HIFIMAN HE1000 Unveiled Headphones – Stealth Magnets Truly Open
HIFIMAN He1000 Unveiled is the $2699 USD culmination of the HE1000 series of headphones, now having the Unveiled Driver that we’ve seen in the Susvara Unveiled, so today we review the best He1000 the world has seen, and compare it with other similarly priced headphones we recently reviewed in a similar price range, including Palma DHS-1 (2195 USD), Crosszone CZ-8a Enhanced (1700 USD), HIFIMAN Audivina (2000 USD), HIFIMAN HE1000SE (3500 USD), and T+A Solitaire P-SE (3900 USD). Although this review can be read as it is, I will also try my best to address all the questions I received from folks who already have HE1000SE and He1000 V2, exploring detailed comparisons between HE1000 Unveiled and the other models from the same lineage.
Introduction
I want to answer this question right away, you cannot wear any of the Unveiled headphones with the cup protections still on, you need to take those off while listening. This being said, listening with the protection on will not burn the driver or cause damage. Back to our usual introduction, He1000 Unveiled is the culmination of Dr. Fang’s research on how to make the best sounding headphones out there. The original HE1000 was impressive and I loved the HE1000SE so much that I made it my main daily open-back headphone for almost a year, until the new Susvara and Susvara Unveiled arrived. HIFIMAN is one of the biggest headphone manufacturers and designers in the whole world, now having a more versatile product offer than most of the competition, but also a preference towards brighter, more open sounding tunings, hence the new idea of developing headphones that are Unveiled, with no ear cup behind the driver. As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases, and using the purchase links in my reviews helps me maintain this website and Youtube Channel. Huge thanks to HIFIMAN for providing the sample for this review, in exchange for my honest opinion.
PROs – Comfortable and reliable build quality. Exceptionally natural and versatile sound that’s far more consistent than any of the models released in the same lineage of headphones. The tuning is balanced, ever so slightly bright, but wide and holographic, musical, rounded and pleasing, emphasizing with all music styles. Much easier to drive than most planar magnetic driver headphones in the same price range. Overall, it is a superb deal sonically.
Cons – Still a bit hard to drive. The drivers need to be covered while not in usage. There is always the rist of a small metallic object damaging the driver membrane, like small screws or earrings.
Product Link
Official Link – https://www.hifiman.com/products/detail/350
Amazon – https://amzn.to/3DwRmW0
Aliexpress – https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_oCAHa79
Build Quality / Aesthetics
The idea of open-back headphones is not new, and the whole concept was to eliminate the negative effects of sound wave reflections, which typically impair sound quality. He1000 Unveiled goes one step further and unveils the whole width of music to the listener, and since the nanometer diaphragm is sensitive to reflected sound waves, to further increase the performance of and openness of the headphones, HE1000 does the same thing as Susvara Unveiled and removes the back panel entirely.
The nanometer diaphragm used by HIFIMAN in most of their recently released headphones is affected by reflected sound waves that come from the grill or the cup at the back of those drivers. Traditionally, the first step in solving this issue has been the Window Shade Design, which increases the opening rate and maximizes the grill exposure, reducing the probability of reflection and refraction. This has proven to dramatically improve the sound quality, but even the window shade used in Stealth Headphones cannot completely avoid reflection, so by eliminating even the window shade / grill, the sound is even better than before.
There are magnetic veils specially designed to protect the driver of the He1000 Unveiled while in transport or in storage. The driver is exceptionally strong in the magnetic force, so it is important to use the veils and especially avoid contact between HE1000’s drivers and metallic objects that could get sucked inside the driver / magnets. The Nanometer Thickness Diaphragm is a moving membrane under a millionth of a meter in thickness, which is extremely light and ensures fast response and outstanding dynamic range. To make sure that you’re getting the most out of this design, HE1000 Unveiled uses Acoustically Invisible Stealth Magnets, which optimizes and reduces the air turbulence and diffraction between the magnets, allowing the sound to pass between them almost unaffected, without disrupting the sound quality, as experienced with more traditional magnets.
