hekse is really crazy in terms of soundstage, imaging, detail and separation. Everything is separated and present at different imaging points and nothing mask each other. It can still sound intimate too. Hifiman magic.
The Hekse's (and also Susvara's) ability at staging/imaging and separation is not only stunning, but it also appears to be impossible to challenge. They never lose that ability of presenting every element in a mix with that level of separation and clarity, literally never, even with the most complex and crowded tracks, where many other cans, even really good and expensive ones, begin to struggle resolving the layering and every element in the mix.
I update I'm happy to share - the Susvara with AIC10 is an absolute revelation. Magnificent bass I've never heard before from these headphones (on any speaker or top end headmpa) but, mostly, overall presentation is elvevated across the board with a magnificent, effortless, natural, rich and spacious voicing. A rare combination of power, clarity, and musicality. It set a new high bar for me and is a sheer joy. Try to demo it soon.. ;)
Caldera and Atrium Closed are the best of 2023 and could be the best headphones alongside with Atrium Open for quite some time. Imho ZMF have just much more agreeable allrounder tunings with less caviats than other brands, offering more unque traits than others in the same time. Agree on Susvara though - if you have a good amp and are not planning to play metal only on it, it might be the very top choice, especially for todays second hand price of 3- 3.5k
I have heard only half of these, but I have read a lot about all of them. If you ever get a chance to try the Hekse from a Mjolnir 3 (possibly fed by a Bifrost 2/64 or an Yggy), you might be at risk of wanting to change your ranking ;-) Absolutely ASTONISHING synergy! With this rig the Hekse just explodes with quality, easily wiping away any Stax I've heard, any Meze (empyrean or elite), LCD 4 or LCD 5, and Utopia. Even Susvara needs insane driving to match and surpass what you hear with Hekse + Mjolnir 3. I have never heard any ZMF or Raal, and I am very curious.
This was interesting, although these headphones are above my budget. By any chance you could make a video about the best headphones below $1,000? That would be awesome, since I really like your approach.
Have you had a chance to try to the new Abyss Diana MR? I’m kinda curious about that one, and how it might compare to the Caldera. Those are two I wish I could hear before dropping cash. I’m glad the new Utopia made your list. That’s my number one. It’s so natural and maybe that’s just cause it’s a dynamic driver, music is mixed on dynamic driver speakers. I also own the HE1000 SE. I use that one mostly for watching movies because I think it excels at classical music. I probably prefer the LCD 5 more though as a high end planar. Probably because it matches the frequency response of my studio monitors more closely.
Susvara is like the gaming equivalent of "can it run crysis? "😂 "Can it drive the susvara?"😂 But the bass of susvara still lacks the bass for a 6k headphone
I didn't realize the "22" Utopia had that Camo/Faux Finish look until that pic you showed. Looks cool. I didn't care for the OG Utopia when I tried it. Really hot treble and very Amp picky. I felt it was very overpriced. I'd like to hear the 2022 version to hear the improvements. Had the HE1000 Stealth and liked it a lot. Gives you 85-90% of what there Susvara does for $1400 and is very easy to drive. Ending up selling it along with the Auteur Classic to buy a Stabilized Caldera which is my end game HP. I wouldn't mind adding a stabilized Atrium Closed Back at some point
Question: Considering how your number 1 pick is do you bother ever choosing to listen to the other phones on your list (excluding to make these sorts of comparisons)?
I use Susvara driven off an Audio Note UK Meishu 300B single ended integrated speaker amp. My 1266 sound horrific on that amp. I was thinking of adding a cross feed somewhere by adding a resistor across channels in the line input or something. I was just going to try this for the Susvara but maybe it will salvage the 1266 as well.
Nice also i meant not driving 1266 directly from dave, when you plug in dave through headphone mode, it lets you change crossfeed setting. The setting you have left will remain in dac mode also. Rob watts confirmed it.
HE1000SE is superior in any way. Huge stage, more resolution, more dynamics, more precise imaging and separation, and better tonal balance (V2 stealth can be peaky and with a sharp treble). Technically a clear step up.
I love my HE-1000se for metal. Better bass extension than the Arya Stealth, more punch. Kick drums and snares sound incredibly authentic and present. I think they’re great. Listen to a lot of avante garde and progressive metal (Thy Catafalque, Alcest, Leprous, etc.)
hekse is really crazy in terms of soundstage, imaging, detail and separation. Everything is separated and present at different imaging points and nothing mask each other. It can still sound intimate too. Hifiman magic.
Indeed
Agreed
The Hekse's (and also Susvara's) ability at staging/imaging and separation is not only stunning, but it also appears to be impossible to challenge. They never lose that ability of presenting every element in a mix with that level of separation and clarity, literally never, even with the most complex and crowded tracks, where many other cans, even really good and expensive ones, begin to struggle resolving the layering and every element in the mix.
Which do you guys think is the best pairing portable battery operated dacamp for HEKSE ? New MoJo ? Or anything else
@@daniluzzuHaven't heard HEKse. In terms of soundstage, imaging and separation, how does it compares to x9000?
So which DACs/AMPs bring out the very best from the Arya Organic?
I update I'm happy to share - the Susvara with AIC10 is an absolute revelation. Magnificent bass I've never heard before from these headphones (on any speaker or top end headmpa) but, mostly, overall presentation is elvevated across the board with a magnificent, effortless, natural, rich and spacious voicing. A rare combination of power, clarity, and musicality. It set a new high bar for me and is a sheer joy. Try to demo it soon.. ;)
empyrean 2's, raal sr1b and arya organic for me are my favourites
Caldera and Atrium Closed are the best of 2023 and could be the best headphones alongside with Atrium Open for quite some time. Imho ZMF have just much more agreeable allrounder tunings with less caviats than other brands, offering more unque traits than others in the same time. Agree on Susvara though - if you have a good amp and are not planning to play metal only on it, it might be the very top choice, especially for todays second hand price of 3- 3.5k
I have heard only half of these, but I have read a lot about all of them. If you ever get a chance to try the Hekse from a Mjolnir 3 (possibly fed by a Bifrost 2/64 or an Yggy), you might be at risk of wanting to change your ranking ;-) Absolutely ASTONISHING synergy! With this rig the Hekse just explodes with quality, easily wiping away any Stax I've heard, any Meze (empyrean or elite), LCD 4 or LCD 5, and Utopia. Even Susvara needs insane driving to match and surpass what you hear with Hekse + Mjolnir 3. I have never heard any ZMF or Raal, and I am very curious.
Burson Voyager Deluxe drives Susvara very well especially with Playback Designs Dac
Meze Empherian 2 , DCA E3 or HEKSE?
Will you do something similar for iems ?
This was interesting, although these headphones are above my budget. By any chance you could make a video about the best headphones below $1,000? That would be awesome, since I really like your approach.
Any chance of a best iems of 2023 video too ?
Tried the DCA E3 yet?
Have you had a chance to try to the new Abyss Diana MR? I’m kinda curious about that one, and how it might compare to the Caldera. Those are two I wish I could hear before dropping cash. I’m glad the new Utopia made your list. That’s my number one. It’s so natural and maybe that’s just cause it’s a dynamic driver, music is mixed on dynamic driver speakers. I also own the HE1000 SE. I use that one mostly for watching movies because I think it excels at classical music. I probably prefer the LCD 5 more though as a high end planar. Probably because it matches the frequency response of my studio monitors more closely.
Susvara is like the gaming equivalent of "can it run crysis? "😂
"Can it drive the susvara?"😂
But the bass of susvara still lacks the bass for a 6k headphone
Te gusta más el Hifiman Organic que el Hifiman He 1000 sthealt ???
I didn't realize the "22" Utopia had that Camo/Faux Finish look until that pic you showed. Looks cool. I didn't care for the OG Utopia when I tried it. Really hot treble and very Amp picky. I felt it was very overpriced. I'd like to hear the 2022 version to hear the improvements. Had the HE1000 Stealth and liked it a lot. Gives you 85-90% of what there Susvara does for $1400 and is very easy to drive. Ending up selling it along with the Auteur Classic to buy a Stabilized Caldera which is my end game HP. I wouldn't mind adding a stabilized Atrium Closed Back at some point
Question: Considering how your number 1 pick is do you bother ever choosing to listen to the other phones on your list (excluding to make these sorts of comparisons)?
Also another fix for 1266 is with Chord Dave, you can put crossfeed 2 and not only it enhances bass, the mid range comes forward and warm!
I use Susvara driven off an Audio Note UK Meishu 300B single ended integrated speaker amp. My 1266 sound horrific on that amp. I was thinking of adding a cross feed somewhere by adding a resistor across channels in the line input or something. I was just going to try this for the Susvara but maybe it will salvage the 1266 as well.
Nice also i meant not driving 1266 directly from dave, when you plug in dave through headphone mode, it lets you change crossfeed setting. The setting you have left will remain in dac mode also. Rob watts confirmed it.
Hi! For you BEST headphone overall for music under 1000€?
they all great but maybe ambient pro
Arya stealth!
Hi, How about the HE1000 V2 Stealth compare to the HE1000SE ? Is it any better? I prefer soundstage, resolution and vocals. Thank you 🙏
HE1000SE is superior in any way. Huge stage, more resolution, more dynamics, more precise imaging and separation, and better tonal balance (V2 stealth can be peaky and with a sharp treble). Technically a clear step up.
The best I liked of 2023 is caldera.
I'm thinking of selling my 1266 TC and getting the Tungsten and/or maybe Utopia 2022
Review on DCA E3, please? 🤐
How about modhouse Tungsten?
Modhouse tungsten review when?
where is the bravura?
This theory about amps being underpowered doesn’t stand the test of the voltmeter in many many cases.
Hmm…
At this point I think the new DCA E3 is better than the Atrium Closed.
Resolution is determined by frequency response so you can use EQ to get maximum resolution out of any headphone.
lmaooo, 60 IQ comment
Where is Grado?
I love my Gs3000x and think it deserves to sit alongside the pantheon of headphones but there seems to be a bias against Grados I’ve noticed.
Those he-1000 Hifimans are probably NOT good for metal, I assume?
Yeah, the Hifiman's like that are great for everything but Metal, EDM, Rap etc.
I love my HE-1000se for metal. Better bass extension than the Arya Stealth, more punch. Kick drums and snares sound incredibly authentic and present.
I think they’re great. Listen to a lot of avante garde and progressive metal (Thy Catafalque, Alcest, Leprous, etc.)