Is $2000 The Hi-End Headphone Sweet Spot? HEDDphone 2, HE1000se, Tungsten DS w/ Market Analysis

[@wavetheorysound]

I created the Head-Fi thread! Link in the description.

[@megi9977]

Over 4 1/2 years ago I got the HEKse - at the time they were £3,300 new, I found a very slightly used pair for £2,300. But they're still going strong, and no regrets, amazing headphones. I've seen them going for £1800 lately...

[@MrRosscoz]

HE1000Se $1699 at the moment… deal of the decade

[@ReverendDr.Thomas]

A very comprehensive review of the three finest headphones in the price range, Professor! I recently purchased the HE1000se, and have a Tungsten on order (two out of three ain't bad, I suppose). I auditioned the HEDDphones 2 last year but it was not comfortable, so I plan to wait for the next iteration of the headphones (or else, save-up for the new Susvara).

[@codysantmyer5781]

How are u liking the he1000se?

[@sabergoli3518]

which did you end up listening to most? how do you think they contrast each other?

[@ReverendDr.Thomas]

@@codysantmyer5781, HE100se is not perfect but it's great for the price I paid (and he soundstaging is truly admirable).

[@ReverendDr.Thomas]

@@sabergoli3518, unfortunately, the Tungsten has yet to be fabricated. :(

[@theodorezurla496]

He1000SE is the most impressive to me at the price point.. truly a benchmark. Great content as usual wave theory 👍

[@knorrissirronk8665]

1- Your son's skit was funny. Here's to keeping you in the basement! 😂 2- I passed on the HE-1000 offerings to just end the headphone hunt with Susvara. But many of your notes on impact and rumble are why I pull out my HE6 v2s. But I've been tempted by the Modhouse Tungsten. Just waiting for them to come off backorder. 3- I'm still happy with my Heedphone (original) and seem to be one of the few with no complaints about the weight. Only marginal curiosity about the 2nd rendition, but will look to find a pair to audit at a swap meet. All said, the main thing that I see people potentially with these cans is "NEED MORE WATTS." IN MY OPINION as a happy user for years now, your amp needs ability to power large voltage swings, and SUSTAINED power by far trumps PEAK power citing. I have sp200, Topping a90, and a number of other amps with ample "power", but they leave these cans sounding flat, or sibilant, or just "thin" despite making them "loud enough".

[@knorrissirronk8665]

Now for the likely unpopular comment. Problem people will ALWAYS have with any review is the idea that ANY headphone can be "the best" at every genre, sound characteristic, or physical/comfort appeal. Say that you have an issue with a Philips head screwdrive because it strips your torx screws, and people would call you a nutter. But complain that an excellent orchestral headphone doesn't slam "Rage Against The Machine" that well, and you'll find virtual villagers with torches eager to slam that very capable headphone. Silly, isn't it? Yes, these are EXPENSIVE, and yes, it's great to find jack of all trades offerings, but those will not likely be "the best" at anything. This is why I don't ONLY listen to Susvara. I have he6 for slam, HEDDPHONE for mids/vocal excellence, beyer T1 (v2, v3 was awful for me!), HD-650, and even Bose (ONLY for noise cancelation). None of these are "lesser" headphones. They just each are specific tools that I've found the best for particular applications. Sorry, but you can't (currently) spend once and have the best at everything. That said, I consider your reviews to help find the trade-offs that you can live with. So, THANK YOU for doing these comparisons and reviews. [Edited to correct a type-o]

[@Djimbe]

Tungstens legit do need something with SERIOUS power and Speaker Amps are the only Budget Friendly move thus far - it honestly needs its own solution - Mass Kobo 465 ($20K tho) , Dual Flux Mentors, Ferrum Stack +Wandla, Dual Monoblock Thomann T.Amps (the 150 MKII w/35v gain are the cheapest option shipped , Soncoz SGP1, Black Ice F22/F35 ... collab amps are currently in the works with Enleum and Black Ice to power the things properly . - I preamp mine with a SPL Phonitor 2 for that sweet 120v swing - +60 VOLTS! plus THAT thing is in HIGH GAIN (an additional +24, I think?) And still it made me take the SP200 out of my Amp Rack and now it just collects dust on the floor a90/LA90 same fate (RIP) The (SUPER underrated) SP400 (w/all the Phonitor preamping) sounds better than AHB on it because of all of the (18?) Amps that thing is pushing perhaps, but its what I edit with now as the Imaging and accuracy of timbre is insane (yeah, who knew?, and the L70/A70 from topping are passable but still a TOUCH flat, but that may be the way they do the nested feedback thing which SMSL seems to have figured out better than they. The 281 only really worked when fed that much voltage and sounds phenomenal, but before that was, honestly, no better than HE1k was on it, despite the inverted impedance saddle.

