[astrostar59]

  The 009 was one time fed from the BHSE, the other from a Stax tube amp.
But again, I belong to the camp who prefer tonalities of smoother estats to brutally revealing. I felt similarly about the Shangri-La (close to 009) I heard too, in case you heard that one 

Interesting, thanks. It would be awesome to have an A/B by someone who owns the 009 and the BHSE/Carbon/T2 though. Just curious how far Sennheiser has managed to push out the envelope. I am thinking the ability to tune the DAC - Amp - HP is a big deal here. By tune I am referring to system balancing, as we know once you get to this level more detail can mean more problems.
 
Thinking how much has been discussed over the years on the ideal DAC and amp combo for the 009s, tube rolling in the BHSE etc. It has been a long journey for many. I feel very content with my 009s finally. They offered a glimpse of the high end, or real music but didn't get there in my case till my amp changed and my DAC, with various server tweaks along the way. The HE-1 is a complete solution, and it seems a success by the generally positive responses so far. 
 
Quite how many have come away and ordered it is another matter, which is no doubt the price. TBH if I had the money, and it was really that good, I would buy it for sure, though I think I would prefer to have control over the DAC. If an amp and HP combo was offered.....

 

[conquerator2]

You do have control over the DAC. I fed it my own DAP, which while not ideal, might be tonally better than the built-in one, which I have not heard.
The DAC I fed wit with is on the smoother side, but when an aggressive headphone is fed to it, it shows through. The HE1 stayed the most linear from mid to treble and I wouldn't change a thing there. The bass I did not analyze close enough, but the texture was excellent and impact struck me as sufficient. Definitely look forward to your impressions 

 

[raypin]

I can't wait too hear it myself. Quck question, have you heard the 009s on a BHSE/T2 or Carbon? They play better and to a higher level with those amps IMO.

Mm...briefly auditioned the BHSE set-up at CanJam Singapore. Unfortunately, the Head Amp table was situated in the main exhibit floor and I don't think I can make any meaningful comment (just too busy with headfiers). I am interested in the BHSE to partner with my SR 009 (currently using the Stax SRM 007tII) but the prospect of Stax releasing a new amplifier (flagship) is something that has put that plan on hold. I must have read the Innerfidelity shoot-out of amps for the 009 at least 20 times so I am very much aware of the 009/BHSE synergy.

 

[Dobrescu George]

AVstore brought HE-1 to Romania so I had a chance to hear them... 
 
The sound was good. 
 
Considering that HE-1 is something like a statement made in how good something can sound, I will give Senn their credits - it does sound like a statement in sound - basically it is the best sound I've heard to date. Didn't expect less. The sound is the best sound you can experience. 

 

[13candles]

  Interesting, thanks. It would be awesome to have an A/B by someone who owns the 009 and the BHSE/Carbon/T2 though. Just curious how far Sennheiser has managed to push out the envelope. I am thinking the ability to tune the DAC - Amp - HP is a big deal here. By tune I am referring to system balancing, as we know once you get to this level more detail can mean more problems.
 
Thinking how much has been discussed over the years on the ideal DAC and amp combo for the 009s, tube rolling in the BHSE etc. It has been a long journey for many. I feel very content with my 009s finally. They offered a glimpse of the high end, or real music but didn't get there in my case till my amp changed and my DAC, with various server tweaks along the way. The HE-1 is a complete solution, and it seems a success by the generally positive responses so far. 
 
Quite how many have come away and ordered it is another matter, which is no doubt the price. TBH if I had the money, and it was really that good, I would buy it for sure, though I think I would prefer to have control over the DAC. If an amp and HP combo was offered.....

You are absolutely right when you say that the HE1 is a complete sound solution or a One&Done kinda thing. I too would want control over various aspects on my Headphone system. 
 
Having said that, and IMHO, i think a certain part of the HE1's mystique is that it isn't readily available to audition as compared to other gear. Be it it's price, exclusivity, or whatever other factor has already somewhat created a placebo effect that it has to be a wow. 
 
So was i wowed when i finally got my 15min slot to audition the Legendary HE1 by Sennheiser?
 
First track which the Senny reps had me listen to was Strive by Amber Rubarth's Sessions from the 17th Ward. Holy Cow! Who's that knocking on the door?!?!? Impressive?? Well yes.... Only to the uninitiated when you consider the fact that it was a binaural recording....
 
Second track was Somewhere, Somebody by Jennifer Warnes's The Hunter album. Clarity and dynamism was really top-notch but i personally felt like she was just singing too close like i was sitting in the first two rows of a performance in a small room. I would have preferred if i felt like i was at the 4th or 5th row... Perhaps it was that particular recording? 
 
So i requested some tracks which i was more familiar with like Purple Rain from Prince some Dire Straits and some Metallica which those Senn guys had on their iMac which fed the HE1. Sorry guys but i specifically refrain from Hotel California which i think is just too overplayed as a test track!
 
