[TheAbyss2022]

because I liked the extremely open and large soundstage

Doesn't the AB1266 have a really large and open soundstage?

 

[Paul Noir Culte]

I think it's a very sensible idea.

I did the opposite... I sold the TC and soon after bought a 1000se (back when the price was still $3500). I never regretted it. For $2k new today, it's a very compelling headphone, one of the best at that price surely even amongst current headphones, if you like the 1000se sound. I still think about getting one again. You really can't beat that price for what you get IMO.

I was at the High End Munich two weeks ago, I thought the new Diana DZ was extremely good, but the DZ doesn't sound as huge and open as the HE1000se and costs twice as much. I don't find the Meze Elite and the Empyrean II to be on the same level as the HE1000se, I'm a bit disappointed with the new Utopia and just thought the predecessor was better. I will most likely get the HE1000se again.

 

[Paul Noir Culte]

Doesn't the AB1266 have a really large and open soundstage?

The Abyss 1266 PHI TC also has a wide soundstage, but the driver of the HE1000se is significantly larger than that of the 1266. The SE not only sounds wide but also high and gives the instruments plenty of room to breathe.

 

[UseThe4s]

I don't find the Meze Elite and the Empyrean II to be on the same level as the HE1000se...

My exact finding.

 

[gonzalo1004es]

Any actual experience with ZMF pads on the HE1000SE? Really looking forward to any impressions on how they sound!

 

[morpheus69]

The Abyss 1266 PHI TC also has a wide soundstage, but the driver of the HE1000se is significantly larger than that of the 1266. The SE not only sounds wide but also high and gives the instruments plenty of room to breathe.

The amazing thing about the HE1000se is you don't really realize how large it is till you hit that next song that takes it even further.

 

[Patlezinc]

hello guys. Little question : does the He1000se love watts?
I have done some tests with my desktop, switching from low to high gain. High gain is fuller, with trebles less forward and more balanced. Of course the switch raises the volume so you need to be very careful with the process to compare really what is going on.
But I don't trust ears really so I ask here if someone knows. Hifiman says nothing more than 1W sould be needed for these headphones so I am confused.
My low gain is 1W and my high gain is 3,8W.
Maybe it is my ears afterall...

 

[MrHaelscheir]

hello guys. Little question : does the He1000se love watts?
I have done some tests with my desktop, switching from low to high gain. High gain is fuller, with trebles less forward and more balanced. Of course the switch raises the volume so you need to be very careful with the process to compare really what is going on.
But I don't trust ears really so I ask here if someone knows. Hifiman says nothing more than 1W sould be needed for these headphones so I am confused.
My low gain is 1W and my high gain is 3,8W.
Maybe it is my ears afterall...

If you take a multimeter to the leads of one of the 3.5 mm terminations of your cable and measure the AC voltage (2 V scale or similar should suffice) so that it is as close as possible between the low and high gain settings when playing a 1 kHz test tone after setting your reference volume for a test track, I would bet that the perceived differences would be greatly diminished. If when well-matched, precision electronics were to fail to detect electrical or acoustic differences between the two settings above audible thresholds (look up "null testing"), I would vouch for any perceived differences being psychological if not physiological in nature; if that psychological difference is pleasant, all power to you to enjoy that. I for the same DAC/amp, headphones, and DSP can have the same tracks sounding harsh or "wrong" at one point of the day while sounding nigh like the "you are there" orchestral experience I have been looking for on another. Hearing can be quite fickle.

More about my personal experience trying to justify dishing out on a blind Holo Audio "upgrade": https://www.head-fi.org/threads/rec...ely-curious-objectivist.972411/#post-18078699 (post #9).

Figure 1: Holding my multimeter's probes against the tip and sleeve of a 3.5 mm headphone-facing termination.

 

[TheEman]

I felt the need to share my journey. Hopefully this will help someone. Still a work in progress, but I've made considerable progress in the last 6 weeks, or so.

Sold my HE1000SE due to the crazy fatiguing brightness.

Turns out it was largely my source chain and headphone cable...

I had been using Roon-->USB-->Modi 3+-->iFi Pro iCAN Signature. I was auditioning a Meze 109 Pro and on a whim, I compared Thunderstruck by AC/DC from Roon and from YouTube Qobuz desktop app and from Roon Qobuz integration. And holy cow...Roon and Qobuz/Roon integration was much brighter and actually sibilant compared to YouTube and the Qobuz desktop app. And I went though about 30 other tracks. The results were consistent, with Roon Qobuz/Roon always sounding harsher and brighter than Qobuz desktop or YouTube.

So then I acquired a Synology DS1522+ NAS and loaded my entire music collection on there and installed MinimServer. Switched over to mConnectHD on my iPad as control instead of using a desktop computer. Sound quality was essentially equivalent to the Qobuz desktop app. Loaded RoonServer on the NAS and compared to MinimServer/mConnectHD. Huge difference. Once again, Roon was significantly brighter and sibilance was noticeable.

I then acquired a Gustard R26. New chain:

Synology D1522+/MinimServer-->CAT6E-->Tp-Link AXE95 router-->Cat6E-->R26-->Mogami XLR-->Mjolnir 3

Also re-acquired the HE1000SE and used Moon Audio's Black Dragon cable.

Great news! The HE1000SE now sounds amazing. Yes, the brightness is still there. But it is well-presented treble instead of harsh, sibilant pain.

Thanks everyone for all the advice!

 

[Alexzander]

hello guys. Little question : does the He1000se love watts?
I have done some tests with my desktop, switching from low to high gain. High gain is fuller, with trebles less forward and more balanced. Of course the switch raises the volume so you need to be very careful with the process to compare really what is going on.
But I don't trust ears really so I ask here if someone knows. Hifiman says nothing more than 1W sould be needed for these headphones so I am confused.
My low gain is 1W and my high gain is 3,8W.
Maybe it is my ears afterall...

It for sure does while it’s not essentially needed in my opinion - you would get a more effortless, full and at the same time more controlled presentation.