With a special shape and geometric design, the new Stealth Magnets allow the sound to pass in between them. HIFIMAN employs similar headphones compared to HE1000SE, with a thicker padding at the back of the head, and thinner padding at the front, and with large ovaloid shape that will have plenty of room even for the largest of ears. Those earpads are designed to stay ergonomic for all heads, and HIFIMAN even includes three different cables with the new HE1000 Unveiled, including an XLR balanced cable, a 3.5mm single ended cable, and a 6.3mm single ended cable. As usual, the cable quality is ok, but He1000 Unveiled comes with 3.5mm connectors at the headphone side, so you can use a plethora of aftermarket cables for a different comfort or sound.
Technically, we have mild specs for the HE1000U, including a SPL of 95 dB, and an impedance of 28 OHMs. You will never notice hissing, but HE1000 U is really easy to drive, nothing quite like HE1000SE, or Susvara, and you can expect to drive the HE1000 Unveiled with ease even from most portable sources. They scale well with the source, but they don’t need a lot of power, and with them you will go with the philosophy of “the first watt is the most important watt”.
Fit / Comfort
I had quite a bit of anxiety when handling the He1000 Unveiled, especially because this is the first time I am officially reviewing a headphone with the new Unveiled driver design, but I like to test fate, and ultimately I found that He1000 Unveiled holds its build well to usage. The drivers are not sensitive to touch, they are not sensitive to being handled, at most you have to keep the protection on while not using them, but even that is optional. The one thing that can happen is that small metallic objects can get in between the magnets and perforate the driver membrane, which will kill the headphones, and that would be your fault, as the user. After overcoming the initial stress and anxiety, HE1000 Unveiled became a normal experience for me, and I use them the way I use all flagship headphones, including storage and handling.
You can’t quite throw them around like you would a closed back headphone in the entry-level range, but you don’t have to baby them the same way you do with silk speaker drivers and speakers in general. I can confirm that I even wore HE1000 Unveiled after taking a bath, and the drivers are in pristine condition. Don’t take the same risks as I do to keep them in best condition, but don’t have anxiety either, they’re a solid and reliable pair of headphones.
The wearing comfort of the He1000 Unveiled is about the same as with HE1000SE, which is excellent. HIFIMAN employs large earcups, large ear pads with a dense and thick sponge, and also enough real estate for my ears to feel right at home. The default cables are decent, although I generally replace the cables on all the headphones I can, as I have access to a rich collection of high-end aftermarket cables. You can do just fine with the default cables for a long time, but there is none with a 4.4mm balanced connector included, so for portable sources with a lot of power, you still need to source one.
HE1000 Unveiled is surprisingly easy to drive, much easier than Susvara or Susvara Unveiled, much easier than DCA Dan Clark Audio Expanse, and slightly easier to drive than HE1000 SE or HE1000 V2. The pairing with most sources is also easier, the default signature does not need much correction, all sources work very well with He1000 Unveiled, and as long as you get enough power, which is the vast majority of modern sources will do really well. HIFIMAN made listening more fun and the job of finding the perfect match so much easier as HE1000 unveiled is a versatile headphone that is comfortable.
There is no passive noise isolation, and it feels like you’re not wearing a headphone, more so than anything I tried before. The new Unveiled approach has the effect of really sounding transparent, and everything you’re listening to leaks with the same volume you’re enjoying. Your music will most certainly be heard, but I noticed that the room acoustics do not matter for the final sound, beyond having a low level of noise in the room. I will eventually make a video and written review about how I managed to lower the noise of my computer to completely silent, but other than this, HE1000 Unveiled can be used the same as most open-back headphones. Dust settling on the driver can be a real concern, but you can remove dust as you would with a camera sensor, using a little camera cleaning pump, or a brush for cleaning camera equipment. As I got this question more than once, I want to confirm, you cannot listen to any of the unveiled headphones with the earcup protections still attached.
