The Sennheiser Orpheus 2? A First Look At The Sennheiser HE-1 (The New Orpheus)

[schalliol]

   Now comes the tricky task of convincing the wife that the kids have no need to go to college.....

The right answer is that they just have to do well enough to get full rides.

 

[Matias]

More info here: http://www.whathifi.com/news/new-sennheiser-orpheus

 

[classfolkphile]

  HOW TO RATIONALIZE THE PURCHASE OF THE SENNHEISER HE1060/HEV1060 HEADPHONE SYSTEM
 
Remember the following 7 logical points: 
 
1) I am not just buying headphones; I am buying a German engineered, integrated headphone system. - Ya, that sounds much better.
 
2) $15,000 for the best headphone is not that bad when considering that the best loudspeakers are $150,000 or more. That is only 10% of the price of speakers.  I am not spending $15,000 on headphones; I am saving at least $135,000 - smart me.
 
3) $15,000 for the headphone amp is a bargain considering two Woo Audio WA-234 mono amps are $30,000 - that is one hell of a bargain - it's half the price!  How could I not jump at this deal?
 
4) $15,000 for the fabulous integrated DAC is cheap, when you consider that the MSB Select DAC is $89,950 - Bargain City indeed.
 
5) $3,000 for hiding those horrible, unsightly protruding amplifier knobs when it is not in use.  We all have those moments when we think to ourselves, 'God, I would give anything to not have to look at a protruding headphone amplifier knob.' - Problem solved!
 
6) $3,000 for watching the tubes lift out of the top. - Let's face it, looking at vacuum tubes that are not actively being used has been scientifically proven to increase systemic body inflammation, raise blood pressure and disturb brain function. - My health is important.
 
7) $4,000 for the opening box lid. - Every time I turn the unit on for listening, I get to feel like a billionaire who is being served tea on a silver platter by a butler.  This is enormously cheaper than hiring a butler for the same amount of ego gratification and sense of self importance.  Admit it, only heathens and troglodytes have headphone cases that do not have motorized lids. - I certainly am not a heathen or a troglodyte.  
 
There is your $55,000.  Now that was not hard, was it?  If your wife does not understand this logic, it simply confirms what you have always suspected - she is irrational! 

Very good.  

 

[SACD-Man]

I have the previous Orpheus setup and if its even 15% better, thats mind blowing!!!

 

[Ted Paputsidis]

So basically this, at least partially, is an active headphone. There is something very "right" and "special" about well designed and executed active speakers like ATC, Meridian, Focal etc. 
If this is the direction we are heading, I like it and applaud it.
 
On a different note, Sennheiser should have being far more careful about presenting this product with a chip on the marble around the volume knob (2:45), what appears to be a compression damage on the lower right part of the case, a volume knob that is not perfectly flash to the case or centered correctly. The buyers of this product live in Carrara marble environments and they can "feel" those imperfections. The QC person at Sennheiser should take their iPhone out of their pocket and do accordingly.

 

[classfolkphile]

Wow.  Thank you Jude for a great video!

 

[0MoUsE0]

Damn...............for 2 things:
1) This is one spectacular piece !
2) I'm broke

 

 

[reeltime]

These are gonna make my iPhone sound AWESOME!  

 
I hope they trickle down the technology into some real-world models.  $55k will buy you a hell of a home theater.

 

[ezvkm77]

Now that's a very good question!

 

[Khragon]

Kinda disappointed about this...
 
1. The price, obviously
2. The design, it's basically a rectangular-ish marble box with built-in storage for the HPs, I don't think it's pretty.. if anything I think it's ugly.  I prefer the amp to be separate from the HP, and separate from the storage.  The little trick at power-on.. meh...
3. The built-in amp, which means we are locked into the system and can't try the HPs on say the old Orpheous amp, or the BHSE, Woo WES.

 

[Aero Dynamik]

Nah, I don't know... I still think Beats must be better. After all, most famous people like artists and footballers use Beats and I think that "thingy" on the table will be too large heavy to carry around while commuting.

 

[Aero Dynamik]

  Kinda disappointed about this...
 
1. The price, obviously
2. The design, it's basically a rectangular-ish marble box with built-in storage for the HPs, I don't think it's pretty.. if anything I think it's ugly.  I prefer the amp to be separate from the HP, and separate from the storage.  The little trick at power-on.. meh...
3. The built-in amp, which means we are locked into the system and can't try the HPs on say the old Orpheous amp, or the BHSE, Woo WES.

Yeah, better go with Beats!

 

[Beyakusenn]

If I eat from the garbage of the supermarket for 2 years and live in a tent or under a bridge while working my ass off, I should be able to afford buying this system with a bit of change to spare.

 

[Maxpain]

Products like this one is not meant for everyone not only because not everyone can afford to spend 50k for something but also because there are only some people who are ''crazy enough'' to spend 50k for listening to music.
 
But perfection comes only from epxerimentation and development and projects like this will allwats help to make the next step. If this is really one of the best there is the price is not that high. How would you price the fastest airplane or the smarter computer?

 

[dxanex]

That's one hell of an impression. I've never seen Jude so giddy. Never thought listening to a set of headphones would make it to my bucket list, but here we are.