“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.”—Plato
I LOVE headphones and speakers. They’ve become sort of a guilty pleasure for me, and I’ve collected over a hundred of them—most of which are still unused and in their boxes.
I once spent a day trying to contact a manufacturer abroad because the cushion ear pads on one of my headphones (which I rarely used) had chipped, and I couldn’t work until I found a replacement.
Still, I don’t consider myself an expert, as I really can’t talk about the technical specs, although I’ve tried and experienced the so-called “best” headphones with oftentimes jaw-dropping prices from some of the top audio brands.
But of all the headphones I’ve tried, nothing even comes close to the Sennheiser HE 1—both in sound quality and price—P3,000,000. That’s not a typo: it’s really priced at P3 million.
THE ORPHEUS REBORN
IN 1991 Sennheiser engineers set out to create the best headphones in the world. The result of this effort is the now legendary Sennheiser Orpheus. Priced then at a whopping $16,000 (now selling for $30,000 plus on eBay), the headphones were so sophisticated that it even came with its own tube amplifier, which made it look like something that came out of Bruce Wayne’s lab.
Last Tuesday I got the privilege to see and experience the successor of the Orpheus, the HE-1. Sennheiser flew one unit all the way from its HQ specifically for the event, and let me say that the short experience was nothing sort of…glorious.
The HE 1 is an entirely new experience from the moment you turn it on. Press the power button and watch the whole “set” come to life as the control dials slowly pop out, the tubes rise up from its base like a mini nuclear reactor and the box cover opens to reveal the headphones. This setup sequence actually has a purpose, as it allows the tubes of its amplifier to reach the optimum temperature.
I say set because the HE-1 isn’t just a pair of headphones you can just plug in. It actually comes in a package you can’t just move around, as you can see in the photo. Its amplifier sits on a housing crafted from glass, and a solid block of marble. Not just any marble but Carrara Marble, a luxurious natural stone made famous by Michelangelo’s Renaissance sculptures. The marble case not only gives it an elegant look but also prevents structure-borne noise. To create a visually stunning design, the control dials have been painstakingly crafted in the highest quality. Each dial is milled from a single piece of brass before being plated with chrome.
According to the description from its web site, “The Sennheiser HE 1 is the first electrostatic headphone with a Cool Class A MOS-FET high-voltage amplifier integrated into the ear cups. Eliminating the capacitive reactance of the cable, delivering an ultra high-impulse fidelity 200 percent more efficient than any other solution currently available. The 2.4-micrometer platinum-vaporised diaphragms are employed as their size was shown by Sennheiser’s research to deliver optimal sound reproduction. Outstanding electrical and acoustical performance is ensured through gold-vaporised ceramic transducers, while 99.9-percent silver-plated OFC cables are used for optimal conductivity. To allow you to immerse in the result of all of this are Sennheiser HE 1’s ear cups, precision-machined from solid aluminum, featuring handmade ear pads of finest leather and a soft, allergen-free velour/microfibre construction.”
Only the true audiophiles would probably understand the previous paragraph, but what it means is that the Sennheiser HE 1 electrostatic headphones is totally different from any other headphones you’ve tried in your entire life.
Putting it on feels like you are wearing a crown instead, as you can immediately sense the premium materials as it comfortably hugs the sides of your head. The ergonomics are outstanding, and they wrap perfectly around your ear, and the weight is well-distributed to allow for extended listening sessions.
There were only a few tracks available for us to try and, although I would have loved to listen to “Hotel California,” I settled for the next best song on the list: Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You.” As soon as the first notes played and Ed started to strum his guitar, it seemed as if he was transported directly inside my ear, playing a live concert.
Every little detail in the recording was there, and you can hear the separation of the instruments. Turn up the volume, and the separations get even clearer. It was way better than the best I’ve heard in my entire life. I also listened to a few seconds of an orchestral song, and it was even more spectacular.