[@Ezees23]

Current...not specifically voltage swings - because of its flat impedance....

[@Djimbe]

@@Ezees23 Tungsten cares about Gain, Susvara cares about current. Thats why the amps that work really well for Sus leave Tungsten wanting and flat

[@johs12345]

@@DjimbeHi! Nice to hear someone with experience pairing the Phonitor to the Tungsten. A question - how does the Tungsten sound with only the Phonitor (and nothing else)? I have the Phonitor XE and am wondering whether it well match well. 120 Volt railing as you say, but I’m not sure if the pairing would work well in actuality. Hope to hear from you.

[@hther163]

Hifiman recently lower the price of the He1000se to 1699$ which is kinf of crazy. Also next-generation Susvara is around the corner, I hope you can get a hand on one soon 😝

[@tdfmike3915]

Damn.... Now I need to get one too😮

[@invisiblekid99]

Damn. Hope that prices makes it across to the uk. If so I’d say that’s possibly, maybe a no brainer over the Tungsten DS??? I got the single sided and while Wavertheory mildly put them above the Arya Organics, I think they sound way better. But the UK price for the DS Is around £2600. That’s a good chunk over the HE1KSE.

[@tdfmike3915]

@@invisiblekid99 maybe my last comment was deleted bc rule violation? Try buying the hedd2 (new open box) over ebay EU auction. Dont spend more than 1.4

[@chungang7037]

good god...that is nuts

[@invisiblekid99]

Amazon UK is now £1629 . Around £300 cheaper than the last I saw about 3 weeks ago.

[@chungang7037]

Yes, Hifiman flexes on the market something fierce. I got the 400SE B stock for 50 USD [B stock is allegedly for sale in China mostly] and it blew me away. Nothing compares at that price point. The fact that the HE1000Se was 3500USd and is now 2000USD is perhaps even more insane.

[@JohnnyADi]

This is an exciting video. I was even thinking about getting the headphone 2 along side the DS Tungsten I already ordered, as someone who is serious about making music. Never thought I'd see something like this.

[@jeffhampton6972]

Best shameless self-promotion ever. Also, excellent reviews and comparisons.

[@themelancholia]

I just got the HE1000 Stealth (not the HE1000se in this video) for only $1040 on eBay and the bass is perfect, the mids have great instrumental/vocal tonality, and the highs are very satisfying. It sounds so full and the sub bass lift combined with the shimmery brightness makes everything very engaging. (Keep in mind the fact that I mostly like dubstep and experimental orchestral stuff at somewhat loud volumes, and a bass recession is quite terrible for these things) Only issue with it is it has a lot of sibilance with some things. I imagine the HE1000 Stealth makes everything else obsolete. Susvara is $2700 pricier and it does not have a sub bass lift, even a tiny low shelf cut. I have not tried the HD 800 S but I imagine the HE1000 Stealth should make it entirely irrelevant because of the massively better bass response and smoother treble, and the fact that they are the same price. I highly doubt the Shang Jr, Focal Utopia, or any of the ABYSS or Audeze models would suit my preferences better, as they either have bizarre FR or lack sufficient sub bass. I cannot produce music on something that does not have very present, clear low-end.

[@giorgosapo4508]

Incredible comparisons and market analysis! 👏👏 Congratulations

[@JohnnyADi]

I would of included the Dan clark E3 here, you'd have the single best headphone comparison video on KZbin. All $2000, all masters of their class.

[@TheWorldTeacher]

Would HAVE. 👀

[@hiraksarma3068]

Nice review, HekSE is $1599 now.

[@chjl1221]

"my sound preferences" part is imo the best audio review content and without talking about musical preferences first I never really get what folks talk about in reviews... it sounds great on Jazz yeah but how is it for D&B? please comment on Caldera Open with yes/no if you heard it, thanks!

[@aceofspades6667]

A new susvara was released at $8k yesterday. These prices are starting to look better and better. Have you reviewed the caldera yet at $4k? If so does it outperform these?

