HIFIMAN HE1000 Unveiled Planar Magnetic Headphone Review

They feature proprietary Stealth Magnet technology and an even more open design than previous models by eliminating the grille design and fully exposing the diaphragm.

The HE1000 Unveiled have raised the bar and improved the sonic performance of the already world-class previous HE1000 headphones. They are the second HIFIMAN model to be “unveiled,” following the TOTL Susvara Unveiled (one model above the HE1000 series).

HIFIMAN HE 1000 Unveiled Headphones with EF600 DAC/Amplifier

The HE1000 Unveiled headphones are revealing, literally and figuratively. The sheer clarity, incision, and depth of sound are genuinely jaw-dropping and awe-inspiring. Despite being virtually flawless and easily one of the best headphones that have ever graced this author’s head, this does not mean they are ideal for everyone. Prepare yourself – the HE1000 Unveiled have a magnetic personality. They will demand your attention when you wear them and beckon you to come back when you put them down.

In the audiophile and enthusiast personal audio world, the term “veiled” usually describes sound reproduction as thick, cloudy, restrained, dampened, dull, muddled, obscured, smoothed over, draped with a blanket, etc.

No one with a normally functioning set of ears would describe any of HIFIMAN’s planar headphones as veiled, which may lead to confusion between audiophile lingo and the physical properties of the headphones and their drivers.

It is a mistake to assume that the previous HE1000 models were “veiled” from the model’s name in the audiophile sense. “Unveiled” = “grille-free,” meaning without a grille covering the driver.

As Dr. Fang Bian, HIFIMAN’s Founder and CEO, explains: “The most effective way to avoid sound wave reflections and refractions from the grille is to eliminate the entirety of the grille design, leading to complete openness of the diaphragm. The result is sound that is demonstrably more detailed and open, which is why we refer to this approach as ‘unveiled’ technology.”

The new unobstructed diaphragm, coupled with HIFIMAN’s “Stealth Magnets” Technology, minimizes the interference with sound waves emitted from the diaphragm surface.

If you’d like to see the official HIFIMAN HE1000 Unveiled product highlight video, click here.

HIFIMAN’s top-tier models include the Susvara and the HE1000 models. They feature Nanometer-thick diaphragms that are almost light enough to defy gravity. One downside of this is that reflections from the grille disturb the diaphragm.

Eliminating the grille is the Unveiled series’ most significant innovation in the pursuit of sonic precision and perfection. There is an obvious downside to this as well. These unveiled headphones must be handled with care, including placing the removable back panels, called Magnetic Veils, over the ear cups when not in use to help avoid damage caused by the absorption of magnetic objects when the headphones are not in use.

Can you listen to them with the covers on? Yes. Does it improve the sound or increase the bass response? No and no. They sound terrible with the Magnetic Veils in place, though to each their own!

A prior groundbreaking innovation implemented in the HE1000 Unveiled is the Stealth Magnet technology, which is currently employed in many HIFIMAN planar magnetic headphones. This tech features an asymmetrical, double-sided magnetic circuit that gradually adjusts the magnet’s gap and cross-sectional shape inside and outside the diaphragm. According to HIFIMAN, the magnets are supposed to be acoustically transparent and reduce distortion to a bare minimum for sound reproduction that is naturally warmer, with demonstrably improved imaging and transparency.

The HE1000 Unveiled have less exposed driver area than the Susvara, and the frame bezel around the driver is thicker. While beauty is in the eye of the beholder (in this case, the wearer or observer), it works well and makes it harder to accidentally touch or damage the diaphragm and sensitive bits. Compared to the elegant HE1000SE with its wood and window shade grille, the HE1000 Unveiled looks a bit clunky and less handsome.

After putting on the HE1000 Unveiled, none of that matters anymore. Despite almost identical size, weight, and form factor, the HE1000 Unveiled feels lighter, more comfortable, and more open due to reduced clamp force on the skull. This is an attribute of the softer and more compliant foam in the ear pads. Both have identical perforated floating headbands, eliminating the nuisance of hotspots on the top of the listener’s head.

