Reviews
Headphones of the gods
"Listening to hi-fi music wearing these (using a decent DAC/DAP) is almost a spiritual experience. Okay, I know that sounds bananas. Here's what I mean: they're transportive. People like to talk about headphones creating an experience where you "feel like you are there. . . " I know what that's all about now. In fact, the depth/soundstage and minute details of each note are produced with such lifelike nuance that, occasionally, I get goosebumps when listening with these. Orchestral (and particularly LIVE orchestral music) probably sounds the most impressive, but the bass can be substantial enough that hip hop and rock come alive almost as well. Aesthetically speaking, they're absolutely stunning -- they look like sculpted/carved art -- and are very soft/comfortable to wear for long sessions. (My one, tiny quibble in this sense is that they feel a tad bulky -- but the design has a significant impact on the epic sound these create, and I wouldn't trade the sound of the HE-R10Ps for anything. ) Yes, they are jaw-droppingly expensive to those who are just looking for a strong pair of headphones. I'd venture that group -- let's call them "sensible" listeners -- makes up 9 of every 10 listeners. But for the rest of us -- those insane enough to take the plunge -- these are punishingly good. I've been an audio engineer for just under 10 years, and I've never had such soaring expectations for a piece of equipment actually surpassed by the real-life listening quality. In other words, whatever you hope you're getting for between $5k and $6k, you won't be disappointed. Sure, these have their (minor) critics, and if you read between the lines of any of their reviews of the R10-Ps, there's a throughline: by and large, those people simply prefer open-back OTE headphones. If that's the sound you want, these won't be your cup of tea. If you like close-backed cans, these are, in my very humble opinion, the best you can do at this (astronomical) price point. Regardless of where you stand on that, I defy you not to be blown away. Soul-stirring greatness."
— Ian S. (5/5)
Great audio equipment. Great service.
"Great authorized distributor to work with. Easy. Quick. Highly recommended."
— Jeffrey S. (5/5)
Outstanding
"Insanely good. After few days burning in, and the addition of a speaker cable adapter from Fog City Audio, this headphone is sounding like no other, just incredible. Bass, sub base are delightful, vocals are analog, textured. I am using the Chord Hugo tt2 as a Dac to the McIntosh mha100, with the speaker adapter to a xlr female, the result is just extraordinary, very happy here. Justin from HeadAmp is the best guy to deal with."
— Jair O. (5/5)
great value
"outstanding sound quality but still lacking some magic of susvara. but at the sale price, it's a no brainer to grab one. it's much more sensitive than susvara and could easily be driven by most sources (even DAP). build quality is very good too. another happy purchase from headamp for quick shipping."
— Chi L. (5/5)
Closed back excellence? Not quite yet.
"I have the 2nd version of the HE-R10P with the dual 3.5mm cable. The beauty of the cherry wood cups combined with the headband (and comfort) is absolutely stunning! I am enthralled by it. However, sound quality without equalization is bright for my taste and a bit "shouty" at times especially with female vocals and saxes (contemporary jazz and classic rock & roll). For sources I use a Centrance HiFi-M8 1st gen and an iBasso dx320 Max TI (balanced and unbalanced). I have been using parametric equalization via the dx320 Max and have been able to tone down the bright/shouty sound of the R10P to decent levels but am still working on further adjustments to my liking. That being said, instrument clarity and soundstage is wonderful via the R10P with decent bass slam. For comparison, my HE1K-SE has similarly bright sound but has been much easier to tame via parametric equalization and has just as much clarity and sound staging excellence as the R10P if not more. On a final note, the R10P still is not quite open back sounding but much closer to the HE1K-SE open back sound than any other closed back headphone I've tried. As always YMMV."
— Randy A. (4/5)
HE-R10P
"IMHO better than Susvara. Tonally similar. Slightly smaller soundstage. More emphesis on Bass, more dunamic slam, more tonal color- but otherwise- a close very sibling of Susvara."
— Steven R. (4/5)
Dreamy headphone
"I own focal clear and utopia, DCA stealth, Abyss Diana TC. I listened to this mostly nowadays over all of them. The comfort is not as quite there as DCA stealth. I suggest to listen this with a good DAP. Even though this headphone is easy to drive, you will not hear the full potential of this headphone if your input is bad. I found this headphone to be lighter than expected and it sounds so relaxing and smooth over any headphone. My first hifiman purchase and I am very satisfied with this."