Sound Quality
Pairings – HIFIMAN He1000 as a series of headphones have been known to be hard to drive, and until I reviewed the new DCA Dan Clark Audio Expanse this year, HE1000 was pretty much the hardfest to drive headphone I used a lot, except for Audeze LCD-5. The new HE1000 Unveiled is quite a bit easier to drive than HE1000SE, so you can do just fine with a wider selection of sources, and the list of sources I have used for today’s review includes HIFIMAN EF400, Dethonray Listening M1, Sparkos Gemini connected to a Creative Sound Blaster G8, Feliks Audio Euforia Evo connected to a HIFIMAN Serenade as the DAC, and a SMSL DO200 PRO driving an Aune S17 PRO as the AMP. You can generally drive the new HE1000 Unveiled using portable players too, and my favorite picks are iBasso DX320, Hiby R4, Dethonray Prelude DTR1+, Astell&Kern A&Ultimna SP2000T, and Lotoo GT2. He1000 Unveiled sounds beautiful with all sources, it is flexible, can become a bit darker and a bit brighter, as the tuning is agreeable and fun, you don’t need a specific source, if you have almost a watt of power on the tap, you’ll be fine with what you already have at home.
Overall Signature – Although traditionally most HIFIMAN Headphones have been tuned on the brighter side, and calling something “unveiled”, you’d expect more treble, He1000 Unveiled is actually mild in the treble, and more of a fun, cheerful, dynamic and punchy headphone with a balanced tuning, a very mild slightly bright tonality in the midrange, but exceptional bass, depth and impact, with a better loud volume handling than the previous versions, being able to get much louder with a lower distortion, and also better technical resolution, all while sounding more rounded and fuller, bassier and more balanced in general. The soundstage expands more in all directions and planes than all of the previous HE1000 Headphones, making the new HE1000 Unveiled exceptionally versatile and consistent.
Bass – Starting with the lowest point the HE1000 Unveiled can reach, you hear much more sub-bass extension, and more depth, more volume to each sound and more substance in music than with the previous HE1000 series. The bass starts at 20 Hz, but most of the energy can be felt at around 40 Hz, which is lower than the 50 Hz and 60 Hz the other HE1000 series of headphones typically have the most momentum. With Bass, Lower is always better, so you can expect the bass to bear a deep, profound rumble. HE1000 Unveiled presents music with a lot of weight and substance, but it has a speedy bass, you can expect to hear all the finer nuances, the Nano Driver Membrane moves quickly but can reproduce bass effectively thanks to the large surface area. A great example is the beginning of the song Resistance by Muse, where HE1000 Unveiled gets the depth of the low-end notes absolutely right, presenting the depth and groove of the song separate from the synths and the pianos, and later on the drum patterns.
Midrange – We get the best midrange HIFIMAN rendered so far in the HE1000 series, a sweet, musical and fluid presentation that has just the smallest amount of brightness, a wide and immense soundstage, extended and projecting music wide and far in every direction. I am hearing sweetness and resolution that is far more similar to what Susvara Unveiled presents, and the unveiled technology heavily affects the midrange, as music has less edginess, and the new signature feels truly fluid and grain-free, while in comparison it makes He1000SE feel grain, despite it never having crossed my mind as a grainy headphone before. Female voices are vivid, bright and crystalline, while male voices are deep, smooth and profound, with guitars sounding very direct and a tiny bit forward, background instruments being projected far in the background. The tonality is the most vivid one HIFIMAN achieved in the HE1K series, it is superb, musical, full and pleasing to the ear. Still listening to muse, a song that’s true euphoria played by HE1000U is Exogenesis: Symphony: Part 2: Cross-Pollination – where HE1000 Unveiled keeps the violins and the pianos playing in two separate planes and layers, giving weight and presence to each, and a really vivid, contrasty presence to the pianos that just sound juicy and playful.
Treble – We get the full treble extension that HIFIMAN is known for, as HE1K Unveiled easily touches 20 kHz, I can hear the full width of the air and sparkle in all music. This being said, HE 1000 Unveiled is fairly relaxed in the treble presentation, you can safely enjoy most rock, metal, and even some aggro technical death metal without ever feeling fatigued. Even bands like Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas are easily listenable, despite sounding bright, as per their mastering and mixing, the top end is never really harsh or fatiguing, or grainy. The best way to describe the HE1000U is that you will really hear cymbals and the information in the top end, but you will like it a lot. There’s a lot more detail presented by He1000 Unveiled than any of the other He1000 headphones, despite this one being less fatiguing and smoother in the textures.
