Introduction

When I think of planar magnetic headphones, the first brand that now comes to my mind happens to be HIFIMAN. This isn't too surprising given the number of HIFIMAN headphones we've reviewed here to date, but also because the brand now has headphones at pretty much every price point you can think of. The likes of the HE400se and the Edition XS no doubt are bestsellers, although what gets them to that stage is newly developed technology from flagship sets trickling down the product line. Take HIFIMAN's stealth magnets, for example, which were first properly used in the $6000 Susvara, before entering the HE1000 series with the HE1000se and then again with the HE1000 Stealth. These two sets went for $3500 and $2000 before being discounted to their current prices of $1700 and $1200, respectively. This meant there was a large gap between the $1700 HE1000se and the $6000 Susvara to fit in a new product, and there was also new tech ready to trickle down too.


HIFIMAN surprised everyone earlier this year with the Susvara Unveiled, not only because it seemed nothing could ever replace the original Susvara—which ended up being true, that set continues to be manufactured and sold—but also with the drivers being exposed on the outside, or "unveiled" as the brand prefers to market them as. It's the most nervous I've ever been for any review and the months since revealed those drivers were less fragile than I originally thought, thankfully. Unveiling the drivers means you now have a fully open-back set which should not have any sound wave reflections off the grille that can otherwise detract from your listening experience. Memes were made about HIFIMAN unveiling other headphones, including the budget HE400se. I laughed at them, until I heard about the HE1000 Unveiled while I was in Shenzhen. You can think of this as effectively the HE1000se Unveiled thus, and we see once again the drivers are exposed on the outside. However, these feel a lot safer to handle owing to the larger "bezels" around, and the diaphragm is not very exposed either. This is promising in more ways than one then, given what we saw with the Susvara Unveiled on the sound signature side. Thanks to HIFIMAN for providing a review sample to TechPowerUp, as we begin this review with a look at the product specifications in the table below.

Specifications

Packaging and Accessories

HIFIMAN operates a web shop, and this sample shipped directly from the company, so we begin with the shipping packaging, since this is how paying customers would receive the HE1000 Unveiled. The shipping box is larger and heavier than other recently reviewed HIFIMAN headphones, but that's because the HE1000 Unveiled is one of very few HIFIMAN products to not have received a packaging overhaul to a more barebones cardboard box. We still see HIFIMAN-branded tape and stickers all around, including one that specifically calls out the product inside. I would like to see a stealthier approach for expensive products such as this. Inside is the product box itself, which comes in a shaped-to-fit bubble wrap and foam sheets on all sides, for further protection from shipping hazards. There's also a personalized frequency response measurement for this very set, although I don't believe this will be the case for all headphones going forward. It was something HIFIMAN did for the first batch of the Susvara Unveiled, perhaps as a test to ensure the products are manufactured to spec, and the same continues here.


HIFIMAN thankfully still uses a leather-wrapped product box for the HE1000se and HE1000 Unveiled, in addition to the Susvara duo and the Shangri-La Sr./Jr., with the headphones named as much on the metal inlay badge we see on the front—the company logo and a product description are also seen here. The wrapping is all black in color and is well stitched all around the box. A latch at the front keeps the contents in place during transit, and a sticker on the back confirms EU compliance, has the expected certification logos, and contact information for HIFIMAN. In the absence of a carry handle and also because it's inherently less durable than a more industrial-style hard case, this feels more of a storage box than one that you would necessarily transport the headphones in to various locations, if you were so inclined anyway. I suspect most customers will never use this box after taking the contents out.


Opening the box, we are greeted to some paperwork in the form of a warranty card with the serial numbers for both drivers of this headphone, which is something that only HIFIMAN does to the best of my knowledge. It also lets you know that registering the headphones and following HIFIMAN on social media nets you an additional six months on warranty on top of the three years by default, which is about average for flagship headphones these days. There's a note on the brand's patented stealth magnets technology, which we will discuss later, and we also get a printed hardcover owner's guide (online copy here) in color and on high bond glossy paper which is nice to peruse through. There's also a HIFIMAN-branded soft fabric drawstring pouch to help store the headphones and keep them dust free, and a foam sheet helps separate all these accessories from the rest of the items for further protection. As seen above, HIFIMAN uses a soft cloth-wrapped foam piece with a cutout to hold the headphones. The section in the middle has a note alerting customers about the headphone cables located below.


As with the Susvara Unveiled, we see four dark tan drawstring pouches in the box. Two are smaller and host the so-called magnetic veils, which are metal covers in a silver color that are to be used to cover the ear cups of the HE1000 Unveiled when not in use. The outer section has machined concentric circles whereas at the bottom is a beaded finish with a truncated HIFIMAN logo present. The inner side has a woven carbon fiber finish this time round, but is still very smooth—makes it easier to wipe of remnant dust before being placed on the headphones. HIFIMAN should probably have included a microfiber cloth to keep these clean, but it's not the end of the world. There are two other, larger such bags around the ear cups of the headphones which you need to loosen and carefully remove from the HE1000 Unveiled for a closer examination.