800's.
I know the HD800 is a much vaulted headphone but it has never quite done it for me. Perhaps I have never quite used the 'right' amplifier with them or perhaps they just don't meet my needs from a headphone. I find them to be incredibly detailed ...but quite sterile and uninvolving to the point where they have remained in their box and the LCD-X's had become my go to headphone for all genres of music.
My initial findings listening to the HEK's suggest that this is a headphone that offers me the best parts of both the other two headphones in one package...which is quite an achievement IMO.
By the end of the evening the sound had opened up sufficiently to include a tight thudding bass where the music required it, but also they were giving me a complete overview of the recording or the mix which is as the producer intended. Delicate and crystalline one minute....full blown onslaught the next in equal measure.
Highlight of the night....and it was 2am by this time (I just couldn't take them off!) was Gaucho by Steely Dan. An album I know and love very well. I have never heard it sound so good via a set of headphones. They draw you in to the music to the point where you forget you are listening through a pair of headphones. Oh and they are very very comfortable as well which is a major factor with extended listening.....which I suspect is going to be a common occurrence with these magnificent cans!
I have always been somewhat sceptical regarding 'burning in' of hifi components but I have read that the HEK's need hundred's of hours of burn in before they reach their true potential. To that I say, how can they sound so much better than they already do...after just 5 or so hours of listening?
And what is the science behind such a claim? Am I supposed to believe that I will wake up one morning after the headphones have had 150 hrs of burn in and their sound is suddenly transformed to even more greatness. What I am trying to ask is ..what actually happens to the inner parts and components after this protracted period to change their sound signature.
Is it not more likely a case of our ears getting used to a certain sound having been used to another headphones sound signature for so long?
Regardless of all that the HE1000's are magnificent headphones ...and look stunning as well....and have certainly gone to the top of my wall of fame after just one day!!

I think one of the best things the LCD X does is bass slam/impact. Something I found the HEK to severely lack.
 
When compared the HEK is clearly in a different league to the LCD X - but if I were to listen to EDM or heavy rock I would pick the x's any day.

 

[pedalhead]

  I think one of the best things the LCD X does is bass slam/impact. Something I found the HEK to severely lack.
 
When compared the HEK is clearly in a different league to the LCD X - but if I were to listen to EDM or heavy rock I would pick the x's any day.

 
For the HE1000, the bass slam/impact improves with the right amp pairing in my experience.

 

[potkettleblack]

   
For the HE1000, the bass slam/impact improves with the right amp pairing in my experience.

I truly believe it would, but pairings can only get you so far. You would have to change the signature completely imo to make the HEK sound good with hard hitting EDM/drum and bass as much as the lcd x does.
 
That being said, for genres such as deep house or deep dubstep - and really any laid back EDM, the HEK are the best I've heard. Just remarkable.