According to Martin Low, Sennheiser Asia’s managing director, each of the 6,000 individual parts used in the HE 1 are selected and processed by hand, as it demands precise craftsmanship. “It takes an entire day to make a single set of the HE 1, so the company said they could only produce around 250 a year, making it truly an exclusive piece of premium technology,” he added. Each order takes a month or so to process and each HE 1 will be delivered right to your doorstep, as it requires expert installation.
Just like the original Orpheus, Sennheiser clearly wanted to make a statement when it set out to create the HE 1. It threw away all the the usual design constraints of budget and convenience, opting to craft a truly unique set of headphones with one goal: being the absolute, undisputed best in everything.
I had mixed emotions as I handed back the headphones, not just because I wanted to listen longer or because I know I could never afford such an exquisite piece of technology but because I heard that they already received not just one, but two orders of the HE 1 from the Philippines. I guess we will have to wait for a month or so before it appears on someone’s Instagram account.
SOUND HEROES
BESIDES the HE 1, Sennheiser also highlights their new products, including three wireless music and entertainment neckband headphones for people on the move: CX 7.00BT (P9,490), Momentum In-Ear Wireless (P12,590) and Momentum Free (P12,590).
All three models feature Bluetooth and NFC integration, a three-button remote, and an integrated, high-quality in-line microphone for making calls and controlling music.
Other notable wireless Sennheiser headphones include the award-winning active-noise cancelling Bluetooth wireless travel headset, the PXC 550 Wireless (P24,190), and HD 4.50 BTNC (P12,590) wireless noise-cancelling headphone for active lifestyles on the go.
The latest Sennheiser Gaming models such as the GSP 300 (P5,990) PC/console gaming headset and GSX 1200 Pro (P14,990) gaming audio amplifier will also be available for avid Filipino gamers.
For mobile journalists and serious vloggers, Sennheiser is also introducing a series of microphones in the form of the MKE 2 elements (P7,629), a high-quality waterproof action microphone for GoPro Hero4 cameras; the Handmic Digital (P12,019), a rugged, dynamic handheld microphone for interviews and music recording on iOS, Mac and PC; and ClipMic digital (P8,229), a clip-on microphone for mobile recording with iOS devices.
At the event, they also featured a couple of 3D audio-recording devices, such as the Ambeo VR
Mic (P77,889), a 3D audio-recording microphone developed in cooperation with virtual-reality (VR) content producers and the audio and VR communities, as well as the Ambeo Smart Headset (P19,990), a compact, mobile headset that captures 3D sound for iOS devices.
Sennheiser’s wide range of consumer audio products are available in the Philippines at authorised Sennheiser retailers, as well as the Sennheiser Official Store on Lazada.
‘GAME OF MARKETING’
IT seems a lot of the marketing peeps are also fans of Game of Thrones, as proven by the Philippine Marketing Association’s (PMA) upcoming “Unconference,” dubbed “Game of Marketing.”
“I am proud to organize the first Asian UnConference, an unstructured marketing conference where topics are discussed, voted on and decided before the conference officially starts. We are spicing up this UnConference by playing around with the most popular TV series, Game of Thrones. Fans would understand the many marketing learnings in the series, and we intend to bring that to life in this first of its kind UnConference,” says Donald Lim, country CEO of Dentsu Aegis Network Philippines, CPM Asia Pacific, and overall chairman of the 48th PMA National Marketing Conference.
Kicking off the first day is a pair of master-class Opening Keynote speakers: David Hearn, regional head of Strategy, dentsu X Asia Pacific; and Hermawan Kartajaya, cofounder of Asia Marketing Federation, president of Indonesia Council for Small Business and president of ACSB.
Added to this lineup of marketing greats is Merlee Jayme, chairmom/chief creative officer of Dentsu Jayme Syfu, who will introduce the Three Dragons of Creativity. Meng Liu, head of Asia and Oceania Networks of United Nations Global Compact, will discuss Making Global Goals Local Business. Lim closes the UnConference as the closing keynote speaker.
“Game of Marketing,” the first Asian Marketing UnConference, will be held on November 27 and 28 at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza, CCP Complex Roxas Boulevard, Barangay 76, Pasay City.
/ Tech Thoughts: “One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.”—Bob Marley