PRaT / Textures – A big part of how HE 1000 U gets the sound so nice is the texture and impulse response, there’s much less trailing behind each instrument, there’s no pre or post echo, but the impulse response itself is natural – to slightly soft and slightly wet, which allows the headphones to extract and reveal a high amount of detail from music without sounding harsh or fatiguing, instead sounding incredibly natural and pleasing. Even instruments that are typically harsh, like trumpets, come through as rich, fun and delightful, HE1000 Unveiled adds body and presence to them, and instead of rendering them as high-pitched and harsh, it renders everything with a special richness and delightful presence. The insane amount of instrument separation also helps, nothing blends together, the unveiled part really is audible here, as He1000 U gets the best instrument separation I heard so far from any HIFIMAN Headphone.
Dynamics – The sound is insanely dynamic, and you get the highest level of punch and impact you can get with He1000U. The best part about the impact and the dynamics is how He1000 Unveiled can render each song as it is, but extends on that. If you listen to a song like Serj Tankian – Orca Symphony No. 1 – Act II – Oceanic Subterfuge, you will even blink and close your eyes when the cymbal crashes in the middle of the song. Also, the more mellow and emotional parts of the song are presented vividly, as if played live, with actual body even to flutes and blowing instruments. The whole sentiment of the song is presented across boldly and contrasty, with a grand, large scene when the grandiose part of the song kicks in the final third. Moving over to Act III: Delphinus Capensis, the dynamics of the HE 1000U are even more evident, as it defines each layer of violins playing, with the trumpets and flutes intertwining, without combining, each in high contrast with the other.
Loudness Saturation Gradient – He1000 Unveiled also has the unexpected effect of having the best loudness saturation gradient of the HE1000 Series. Beoth being easy to drive, and having a high control at ultra high volumes, it is consistent at all volumes, it is pleasing to listen to and enjoyable both ultra quiet, ultra loud, and in every step in between. I am in awe and love the consistency and just how loud He1000U can get without distorting. I am able to reach over 125dB at the ear level with zero trace of distortion, and yet with the same resolution, dynamic range and THD levels as I am getting around 85 dB. I would not push it further just to protect my hearing, but HE1000U saturates the entire volume range with the same signature, same tonality and resolution, exceptional in this aspect.
Soundstage – HE1000U has the widest, most holographic soundstage of the HE1K series, and the Unveiled part makes a big difference. Voices and lead instruments are pushed slightly more forward than on the other He1K Headphones, but the background instruments are projected farther away from the listener, there’s more space, better layering and instrument separation, as you also hear a much better definition of each instrument. The presentation is basically purely holographic, wide, extensive and impressive.
Comparisons
HIFIMAN He1000 Unveiled vs T+A Solitaire P-SE (2699 USD vs 3900 USD) – Starting with the build quality, both headphones have exceptionally tight tolerances in the build quality, but there are some key differences. While Solitaire P-SE does not have the driver fully exposed, it has a metallic grille that protects it, but it has the same no passive noise isolation and full leakage as HE1000 Unveiled. The comfort is great for both headphones, both have large ear cups with a lot of space for my ears, and both have great comfort, the earpads of HE1000U are a bit thicker, while the construction of Solitaire P-SE feels a bit lighter. The He1000U is easier to drive and less picky, less dependent on the source, while Solitaire P-SE is harder to drive and needs a better source to truly shine.
