Lightweight aluminum chassis, hand-polished stainless steel frame, comfortable leather upholstery, finest wood inlays – no, the HE1000se is not an English limousine, but a headphone, albeit an equally luxurious one!
Hifiman was founded in 2007 by Dr. Fang Bian in New York and is manufactured in Tianjin, China. By now, it has become one of the most renowned manufacturers of headphones and related accessories. The product range extends from the solid entry-level segment to the absolute high-end regions. Jan Sieveking took over distribution in Germany in 2010. The Hifiman HE1000se provided for testing is the latest iteration of the 1000 series, which sits directly below the top model in the hierarchy (and is significantly cheaper). In addition to an improvement in sonic performance, the sensitivity has also been increased by six decibels compared to its predecessor, the HE1000V2. According to the manufacturer, this means that it can also be driven by less powerful headphone amplifiers and even mobile devices without any problems.
Since headphones require physical contact like no other hi-fi equipment, I consider the haptic and ergonomic properties to be just as important as the acoustic performance. What good is excellent sound if after no time at all, my ears start complaining, my head swells with heat and the weighty headphones turn into a listening headache? I can’t deny that I had slight concerns about this when I took the HE1000se out of its pretty box. Although the weight has been reduced by 40 grams compared to the previous model, it is still not exactly on the lighter side. It turns out my worries were unfounded. The headphones sat comfortably on my head, allowing me to enjoy even longer evenings of music. The ergonomically excellent design nestles perfectly and gently against the skull with even pressure distribution.
With their large teardrop shape, the shells completely enclose the ears without making contact with the auricle. The pads, covered with artificial leather on the sides and skin-friendly fabric on the contact surface, fit comfortably thanks to their tapered fit towards the front. Their large contact surface distributes the necessary pressure, I don’t have the feeling of being gripped by a vice (something I have experienced with other headphones). The pads can be easily replaced if necessary. The earcup chassis consists of a filigree aluminum construction, visually enhanced by an inlay of Macassar ebony. These are connected to the spring-loaded stainless steel band, which provides the necessary support, via filigree metal brackets. Contact with the top of the head is made by a nice and wide imitation leather strap, which is generously perforated to counteract any heat build-up. The earpiece can be adjusted to the head size in fine increments using metal sliders. The positions are easy to adjust and can be held securely in place without any fiddling. The overall workmanship is flawless. All material surfaces are carefully finished, the stainless steel headband is not stamped but neatly CNC-milled and polished by hand. The fittings of the bracket are carefully screwed together. I like the successful combination of high-quality materials, perfect workmanship and an elegant design that is always functional. Although the HE1000se is one of the larger models of its kind, it doesn’t look bulky.
Before I get to the musical part, I would like to explain the inner values of the luxury headphones. Hifiman uses planar magnetic transducers in its over-ear headphones. These use an extremely thin foil membrane with conductor tracks applied directly onto it that vibrates between permanent magnets. The membrane, known as a “nanometer-thickness diaphragm”, is one of the manufacturer’s core technologies. The advantage over conventional dynamic drivers is the lighter and larger diaphragm, which is also driven over its entire surface. This helps it to achieve excursion without significant partial oscillations and the best acceleration capacity, i.e. low distortion and fast impulse response. The disadvantage of potentially lower efficiency is compensated for by the use of powerful magnets. The technologies used in the top Susvara model are now also used to a large extent in the HE1000se. The diaphragm is driven by the same neodymium magnets (“stealth magnets”). Thanks to their semi-circular cross-section, they generate fewer diffraction effects and, together with the matching cover grilles (“Windowshade”), are intended to ensure an open, clear sound image. The leatherette cover of the ear pads is perforated on the inside. Sieveking confirmed my assumption that this dampens resonances in the cavity between the ear and the membrane. The same principle is effective in the construction of acoustic ceilings.
