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See the complete review of the HiFiMAN HE1000 V2 Planar Magnetic Headphone

When I reviewed the original HiFiMAN HE1000 planar magnetic headphones about two years ago, I was pretty much bowled over by their performance, looks and sound quality.

They were, at the time, the best pair of headphones that I had ever heard and still remain amongst a handful of reference headphones that I would consider my all-time favorites. Ever the busy little bees that they are, the engineers at HiFiMAN have not seen fit to leave well-enough alone and recently released a “Version 2” model of the HE1000.

“So, what is the difference?” you may ask. Well, at first glance, the changes seem mostly to do with structural adjustments in the head band, earcups, earpads and the wiring. I am in the process of finding out if there are any technical changes to the drivers themselves.

HiFiMAN HE1000 V2 Headphones

HiFiMAN HE1000 V2 Headphones on Stand

Admittedly the structural changes seem rather subtle, that is, until you take a closer inspection and then actually put them on. The headphones are nominally lighter although I never found the originals to have an uncomfortable weight to them. The headband’s range of adjustment has been notably increased allowing for a wider range of head sizes. The earcups themselves are about 3 mm thinner on the V2 model which probably accounts for the bulk of the weight reduction.

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Conversely, the beveled earpads are thicker with a more pronounced angle to the bevel, and are made of a different material. The new shape of the pad is said to improve bass response and soundstage while the new material is described as aiding in increased transparency. The new cable design is the most obvious change as it has gone from a two-core to three-core design that is now sheathed in a translucent rubber material versus the old woven design.

HiFiMAN HE1000 V2 Headphones worn by a very silly person

Initial impressions are that the HE1000 V2 are just as beautiful to look at and comfortable to wear as the originals. The additional adjustment range, in particular, is welcome and makes it easier to get these cans seated just right. I am giving ourselves a little time to get “acquainted with each other” before I make any definitive comments on the sound quality but initial listening has proved very promising!

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MSRP for the HE1000 V2 is $2999.00.

See the complete review of the HiFiMAN HE1000 V2 Planar Magnetic Headphone

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A native of Toronto Canada, Carlo's interest in audio began at a young age when, unbeknownst to his mother, he started taking apart her numerous transistor radios to see how they worked. This desire for “knowledge through deconstruction” continued through to the family’s 8-track tape player, turntable, headphones, and speakers. Carlo subsequently spent a lot of time in his room. Toronto was a fertile ground for Hi-Fi in the 1970s and 80s and Carlo spent much of his wayward youth hanging out in downtown Toronto stereo shops, listening to all manner of gear and picking the brains of the various store owners. Through that formative experience, Carlo developed an appreciation for good music and good sound reproduction. Also, as a budding graphic artist, the aesthetic aspects of a given piece of gear became increasingly of interest to his eyes. It was at about that time as well that Carlo began purchasing “Audio Magazine” on a regular basis and came to appreciate, in particular, the writing and reviewing of the late Leonard Feldman. Later on, he was also influenced by the writing and observations of the staff at Sound and Vision Canada, helmed at the time by Alan Loft. Carlo graduated from Sheridan College with a degree in Classical Animation and was subsequently employed by Walt Disney Consumer Products for 10 years as a Character Artist and Art Director. Having become disenchanted with Los Angeles, he then decided to strike out on his own. Carlo started his own company and has been freelancing artwork, from his home studio, primarily for the toy and publishing industries since 2001. In 2013, on a bit of a lark, Carlo answered a “Call for Writers” ad from an AV website that he had been regularly reading for about 5 years called Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity. He had come to appreciate the website’s combination of subjective impressions along with the objective bench-testing available in several of the reviews. The “B-Team” must have been working that day because by some miracle he was hired as a writer and his first review for the site was published early in 2014. Carlo has been continually writing, editing, traveling, listening, and learning on the company’s behalf ever since. Carlo currently lives in Granville, Ohio with his wife, two sons, and a very old, but chill dachshund.

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