HE1000 Stealth - better option around $825?

[ngs428]

The Hifiman HE1000 Stealth is currently $825.

I currently have the Edition XS, 6XX and FT1, so I’m looking to step from mid to hifi. I mainly listen to classic rock and alternative rock. Topping DX5II will drive these. I love my edition XS, and after reading some reviews it seems that the HE1000 stealth has some similarities.

Are there other options out there in this price bracket I should be looking at? I’d like to stick to open back, planar for this buy.

 

[Joachim Herbert]

Go for it. Great match with the DX5II. Use this combination myself and love it.

 

[Jiraya369]

there's no "better" option, just different ones, all from hifiman. Arya Organic is cheaper with worse build quality and a terribly bright (imo) response, HE600 is far smoother and more to my liking in terms of tuning but everyone complains about its comfort.

I got my HE1000 Stealth over the Arya Organic because of the metal build and better warranty, that's it. Otherwise the 3 i mentioned are same in terms of technicalities, so you can eq them to sound nearly the same. Hifiman is the only one able to provide this much tech quality at this price

Unheardlab has HE1K Stealth measurements so you can use those graphs to help you in making the first eq presets, which you can tweak later on.

 

[mgilbert]

The Hifiman HE1000 Stealth is currently $825.

I currently have the Edition XS, 6XX and FT1, so I’m looking to step from mid to hifi. I mainly listen to classic rock and alternative rock. Topping DX5II will drive these. I love my edition XS, and after reading some reviews it seems that the HE1000 stealth has some similarities.

Are there other options out there in this price bracket I should be looking at? I’d like to stick to open back, planar for this buy.

It seems all HiFiMan headphones have similar frequency response curves, but I just traded my original Arya for the HE1000 Stealth, and the HE1000 has more bass - something the Arya always seemed to lack. I think they are going to be hard to beat. I also have the DCA Noire X and I'm somewhat disappointed in them - no bass punch and a little too much upper midrange. Expect the HE1000 Stealth to sound similar to your Edition XS, but more detailed, open, and with more bass. I don't even equalize mine.

 

[ngs428]

Go for it. Great match with the DX5II. Use this combination myself and love it.

I just did.