[@chronometa]

😭😭

[@wavetheorysound]

Yep, saw that. I was editing this video together right as the 'new HiFiMan flagship planar' rumors were starting to circulate. $8k is undeniably steep. I hope the performance earns that price. One will end up here eventually, I'm sure.

[@hiraksarma3068]

Yes, goldensound and resolve said they liked it, but my concern is the fully open driver which will be more vulnerable to mishaps, I think the price increase is to factor in the increased repair/return rate, new driver material is silver instead of gold so that can offset the cost a bit too.

[@chronometa]

@@hiraksarma3068 just build a listening chamber.

[@Djimbe]

Nobody in the Tungsten Telegram group thinks Caldera competes, and we have most current owners in there.

[@danielbulcsupekh7922]

You should try out the Austrian Audio The Composer. It is probably the best headphones I have heard around the 2500 dollar price range. It has a similar sound signature to the Hifiman top cans but better bass imo.

[@RockAndRollFirebird]

Fantastic comparison! Thank you for these detailed reviews. Please, please, please do a ZMF Caldera open teview and compare them to these and to higher value headpones... 🙏🙂

[@MadelnMachines]

Which would be best for EDM House & Techno - I'm a bit of a bass head who loves physical impact and heavy percussion. We might have similar preferences. I'll be using it for Listening / Producing / Mixing / Mastering. I've been recommended the Ananda Nano for low end kick and bass and the HE1000SE for soundstage and everything else. I spend a few hours and listened to the Nano and Organic and LCD-X and I liked them all. The Ayra stealth was a bit boring for me. I don't want something boring and relaxed designed for lofty classical and jazz connoisseurs. I do also enjoy some rock, downtempo, synthwave and neo-classical though. The Organic seemed like a great allrounder - it was quite trebly at first but my ears quickly forgot about it. I haven't tried any of them with EQ or for production or mixing. I'm wondering about the SE and 1000 v2 / 1000 stealth / MM500 though as I didn't get to try them. Everyone raves about the SE - is it still on another level to other planar hifimans? I'm also curious what the unveiled Arya brings - the 1000 stealth is a bit pricey! I'm very tempted to try the 1000 SE at $1900. I currently own the DT880 32 ohm (sharp and sibilant and lack of bass too spacious - seems only good for classical / acoustic) and M50X and i'm very unimpressed by both. I'll be driving it with an RME UFX III or a budget friendly Topping DAC amp.

[@iComment87]

I've been waiting for this!

[@rbsorg]

I went for the Tungsten as i wanted to patron a smaller proprietor, love the hifiman he6se v2, and like to listen at lower volumns. Using the Violectric v550 i am at 11:00 at a higher gain.

[@tdfmike3915]

The hedd2 got so much meh reviews on youtube that I regularly see them for below 1,4k now. Open box but still new. As I allready mentioned in a previous comment, I bought the hedd2 instead of repairing my lcd4z. The hedd2 are no totl headphones but theycome close for less than half the price. Even used. Very hard to beat that value. I have them hooked on tube pre amp, analog tube EQ and balanced out of an A90. They really nailed the mids! Any recommendation videos for a chain that goes well with these 3? Im thinking of maybe adding a chord dac/amp as a source to have something more to play around with. On the hugo tt2 even the meze sounded fantastic!

[@blejzerosamigos6115]

Well in my humble opinion the a90 is probably your weakest point and I would upgrade that first to something better. Cheers

[@tdfmike3915]

​​@@blejzerosamigos6115thanks for your input. I was thinking something similiar. I bought the A90 to tame the treble on my hd800 and it helps with less than perfect recording withbthe hedd as well. But with my tube chain and the eq nobs I tend to like the ceaper aaa789 more than the a90. As Im upsampling my files with hq player I was thinking either upgrad my ols smls su-8 or get a better amp. But I can barley narrow down the price range... and dac amp combos dont mix with my tube eq chain. I was thinking of a phonitor se or burston soloist or violectric v222 and then a dac that doesnt break my bank... Maybe I just wait for a used black ice aries and sell all my old stuff😅 Id be greatful for recommendations

[@sjqideez6626]

Thanks for this but omitting the Stax L700 MK2 from the best under $2K is odd indeed

[@johnrus7661]

I think your thought proccess is very valid. Of course there is always gonna be those people where a particular headphone just really resonates well with. Like me and the HD800s on tubes touches my soul just right. And they are pretty consistently lately like $1300'ish. So I think it just mouse squeaks into the worth buying category for that money and the fact they are pretty dang easy to drive with even 250mv amps or less. At $1800? Naw, definitely not worth it. Go for one of the aforementioned options.

