HugoFreire
500+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jul 24, 2004
- Posts
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- 326
INTRODUCTION
I have the Aristaeus/HE 90 combo since 2007. When the new Orpheus was announced, I was very curious about how it would sound compared to the old one. Fortunately, I’m living in Tokyo now and it’s amazingly easy to get in touch with major audio brands here. As you might have already guessed, I’ve managed to talk directly with Sennheiser Japan’s reps and we have booked a listening session for a direct comparison between my gear and their Sennheiser HE 1 (new Orpheus) combo.
I have spent about one hour at the Sennheiser showroom in Aoyama – Tokyo, listening and discussing the differences with my wife and three of the Sennheiser reps, and our conclusions were overall the same.
RELATED GEAR
I brought my Meitner MA-1 DAC with me to the showroom not only because I’m very used to its sound, but also because it allows one to output RCA and XLR signals simultaneously, which considerably facilitates the A/B comparison. The RCA interconnects ran from the DAC to the Aristaeus (which is a single-ended amp) and the XLR went to the HE 1 amp’s balanced input, like shown below.
Macbook -> USB -> Meitner MA-1 DAC -> RCA cables -> Aristaeus -> Sennheiser HE 90
Macbook -> USB -> Meitner MA-1 DAC -> XLR cables -> Sennheiser HE 1
All cables used were made by Oyaide, a very popular hi-end cable manufacturer in Japan, which is also my personal brand of choice.
PICTURES
DESIGN AND COMFORT
The HE 90/HEV 90 combo and the new HE 1 have very different design appeals. While the old one exhales a classic feeling, which is accentuated by the wood parts used on both headphones and amp, its successor has a modern black and silver design, featuring glass and a very luxurious marble.
I have to say that the HE 1 looks much better in person than it does in pictures. Everything looks very solid and well built. The marble is beautiful and the choice of materials is excellent. Both the headphones and the DAC/amp look nice and robust.
On the other hand, the HE 90 has some major flaws when it comes to the material choice. I can't say anything about the HEV 90 amp because I don't have one. However, the headphones themselves have very cheap vinyl ear pads and headband pad that flake when they age. I had to find a solution for this and built some DIY leather pads (the ones in the pictures below). The screws are also bad quality and get easily stripped if you are not careful when loosening them (you have to do this eventually to replace the headband pad).
As good as the material choice on the new Orpheus seems to be, there are some design concerns that I have to share. Sennheiser obviously tried to innovate when they created the HE 1. However, in my opinion, they might have gone too far and this led to some inconveniences.
First of all, there is a black box on the top of the amp, which immediately drawns one’s attention. The main headphone jack is placed inside this box, and this brings the first incovenience: it’s not possible to keep the headphones plugged AND out of the box at the same time when the system is turned off, because the box lead closes automatically. In other words, the headphones cannot be displayed on a separate stand when not in use, unless it is disconnected from the main plug or connected to the rear headphone output (yes, there is another one hidden there), which is not a very convenient option.
The new Orpheus features a logical circuit that does not allow the headphones to work with any amp other than the original one. This prevents third-party amps to be developed, like the Aristaeus has been for the HE 90. This lack of flexibility is not usually welcome for audio enthusiasts and forces consumers to buy the whole system. I have even asked Sennheiser’s sales manager if it’s possible to buy only the headphones separately and his answer was “no, unless you get an extra pair for a system that has already been purchased”.
The last – and for me the most inconvenient – feature of the HE 1 is the solid-state amplifier stage built directly into the headphones, which makes the path for the amplified signal to be as short as possible before it reaches the driver unit. This makes the headphones considerably heavier than the HE 90s. The built-in amp generates heat, which is mitigated – but not completely eliminated – by heatsinks. This makes the listening experience less appropriate for hot days. The HE 1 ear pads are stiffer and apply more pressure than the old version. Overall, I found the HE 90 to be much more light and comfortable than the new one.
LISTENING IMPRESSIONS
As soon as I played music wearing the HE 1 headphones, I felt that the midrange was somewhat recessed. The involvement that I’m used to get with my system was lacking and the voices seemed to be distant. After a while, I realised that the volume needed to be turned up for this system to shine. At low volumes, the mids just didn’t bring the amount of presence and detail that I wished to have. I tried to keep the same volume level on both amps for a fair comparison.
Pots adjusted, the bass on the HE 1 had a lot of volume and impact. It had more authority and a bigger body than the HE 90’s. The texture and overall definition level seemed to be about the same on this frequency range for both systems.
Switching to the old Orpheus, it becomes immediatly obvious that it is more colored than the new one, which was a very noticeable difference on such direct A/B comparison. However, one acclimates to this coloration within a few seconds and it doesn’t seem to be distorting the sound or sacrificing any details. Rather than that, I noticed that the HE 90 system was more revealing in some passages than the HE 1, which was a big surprise that I was not expecting. This is actually the greatest triumph of the HE 90 in my opinion – it has a very pleasant and beautiful sound, which is at the same time clean, detailed and totally unfatiguing. I heard words like “sweet” and “musical” from the Sennheiser reps regarding the HE 90.
Another big difference between the two systems was the midrange presence, which was greater on the old one. As I wrote above, this range sounded a bit distant at low volumes with the HE 1, but the HE 90 behaved quite the opposite. Voices and strings were very live, palpable and involving.
The highs were excellent on both systems, but they were more evident on the HE 1, as was the bass. This gave me the impression that the HE 1 is more “V-shaped” than the older version, in a good way. It's more dynamic and "fun", and sounds fuller overall. For that reason and because of its bigger body, it might be an excellent choice for rock. The HE 90 sounded thinner in comparison.
The more pronounced highs were probably the reason why I thought at first that the new Orpheus had more resolution than the older one. However, as I wrote above, on a more careful listening I actually could hear some details better on the HE 90.
Finally, I should mention that my system has been used for 10 years, so it has an advantage for those who believe in the effects of burn-in. One of the Sennheiser reps said that their HE 1 unit had about 10 hours on it. He even invited me to listen again after one year.
CONCLUSION
Going straight to the point, the old Orpheus was the better one for me – and I’m not even considering the cost-performance factor. I’m a fan of classical, acoustic and jazz, and for these genres it is just more appropriate in my opinion. Its midrange is to die for.
The innovating design of the new one may be appealing for some, but not that much for me – it makes the headphones heavier and it's not very convenient in my point of view. The lightweight of the HE 90 makes it almost disappear.
The HE 1 is less euphonic and does have a bigger live sound with more presence and impact and maybe it’s the better choice for others, especially those who like pop and rock. But for my taste, the musicality of the good old Orpheus is just magical.
I have the Aristaeus/HE 90 combo since 2007. When the new Orpheus was announced, I was very curious about how it would sound compared to the old one. Fortunately, I’m living in Tokyo now and it’s amazingly easy to get in touch with major audio brands here. As you might have already guessed, I’ve managed to talk directly with Sennheiser Japan’s reps and we have booked a listening session for a direct comparison between my gear and their Sennheiser HE 1 (new Orpheus) combo.
I have spent about one hour at the Sennheiser showroom in Aoyama – Tokyo, listening and discussing the differences with my wife and three of the Sennheiser reps, and our conclusions were overall the same.
RELATED GEAR
I brought my Meitner MA-1 DAC with me to the showroom not only because I’m very used to its sound, but also because it allows one to output RCA and XLR signals simultaneously, which considerably facilitates the A/B comparison. The RCA interconnects ran from the DAC to the Aristaeus (which is a single-ended amp) and the XLR went to the HE 1 amp’s balanced input, like shown below.
Macbook -> USB -> Meitner MA-1 DAC -> RCA cables -> Aristaeus -> Sennheiser HE 90
Macbook -> USB -> Meitner MA-1 DAC -> XLR cables -> Sennheiser HE 1
All cables used were made by Oyaide, a very popular hi-end cable manufacturer in Japan, which is also my personal brand of choice.
PICTURES
DESIGN AND COMFORT
The HE 90/HEV 90 combo and the new HE 1 have very different design appeals. While the old one exhales a classic feeling, which is accentuated by the wood parts used on both headphones and amp, its successor has a modern black and silver design, featuring glass and a very luxurious marble.
I have to say that the HE 1 looks much better in person than it does in pictures. Everything looks very solid and well built. The marble is beautiful and the choice of materials is excellent. Both the headphones and the DAC/amp look nice and robust.
On the other hand, the HE 90 has some major flaws when it comes to the material choice. I can't say anything about the HEV 90 amp because I don't have one. However, the headphones themselves have very cheap vinyl ear pads and headband pad that flake when they age. I had to find a solution for this and built some DIY leather pads (the ones in the pictures below). The screws are also bad quality and get easily stripped if you are not careful when loosening them (you have to do this eventually to replace the headband pad).