Sonically, the two headphones both sound very open, but HE1000U tends to have stronger dynamics, and a more colorful, cheerful sound with more midrange, also reaching a bit lower in the bass and creating bass punch and impact a bit more. Solitaire P-SE projects music a bit farther away from the listener, and likely the metallic grilles at the back of the headphones reflect a tiny bit of the sound waves that are emitted from the back of the driver, which creates the feeling of a slightly wider soundstage and a more distant sound in general. He1000 Unveiled sounds a bit more forward, and also has a smoother impulse response, smoother textures, less grain and sounds more fluid in general, more musical, and the midange is more emotional, more juicy and has a stronger contrast, while Solitaire P-SE is a more serious sounding headphone, revealing more in the lower midrange and having more presence there, sounding more grave, whilst He1000U has a bit more presence in the upper midrange. The treble extension is higher on the HE1000U, but it also sounds a bit smoother there, despite revealing more information. Generally, He1000U is a stronger value, and more easy to recommend for their performance, if you can make peace with the idea that the driver is exposed and if you want to commit to taking true care of them, while Solitaire P-SE is a more traditional headphone and shouldn’t have any issues in general. Solitaire P-SE comes with a 4.4mm balanced cable, while HE1000 Unveiled comes with an XLR cable for the balanced connector.
HIFIMAN He1000 Unveiled vs HIFIMAN He1000SE (2699 USD vs 3500 USD) – You will be able to tell right away which is the SE and which is the unveiled, because the unveiled has two large metallic cup protectors that you can take off, while SE does not have this invention. The wearing comfort of the two is fairly similar, I prefer the new unveiled in general, it feels a touch more comfy on my head, but the same headband and ear pads were used, the biggest difference being that the headphone feels a bit lighter, as there is less material in the headphone itself. In all of my tests the older SE is quite a bit harder to drive and more picky with the source, you need more power, and it is harder to truly pair, while the new Unveiled is much easier to control and will sound far better with a wider selection of sources.
Sonically, the new Unveiled has a better extension at both ends of the sonic spectrum, reaches lower in the bass, with more presence in the sub bass, has a better treble extension in the high-end, with better impact and punch, and has a more rounded, more dynamic sound in general. There’s more midrange presence in the Unveiled, it has more contrast and better resolution, has a stronger instrument separation and a considerably smoother, less grainy sound, making the SE sound a bit rolled off at both ends and a bit grainy in comparison. Generally, if you have the SE, the upgrade to the He1000 Unveiled is considerable and you should have a much better time with it, it sounds considerably smoother, more colorful and more vivid, music just pops up more, with a higher level of dynamics and improved resolution all-around. Purchasing either right now, I would grab the He1000SE if you are afraid of the unveiled drivers and want to wait a bit more, but during my tests, I have been doing exactly the same things with the Unveiled that I was doing with the He1000SE, and they hold very well to usage.
HIFIMAN He1000 Unveiled vs HIFIMAN Audivina (2699 USD vs 2000 USD) – Audivina has a bit of passive noise isolation and does not leak absolutely everything, being a closed back headphone made also by HIFIMAN. Audivina is fairly sensitive and easy to drive, but very hard to match with a source, compared to HE1000U, as you can pair the unveiled with almost any source and they’ll sound brilliant, while Audivina works best with a smoother, darker source like the mighty HIFIMAN Prelude Amplifier. The comfort of the Unveiled is improved, it is a lighter headphone that sits more ergonomically on the head, while Audivina looks a bit more classy with its all-wood build.
Sonically, HE1000 Unveiled is very natural, has strong dynamics and it is a very revealing headphone with excellent instrument separation. Audivina has a complex internal architecture that creates an emulated soundstage that’s just like a concert hall. In person, Audivina sounds a bit more precisely projected, but Unveiled has a better resolution, higher instrument separation, and a slightly more forward midrange, with better female voices and more instrumental acuity. While Audivina is really awesome for Classical, He1000 Unveiled has less peaks, a more natural midrange, a smoother treble and a deeper bass, sounding more natural and being more versatile for a wide selection of music styles. In general, Audivina is a very specialized headphone you best listen to before buying, while HE1000 Unveiled can be recommended to absolutely everyone, and will work well with every music taste and style.
HIFIMAN He1000 Unveiled vs Crosszone CZ-8a Enhanced (2699 USD vs 1700 USD) – The comfort of the CZ-8a Enhanced is great, even though it is more compact than the HE1000U, thanks to the very thick and deep earpads of the CZ-8a. The 1000 Unveiled is about as easy to drive as CZ-8a, but you have a much harder time finding a good match for the crosszone, as this model in particular needs a bright, sharp source to truly shine, while HE1000 Unveiled sounds excellent across most sources. CZ-8a enhanced is semi open, and will leak much less and isolate far more than HE1000U, which is a fully open back, the most open back headphone of all open-back headphones.
