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Welcome to Audiophilia. We publish honest and accurate reviews of high end audio equipment and music.
Welcome to Audiophilia. We publish honest and accurate reviews of high end audio equipment and music.
All in Headphones
I’ll start this review with a story. Since last year, I’ve experienced the following routine almost every morning. I wake up at five, and after the habitual espresso, I go straight to my audio setup and say hello to my turntable, CD player, speakers, and amp (like I imagine everyone does). Everything needed for me to begin my listening session, turn up my amp, speakers and enjoy. But, it’s too early. So, I compromise, I go for my phone and get the wireless headphones ready. There’s nothing wrong with this picture, of course, but after months of confinement, I felt my setup deserved more. Better sound, higher-end audio headphones and leave the wireless behind. Enter the audiophile headphone world.
My experience has always been with wireless over-the-ear headphones (Sennheiser PXC 550-II, Sony WH-1000XM3, Bose SoundLink—the Sennheiser’s are for me the clear winner of these three by the way). I had no need for wired headphones and the amp to drive them. I’ve had wireless headphones exclusively—some Apple AirPods Pro earphones as well because they are just so practical.
Since its founding in 2007 in NYC (now located in Tianjin, China), Hifiman Electronics, known simply as Hifiman, has almost exclusively been offering over-ear, open-back planar magnetic headphones and more recently open-back electrostatic headphones. Noteworthy among their highly regarded planar magnetic releases include the HE400, HE1000 and HE1000se, the Sundara (review forthcoming) and Susvara, and even a wireless model, the Deva. Prices range from $169 for the HE400 up to $6000 for the highest-level planar magnetic model, the highly acclaimed Susvara.
Hifiman’s two electrostatic models are the Shangri-La Jr. and Shangri-La, each paired with a special electrostatic Hifiman amp and sold as a combo. The cost is $8000 for the Jr, reaching a mind-popping high of $50,000 for the truly extraordinary ‘Ultimate Flagship’ Shangri-La combo; its vacuum tube amplifier alone is a masterpiece of art—a must see (and hear, if you get a chance; I have been lucky to do so). There is no serious debate; Hifiman makes some of the finest such high-end audiophile quality headphones available, along with worthy competitors such as Audeze, Focal, Sennheiser, Grado, among others.
No company takes as much flack for even the merest misstep as Apple. It’s like the social media universe is just waiting for another ‘battery-gate’, ‘keyboard-gate’, or ‘bend-gate’ (not forgetting brand new ‘condensation-gate’ attached to these headphones). I guess a two and a quarter trillion dollar company will have its trolls and haters. As you read on, beware, I’m a fanboy. Also, an audiophile. Yet, rarely do the two universes intersect.
In the latest ‘faux outrage’, Apple has produced an over the ear headphone, the AirPods Max, utilizing its array of computational audio and assembled with premium parts for $549 (the trolls hate the name, and wait ‘till we get to the ‘smart’ case! Well, maybe that hate IS deserved). Of course, other fine manufacturers such as B&O, M&D and B&W produce quality built, great sounding wireless Bluetooth headphones for the same price and above. We won’t get into comparisons with open back, planar magnetic beauties meant for use with high end headphone amplifiers from manufacturers such as Abyss (the finest headphones I’ve heard; remarkable in every headphone way for $5000), T+A Solitaire P (review forthcoming—$6400) Audeze, Focal, HIFIMAN (review of the HE-R10s coming Feb—$5500). They’re for a different purpose, a different market.
Late to the game, here. After my excellent user experience with Apple’s original AirPods, I organized a review pair of the AirPods Pro ($249). The AirPods were far from an audiophile product. But, a ‘Pro’ designation, at least in Apple-speak, indicates higher price as well as an upgrade in hardware. And sound?
The upgrades include sound cancellation technology, improved Bluetooth functionality (seal tests for a customizable fit, a ‘Transparency’ mode for walkabout/city safety & ordering coffee at Starbucks without switching off) and new drivers.
Five years ago, at the New York Audio Show, I came across a new Manhattan-based headphone Company, Master & Dynamic, debuting their first headphones. The MH40, at $399; was an over-the ear closed model. I was impressed, and planned on trying to get a review sample at some point soon after.
Coincidently, the next day I went back to the show with my then 3-year old daughter and started by having lunch in the hotel restaurant. At the table next to me, I recognized the two very nice ladies who had been working the show table for Master & Dynamic and they recognized me. They were lunching with a gentleman I did not know; the ladies introduced him to me: Jonathan Levine, Founder and CEO of Master & Dynamic. We had a very pleasurable conversation about his new company, and we ended up with a beautiful and priceless (to me) photo (taken by Levine using my camera) of my daughter in my lap wearing a pair of the MH40. Soon after I wrote a review of the MH40, and in my summary, I stated:
