Sennheiser HE-1, the most expensive headphones in the world

© Lemon squeezer

« You come for Sennheiser or for whiskey distillery ? ”.We had barely left Dublin airport when the question was asked by our driver. It must be said that the 100 km that separate the Irish capital from Tullamore, Martin travels them several times a week. And each time, his passengers either go to learn a little more about the local bourbon, or the other, come to quench their audiophile curiosity.

Whisky and music, here are the two attractions of this charming town of 16,000 inhabitants. From our first day there, we were able to notice that the first is scattered relatively everywhere in the city.

Tullamore town centre at night © Presse-citron

In souvenir shops that sell little bears on a barrel or in pubs that all have a steak with gravy, pepper and whisky sauce on their menu. To try the latter, you have to move a little further from the city centre. That's what we did the next morning.

A German brand, under the Swiss flag, which produces in Ireland ?

A German brand, taken over by a Swiss company, which has a manufacturing and assembly plant in Ireland. If you are not very familiar with the recent or older history of Sennheiser, let's first take the time to set a few milestones.

Since its creation in 1945, the German brand has made a name for itself among all music lovers. Initially specializing in microphones, which were the heyday of the first TV and recording studios of the time, Sennheiser gradually expanded its universe by turning to consumer audio.

In 1968, the company released the HD 414, the world's first open-back headphones, which are, according to several sources, the best-selling circumaural headphones in the world to this day. In fact, if you come across one in your attic or at a flea market, replacement ear pads are still being produced.

© Sennheiser

It is also impossible to mention Sennheiser, without mentioning its contribution to 3D audio. In 1974, the MKE 2002 stereo microphone allowed to make one of the first commercial recordings in binaural. And what about the HD 25 from 1988, a headset worn and adored by all DJs, professional or amateur, and this, still to this day.

While the aura of the German brand is no longer in doubt among audiophiles, the company has always concentrated the bulk of its activities on the B2B sector. Moreover, the company is made up of four units: Pro Audio, Business Communications, Neumann and Consumer Electronics. And it is the latter that the brand sold in 2021…

Suffering from fierce competition in the consumer earphone, headset and soundbar market, the German decided to sell its B2C division in 2021 to Sonova. World leader in the hearing aid market, this Swiss company was favored by the audio manufacturer. It must be said that the Swiss firm has committed to continuing to invest sufficiently so that Sennheiser's consumer products continue to exist, despite a saturated audio market.

Released in 2023, the Ambeo mini is considered the best compact soundbar on the market @Sennheiser

And given the brand's recent successes, such as the Momentum True Wireless 4 headphones and the excellent Ambeo mini sound bar, this merger seems, for the moment, to be a wise decision. .

Tullamore, Sennheiser's wired audiophile lung

And what does Ireland have to do with this equation?? The Tullamore factory was initially intended to produce Sennheiser transducers. An essential component of all audio products. It was therefore created in 1992. And this, well before this country transformed into a tax haven for tech companies of all kinds.

It was only following the acquisition by Sonova in 2022 that the decision was made to also transfer the production and assembly activity of wired headphones there. Most certainly, in our opinion, for cost optimization, and not exclusively tax. In any case, this is what we deduced during our visit.

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To our arrival, Pat Fulton, the manager of the place, proudly introduces us to the local stars. The HD 800S, the HD 820, the HD 650, the IE 600 and IE 900 wired headphones… And of course, a little later, he promises us a face to face with the famous HE 1 helmet.

The man has experienced the evolution of the factory well. Having arrived nearly 20 years ago, he has managed to climb the ladder to now find himself at the head of a good hundred people. For him, Tullamore is first and foremost a family. And this is what, above all, motivated Sennheiser's decision to transfer some of its activities there. Since he has been here, very few layoffs have taken place, while he assures us that the departure rate is close to zero. The seniority of employees here extends in the majority of cases from the training they receive when they join until their retirement.

Another fact, which must have certainly convinced Sennheiser to migrate the production of wired products, is that Tullamore is a factory in constant turmoil. Indeed, three teams take turns 24/7 to keep the shop running. Introduced in 2004, the first production line was much shorter at the time than it is today. Over time, and with technological improvements, it was lengthened, then robotized.

Journalists listening religiously to Pat Fulton © Sennheiser

Currently, the production process combines both automatic lines and manual assembly. At the beginning, a machine cuts sheets to transform them into a membrane. On another, we are told that a 0.03 mm wire is woven, thinner than a hair, in order to be wound into the coil. A very important step on which the margin of error is prohibited, even if it is one micrometer. As a reminder, in a headset it is the coil that receives the alternating current from the amplifier. Then, it starts moving with the membrane to generate the sound waves.

Of course, in addition to a complete acoustic test at the end of production (distortion, polarity, sensitivity, etc.), each step benefits from a quality control. For the coil, employees have at their disposal microscopic cameras located behind the windows of the machines.

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Finally, in addition to the experience and know-how of a brand, Tullamore proves to us that a quality industrial tool also serves the sustainability of a brand. As proof, most of the machines present in this factory have two distinct characteristics. They are not single-task. Thus, they can manufacture different types of transducers, without requiring a major upheaval of the organization. And above all, if they are so malleable, it is for a simple reason: they were designed themselves by Sennheiser.

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The Sennheiser HE 1, the headset of all superlatives

The HE-1 is not just a simple headset, it is the audio product of all superlatives. Just like its predecessor… In 1990, Sennheiser made the Orpheus official. A luxury helmet that was already the most expensive at the time. Launched at $15,000, the equivalent with inflation of 28,000 euros today, the Orpheus remained for nearly 25 years systematically at the top of the rankings of the best helmet in the world.

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Meanwhile, in the shadows, Sennheiser is preparing the next step. For 10 years, the brand gave carte blanche to a team of 30 engineers to develop a successor. The succession was ensured in the winter of 2016 with the HE-1. At that time, it was launched at 50& ;nbsp;000 euros, today it is now displayed at 69,000 euros.

Why such a price ? First of all, very logically, this headset has a monstrous development cost to amortize. Then, we must reward the dexterity and know-how of Damian, an employee like no other at the Tullamore factory. It is he, and he alone, who assembles by hand for several weeks the nearly 3000 different parts that make up this luxury listening system. Yes, because the HE-1 is a 21 kg unit that includes an electrostatic headset, a tube amplifier and a high-resolution DAC.

© Senheisser

To ensure complete elimination of vibrations, the amplifier body is sculpted in Carrara marble. A rare material that has been used, for example, to sculpt masterpieces such as Michelangelo's Pietà or Trajan's Column in Rome.

< p>Always in the quest for perfection, the eight tubes of the amplifier are placed in quartz cylinders in order to keep them at a constant temperature. And thus, avoid any parasitic element. For its part, the headset does not integrate magnets, but electrostatic speakers with a fixed electrode and another mobile one. To put it very simply, a continuous voltage between the two creates an electric field that moves the mobile electrode.

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Thus, the latter can radiate across the entire audio frequency range. And therefore provide an extraordinary richness of listening. As proof, the frequency response extends from 8 Hz to more than 100 kHz. In addition, the HE-1 has the lowest harmonic distortion rate in the world to date. That is 0.01% for a sound pressure of 100 dB.

It would be possible to go on and on about the unique features of this headset. However, one last piece of information gleaned both surprised and amused me. In addition to a battery of acoustic tests, the HE-1 also undergoes a test in a sort of climatic chamber. Just to check that it can withstand different humidity levels and temperatures. At this price, it would be a shame if it got cold or hot…

What is the listening value of the most expensive headset in the world ?

The best for last. To end this morning in style, Sennheiser offered me a private listening session. In front of the vinyl bin, for once I didn't hesitate for a moment before choosing. I went for “The Dark Side of the Moon” by Pink Floyd. Just to see if it could transport me to the UFO Club in London in the late 60s.

As soon as it is turned on, the HE-1 enters into a choreography. The listener quickly understands that he is dealing with an exceptional product. I'll let you admire it…

Usually, when I test a product, I like to dwell on the balance of bass, midrange and treble. That won't be the case here. Basic analytical notions have no place. The HE-1 offers a sensory experience so unique that it is difficult to put the right words to it.

Transforming listening into a private concert, this is the greatest strength of luxury audio products. From the first bass notes, I had the impression that Roger Waters was sitting on my shoulder. The sound was right, floating and enveloping, so much so that we no longer try to analyze it, but we live it. We close our eyes and then our imagination takes over.

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Memories of adolescence, a feeling of cocooning, well-being… Since everyone often has a particular relationship with certain music, the HE-1 manages to bring out the best in it. After 20 minutes with my eyes closed, my listening companion still checked to see if I hadn’t fallen asleep. Which then caused an explosion of laughter in the room. Then followed a good half hour of listening to albums by Radiohead or Led Zeppelin. The HE-1 once again gives me the impression that I am rediscovering music that I thought I knew by heart.

I can understand that all these hyperboles are for most people an exaggerated way of justifying such a price. With a famous question in mind. Is a €70,000 helmet 1400 times better than a €500 helmet?? Straight up, no. However, it would also be fair to clarify two things.

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The first is that hearing is a sense. And from there, it is different from one person to another. A sense is trained, strengthened and gained in experience. If for several weeks, you have the opportunity to listen to your favorite music in HD quality with the right equipment, mechanically, you will detect new sound subtleties. Which you would be unable to discern on a 100 euro headset while listening to the same song on Spotify.

The second is that Hi-Fi is inherently luxurious. There is therefore an element of irrationality, fascination, but also ostentation, in spending so much money on such objects. A bit like people who are capable of spending crazy amounts of money on a collector's car. Or going to dinner in a three-star restaurant.

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The most perfect example was brought to me that very afternoon. To complete this stay, Sennheiser then invited us to visit the Tullamore distillery. While my other journalist colleagues could launch into great aromatic diatribes during the tastings, it was not the case for me. And that is normal, because I have not yet trained, strengthened and gained experience on this subject to my senses of taste and smell. Or quite simply, I did not want to. What's the point of paying 500 euros for a bottle ? Whether it's whisky, music or any other sensory pleasure, each field has its fanatics.

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