[@danm203]

This video was on the longer side, but totally warranted for anyone looking to spend over 1k on a headphone. I go to Axpona every year and I've been to Can Jam Chicago, so I've pretty much heard everything and to me the 1000se recommendation is completely on point. I haven't bought an over ear since I got my ZMF Aeolus many years ago and I feel it's time for an upgrade. The 1000se is what I'll be upgrading to.

[@Djimbe]

Tungstens legit do need something with SERIOUS power and Speaker Amps are the only Budget Friendly move thus far - it honestly needs its own solution - Mass Kobo 465 ($20K tho) , Dual Flux Mentors, Ferrum Stack + Wandla, Dual Monoblock Thomann T.Amps (the 150 MKII w/35v gain are the cheapest option shipped , Soncoz SGP1, Black Ice F22/F35 ... collab amps are currently in the works with Enleum and Black Ice to power the things properly . - I preamp mine with a SPL Phonitor 2 for that sweet 120v swing - +60 VOLTS! plus THAT thing is in HIGH GAIN (an additional +24, I think?) And still it made me take the SP200 out of my Amp Rack and now it just collects dust on the floor a90/LA90 same fate (RIP) The (SUPER underrated) SP400 (w/all the Phonitor preamping) sounds better than AHB on it because of all of the (18?) Amps that thing is pushing perhaps, but its what I edit with now as the Imaging and accuracy of timbre is insane (yeah, who knew?, and the L70/A70 from topping are passable but still a TOUCH flat, but that may be the way they do the nested feedback thing which SMSL seems to have figured out better than they. The 281 only really worked when fed that much voltage and sounds phenomenal, but before that was, honestly, no better than HE1k was on it, despite the inverted impedance saddle. Now we can say "Well if they need all of that I dont want them", that's cool, but you MUST build your chain specifically for Tungsten or else you are not hearing them . The fact is that to get the best out if them they NEED to have SPEAKER AMP POWER And I mean like 250-350WPC@8ohms! There are affordable paths to this but you tend do sacrifice space to get there - T-Amps are UUUGE. If you aren't ball in, they might not sound better than HEK but thats just using them incorrectly and wanting them to work in a way or with gear that they do not. My 281 turned then on and they sounded GOOD but I did not het it until I connected my Phonitor to my chain, and then my mind blew. Then I took them to my studio and put them on a Speaker Amp. Then I put them back on a regular HP chain. A great one - the differences were Palpable. The more clean power you give these the more they scale, and the price point is meaningless. if they dont sound better than something its the chain not the Tungstens. Sounds nuts - and it IS nuts. But its also true.

[@TigroGumi]

I needed this very comparison... perfect!!!! lol For myself this primarily is for studio use and not sure if I could get something better for the studio than the HEDDPHONE 2. Sound stage is a important thing for me. I've been leaning towards the HE1000se. The Tungsten's have been a thought, but it seems too much of a make things sound good headphone for my uses. I would have to EQ the highs down a bit with the HE1000se's so I do not cut too much highs from the mix. But can remove that to do a check on the highs that they are not too much for bright sounding speakers and headphones. The amplification of the Tungsten's is not problem as you can get a cheap PA amp from Thomann and they actually sound better than a lot of expensive headphone amplifiers... and that's under £200 lol. Mid range is a important part of mixing but can get a cheaper headphone for the mid forward checking. Something I want to use them for is binaural Atmos mix checking... and the HE1000se's seem like they will be the best for this and that kinda wins it for me as I am moving now into Atmos mixing and will seek to no longer do stereo mixes and instead do a 2.0 fold-down and then master that file. I do wish to start reviewing audiophile products with the studio minded seat and use this as a way to get more things to check mixes on in the aspect of translation is grey area indeed. When you start to get into the higher end it seems you get the best simply by the most detail and unforgiving sound... if it's bad, it'll sound bad. Which again is funny to hear the studio minded headphone, the HEDDPHONE 2, is the most forgiving... that is not what a studio headphone is supposed to be doing lol. If I'm mixing I can make sure that a song does not sound fatiguing on bright sources... maybe not all bright sources. I would like to later on have all 3 and look forward to the amplification experiments of the Tungsten's... do feel they have been hyped a bit too much so reviewers, honestly hyped... I do not view or given mind to anyone that is not honest. But for now, I think the HE1000se will give me the better mixing advantage.