Package Contents:

● HE1000 Unveiled headphones
● 3m cable (4-pin XLR plug)
● 3m cable (6.35mm plug)
● 1.5m cable (3.5mm plug)
● Pair of ear pads (mounted on headphones)
● Pair of Magnetic Veils
● Owner’s Guide

The HE1000 models, including this Unveiled version, are premium in every way, including the luxurious and arguably unnecessary packaging. Unboxing these headphones makes the new owner feel special, knowing what is inside the box is special.

While some people, including me, highly value the use of minimalist materials for packaging that are sustainably sourced and recyclable, the striking box and presentation of the HE1000 Unveiled yield an excitement and reverence that I want to feel when I reach for premium headphones. These are not headphones that should be left out in the open, and most certainly not thrown on a desk for another day.

Unpacking and repacking them is a ritual I enjoy; it is satisfying to mindfully and carefully replace the veils, cover the bodies in the microfiber bags, and place them in their safe cradle. I am sure I don’t want my time with the HE1000 Unveiled to become mundane.

The small touches and thoughtful details are wonderful. Three cables with common terminations are included. The only balanced cable has a 4-pin XLR. All are excellent and transmit no microphonics to the ear cups. These cables are a significant improvement from the stock HIFIMAN cables of the past.

The metal Magnetic Veils are made well. They fit well and precisely. The Owner’s Guide is coffee table book quality. It is so well done that I took the time to sit, relax, and read it leisurely from cover to cover. It’s not an overhyped ego stroke or sales pamphlet. It is a work of art and storytelling that I anticipate you will appreciate and want to keep.

For this evaluation, I listened to a wide variety of music through numerous DAC/Amps, including the HIFIMAN EF400 and EF600, the FIIO K9 AKM, and the Fosi Audio K7. Most portable DAPS and amplifiers will not adequately power the HE1000SE to its sound performance potential.

I follow the manufacturer’s guidance for burn-in/conditioning time and listen to review gear for at least 15 hours to thoroughly assess performance. The quality of the music links posted can vary drastically and are provided for quick reference. I primarily listen and evaluate from original CDs, high-quality lossless files, or streaming via Qobuz.

When I first put the HE1000 Unveiled on, I obviously knew something was on my head. My ears and brain, which make hearing possible, argued with reality. Wearing these is essentially the same as wearing nothing over your ears. There is zero sound isolation, in or out.

Regarding the frequency response, the graph provided below by HIFIMAN for my exact headphones is misleading if you try to imagine what the HE1000 Unveiled will sound like. From my listening experience, there are no excesses or deficiencies in any frequency range.

HE1000 Unveiled Frequency Performance Graph

When you hear the HE1000 Unveiled in a quiet environment for the first time, you will likely have one of the following reactions, depending on your preferences, experiences, and reference points.

1. The amount of information delivered with flawless precision, extreme speed, crispness, and clarity will be overwhelming and exhausting for your brain until you build a tolerance and adjust.

2. You will be awed by the range, dynamics, and balance of the sound delivered from seemingly everywhere and nowhere simultaneously.

3. You will come to the profoundly disappointing conclusion that other headphones you thought sounded great now sound “veiled” and muddy in contrast.

The bass response is fast, clean, and precise, with surprisingly deep reach and nuanced texture. Traditional planar magnetic drivers do not move much air, especially in open-back headphones. Despite this, HIFIMAN has consistently achieved surprisingly excellent bass response from their planar headphones, and the HE1000 Unveiled is no exception.

The HE1000 Unveiled will tolerate a fair amount of EQ adjustment, though not far below 100 Hz. The Fosi Audio K7, for simplicity’s sake, has onboard dial adjustment for bass (+-12dB) and treble (+-6dB). For genres such as EDM, Trance, and Hip Hop, most listeners will desire more rumble and impact than the stock sound signature provides. The K7 does a fantastic job of raising the bass levels without destroying the magic.