— sai (5/5)
AN AMAZING JEWEL
"Now I think I am ready to write about the HIFIMAN HE-R10P + CAYIN N8ii +ARCTIC Cable INTEGRA with Furutech Carbon interconnects First the HE-R10P needs at least 3 days break-in, HIFIMAN advice 150hours ...believe them. In the first day you will hear the extremely extended fast lifelike bass and the fact that it is a very efficient headphone so easy to drive And that it retrieves a Ton of details almost overwhelming and a sense of lightness! ....but wait don't return to sender yet 😉. By 3rd day a miracle, it's like every atom now finds their rightful place WOW, I mean WOW guys...where do I start..???? Details? Correct bass? Natural realistic midrange? Pure natural highs? Performers motives or intentions with every note ? Openness ahh ? This is Closed back totally challenging the best open backs in their game...please DO NOT pair this device with any DAP or Amp that is flawed or not top notch because it will let you know right away Instrumental tones are totally real, even 16bit flac recordings come out very well because of the wealth of properly put together information it is able to retrieve, I mean it's hyperdetailed but NOT Analytic....just music! So much space between each instrument sound that makes listening relaxed detailed and at the same time very engaging like lifelike giving the feeling like you are right there by the musicians! I will pause a bit to acknowledge Cayin for the supremely excellent N8ii, the amazing amount of detail and musical naturalness that comes from that DAP is ...out of this world 🌎.... maybe from Venus (where they rotate counterclockwise...😉) Then the Arctic Cable Integra allowing all that info to get to the HE-R10P uncolored They all matter. Listening: Starting with Beatrice Rana's Chopin 24 preludes, I have listened to this recording many times before even with the very detailed HE1000SE but here is a new experience, every inner detail of her playing was visible and yet the foreground melody is not obscured by the accompaniment, the decay of notes visible or should I say audible..and the wood of the piano hammer on the strings is audibly blended into the soundscape, I was just going to test quickly with this recording but I ended up listening to all the tracks. Next up was Shirley Horn's Here's To Life a 16bit flac recording on the Verve label. This was life changing!!!! The soft silky sounds of orchestral violins playing beautifully on the E strings Oh my God..silky...golden..gently oozing out on the left, while delicate percussions cymbals sprinkle the surrounding space with angel dust and then Shirley's rich voice was right in front of me ..details, pauses that carry weight like the quiet before a storm..delivering her poetry about life and love like only an angel could...suddenly I felt I wanted to live next to her to experience the pure love that emanate from her like someone who has been to heaven and came back to tell about it...truly Here's to life.... this was her last recording before finally leaving this earth and she filled every track with so much delicate Love...if you can get this recording it's only like $9 or so on Qobuz or prestomusic.com Next is Claud Debusy's Lesc Trois Sonates on Harmonia mundi.. You will hear and be completely captivated by Isabelle Faust on her Sleeping beauty Stradivarius violin..the tonal color ranges she is able to bring out of that instrument sometime gritty sometimes silky but always saying something you will hear and almost see her hand and bow movements to create the pauses, the tensions the release the explosive outbursts...its all there in 3D and Melnikov explosive to delicate carresings on the piano ...then go to the Sonata for Flute, Viola and Harp...here you hear the beauty and versatility of Antoine Tamesit Gustav Mahler's Stradivarius Viola the only one Stradivarius made with a poplar back wood to enhance its bass notes...as you listen to the flute Viola and harp dance around each other you suddenly realize the genius of Debussy's composition...it is otherworldly all textures colors and details presented to you ...go on to the Sonata for Cello and Piano that follows to hear how the rich Cello pizzicato notes from Queras trade with the woodier sound of the piano wood hammer on piano strings ...intoxicating. Now to some ECM recordings Jazz I will list 3 of them for the Drum and Trumpet and bass Sound Avishai Cohen-Naked Truth, Todd Gustavson Trio-Opening and Florian Weber-Lucent Waters The speed of sound experienced with the piano, the details on the sound of the drum and the explosive thunder when the drummer lands a decisive Forte on the drum is almost deafeningly ecstatic, the acoustic bass rich powerful tuneful detailed notes add to the ecstacy.... If you plan to buy this headphones I say go ahead I haven't heard the HIFIMAN Susvara yet though it's too inefficient for the N8ii but people who do and have tested the HE-R10P say they are at par with the HE-R10P having a stronger bass and maybe a bit less wide sound stage....honestly I can careless. Now I am working on my Jedi powers so that when I upgrade my Arctic Cable Integra to the Opera my wife would not notice the dynamic impact on our savings😉...may the force be with me😁 Please The HE-R10P comes in 2 forms the black Tranquility Pads or the Brown ones so be sure to specify else you get whatever is available"
— Austin (5/5)