[@RadoDani]

I heard Heddphone 2 and the Hifiman at Warsaw Audio Video Show recently and I was missing a bit of a slam with Heddphone, otherwise really nice set. Maybe it was amp pairing. Later I heard Stax with some massive tube amp and was impressed with the bass. Now I really believe in synergy. Earlier I had the pleasure to check out HD800s and was a bit disappointed with its brightness. The Sennheiser amps are probably not a good pairing for HD800s.

[@annebokma4637]

From these three I will chose the hedd2. I like how it sounds (listened to it twice now) and it can be equalized well. Besides my gear dealer sells this and the hifiman. Bought my deva and 2 of my 3 deva pro, yeah I know, don't ask, or do ask if you want the story 😂. The modwright is sold out at the moment, but would be interesting to hear. Might get a verum 1 before the hedd though

[@raphaelmeillat8527]

Great review, very well done. Full of helpful thoughts and tips on how to view this crazy hobby of ours! Thank you so much.

[@user-ks8ux4ig6b]

I've been thinking about new headphones but 2k is as high as I want to go, so this was just the right video to watch. thanks

[@elvissrabovic7479]

I have hekse and i like more sen 600 with violectric 222. Everything is about preference and synergi. Thanks for video.

[@janfreshman_82]

Good Video like ever. The dca e3 would fit in this topic. And maybe the empy2, but here in know Your opinion.

[@AnnieSpit]

So interesting and informative as usual. Nearly every piece of audio equipment I have bought thanks to you. I am a proud owner of HE1000se and Focal Radiance and could not be happier. However, I need to turn the volume up on my Cayin N8ii when using the HE1000se and wondered if you could suggest a reasonably priced headphone amp. Thank you again.

[@sTuP1]

I’m thankful my Plex was offline when I got home, got the vid suggestion after watching Mr. Sargent Amid(sp?!😂) vid.. I am not a headphone guy but love IEMs. A lot of useful reference points, insights and presentation, much love!❤

[@adamgreenhill110]

I've been binge-watching your reviews lately. Everything you describe is exactly what I hear in most headphones, to a T. But you manage to explain it clearly and even get into the science. Seriously underrated channel!

[@ggdfggdfgdffgfddg34]

Great review friend! But to find a new leader at a price of up to a thousand bucks, you should hear TAGO STUDIO T3-01, and up to 1500 this is of course audio-tekniks awas!

[@helden-spaswenkoff1807]

TAGO STUDIO T3-01の日本国内定価は約400ドルです

[@pent6bq5]

So happens that today I’ve been toggling between my HE1000SE and my T3-01. I keep going back to the T3-01-I agree that for less than a grand and sometimes even more it’s hard to beat.

[@delta9k]

TH909 gang! just had to say it for $2K range option... Nice presentation really appreacited watching the vid and recognizing your passion and attentention to detail. I'm not a snob but I traditionally purchase new when picking up major pieces which is contrary to the norm but that's just me. The examples you have shown here are definitely worthy of buying new or saving a bit more to buy new.

[@EstaticX9]

Very good review. Thanks 👍👍👌

[@gauravtyagi5900]

Haven’t heard the Tungsten but I was blown away by the HEDDphone 2. Couldn’t believe how real they sounded as you also noticed. HE1000se sounded good only on warm sources like V280. On others the sounded shrill and artificial.

[@gerhardschmidt6634]

Very helpful review!

[@corrrect]

I appreciate it when you get educational about audio reproduction. Thanks.

[@MicheleCampolo]

Hey thanks for the comparison! After hearing your music taste and that you tend to listen to single tracks in the case of EDM, I just wanted to recommend two electronic music albums that are worth listening from start to finish: Immunity and Singularity by Jon Hopkins. I probably listen to less rock and for sure less metal than you do, but I would still consider myself an alt rock guy who got into electronic music only later in life, and in my opinion those two electronic albums are unique experiences that are definitely worth a try, especially for people who also like orchestral and soundtracks

[@Ark-ok2bs]

You don't mention compared to Caldera at the end when you start talking about how it compares to headphones in increasing price at the end.

