The SENNHEISER FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE EXHIBIT at WTC

Discussion in 'General Audio Discussion' started by Kunlun, Oct 15, 2016.

  1. Kattefjaes

    Kattefjaes Mostly Harmless

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  2. shipsupt

    shipsupt Admin

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    Last I heard $50k for phones and amp, $10-15 for headphones alone.
     
  3. MuppetFace

    MuppetFace Sultana of Seafoam Green - Moderator

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    Buuuut only sold as a set! Aye there's the rub...

    Especially ridiculous since there's no real reason to keep them as a set (versus the HE-1 and Sonoma M1) aside from their never selling any amps otherwise.
     
  4. shipsupt

    shipsupt Admin

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    I didn't catch that! That's silly.
     
  5. Colgin

    Colgin Friend

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    So, you were the one with the Sony Z1R. The manager I met with last night was talking about how you had brought it and couldn't believe you had been wearing $2,000+ cans on the subway. But he thought they were way cool and appreciated that you had brought them.
     
  6. Kattefjaes

    Kattefjaes Mostly Harmless

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    In that video, Fang talks about the phones being available on their own, and working with other stat amps. Still, though, he says a lot of things.
     
  7. MuppetFace

    MuppetFace Sultana of Seafoam Green - Moderator

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    I might consider them if they're available individually. There's no real reason to pair them with the 300B amp, whereas the HE-1 and Sonomas are pretty much dependent on their respective units.

    Though if they are available separately, HiFiMan is never gonna sell that $40k 300B stat amp. So it wouldn't surprise me if you had to buy the whole set.
     
  8. Merrick

    Merrick A lidless ear

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    It will sell in China, which is the obvious market for $50K headphone sets.
     
  9. Colgin

    Colgin Friend

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    I tried a Shangri-La prototype within the last 6 months or so and I thought it would be a joke at $10,000. $50K makes me just barf in my mouth. While wildly overpriced, at least the Senn sounds good.
     
  10. The Life

    The Life Facebook Friend

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    Yep, that was me. Two of the many reasons I have become enamored with the Z1Rs is the high level of isolation, despite how open they sound, and how easy they are to drive. I can't think of any other headphone in its class as far as SQ that I can just plug into my phone or AK100II and hop on the subway with.
     
  11. MuppetFace

    MuppetFace Sultana of Seafoam Green - Moderator

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    Perhaps the Shangri-La will sell in China, where the very well-off buy the most expensive audio products to try for a weekend before boxing them up and eventually regifting them to a client. Though honestly, the Shangri-La lacks that exotic uber blingy factor that the competing HE-1 has. I'd imagine the HE-1 to be more popular among the businessmen-who-take-pictures-of-their-audio-gear-next-to-expensive-cognac-and-Rolex-watches crowd.

    From the early impressions I've read of the Shangri-La, I get the distinct impression that the original Jade e-stats that were built like crap and fell apart and crackled like Rice Crispies in milk sound better than these new ones. The Jades actually sounded good, issues aside: a rich low end---one of the best in the e-stat world---and a very linear frequency response. Reports of the Shangri-La suggest a lack of punch and overly bright signature by contrast.

    Though I'd be curious as to how much of their yucky sound comes from that amp.
    I mean, why 300B for a stat amp anyway?

    Also the new Orpheus is much more likely to maintain a better resale value over the next couple of decades.
     
  12. Kattefjaes

    Kattefjaes Mostly Harmless

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    Given that this is Sennheiser we're talking about, spares won't be an issue, either, I expect.
     
  13. Colgin

    Colgin Friend

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    Do you happen to know if they have them for demo at the Sony store. I used to work right near there but unfortunately now it would be a trip.
     
  14. The Life

    The Life Facebook Friend

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    I'm not sure actually. I got mine from Amazon UK at $700 less than it would have cost to get them in the US thanks to Brexit and lack of taxes.

    I'm actually planning on going to the sony store next week to see if they have the new DAP (the cheaper one) in store to see if it pairs well with my Z1R.
     
  15. Merrick

    Merrick A lidless ear

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    With Hifiman's current business practices, expect the Shangri-La to be $5K including the amp within a year.
     
  16. shipsupt

    shipsupt Admin

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    Early Jades were built like crap. I can't believe my unicorn-jades are still in one piece. I cringe every time I pick them up. Then I listen to them...WOOT! They might still be the best sounding stat I own!? I have to avoid Marv so he doesn't knock me out and take them back. I was trying to find some of the old measurements, really good. Problem is, many of the jades sounded like crap or had "issues" like crackles etc... Somehow I don't think they used the original Jade as a basis for design on this new headphone.
     
  17. take

    take Friend

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    Yeah, seriously. The HE-1 is really nice looking. The Shangri-La might have an exotic looking amp but the actual headphones are lacking in looks, such as the urine yellow driver (great choice there, Hifiman). The amp also has a less "classy" look.
     
  18. shipsupt

    shipsupt Admin

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    There is still an audio fool mentality out there that if you stick a 300B up my butt I'll sing like Adele.

    The 300B is not an ideal candidate for building a stat amp design... so there are lots of questions about what's going on inside that thing.
     
  19. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Fang measured his penis and found it shorter than Axel's. So he changed the price from $10K to $50K.
     
  20. take

    take Friend

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    I'm going to head over there around 7:30-8:00pm today and seeing if I can demo the HE-1 or make an appointment for sometime this weekend.
     

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