Louis critiques the HIFIMAN HE1000 WiFi, a set of flagship open-back planar driver headphones with WiFi lossless audio functionality. It’s at the moment priced at $2699.00.
Disclaimer: I acquired this pattern in change for my sincere opinion. Headfonics is an unbiased web site with no affiliate hyperlinks or standing. I wish to thank the crew at HIFIMAN for his or her assist.
Click on right here to learn extra concerning the HIFIMAN merchandise beforehand reviewed on Headfonics.
This text follows our present scoring tips, which you’ll be able to learn in additional element right here.
HIFIMAN HE1000 WiFi Evaluation
Abstract
That is it, the head of wearable wi-fi audio gear. The HIFIMAN HE1000 WiFi takes the crown within the basic wi-fi headphones section, though it’s the distinctive WiFi implementation that offers worth to this set, and it falls inside a section the place there isn’t a actual competitors but.
Professionals
Wi-fi audio that permits free motion wherever your WiFi router can attain.
Wi-fi true lossless audio that rivals the wired HE1000 Unveiled.
Straightforward two-step configuration.
Cons
No typical 3.5mm connectivity.
No quick charging.
Unrefined quantity management.
We lately coated HIFIMAN’s Arya WiFi, and I personally thought of it some of the versatile, liberating, and nicest-sounding wi-fi options on the market. However what concerning the massive boy, the HE1000 WiFi?
The retail model of the HE1000 WiFi was additionally launched alongside the Arya WiFi, however we determined to overview the HE1000 WiFi after the Arya WiFi to avoid wasting the perfect for final.
I do think about the HIFIMAN HE1000 WiFi an indulgence headphone as a result of it’s not the kind of headphone that you simply’ll discover on an finish shelf, maybe on the highest shelf. It affords one thing no different headphone has to supply in addition to its small brother, the Arya WiFi.
It’s indulgent as a result of it affords audiophiles an audio cable-free expertise, and even with out having to make use of any extra exterior {hardware}. It’s a real AIO headphone.
Options
The HIFIMAN HE1000 WiFi has a variety of options to speak about, being an all-in-one, self-contained audio system that connects through a USB cable or Bluetooth. However what provides the products on this mannequin is the wi-fi WiFi connectivity through the built-in streamer.
The inner electronics of the HIFIMAN HE1000 WiFi have a built-in WiFi streamer, with HQ Bluetooth capabilities, and a HYMALAYA Mini DAC that’s accessible through USB-C cable.
Each function of the Arya WiFi is right here. In truth, the electronics look like the identical on each WiFi fashions.
The one change that has taken place is the delay positioned on the supply selector, and now you must press and maintain the supply button.
That manner, you’ll be able to’t unintentionally press it whereas attempting to lift or decrease the quantity whereas listening to music, since they’re neighboring buttons. That change was achieved through a firmware replace.
Once more, I might have most well-liked a separate electronics module just like the one which got here with the DEVA line, however there are some upscaled parts inside this mannequin in comparison with the DEVA, and I choose that product growth path. However I’m certain it nonetheless might have been carried out.
I might have additionally most well-liked a hard-wire connection, you realize, the previous twin 3.5mm cup connectivity, however once more, the USB cable gives you the sense that it has one. That is the one facet that’s missing on the HE1000 WiFi. The remainder is all good. Principally.
Driver
The unique idea of the asymmetrical cup design stays. Why change it? HIFIMAN has a great factor right here. The HE1000 Unveiled and legacy fashions by no means deserted the design, and I’m all for that.
All of the improvements that the HE1000 Unveiled drivers have integrated are right here. The rare-earth enhanced stealth magnet meeting, the nano diaphragm, it’s all there, however there’s an apparent impediment I observed.
the place the electronics are positioned, the sound has to journey by the cutout part within the heart of the circuit board, which is equally formed to the cups. I might have assumed that will trigger some refractions contained in the cups.
The HE1000 Unveiled and different fashions from the identical collection had no obstructions between the ear and the motive force. Quite the opposite, HIFIMAN has opened up their cans so their diaphragms can breathe simpler, and this appears counterintuitive to that idea.