The headphones are connected via 3.5-millimeter jack sockets embedded in the bottom of the earcup. I find it practical that different cables can be used in this way. Two three-meter-long cables with a 4-pin XLR plug and 6.5-millimeter jack and a 1.5-meter-long cable with a 3.5-millimeter jack plug are included in the scope of delivery. This should be sufficient in most cases. With the notable exception of the author. His favorite armchair is located at a greater distance from the headphone amplifier. Sieveking kindly added a five-meter Cardas Clear Beyond Headphone with a 4-pin XLR plug to the test package. I used the XLR cables on my headphone amplifier, the 6.5-millimeter jack on a vintage receiver and the 3.5-millimeter jack directly on my smartphone. Naturally, only the headphone amplifier was used for the following sound description, although the simpler versions also delivered respectable results. The HE1000se reveals its full potential after approx. 150 hours of operation, according to the operating instructions. For this reason, Sieveking provided me with a burnt-in specimen. Nevertheless, during the first few hours I had the impression that something was still missing. The performance already offered a balanced voicing and good detail reproduction, it just wasn’t really smooth yet, somehow it still sounded a little uninvolved.
This improved radically after a few hours of operation. What I now heard was an inspiring naturalness and homogeneity. The already mentioned detail reproduction increased – without the high frequencies becoming overbearingly expressed. The entire spectrum was reproduced with pronounced contours and the finest dynamic gradations. This was particularly evident in the recording of violinist Rachel Podger and her Brecon Baroque ensemble, J.S. Bach’s Double & Triple Concertos. The sound of these baroque instrumental concertos tends to turn into an overtone-heavy whirring on mid-range headphones. However, the HE1000se is able to reproduce the entire tonal structure with proper substance. The filigree playing of the violins and harpsichord was given a solid foundation by the precisely delineated bass range. Realistic tone colors and pronounced plasticity made the enjoyment complete. Handel and Telemann followed, so that I indulged in early music for hours, simply wonderful.
The Hifiman doesn’t shy away from large orchestras and powerful dynamics either. On the contrary, I flinched in shock when “The Dance of Hell of King Kaschtschej” hit me with furious force (Igor Stravinsky, Firebird Suite 1919, Radio Symphony Orchestra Berlin under Lorin Maazel). Although this impulsive orchestral entry played at maximum volume is a challenge for any sound transducer, the individual instruments were reproduced clearly and naturally. However, I don’t mean “natural” in the sense of a flattering euphony. The cutting brass sections were blasted into my ear canals with their proper aggression.
Natacha Atlas & Nitin Sawhney also gave me a lot of pleasure with “Hope”. The HE1000se intensely showcased the melancholy yet hopeful vocals and the percussive guitar, which was mixed with a lot of reverb. The bass line, which plunged into the lower registers, demonstrated that it can also deliver powerful but clearly defined synth bass to the eardrums without masking more subtle sounds. I could easily follow the tabla gurgling in the background. With Joe Bonamassa’s A New Day Yesterday Live, the planar magnetic impressively proved that it doesn’t shy away from more “tangible” material. The sluggish shuffle of drums and bass was massive and heavy, Bonamassa was sawing away mercilessly at his electric guitar. The heated atmosphere of the concert was authentically transferred into my skull … where it belongs.
The Hifiman HE1000se masters every audiophile challenge with aplomb. The headphone is uncomplicated when it comes to its playing partners. However, to enjoy its qualities to the fullest, you should definitely treat it to a high-quality headphone amplifier. The cables supplied are of excellent quality, both sonically and mechanically. I consider the price-performance ratio to be extremely good; I therefore highly recommend it, especially for fans of subtle nuances.
Accompanying Equipment
CD player: Electrocompaniet EMC 1 MKV | Headphone amplifier/DAC: Pioneer U5 | Accessories: Cardas Clear Beyond Head XLR, IsoTek Aquarius Syncro and Optimum, AudioQuest Yukon NRG Z3, Audio Physic VCF V Magnetic plus
Headphone Hifiman SE1000se
Concept: open headphone design with interchangeable cables | Diaphragm: planar magnetic driver (nanometer thickness diaphragm) | Impedance (±3 Ω): 35 Ω | Sensitivity: 96 dB | Frequency response: 8 Hz to 65 kHz | Scope of delivery: 3 headphone cables (1.5 m with 3.5 mm stereo jack to two 3.5 mm stereo jacks, 3 m with 4-pin XLR plug to two 3.5 mm stereo jacks, 3 m with 6.35 mm stereo jack to two 3.5 mm stereo jacks), ear pads (attached to the headphones) | Weight: 440 g | Price: around €2400
Sieveking Sound
Plantage 20
28215 Bremen
Phone +49 421 6848930
kontakt@sieveking-sound.de