[@chronometa]

One of the reasons I watch your channel as a reference is because we share similar music tastes. But it's interesting that we come to different conclusions on how to get there.

[@wavetheorysound]

No worries, my friend. I appreciate your support either way.

[@chronometa]

@@wavetheorysound definitely part of the fun.

[@Cp48533]

41:54 for me its not about the pinching of the pennies. I have the pennies - but more so can i justify it for a headphone. Really a question to ask anything over $500 for a headphone… Yet i have the Arya Organic, i dont know how to justify it apart from they are amazing. Reason 1, 2, 3, base, mid, treble, etc…

[@MarcLie90]

Ordered the he1000se for 1670$ earlier today :)

[@chungang7037]

refurbished?

[@MarcLie90]

@@chungang7037 New :)

[@MarcLie90]

@@chungang7037 new

[@MarcLie90]

@@chungang7037 New

[@MarcLie90]

@@chungang7037 new

[@dangerzone007]

I noticed the 1000 SE has a minor treble peak at around 8K. Just wondering if you EQed that 8k down a bit if it might give you a smoother treble.

[@Angel-AbC9]

Nice info , good job thanks

[@jekken333]

Better take than DMS&Zeos hype job on tungsten.

[@TheWorldTeacher]

Doug and Steve. 👀

[@Djimbe]

@@TheWorldTeacher Like "Wave Theory" "The World Teacher" or "Djimbe" arent ... what's your point here???

[@Angel-AbC9]

I agree with this video.well done

[@Sven-l6d]

Hi Wavetheory! Is the Heddphone two your favourite hp for metal and rock? If not, what hp is it? Id like a very detailed but forgiving hp for rock and metal. What brings out the guitars and drums with a good bass fundamental with not so harsh highs and upper mids?

[@MrRosscoz]

Great review/watch

[@Angel-AbC9]

I thought you was going to mention the music and compare each headphone to that song , like taking about 4 to 5 songs and breaking down the sound of the phons ,and letting us know the song , that wouldve been nice.

[@tryingtocorrect]

The "Market analysis" was interesting to me. Because I might be willing the pay more if the sound is *significantly* better than these. But as you said 2500-3000 does not give that necessarily, then that seems to give me clear answer that around 2000 is the way to go for me. And I dont want to spend 4000. Another question is that how about 1000 range? Are these 3 significantly better than around 1000 headphones?

[@Michael_mki233]

Now how are we supposed to be proper audiophile snobs if we go around telling people that the price/perf sweet spot is a measly $2,000? We're going to have to see about revoking your membership. 😆

[@king_epk]

This man must be stopped, revoking his membership ASAP

[@shipsahoy1793]

Wow! spending over a couple hundred bucks on a pair of headphones is the very definition of insanity IME 😂😂😂 Really.. by the time you're able to afford anything so expensive, you're hearing is too old to be able to evaluate the differences !

[@tdfmike3915]

Give him some time. Maybe he recommends a 10k chain to go with these 3😅 For next years highend in munich im going to bring my own hedd2 and go annoy the chord guys again😂

[@adamgreenhill110]

​​@@shipsahoy1793No and no - Most of us aren't that old, I'm 22 and I have Utopia, HEKSE and LCD-5, with a full Ferrum stack (all bought used). I'm on minimum wage but I live with my parents lol And older people have less treble in their hearing, but they can still hear the quality!

[@wavetheorysound]

My membership card is oddly shaped like a Susvara and a Utopia...😆

[@chrisnyc3641]

Interesting take. I hadn't thought about it quite this way, but I think you're right. I still think the sweet spot for value is Arya, but once you pass Arya I agree with everything you said. I would include Caldera in that top tier.

[@wavetheorysound]

Gotcha. To my ears these 3 are a healthy increase in performance over Arya. I have not yet heard Caldera either, so I can't comment where it fits in either direction yet.

[@jpe30]

Of these 3, which would suggest for a metal-head/rock leaning listener? I'm considering the HE1000se, Tungsten, Caldera, and Diana MR. Of those, the Diana MR seems to be a mixed bag, and at 3k probably isn't worth it. The HE1000se and Tungsten seem to be crowd pleasers, so I'm leaning heavily towards them. The Caldera is beautiful and has received great reviews, but at 3.5k am I really getting another 1.5k worth of quality out of them? Probably not.