The Unveiled idea is carried out as much as a sure level right here. There’s a further grill behind the motive force, which was not put in on the HE1000 Unveiled, and there’s additionally a thick fabric with an eleven-point star sample cutout, which is mounted in entrance of the motive force.
Mini Hymalaya DAC
The Mini Hymalaya DAC integrated into the HE1000 WiFi is a miniature model of the Hymalaya Professional DAC discovered contained in the Serenade.
The Hymalaya DAC is a hand-rolled chip from HIFIMAN and never one thing from off the shelf. In some way, they managed to cut back the scale of this chip to an 8mm chip for the WiFi fashions.
The Hymalaya DAC handles all of the DA conversions, and you may entry it immediately by using a USB-C cable, which is included within the field. All you must do is faucet right into a USB port on both a PC or a cellular system.
I didn’t want a driver to make this work, and it appears to be a plug-and-play system on my Home windows 11 rig. Most bit charges have been selectable as effectively.
Linked by the USB-C cable, you’ll be able to playback audio codecs from 44.1k and as much as 768kHz codecs immediately on both 16bit, 24bit, or 32bit charges.
You may also play native DSD64 and as much as DSD512. These don’t play MQA recordsdata, however I’m certain you’ve heard the most recent information.
WiFi
I’m unsure the place the WiFi functionality comes from, or what chip is used, notably. If you happen to go searching, Qualcomm makes streaming chips, however it may also be a SimpleLink. However the firmware seems to be a customized HIFIMAN write-up enterprise.
The HE1000 WiFi has an easy-to-connect WiFi streamer, in that every one you must do is enter an IP tackle and enter your router’s WiFi password after you join the HE1000 WiFi to your cellular system on WiFi.
You additionally want the WiFi inner password to attach the streamer to your cellular system, which is 88888888.
When you carry out the 2-step course of, you’ll be able to stream to the HE1000 WiFi through many exterior apps with the Solid function.
Most apps like Spotify, Qobuz, and Roon should be the professional variations for you to have the ability to entry the solid function. Apps like BubbleUPNP, Hello-Fi Solid, and others I haven’t found but can play PCM and DSD inner recordsdata.
That is the foremost hurdle with the HIFIMAN HE1000 WiFi: discovering suitable software program.
There’s a lengthy listing of software program that’s able to casting by WiFi, however my expertise with the HE1000 WiFi being suitable with software program has been a hit-and-miss course of.
Bluetooth
The Qualcomm 5181 is employed contained in the HE1000 WiFi, which is among the most modern and fashionable options right now. It counts on LDAC, AAC, SBC, and all of the aptX codecs, aside from the most recent aptX Lossless codec.
I do really feel that the implementation lacks the most recent Bluetooth tech. For instance, the radio works on the 5.1 band, and there’s no aptX Lossless.
At this stage of tier, the radio ought to have been a 6.2 Bluetooth radio, which is the most recent, or 6.0 minimal, and will have additionally included the Lossless codec.
I did benefit from the stability and vary of the Bluetooth as a result of it has a radio that may obtain a sign round sure corners of my residence, whereas others can not.
The soundness of the sign doesn’t rival the WiFi reception, however it’s some of the steady Bluetooth implementations I’ve run into.
The Bluetooth part is individually updateable through firmware updates utilizing the previous, tried-and-true Gaia app. Simply as at all times, it should be executed through your cellular system as soon as you discover the firmware file and obtain it to an accessible folder.
Design
The HIFIMAN HE1000 WiFi comes with their newest Gen 2 composite headband, which, so far, is my favourite they’ve made as a result of it appears to be like to be sturdy sufficient to final a very long time, plus it retains the headstrap consolation.
The meeting is constituted of a mixture of metal and polymers. I’m unsure if the cups are metallic, however I may very well be fallacious since they appear to be fabricated from anodized aluminum.
Then once more, it may very well be some form of polymer, however I’m not within the temper to take them aside or scratch them as much as discover out.