Regardless, what makes the HE1000 Unveiled so remarkable are other factors that are hard to reflect in a frequency response graph. There are aspects of clarity, speed, accuracy, timbre, resonance, and space that are truly astounding – and beautiful. The midrange reproduction is smooth and surprisingly warm, with a lifelike timbre. Vocals are resonant, silky, and beautifully presented, never hidden behind the music. On rare occasions, and not enough to be bothersome, I noticed the slightest hint of sibilance with female vocals on tracks where the vocals were sharp and forward in the mix.

If you are highly treble sensitive (as I am) and aren’t used to headphones with high treble elevation and extension, the HE1000 Unveiled will sound like there is excessive treble.

As I wrote in my HIFIMAN Arya Stealth review, I concluded it’s not a treble quantity issue. The incredible amount of detail, clarity, and treble extension can easily be mistaken for “too much” treble. For many listeners, this will be a new experience that will take some time to adjust to.

An appropriate metaphor, even if trite, is the visual technology equivalent of comparing any 15-year-old television to the highest and best quality 4K screens available today. The sound from the HE1000 Unveiled is so lifelike and vivid that most other gear can sound dull, distorted, or low-resolution.

I strongly recommend you do not swap headphones quickly or A/B test the HE1000 Unveiled unless it is with another HE1000 or Susvara model. It can be truly jarring, and your brain needs a reset after spending more than a few minutes with them.

The unfavorable alternative is that you may find yourself questioning your senses and your prior judgment. I know this because it happened to me, and I’ve heard hundreds of headphones. Sets that you believed were wonderful and balanced will now sound… let’s just say, different than you remember. I reckon that most reactions will not be positively skewed toward your previously favored gear.

For this review, I visited a fascinating collection of artists with diverse ethnic origins, musical styles, and explorations in audio.

Listening to this track is an intense and absorbing experience, rich in tone and loaded with details. So much information is completely lost or muddled when played through other audio gear. The dynamics in the different layers are all there and can be heard when I dial my attention in on them, one instrument and layer at a time. The placement of the sounds in the recording and mix makes me feel like I’m in the center of the experience. Sona’s voice is always perfectly centered. I feel like it’s in my head, while so much of the music is outside at some distance.

HIFIMAN HE 1000 SE versus HE 1000 Unveiled

For fortunate owners of other HE1000 models or prospective buyers, you may be curious about comparisons. The most obvious contrast to draw is the HE1000SE vs. Unveiled. There are minor differences in several aspects. The SE feels tighter due to more dense foam in the ear cups and presents a slightly smoother and more ‘rounded’ sound in a more intimate soundstage.

Without reservations, the HE1000 series headphones are among the best in the world today, and the Unveiled are at the pinnacle of their HIFIMAN brethren. I enthusiastically recommend them to experienced audiophiles and enthusiasts who want it all. The HE1000 Unveiled is not recommended for newbies to the hobby, bassheads, or those who strongly prefer warm, fully mid-centric headphones.

The Unveiled delivers slightly higher definition reproduction and sound that I perceive as marginally clearer and more open. To be clear (pun intended), the differences are small. The price difference is currently significant. You will have to decide if the premium in price is worth it to you to have the very best of the model line.

HIFIMAN HE 1000 SE versus HE 1000 Unveiled

As of this publication, the older HE1000SE is less expensive than the new HE1000 Unveiled, while the latest generation Susvara and Susvara Unveiled are significantly more expensive.

Our colleague Lory Hawley had an extended visit with the Susvara Unveiled, paired with the mighty HIFIMAN EF1000 DAC/Amp. To my ears, and with limited listening experience, the HE1000 Unveiled were almost on par with the Susvara and very close to the Susvara Unveiled.

Because of the notable price differences, the value proposition of all the above-mentioned headphones may be more controversial than their sound quality and performance. These headphones are far beyond what a typical consumer would consider reasonable, regardless of their affordability.

There is a far greater difference in price than in performance. If you want the uncompromised TOTL, the Susvara Unveiled is the one. Bottom line: the HE1000 Unveiled is genuinely exceptional and, by comparison, a terrific value. For better or worse, for your wallet and other headphones in your collection, the HE1000 Unveiled will spoil you.

HIFIMAN HE 1000 SE versus HE 1000 Unveiled