Headphone Product of 2019
HiFiMan Shangri-La Jr electrostatic headphones ($8000 With Amplifier/Energizer; reviewed by Herb Reichert, June 2019, Vol.42 No.6 Review)
"Call me when you make a cheaper, trickled-down [version]."
That's what Herb Reichert said to Dr. Fang Bian, HiFiMan's CEO and super- brain, upon being offered the chance to review the company's Shangri-La electrostatic headphones and 300B-powered amplifier/energizer, a combination that marked the first time Herb heard electrostats that were completely free of the breed's characteristic colorations—yet that sold for a dizzying $50,000.
That call came in early 2019 when Bian sent Herb the new Shangri-La Jr electrostats, which sell for $4000 on their own or $8000 when bundled with HiFiMan's Shangri-La Jr hybrid (tube and solid-state) amplifier/ energizer, which is pretty much a necessity. From that combination, Herb heard a degree of "vibrant resolution [that made] the Shangri-La Jrs' $8000 price seem reasonable."
Notes on the Vote
The most interesting aspect of the voting in this category: Only a single point separated the first-place and second-place winners—and the latter was also from HiFiMan: their Jade II electrostatic headphones. Much greater margins separated the remaining contenders, including the third-place Shure KSE1200SYS electrostatic in-ear headphones. (Apparently, in 2019 our electron-like reviewers felt an unusual attraction to charged diaphragms.) Finalists (in alphabetical order)
iFi Audio Pro iDSD D/A processor/headphone amplifier ($2499; reviewed by Herb Reichert, January 2019, Vol.42 No.1 Review)
HiFiMan Jade II electrostatic headphones ($1399; reviewed by Herb Reichert, June 2019, Vol.42 No.6 Review)
Meze Audio 99 Classic headphones ($309; reviewed by Ken Micallef, June 2019, Vol.42 No.6 Review)
Shure KSE1200SYS electrostatic in-ear headphones ($1999; reviewed by John Atkinson, March 2019, Vol.42 No.3 Review)
"Call me when you make a cheaper, trickled-down [version]."
That's what Herb Reichert said to Dr. Fang Bian, HiFiMan's CEO and super- brain, upon being offered the chance to review the company's Shangri-La electrostatic headphones and 300B-powered amplifier/energizer, a combination that marked the first time Herb heard electrostats that were completely free of the breed's characteristic colorations—yet that sold for a dizzying $50,000.
That call came in early 2019 when Bian sent Herb the new Shangri-La Jr electrostats, which sell for $4000 on their own or $8000 when bundled with HiFiMan's Shangri-La Jr hybrid (tube and solid-state) amplifier/ energizer, which is pretty much a necessity. From that combination, Herb heard a degree of "vibrant resolution [that made] the Shangri-La Jrs' $8000 price seem reasonable."
The most interesting aspect of the voting in this category: Only a single point separated the first-place and second-place winners—and the latter was also from HiFiMan: their Jade II electrostatic headphones. Much greater margins separated the remaining contenders, including the third-place Shure KSE1200SYS electrostatic in-ear headphones. (Apparently, in 2019 our electron-like reviewers felt an unusual attraction to charged diaphragms.) Finalists (in alphabetical order)
iFi Audio Pro iDSD D/A processor/headphone amplifier ($2499; reviewed by Herb Reichert, January 2019, Vol.42 No.1 Review)
HiFiMan Jade II electrostatic headphones ($1399; reviewed by Herb Reichert, June 2019, Vol.42 No.6 Review)
Meze Audio 99 Classic headphones ($309; reviewed by Ken Micallef, June 2019, Vol.42 No.6 Review)
Shure KSE1200SYS electrostatic in-ear headphones ($1999; reviewed by John Atkinson, March 2019, Vol.42 No.3 Review)