The headstrap meeting is now on a swivel that makes it extra snug than on among the earlier fashions, and it additionally makes it simpler to exchange because it’s held in place and truly swivels on a single screw.
Metallic yokes that alter equally to the opposite HIFIMAN headbands are used right here, however this time round, I’m not seeing any scratch marks on the dimples and orifices that mark every adjustment place.
They share lots with the Arya WiFi, the one factor is that the Arya is all black, whereas HIFIMAN determined to decorate the HE1000 WiFi in champagne and Noctua brown. Some will both love or hate the colour scheme.
Consolation
Consolation ranges are excessive whereas carrying the HIFIMAN HE1000 WiFi. Because the new headstrap meeting is now mounted on a more practical swivel, the consolation stage was raised by a minuscule quantity.
The clamping pressure feels taut however not tight. They really feel just like the old-style headband, to be sincere. The consolation stage is Sundara-like with the asymmetrical design. Think about that.
They really feel a bit on the sultry facet, however I might simply counsel not carrying them for very lengthy intervals.
I took five-minute breaks right here and there as a result of I are inclined to sweat when carrying these. That’s the impact of a lot protection on behalf of the pad dimension, which covers a variety of facial actual property.
Inventory pads
I used to be spoiled so far as pads are involved by HIFIMAN once they launched the Audivina LE, as a result of these pads are magnetically connected. They’re utilizing the previous clip-on system on the HE1000 WiFi, which works, however we’ve seen the sunshine and might’t return to it in desire.
The pads are the standard hybrid development, and as you’ll be able to see, their coloration is just not black, however a Noctua-esque medium brown. Meaning solely the unique pads will work if you wish to hold the colour scheme intact.
The pads have a medium-density foam inside that doesn’t really feel like reminiscence foam, however their density is simply fantastic in the case of consolation, particularly since my ears absolutely match contained in the cups with no strain factors. It’s typical of HIFIMAN’s asymmetrical cup design.
Controls
As beforehand acknowledged, the one change to the performance of the controls befell with the most recent firmware replace 26.03.07.01-v1, through which the supply selector button now must be held in for a number of seconds to ensure that the supply to modify over.
The supply button defaults each time you cycle the ability on and off to Bluetooth. The second maintain and press places you within the WiFi mode, through which the LED will begin to show a inexperienced coloration. The third enter is the USB in mode, through which the LED shows a pink-ish hue.
The quantity buttons are atop the supply selector. I feel HIFIMAN must work on this facet of the HE1000 WiFi as a result of there’s finite adjustment right here.
It feels prefer it solely has 10 steps or fewer, and from one setting in quantity, let’s say, the following step up turns into extraordinarily loud or, conversely, too low. This makes it onerous to seek out a super quantity setting and to make finite changes.
The one different button is the ability button, which sports activities a mode LED that permits you to see if the battery is being charged or if absolutely charged.
Battery life
Talking of battery, the lifetime of the battery and the way far it could take you was a blended bag for me.
The instances specified by HIFIMAN have been considerably elongated from my real-world expertise. I feel that standby time is greater than what HIFIMAN specified, which is 30 days of standby time, however that’s it.
I obtained across the identical instances I obtained from the Arya WiFi, which have been manner under what HIFIMAN quotes. The worst half is that it takes a very long time to cost up.
It takes nearly 4 hours to cost with any charger, so don’t trouble charging the inner battery with a quick charger. Don’t anticipate a 15-minute cost to present you an hour’s time of playback both.
Packaging & Equipment
As at all times and customary of the HE1000 line, the WIFI is available in a pleasant hinged black vinyl-covered field with a big metallic badge upfront. It’s paying homage to the previous HIFIMAN packaging, which was normally a step above the remaining in supplying a beneficiant unboxing expertise.
However this time round, the HE1000 WiFi comes with a big soft-cover proprietor’s guide as a substitute of a hardcover e-book.
Except for that, the HE1000 WiFi comes with a 6-foot USB-C-to-USB-A cable, and that’s it. A do-it-all HIFIMAN app just like the one which comes with my WiiM would have been good.
Click on on web page 2 under for my sound impressions and chosen comparisons.
