Cheapest Endgame Headphones? | HE1000 Stealth Magnet Review
Sound Quality Cheapest Endgame Headphones
now let’s talk about the sound, the most crucial component.
In terms of personality, the HE1000 is similar to other egg-shaped headphones I’ve listened to before, like the Arya, Edition XS, Edition X, and Ananda. However, the HE1000 is superior and more aesthetically beautiful in comparison.
Vast, diffuse, and hazy is its description. Besides the HD800s, I think they are the headphones that will wow your friends the most. The presentation is light and buoyant, and the sound is energetic.
I would describe the tune as neutral bright. Everything around those frequencies gets that extra bite and zing from its slight treble shelf. Quite a deal, but not quite enough, in my opinion.
It has excellent bass extension. Even though it’s gentle, the dynamics are excellent. Neither loose nor flabby would describe it, however it is obviously neither Focal or Audeze. Instead of delivering a wallop of sound directly to your ears, the music is amplified and spread out by the cup design, which is something I’ve always considered a compromise.
You can feel the tone richness in the upper bass and lower midrange, where the transition is smooth, and the middle is warm as well. There appears to be no bleed or disconnect, and all connections appear to be functioning properly. I didn’t hear the typical scooping midrange to upper midrange recession from these egg-shaped Hifimans. The soundstage is neither as expansive nor as intimate as that of the Arya, Edition X, or any of the other Hifiman headphones I’ve reviewed on this channel. Neither is it as forward-thinking as, example, the Focal Clear or the older Audezes in the 1-3k range.
Like I said before, the treble is slightly amplified, making it sound rather fuzzy and bright. This time it’s track and genre specific. Depending on your taste, it can make things sound bright and energetic or dull and lifeless. In comparison to the Arya V2 and Stealth, the treble has a little metallic or brittle feel. Except when I turn up the volume too high, when the higher frequencies become even more emphasized, I don’t mind the small emphasis on certain frequencies. The silver lining is that I hardly turn up the loudness. Still, for a pair of headphones in this price range, I’d say the highs are sufficiently detailed and have a pleasant sound.
Soundstage
If you’re coming from headphones like the Focals, Audezes, or Sennheiser HD6xx line—which have a smaller stage—the expansive and first hypnotic soundstage will be a welcome change. Things sound a little bit airy with the HE1000, which is both strange and natural sounding, and usually quite enjoyable. For the same reason, it works wonderfully with acoustic, jazz, and classical styles of music. Additionally, compared to Hifiman’s own Arya, Ananda, and Edition XS, the soundstage is marginally larger.
The dissonance and dispersion over the stage lessen the impact and immediacy, which is a downside of this method. A more personal headphone stage can’t capture the same level of energy. But it’s so nice!
Speed and detail retrieval
Assuming you can ignore the HE1000’s muted aesthetic, it’s actually rather quick and responsive. The large stage enhances the detailed sound of these headphones. Even though the fuzzy treble takes some points away, I still think this is far better than the Arya and the Clear.
Efficiency
Among headphones, the HE1000 Stealth isn’t the most difficult to operate. Although the sound quality is subpar, it can amplify the volume of a portable device or your computer’s output. Invest in an amplifier. So long as you’re going to spend that much on a pair of headphones, you might as well get the most out of them.
The days of using a speaker amp are over; all that’s required is some respectable power and some solid synergy. Based on my personal testing, it does not perform well when connected to a laptop or smartphone and may not sound good when played over a neutral or bright amplifier. Unfortunately, I don’t have access to a wide variety of amplifiers, but my impression is that it sounds terrible through a THX 887, with its muted treble and muted dynamics. It sounded great with my main amplifier, a dependable vintage Luxman P1u. It was more than capable of propelling it and producing an adequate level of audible pleasure.
If you currently own an amplifier and are interested in purchasing this, I recommend bringing it to the store so they can evaluate it. Believe me, you won’t regret it. What if it’s not in your possession? It may be best to hold off on the HE1000 for the moment.
EQ
In most cases, the reduced distortion of planar magnetic headphones makes them EQ-responsive. To suit my own taste, I simply muted the treble a bit and left everything else alone. However, this may not be the case for you.
However, I must admit that I am also satisfied with the stock tuning. These headphones would still be usable even if I couldn’t EQ.
Quick comparisons
Hifiman Edition X
Now let’s have a look as some Hifimans headphones I recently got my hands on and see how they compare. The HE1000 is most like the previous Edition X, which was marketed as a reasonably portable headphone without the bulk and isolation, suitable for use with mobile devices. Though it lacks technical prowess and isn’t as bright—albeit excessively so—the Edition X is just as enjoyable to listen to. Even if it isn’t as spacious, the stage is still really decent. Additionally, compared to the HE1000, the dynamics are rather muted. In my opinion, the HE1000 is far superior in terms of detail retrieval and overall liveliness.
Hifiman Edition XS
The HE1000 is obviously light years ahead of the value-king Edition XS in every respect. Closer adherence to the Harman target curve is its one advantage, which may be important to some. Aside than that, its technical capabilities aren’t exactly comparable, but it’s still a solid entry-level choice in the extended Hifiman portfolio.
Hifiman Arya
Although I no longer possess an Arya, my recollection and a recent listening session in a retailer led me to believe that the HE1000 offers superior stage and imaging, a more refined middle, and a less harsh treble. My previous review of the Arya V2 and comparison to the HE1000 from a few years ago remains relevant.
Focal Clear & Utopia
When compared to the Focals, it’s polar opposite in almost every respect; whether or not you like it depends on personal preference. Pick Focals if you’re going for a punchy, less brilliant, but smaller stage. To get a bigger stage, less middle forwardness, and a softer character, HE1000 is the way to go. For reasons that should be readily apparent, the Utopia comes out on top when it comes to all the finer points, clarity, and consistency, while the Clear is right behind. Even though the Arya is their main rival, I also think the Clear is very similar to the HE1000 in general, albeit with a different set of advantages.
Conclusion
Finally, I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the HE1000 Stealth Magnet Edition. Its grand stage, ethereal imagery, and gentle character with the perfect amount of energy captivated me, even though it was a little too bright for my taste in certain genres. In terms of tonal preference and all that jazz, Hifiman is your jam, and if you don’t want to be poor, it’s like Focal’s Clear: an end goal.
To get the most out of expensive headphones, you need a good source and amplifier. I can’t stress this enough: try on a pair in a controlled environment before committing to a purchase.
As I’ve mentioned in previous reviews of similarly priced headphones, value is completely lost when you purchase one in this price bracket. Choose the Hifiman Sundara or Edition XS if you’re looking for a value-only option. If sound quality is your only concern, though, I believe the HE1000 will appeal to you if you value character and tone. If you have a lot of free cash and don’t already own a pair of headphones with the same personality as the HE1000, these are a solid addition to any collection.
Hifiman has sent this unit again, and it has been tested for three weeks before this evaluation is made. They had no editorial say in the result of my evaluation, and just like any other pair, they had no bearing on my opinion.