Sonically, CZ-8a Enhanced is smooth, dark, lush and bassy, while HE1000U is open, airy, slightly bright, but powerful, contrasty and dynamic. There’s a much better resolution to be revealed by HE1000 Unveiled, and it has a much stronger instrument separation, more presence in the upper midrange, better extension in the treble, although both headphones have a perfect extension in the bass and sub-bass. The funny thing is that CZ-8a sounds a bit veiled in comparison to HE1000 Unveiled, which sounds free of any veil, as the name would suggest, due to a 100 Hz bump in the CZ-8a frequency response, while HE1000 Unveiled is more natural, more transparent, and generally easier to recommend being more versatile.
HIFIMAN He1000 Unveiled vs Palma DHS-1 (2699 USD vs 2195 USD) – Last but not least, Palma DHS-1 is either open or semi closed back, it is more compact and sits a bit tighter on my head, yet the comfort is not far from what the He1000 Unveiled offers. Both headphones are great for long hours of listening, but Palma DHS-1 comes with a balanced 4.4mm cable in the package. While both headphones have an excellent shape, Palma DHS-1 can turn open to closed-back, while HE1000U is the most open back headphone there is. Both are easy to drive and easy to pair with a wide selection of sources.
Sonically, both Palma DHS-1 and HE1000 Unveiled are revealing, slightly bright, sharp and have an excellent impact. Strong contrast and a revealing sound, the biggest difference is that HE1000 Unveiled is a bit smoother all around the edges, sounds a bit more contrasty and reveals more information, while DHS-1 sounds a bit tighter, and creates a more punchy bass. Both headphones are enjoyable and the sound tuning is fairly similar, the treble extension of the HE 1K Unveiled is a bit higher, and it sounds a bit brighter, while DHS-1 sounds a bit more laid-back and relaxed. If you want to experiment with open-back and closed-back, Palma DHS-1 is a very interesting engineering marvel, but it still sounds better open-back, so you can grab HE1000 Unveiled directly, which is the most open-back you can get.
Value and Conclusion
HIFIMAN always knew how to make high-performance headphones with an excellent build quality and design, but HE1000 Unveiled is a top charter in terms of value, it costs less than the Special Edition did at launch, but offers a consistent improvement in the sonic performance, feeling just as comfortable, being especially worthy of purchase considering their consistent signature at all volume levels.
Before the end of the day, HIFIMAN HE1000 Unveiled is now my favorite headphone of the HE1000 series, providing itself to be a true successor to the series, so today we award it the Audiophile-Heaven Hall Of Fame award, as the most interesting HIFIMAN Headphone you can purchase if you’re not yet committed to their Susvara series of flagships.
At the end of the day, HIFIMAN He1000 Unveiled expands the horizons of who can enjoy those, and from a place where HE1000 was a headphone mainly enjoyed by those who wanted a bright and sharp signature, the new unveiled version tones things for a natural midrange, clean and deep, with an improved soundstage, improved resolution, lower price, so it is a fully recommended purchase today on Audiophile-Heaven, a perfect headphone for anyone who enjoys music.
Product Link
Official Link – https://www.hifiman.com/products/detail/350
Amazon – https://amzn.to/3DwRmW0
Aliexpress – https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_oCAHa79
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Full Playlist used for this review
We listened to more songs than those named in this playlist, but those are excellent for identifying a sonic signature. I recommend trying most of the songs from this playlist, especially if you’re searching for new music! The playlists are different for Spotify, Tidal and Youtube, and based on the songs I enjoy and are available on each!
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_cjBXGmwSHSdGcwuc_bKbBDGHL4QvYBu
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5J3oloz8Riy9LxEGenOjQ0?si=979ba4f082414be7
https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/330fd544-8e5b-4839-bd35-676b2edbb3d5
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