[gordec]

My experience for HE1 will be based on comparison with my own tape mode HEK v2 driven directly by a SACD player.
I auditioned HE1 several times (2x HE1 in a room a few days ago) at least in 3 audio shows in quite rooms which were sourced by T+A 3000 HV, Marantz SACD...etc. For me, the sources were better than what I have.

(Not blame your sharing. I just share why I'm confident in HEK,)
I had a contrary experience with you. HE1 just get to at most 80% of what well-driven tape-mod HEK v2 can do.
The only flaw in these systems I've heard is no well-conditioned power handling what I could imagine.
Humidity could be a reason but shall not be an excuse because the rooms were air-conditioned.

The transparency was not the best I ever heard (well-driven modded HEK v2 is much better).
Detail is decent, but not emotional enough.
Sound stage is also decent, but not solid enough constructing a "sense of concert hall".
Bass is fast, deep and clear, but my modded HEK v2 gets same quality with much quantity (maybe much deeper).
HD800 (not 800s) gets much sense of separation in instruments than HE1 once I auditioned symphonies or big band Jazz.

In summary, HE1 couldn't beat current flagships of headphone easily without well setting.
I don't think what I heard was the best HE1 could achieve, but HEK v2 gets very good potential to ultimate performance.

That’s interesting. I just hooked my Surface Pro to the HE1 amp. There wasn’t a separate external DAC. I did try it with the turn table which sounded just as good.

Can you tell me this mod you are doing with the HeK? Also what DAC and amp are you using? My current setup is just McIntosh MHA100 using it’s integrated DAC. It’s pretty good. I wonder if it’s the DAC holding me back as the amp is very good. Can a good DAC give you this much more soundstaging and imaging?

 

[Weilli]

That’s interesting. I just hooked my Surface Pro to the HE1 amp. There wasn’t a separate external DAC. I did try it with the turn table which sounded just as good.

Can you tell me this mod you are doing with the HeK? Also what DAC and amp are you using? My current setup is just McIntosh MHA100 using it’s integrated DAC. It’s pretty good. I wonder if it’s the DAC holding me back as the amp is very good. Can a good DAC give you this much more soundstaging and imaging?

HEK V2
Tape MOD
SACD Player: Pioneer DV-79avi. Directly driven by RCA outputs. It is not an ordinary combination, but I'm searching for a amplifier with comparable sound quality. Maybe I would try Luxman later if I were getting a chance.
HD800: Driven by
1. Marant CD player+HDVD-800
2. Luxman p-5u + p-750u

 

[gordec]

HEK V2
Tape MOD
SACD Player: Pioneer DV-79avi. Directly driven by RCA outputs. It is not an ordinary combination, but I'm searching for a amplifier with comparable sound quality. Maybe I would try Luxman later if I were getting a chance.
HD800: Driven by
1. Marant CD player+HDVD-800
2. Luxman p-5u + p-750u

Very interesting. The DV-79avi can be had for like $100 used. So that’s the source and pass it into Luxman.

 

[Maxx134]

my own tape mode HEK v2

I see you have the courage and dexterity to have attempted the tape mod.

For those who also have such admirable qualities,
I have finally posted my mods for HEKV1 & HEKV2 here.

They are highlighted in my signature.
Cheers.

 

[gordec]

I see you have the courage and dexterity to have attempted the tape mod.

For those who also have such admirable qualities,
I have finally posted my mods for HEKV1 & HEKV2 here.

They are highlighted in my signature.
Cheers.

This is a little too much for my abilities. It’s not like the HD800 SDR mod. Very interesting though.

 

[gto88]

I see you have the courage and dexterity to have attempted the tape mod.

For those who also have such admirable qualities,
I have finally posted my mods for HEKV1 & HEKV2 here.

They are highlighted in my signature.
Cheers.

For the HEKV2 FEILIAN PORT MOD, is it possible to create the gap under pad
instead of under the black ring where pad sit on, then it is easier, just don't
know if it will achieve what is intended.

 

[Maxx134]

It’s not like the HD800 SDR mod

No problem.
The 800SDR mod is a more neutral mod.

I will also post my 800 mod here soon, which anyone can do too make it similar to an "800S" in tonality.

 

[Maxx134]

For the HEKV2 FEILIAN PORT MOD, is it possible to create the gap under pad
instead of under the black ring where pad sit on, then it is easier, just don't
know if it will achieve what is intended.

I have heard it was done by one member but not sure how it looked...

Read the thread and your would be correct in your assumptions that all is needed is to beak the seal slightly to achieve what is described in that thread.

The method posted was simply the most unnoticeable and well done method without loosing bass control.

 

[Weilli]

Very interesting. The DV-79avi can be had for like $100 used. So that’s the source and pass it into Luxman.

I meant, I connect my HEK v2 via 2.5mm-to-RCA cables directly to my CD player instead of connecting to a headphone amplifier.
Pioneer DV-79AVI provides extreme quite background with good adjustment in extra damping under it.

 

[Weilli]

I see you have the courage and dexterity to have attempted the tape mod.

For those who also have such admirable qualities,
I have finally posted my mods for HEKV1 & HEKV2 here.

They are highlighted in my signature.
Cheers.

I love your mods and had applied to HEKv1.
I also applied your FEILIAN mod in my HEK v2.
Right now the interference in mid-to-high frequencies have been removed. Tape mod is harder modification for a newbie, but I'm using it because it makes me an offer in bass enhancement I can't refuse

 

[LouisArmstrong]

Is there a link to the v2 tape mod? When I googled it I could only find the mod for v1.

 

[Weilli]

No difference between them. In my perspective, I just taped the edge of rings and frames of earpads as well. For enhancement in bass, I taped 2 strips of tape alongside the magnet. Too many tapes would reduce punch and lead coloring to HEK v2. For your information!

 

[tunes]

Is there a link to the v2 tape mod? When I googled it I could only find the mod for v1.

Yes

What is the link for the tape mod and is it reversible??

 

[Maxx134]

Tape mod is harder modification for a newbie, ...

This is why I never did this mod.
One slip of the tape to stick on that thin palaner driver membrane spells trouble.

... and is it reversible??

If you using good surgical cloth tape then I assume it may not leave residue.
But this is why I do not advise owners to attempt mods that would cause Problems if you need to return the unit or reverse for resale.

To me the most beneficial mod (for V1) is the "acoustic coupler" mod linked in my sig.

 

[WilliamWykeham]

Thought I would share a few thoughts on HE-1000 vs Utopia for classical listening after doing extensive A/B testing through my Dave/Blu combo. I mostly prefer the Utopia for solo and chamber works, whereas the HE-1000 is the winner in most large scale symphonic works. I think this makes sense as the Utopia is generally regarded to have better detail retrieval whereas the HE1000's strong points include transparency and soundstage. Several exceptions to this but as I look over my filters in Roon I see my preferences with the HE1000 as things like Mahler, Mozart's operas, Shostakovich symphonies, Brahms symphonies. With the Utopia I prefer things like Schubert's piano sonatas, Bach's violin sonatas, Beethoven string quartets. Now again this is not a hard and fast rule as I prefer La Petite Bande's version of St. Matthew's Passion with the Utopia instead of the HE-1000.

When reviewers say "classical" it's so important to specify what genre, composer, or work. When I got the Utopia I was so smitten by the details I was hearing, but without realizing it was listening almost exclusively to these small-scale works. Possibly if I hadn't spent time A/Bing recordings with these headphones my conclusion would have been "Utopia, clear winner for classical", which I don't think is true, at least not all the time.