[@HEDDAudioGmbH]

give it a try as well :)

[@shawnpwatsons1]

Let's not forget the ATH-ADX5000 for $2000 that is a resolution monster with 460ohms with a 58mm dynamic driver. I've not heard it. Just mentioning it in case you had.

[@muhamadsyazwan5170]

how about dca e3?

[@bryce74]

Will the xDuoo XD05 pro drive the heddphone 2? It can output 2W at 32ohms.

[@andreasschwarz4908]

I still think that the Borealis is a market disruptor at its price and the GH50 JM is worth its dough compared to these, but I agree with you on the HEDD 2 (HE1000 too bright, Tungsten unavailable).

[@wavetheorysound]

Gotcha. I'm glad Tungsten and Hedd2 came along because now there are choices at $2k. You are correct that for a segment of listeners the hekse will just be too bright period, and Tungsten does currently have availability and lead time issues (which hopefully will be resolved in not distant future). But the presence of at least 3 options told me it was time to make a video like this. Thanks for watching!

[@andreasschwarz4908]

@@wavetheorysound oh and as usual, well done 👍 you've become my favorite reviewer.

[@Angel-AbC9]

Would be nice to know did you use a xrl cable or quarter inch on those headphones for test ?

[@wavetheorysound]

Most of my cables are 4-pin xlr balanced and I have a collection of high quality adapters to 1/4" or 4.4mm pentaconn. I need that flexibility because this work sees all kinds of amps with different output types come and go. A nice thing about this trio of cans is that they all use dual 3.5mm connectors so I could do all my comps with literally the same headphone cables. Lavricables Grand Silver for HiFiman and Plussound X8 pure copper square weave both got in on this comp heavily as in my own judgement those are 'reasonable-ish' prices to spend on aftermarket cables for headphones of this quality. You're free to agree or disagree with that statement.

[@Angel-AbC9]

@@wavetheorysound wow you Saud all that and did not answer my question lol . I was asking which cables xlr or quarter inch or even 3.5mm ,did you use for the test , I don't care for the brand names . The sound can change a little using xlr compare to 3.5mm or quarter inch. I have the he1000se and use the xlr most of the time over the quarter inch

[@tdfmike3915]

@@Angel-AbC9 I think he answerd with a very firm YES. I underdtood the comment as him using 4pin and adapters to SE. The hedd2 and tungsten should always be powered balanced to get enough watts anyways.

[@Angel-AbC9]

@tdfmike3915 I didn't find his answer because he went into to long paragraphs . But thanks for your replied

[@varbane]

Can Tungsten DS be driven with V222?

[@Rob-Davidson]

I really want the Tungsten, but they're too hard to get. Extremely small windows to order and then wait months and months? I can't do it. So I'd settle for HE1000SE if the treble doesn't kill me. Does HE1000SE have more treble than Arya Stealth? Because I have Arya Stealth, and it's just barely over the treble edge for me. I wouldn't want more.

[@MarcLie90]

About the same

[@Rob-Davidson]

Nice! I can deal with that.​@@MarcLie90

[@hugoanderkivi]

I think the HE1000SE is so much more superior to the Arya's, though. The treble is liquid and perfect on well-recorded tracks, and the timbre and bass are more natural.

[@Rob-Davidson]

​@@hugoanderkivi After at least 100 hours of burn in, the treble on the HE1000SE settles down a lot. It sounds very good with all copper cables and Dekoni Fenestrated Arya pads.

[@hugoanderkivi]

@@Rob-Davidson It does indeed. I found it a tad bright at first, but now it sounds so fluid on good recordings. What amp are you running? I'm using a Chord Mojo 2 as my signal chain.

[@matthewhilty4209]

Much like the costlier Susvara a benchmark AHB2 speaker amp and a balanced Tube Pre-amp like a FreyaN does take care of the "treble shelf" for my HE1000se. Planar headphones LOVE power. Obviously this combo is costly and does suffer from the dreaded diminishing return curve but it is an option. I personally love the sound but given the price I do NOT recommend it with anyone with value being any part of their consideration.

[@Kuhlbreez]

All 3 of these companies should endorse you because you sold that!

[@nothingelse1520]

I got my Audeze CRBN for $2,000 used. Wonder how it compares to these.

