Headphone Reviews

Raw frequency response plots show a headphone with very little change due to positional differences. Bass response is remarkably flat and well extended. Mid-range response from 200Hz to 1kHz is nominally quite flat, but significant features reside here. Not sure of exactly what to make of it, but will note that these feature coincide with spikes in the THD+noise plots. My WAG (wild-assed guess) is that they represent some diaphragm modal resonances, possibly due to the very thin diaphragm. The treble hump above 2kHz is about the right level, but should probably fall off after 3.5kHz at a somewhat faster rate. The compensated response makes the peak at 8-10kHz a bit more obvious.

30Hz wave overall wave shape is good indicating tight bass; as does the very low bass distortion seen in the THD+noise plot. The bass in the HE1000 was heard as tight and beautifully textured.

300Hz square wave and impulse response shows a very quick and distinct leading edge, which rises to an appropriate level initially in the 300Hz square wave. Subsequent noise after the initial transient is somewhat noisy and may have contributed to the slightly hazy treble I heard.

THD+noise plot shows very low bass distortion. Distortion spikes at 2kHz, 4kHz, and 6kHz are quite interesting in their even 2kHz spacing, again lending credence to some sort of modal resonance producing the distortion. I think this may be indicative of the confusion heard at high levels (quite high, louder than people should really listen) with complex music.

Impedance plot is flat like most planar magnetics and shows a 34 Ohm impedance headphone. A very close look at the impedance plot reveals features at 2,4,and 6kHz.

The HE1000 has very little isolation being an open acoustic headphone. With 0.297Vrms needed to achieve 90dBspl at the ear these headphones will not achieve satisfactory listening levels with cell phones and typical portable players.

These measurements are somewhat worse than the pleasure derived from the sound I heard. Interesting.