[Azure]

Today better not be "August Fools" or something in Holland. A new high-end dynamic headphone is exciting, but a new high-end electrostat? I'm at a loss for words. I hope this rumor is true and that it'll retail for less than the current market price of the HE60 and OII.

 

[WittyzTH]

I hope it would be real for the new coming either dynamic or electrostat, but it should be not over 1k bucks.

 

[krmathis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by braillediver /img/forum/go_quote.gif Would any company release an Electrostatic Headphone with out releasing a complimentary amplifier? Stax and Senn both had amplifiers mated with the headphones.

Most probably not.
Since electrostats need a corresponding amplifier to function, and Sennheiser (and other vendors) most probably don't want to rely on other vendors to make it a working system.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Azure /img/forum/go_quote.gif Today better not be "August Fools" or something in Holland. A new high-end dynamic headphone is exciting, but a new high-end electrostat? I'm at a loss for words. I hope this rumor is true and that it'll retail for less than the current market price of the HE60 and OII.

Hopefully not an "August Fools". he he
It would be great to have a Sennheiser electrostat following in the HE60 footsteps. But I am personally hoping for an HE90 successor!

 

[Canman]

A new truly high end headphone would be very exciting. The market is wide open here as all the best headphones are out of production.

 

[krmathis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Canman /img/forum/go_quote.gif A new truly high end headphone would be very exciting. The market is wide open here as all the best headphones are out of production.

All of them? So you don't consider the in-production Stax SR-007 (Omega II) to be one of the "best" headphones? I am shocked!

That said there are definitely a market for more high end electrostatic headphones. After all there have only been a handful of them ever (HE90, SR-Omega, SR-007 (perhaps the HE60, 4070 and others can join as well?)), and currently only one left in production (SR-007).

 

[milkpowder]

Tyll, that was one major leak!!

Anyhow, I hope that if they are going to be making a new electrostat that they keep the overall HE60 sound signature, but for goodness sakes give 'em some bass extension! HE60 w/ SR-007 bass would be exquisite.

 

[purk]

I don't think they will come out with the new top of the line electrostatic headphones. I recently talked to Mr. UWA who is the director of the technical department of Sennheiser USA and he didn't mention anything regarding the new electrostatic. He said that the Orpheus combo is the best they made and the HE90 is extremely expensive to produce. I doubt they will want to invest their time and effort to produce a replacement to the HE90. Of course, he did mention that the new dynamics is in the work. However, he didn't give any more insight on when and what it will be.

 

[Contrastique]

Strange that that guy talked about it if they aren't working on such a thing...I asked him like, is it gonna be in the line of the he60/he90 and he said yes. Strange..have to call him soon anyways so maybe I can drag some other info out of him..

 

[Zorander]

I hope they're going to release a hybrid like the K340.

 

[purk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Contrastique /img/forum/go_quote.gif Strange that that guy talked about it if they aren't working on such a thing...I asked him like, is it gonna be in the line of the he60/he90 and he said yes. Strange..have to call him soon anyways so maybe I can drag some other info out of him..

Please do. I would love to get a pair myself, but I highly doubt they will release anything in HE90 level. Let's face it, the demand will be so low on such a headphone that the cost of R&D as well as manufacturer will outweight their profit. It took Sennheiser several years to sell all the Orpheus. Plus....if they develop another electrostat headphone...they will also have to invest more resource to create the amp to drive them. Maybe an improved HE60, but I doubt they will do another HE90 again.

Purk

 

[krmathis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by purk /img/forum/go_quote.gif Maybe an improved HE60, but I doubt they will do another HE90 again.

For some reason I think you are right.
After seeing most vendors (Sony, Audio-Technica, AKG, Grado, ...) giving up on high-end headphones, I would not be surprised if Sennheiser continue to leave it dead as well. Sad, but true!

Guess we are too small of a niche market!

 

[Canman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by krmathis /img/forum/go_quote.gif All of them? So you don't consider the in-production Stax SR-007 (Omega II) to be one of the "best" headphones? I am shocked!

I eat my words. Yes, I consider the O2 to be one of the best headphones ever made and the best headphone currently in production. That doesn't change the fact that there aren't many excellent headphones out there. Most of what has come out recently has been mediocre.

 

[vcoheda]

any new semi high-end headphone is exciting. these things are always farther away than we think though.

 

[krmathis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Canman /img/forum/go_quote.gif I eat my words. Yes, I consider the O2 to be one of the best headphones ever made and the best headphone currently in production. That doesn't change the fact that there aren't many excellent headphones out there. Most of what has come out recently has been mediocre.

Then we talk the same language!

 

[purk]

Quote:

For some reason I think you are right. After seeing most vendors (Sony, Audio-Technica, AKG, Grado, ...) giving up on high-end headphones, I would not be surprised if Sennheiser continue to leave it dead as well. Sad, but true! Guess we are too small of a niche market!

Well.....the replacement for the HE90 will probably be around 8000 USD if it ever relased. Knowing Sennheiser, that headphone will come bundle with their amplifier.....add another 8000 USD...so around 16K will be a good ball park.