Like a kid in a toy store i held my breath..... eagerly waiting to be blown away by the actual performance of this Orpheus II to match it's legendary mystique.... And like how when one finally gets to meet this incredibly stunning/charming girl/boy that you've always dreamt about; once the pleasantries are done and you settle down, get your bearings clear, you realise that it's not that a big deal after all. 
 
Please do not get me wrong. The HE1 is really good. It's clarity,dynamism and detail retrieval is all top-notch. That i can pretty much attest to with those tracks i know so well. However, i would have to say that the SR009/BHSE/Holo Spring Kitsune combo trounces the HE1's soundstage in both width and depth. Also, i would have to say that SR009 combo was smoother overall and bass was better pronounced. The HE1's overall representation was just too in my face for me to prefer it over the SR009 combo.
 
Take what you want from my brief experience with the Orpheus II afterall they are my two cents. And FWIW, i would take the SR009/BHSE combo over HE1 anytime and everytime. Not Because of price but purely because the HE1 to me is a One&Done system; like a gaming console which you can never really change it's parts to get something else different or better. 
With the SR009 or any Estat system i can change. Heck, i can even hook the Senn HE90 to a DIY-T2!!!
 
In a nutshell, the HE1 is just massive audio jewellery to me. It's built and aura/hype surrounding it is just second-to-none. Once you listen and experience it there just isn't much left to talk about. But with other Estat Systems there's more to chat about. More to ponder and to tinker with. "Whats the weak chain in my set-up ? Is it my amp? Is my DAC too bright for my 009s? Should i go SS or Tube with my 007? Maybe i should just forget the BHSE and get some mystique to built the T2 for me?" 
 
Anyways, these are my musings and not to offend nor be taken seriously because i do not even take myself seriously too
 
Cheers peeps

 

[conquerator2]

I'd blame the built-in DAC for the in-your-face / rough presentation... I din't use it and it's beyond me why the people at Sennheiser let the engineers to compromise on that when so much care went into the headphone and amplifier.

 

[Dobrescu George]

I actually tested HE-1 more with torture tracks rather than easy music 

 
Dance Gavin Dance - Acceptance speech 
 
Obscurcis Romancia - Sancuaire Damne 
 
Infected Mushroom - Becoming Insane
 
Tracks that cannot be easily sang by most headphones , tracks with lots of instruments and layering that are difficult to sing 

 

 

[icebear]

  I'd blame the built-in DAC for the in-your-face / rough presentation... I din't use it and it's beyond me why the people at Sennheiser let the engineers to compromise on that when so much care went into the headphone and amplifier.

To avoid unfavorable pairings like a bright DAC/amp combo with the HD800 and then people complain about the headphone being too agressive in the high frequency range?
Just a wild guess of course.

 

 

[conquerator2]

Well, the DAC section apparently isn't that good of a match so... That's a moot point 

 

[up late]

correct me if i'm wrong but i was under the impression that you didn't use the he-1's inbuilt dac. if that's so, then what are you basing your negative assessment of it on?

 

[conquerator2]

Well, others say the presentation was in your face and even rough, which does not correlate with my impressions at all. So, I am looking at the one variable that can explain this, which happens to be the DAC, and being a Sabre at that, it'd be anything but surprising to me. They tend to be on the harsher, more analytic side in my experience.

 

[up late]

so you're accepting the impressions of barely a handful of people who have actually heard the he-1 and posted their listening impressions here, without having tried the inbuilt dac for yourself. you have no first hand experience of hearing how sennheiser's technicians implemented the sabre dac chips in the he-1, yet you have come to the conclusion that the "DAC section apparently isn't that good of a match" for the rest of the integrated system. that's not apparent or a moot point but a baseless assumption.

 

[conquerator2]

Well, it's the only variable I can see, as I did not listen to audiophile recordings by any stretch. But obviously suit yourself 

 

[astrostar59]

  so you're accepting the impressions of barely a handful of people who have actually heard the he-1 and posted their listening impressions here, without having tried the inbuilt dac for yourself. you have no first hand experience of hearing how sennheiser's technicians implemented the sabre dac chips in the he-1, yet you have come to the conclusion that the "DAC section apparently isn't that good of a match" for the rest of the integrated system. it's neither apparent or a moot point but a baseless assumption.

On worrying thing I spotted in some posters who heard the HE-1 was at those demos they used iTunes for the player. That iMO is hardly optimal. I left iTunes long ago hearing the obvious improvement in a dedicated player. Possibly Senn's thought on that was let folk hear it as they would at home. But I can't see anyone seriously buying a HP system for 50K and then using iTunes.
 
I am following posts from user on here who have a good HP setup already as from a purely selfish point of view, I want to understand how far the tech can go or has gone compared to the best on offer to 'regular' stat users (BHSE, Carbon, T2, 009s and 007s). I should get a test myself at Can-Jam this summer so will report back then.

 

[up late]

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