As good as the material choice on the new Orpheus seems to be, there are some design concerns that I have to share. Sennheiser obviously tried to innovate when they created the HE 1. However, in my opinion, they might have gone too far and this led to some inconveniences.
First of all, there is a black box on the top of the amp, which immediately drawns one’s attention. The main headphone jack is placed inside this box, and this brings the first incovenience: it’s not possible to keep the headphones plugged AND out of the box at the same time when the system is turned off, because the box lead closes automatically. In other words, the headphones cannot be displayed on a separate stand when not in use, unless it is disconnected from the main plug or connected to the rear headphone output (yes, there is another one hidden there), which is not a very convenient option.
The new Orpheus features a logical circuit that does not allow the headphones to work with any amp other than the original one. This prevents third-party amps to be developed, like the Aristaeus has been for the HE 90. This lack of flexibility is not usually welcome for audio enthusiasts and forces consumers to buy the whole system. I have even asked Sennheiser’s sales manager if it’s possible to buy only the headphones separately and his answer was “no, unless you get an extra pair for a system that has already been purchased”.
The last – and for me the most inconvenient – feature of the HE 1 is the solid-state amplifier stage built directly into the headphones, which makes the path for the amplified signal to be as short as possible before it reaches the driver unit. This makes the headphones considerably heavier than the HE 90s. The built-in amp generates heat, which is mitigated – but not completely eliminated – by heatsinks. This makes the listening experience less appropriate for hot days. The HE 1 ear pads are stiffer and apply more pressure than the old version. Overall, I found the HE 90 to be much more light and comfortable than the new one.
LISTENING IMPRESSIONS
As soon as I played music wearing the HE 1 headphones, I felt that the midrange was somewhat recessed. The involvement that I’m used to get with my system was lacking and the voices seemed to be distant. After a while, I realised that the volume needed to be turned up for this system to shine. At low volumes, the mids just didn’t bring the amount of presence and detail that I wished to have. I tried to keep the same volume level on both amps for a fair comparison.
Pots adjusted, the bass on the HE 1 had a lot of volume and impact. It had more authority and a bigger body than the HE 90’s. The texture and overall definition level seemed to be about the same on this frequency range for both systems.
Switching to the old Orpheus, it becomes immediatly obvious that it is more colored than the new one, which was a very noticeable difference on such direct A/B comparison. However, one acclimates to this coloration within a few seconds and it doesn’t seem to be distorting the sound or sacrificing any details. Rather than that, I noticed that the HE 90 system was more revealing in some passages than the HE 1, which was a big surprise that I was not expecting. This is actually the greatest triumph of the HE 90 in my opinion – it has a very pleasant and beautiful sound, which is at the same time clean, detailed and totally unfatiguing. I heard words like “sweet” and “musical” from the Sennheiser reps regarding the HE 90.
Another big difference between the two systems was the midrange presence, which was greater on the old one. As I wrote above, this range sounded a bit distant at low volumes with the HE 1, but the HE 90 behaved quite the opposite. Voices and strings were very live, palpable and involving.
The highs were excellent on both systems, but they were more evident on the HE 1, as was the bass. This gave me the impression that the HE 1 is more “V-shaped” than the older version, in a good way. It's more dynamic and "fun", and sounds fuller overall. For that reason and because of its bigger body, it might be an excellent choice for rock. The HE 90 sounded thinner in comparison.
The more pronounced highs were probably the reason why I thought at first that the new Orpheus had more resolution than the older one. However, as I wrote above, on a more careful listening I actually could hear some details better on the HE 90.
Finally, I should mention that my system has been used for 10 years, so it has an advantage for those who believe in the effects of burn-in. One of the Sennheiser reps said that their HE 1 unit had about 10 hours on it. He even invited me to listen again after one year.
CONCLUSION
Going straight to the point, the old Orpheus was the better one for me – and I’m not even considering the cost-performance factor. I’m a fan of classical, acoustic and jazz, and for these genres it is just more appropriate in my opinion. Its midrange is to die for.
The innovating design of the new one may be appealing for some, but not that much for me – it makes the headphones heavier and it's not very convenient in my point of view. The lightweight of the HE 90 makes it almost disappear.
The HE 1 is less euphonic and does have a bigger live sound with more presence and impact and maybe it’s the better choice for others, especially those who like pop and rock. But for my taste, the musicality of the good old Orpheus is just magical.
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