[@tdfmike3915]

Depends on the manufacturing year of your your crbn. Audeze improves on their hps often without announcment and denominations. So the used market is... unreliable. I auditoned the iteration from last year on the highend in munich. I instantly fell in love. None of the reviews on YT do justice to what I heard! The were easily the best headphone at any price! Prolly had something to do with their crazy expensive amp too... I lamented that I narrowly missed the limited launch of the crbn + amp to the audeze people. They flat out told me not to be sorry. Its a different headphone now and with all the improvements its the absolute best audeze has to offer in terms of sound... The white haited guy told me so after I was shitting on the most expensive stax! If you have the serial number card you can contact audeze support and get the manufacturing year and month. (They usually offer a driver swap for out of warranty prices. Maybe >2k?) Try to figure out the manufacturing date of your crbn and ask audeze when they did the last improvements. If youbhave a new iteration of the crbn then you're golden

[@wavetheorysound]

Been awhile since I hears CRBN. On resolution and staging it's likely at least as good as these. I personally thought the stock midrange tuning wasn't great. I have reviews of it published.

[@nothingelse1520]

@@wavetheorysound I just got my CRBN back from Audeze last week. Fully refurbished. Sounds great. Not sure the differences between launch and 2024

[@tdfmike3915]

@@nothingelse1520 I heard them in 2023 and they sound way better than the reviews...

[@HEDDAudioGmbH]

You should definitely compare!:)

[@hartyewh1]

I'd say, similarly, that XS, HE6se V2, maybe MM-100 really hurt the $1000-1500 as well. The old big four (HD800s, Arya, LCD-X and Clear) are kinda poor value nowadays.

[@andrearenaudo9045]

You can get a refurbished Arya at 700$, and the Clear OG periodically goes on sale at less than 800$, and at these prices they are quite a good both value and quality wise (yes, the He6se competes with them, but you need a proper amp to drive them, I'm not talking about $$$$ uber powerful amps but at least something like a Jotunheim, and their qc sucks)

[@hartyewh1]

@@andrearenaudo9045 True, but I actually prefer XS to Arya and Clear for bass.

[@SonGokuhSSJ]

On a 2k budget, I would get an HD600/800S with a Bottlehead Crack and call it a day. It's not until you drop 10k on a Susvara/Envy combo that this setup gets outclassed.

Is Tungsten DS better than Caldera?

[@harackmw]

Are you going to find a way to buy the Shangri la?

[@ArefinGamingandWork]

we literally have very very few options for open back headphones under 500 USD that has decent amount of price to performance ratio even in 2024! Somethings really wrong with the audio companies. Not criticizing the high end headphones but audiophile headphones are already niche products and 2000 usd headphones are made specifically for whom i dont know!

[@muhamadsyazwan5170]

can Mojo 2 drive he1000se?

[@HEDDAudioGmbH]

It can definitely drive the HP2 ;)

[@muhamadsyazwan5170]

@@HEDDAudioGmbH whoa... I thought it needed more power

[@king_epk]

Do the thread!!!!!

[@wavetheorysound]

Done! Link in description.

[@invisiblekid99]

Another price drop on the HE1KSE, they must be able to afford it thanks to their new Susvara Unvield @ £7500

[@Leon-lg7zm]

Wavetheory are you now sad that your Susvara is now officially veiled?

[@IrenESorius]

👍‍‍🌟🌟🌟👍‍‍

[@cesargutierrez4999]

I could not agree with you anymore The reality of sounds, how real does the music sound is what does it for me. Nobody is wrong in this adventure , some take soundstage and other things over the reality of the sound They are not wrong It is just what they like, but to me reality is first then everything else, and I do want everything else.

[@Cp48533]

I think 1200-1400 is the sweet spot for vfm

[@Lunaq]

2k is more like midfi no?

[@dangerzone007]

The arya organic is the sweet spot. It's almost as good and a lot cheaper.

[@dangerzone007]

I like Hedd headphones and speakers. I told my girlfriend I'd like some Hedd for my birthday. I hope she doesn't get confused and give me the wrong thing.

[@ReverendDr.Thomas]

🙄

[@Brjoszka]

Cringe

[@herseyberry4655]

Sounds like she can't miss !

[@RyuMasterEX]

That hifiman probably has more holography and no punch because it's inverted polarity