Hifiman HE-1000se Planar Magnetic Headphones by Addicted to Audio

I bought these headphones a couple of months ago and wasn't going to review them as I just wasn't sure what to say. The headband is a bit rickety and makes clicking noises. The sound was good but perhaps not good enough to justify this amount of money.Well now after they've "broken in" (and it does seem that they need the up to 150 hours advised) I can truly say go for it. The sound for the classical and vocal music that I mainly listen to is absolutely brilliant. Instruments and voices sound real and there is exceptional clarity. Definitely Five stars for sound and I suppose that's the main thing you buy a headphone for!

HE1000SE

Clearest, crispest headphone I ever heard- much more so than Susvara or TC. Excellent dynamics. Superb transient response. Wonderful bass.Cons: a bit thin sounding.

HE1000SE seem to be in a very good place based on recent purchase

This review is for the iteration I purchased very recently, with 4pin XLR cable and mesh over driver. They sound and measure really great - perfect channel matching and improved smoother FR compared to a previous measurement for the same model, done over one years ago. Smoother midrange FR and fewer treble peaks. While I can't be sure if this is something consistent across more models, I'm very pleased with the sample I am hearing and have measured. Definitely up there with the very best headphones today.

HEKSE - AMAZING!

I recently purchased an open box pair of the HEKSE's from HeadAmp. They came in perfect condition and with very fast shipping. These are without a doubt the best sounding headphones I've ever had the pleasure of listening too. I'm glad I took the plunge and have absolutely no regrets.. other than the fact that I now want more sets of top of the line headphones. Thanks HeadAmp!

King of Detail

The HE1000se is the absolute best when it comes to detail retrieval. Its extremely clean, crisp. The treble is well extended, deep while maintaining end game level of instrument separation. Mids and vocals are ethereal. Bass is deep with plenty of punch and thump to around. This is especially impressive for a open back headphone. Cups are large and can fit just about any size and shape of ears with plenty to room to spare. Hifiman QC is surprisingly well for this particular headphone. I am using a balnced cable with my GSX-mini, also purchased form here and I couldn't be happier. If you are looking for detailed high end with smooth vocals and roaring bass, look no further. This headphone is endgame !!

SIMPLY AMAZING

HE1000SE I love the tonality and volumetric sounds it produces. I think right now LCD4 and HE1000SE are my favorite headphones (one for country and this one for classical and opera). The size of the stage is little bit wider than that of LCD4, and the BASS is extremely deep in comparison to Arya, but not as fullness as LCD4 (don't get me wrong it has extremely detailed and kick/low bass, but it just not as fullness as the LCD4). The soul reason I brought this headphone is for classical and opera, and it did marvelously. one of the sound track I used is "Magnificat: IV. Et misericordia" and in comparison to the LCD 4 you can hear little bit more detail that you haven't heard / or noticed before. Personally I cannot believe that HE1000SE is able to produce those ... MoreHE1000SE I love the tonality and volumetric sounds it produces. I think right now LCD4 and HE1000SE are my favorite headphones (one for country and this one for classical and opera). The size of the stage is little bit wider than that of LCD4, and the BASS is extremely deep in comparison to Arya, but not as fullness as LCD4 (don't get me wrong it has extremely detailed and kick/low bass, but it just not as fullness as the LCD4). The soul reason I brought this headphone is for classical and opera, and it did marvelously. one of the sound track I used is "Magnificat: IV. Et misericordia" and in comparison to the LCD 4 you can hear little bit more detail that you haven't heard / or noticed before. Personally I cannot believe that HE1000SE is able to produce those detail so flawlessly, easily and so fluidly ( headphone amp volume setting LOW gain, 11o'clock), even my KH310 + KH810 was not able to produce those vocal details unless I turn the volume very high.All I can say is that it is extremely well rounded headphone, and simply put it is magical for classical and opera music.DAC I have used for the testLa Aqua Formula XHD v2Topping A9 headphone ampRME ADI-2 PRO FSR BE -- DAC only (you don't need any EQ for classical musical and opera on this headphone, it is perfect)one last thing, I just want to say BIG THANK YOU to Justin for super fast shipping and awesome customer service! Headamp you guys are GREAT! :D

Wow...fabulous product and excellent customer service.

After purchasing another product that did not work for me, Justin suggested these. This is a great sounding product that is super detailed and spacious sounding without being harsh or fatiguing. They are also very comfortable. Justin made the exchange process totally painless. My strongest recommendation