He wasn't TALKING about frequencies above 9 kHz - he was talking about the clear and present DISTORTION at ALL frequencies (esp. 200-300 Hz and 4-5 kHz), already visible at 94 dB, unacceptable at 114 dB, and clipping even 1 dB higher. I'm pretty sure everyone here knows about the unreliability of frequency measurements above about 8 kHz - Amir mentions that in almost every review.
In any case, I'm happy you enjoy your headphones
I’m a huge, die-hard Hifiman fan—I own the HE1000se, the HE1000 Stealth, the Ananda Nano and the Edition XS, and I did own the Susvara (and the Arya Stealth and HE1000 v2) for awhile.
The Susvara is an absolutely iconic headphone, unquestionably worthy of its eminence, but I don’t really think of it as Hifiman’s “flagship” anymore. I suspect that they’ve maintained its price point to perpetuate its laurels and to continue sales as long as it holds up. It’s been 2016 since they released it, and I have a suspicion that the recent price slashes of the HE1000SE, Arya, and other HE1000 editions are an harbinger of a flagship refresh coming down the pipeline in the not-too-distant future.
Hifiman has a habit of innovating new features and technology, assessing how well these are received, and updating their existing lines to include them. Their original “flagship”, the first edition HE1000 (not dismissing the iterations of the Edition X or HE-6 series) debuted the window shade grilles, nanothin diaphragm and tall, egg-shaped drivers and cups, all of which were hits. Since then they moved almost exclusively to this oval pad profile (that I now see as a signature in the vein of Dan Clark) in their subsequent releases, and the grilles and nanothin diaphragms are now standard across the board. Similarly, the Susvara launched the Stealth magnet, which they’ve now retrofitted into their entire product line.
Since the Susvara, they’ve also improved the efficiency of their planars, from the release of the HE1000se on (sensitivity of 96, compared to the Susvara’s 83). They’ve also abandoned the “reference” (ie, flat, rolled-off bass) tuning that was pre-Harman and still de rigueur in 2016, in favor of at least an attempt at Harman compliance (starting with the HE1000V2 they’ve gotten the lows and mids pretty much spot on).
Where they’ve struggled is with their highs. They’ve made decent strides with the HE1000 Stealth, Ananda Nano and Arya Organic to tame the less-controlled highs above 9-10,000hz (possibly a consequence of the Stealth magnet)—the troublesome range that has given them the reputation among some for having a fatigue factor.
And despite the biases of some who bought their wares in past years, I think they’ve improved their QC considerably, at least among their mid range price points and above.
The Susvara’s were indeed groundbreaking at the time—they arguably solidified planars as equal to if not superior to dynamic drivers, had a part in toppling over the stuffy reputation of fussy electrostatics, and were absolutely worth a high price point. I do think they went overboard at $5,999, but I’m fairly convinced that that was a reactionary move to the original Utopia, which landed four months earlier and arguably established the absurd $4,400 price barrier that was unheard of among non-electrostats at the time. Dr. Bian had indisputably invested a ton of R&D costs in that Stealth magnet and the luxury build of the Susvara, and surely had high hopes for it—and given the absurdly hyperbolic claims being made at the time (and still!) about the Utopia being the “World’s Greatest Headphone”, I suspect the price was at least in part an attempt to supplant this hysterical claim. Too bad the claim, and the price point, stuck.
I do think well-made headphones should last a lifetime, and be impervious to fads or whims—and for those who love classical or jazz and own an amp capable of powering the Susvara sufficiently to do it justice, I fully understand its endgame status. But in recent years, “audiophile”-grade gear has become highly desirable amongst younger, rock and hip-hop oriented audiences (myself included, although I’m definitely not young at 54!)—and having a headphone with a more lively, bass-forward and energetic tuning and presentation is a priority for most folks for these genres.
I think Hifiman is paying attention to their consumers’ feedback, the evidence of which is clearly evident in the constant evolution and re-tooling of their product lines, and the slow move towards the Harman target—a standard that has gradually superseded “reference” tuning and has become more popularized and demanded since its most recent revision in 2019.
From the preceding discussion it’s obvious that there’s a polarized view of the Susvara, and Hifiman in general. But I wouldn’t argue with anyone who lauded the Susvara. For me personally, the HE1000se and Stealth are equally extraordinary in their performance, and better tuned and amplifier-democratic for the genres I prefer, and for the way I utilize music listening in my lifestyle.
My prediction is that there will be a new “flagship” comparable to the Susvara in price (and hype) in the near future, that carries forward the HE1000 profile, the window shade grilles, the nanothin diaphragm and neodymium Stealth magnet—with the technical excellence and refinement of the Susvara plus perhaps a new innovation we’ve yet seen. I’m just pleased to see so many folks discussing this brand, and I for one am excited to see what they have in store for us for the future! Peace…
