Over-Ear
HiFiMAN HE1000 WiFi
84Great
$2699
Full review dataHiFiMAN HE1000 WiFi vs STAX SR-X9000: which should you buy?
On aggregated review scores the STAX SR-X9000 comes out ahead with an HearWiki score of 88. The full breakdown - sub-scores, specs and what reviewers actually said - is below.
Our pick: STAX SR-X9000 - Outstanding overall at around $5050.
Over-Ear
STAX SR-X9000
88Outstanding
$5050
Full review dataScore breakdown
Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.
HiFiMAN HE1000 WiFi
Sound9.0
Battery7.5
Value7.0
STAX SR-X9000
Sound9.5
Value5.0
Specifications
| Spec | HiFiMAN HE1000 WiFi | STAX SR-X9000 |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Over-Ear | Over-Ear |
| Price (USD) | $2699 | $5050 |
| HearWiki score | 84 / 100 · Great | 88 / 100 · Outstanding |
| Released | 2025 | 2021 |
| Audio | ||
| Driver | planar | electrostatic |
| Drivers per side | - | 2 |
| Frequency response | 8Hz-65kHz ± 0.5 dB | 5Hz-42,000Hz |
| Impedance | 32 Ω | 145000 Ω |
| Wireless | ||
| Bluetooth | SBC/AAC/aptX/aptX HD/LDAC | - |
| Bluetooth version | 5.1 | - |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD, LDAC | - |
| Multipoint pairing | No | No |
| Battery | ||
| Battery life | 23 h | - |
| Full charge time | 180 min | - |
| Wireless charging | No | - |
| Features | ||
| Active noise cancelling | No | No |
| ANC type | none | - |
| Transparency mode | No | - |
| Companion app | No | - |
| Custom EQ | No | - |
| Wear detection | No | - |
| Design | ||
| Weight | 452 g | 432 g |
| Water resistance | none | - |
| USB-C | Yes | - |
What reviewers said
HiFiMAN HE1000 WiFi
The HiFiMAN HE1000 WiFi is a premium open-back planar headphone that blends high-end wired-style audio performance with wireless convenience, including WiFi, Bluetooth, and USB-C playback via its built-in DAC and amplifier. It supports high-resolution codecs like LDAC and aptX HD, delivering a spacious, detailed soundstage, though its real-world battery life may fall short of marketing claims. Priced around $2699, it targets audiophiles seeking a versatile, all-in-one flagship listening solution without active noise cancellation or app-based controls.
- Pro:Outstanding planar sound quality with wide frequency response
- Pro:Versatile connectivity: WiFi, Bluetooth, USB-C, and wired modes
- Pro:Comfortable over-ear design with premium build
- Con:Expensive at roughly $2699
- Con:No active noise cancellation or transparency mode
- Con:Real-world battery life may be shorter than stated 23 hours
STAX SR-X9000
The STAX SR-X9000 is a top-tier electrostatic headphone that excels at revealing fine detail, ambient cues, and instrumental nuance, delivering an exceptionally transparent and spacious soundstage. It offers outstanding speed, transient response, and realism, making it ideal for classical and spatially demanding music. However, it requires a dedicated energizer/driver unit, pushing the total system cost far beyond the already steep headphone price.
- Pro:Exceptional detail retrieval and transparency
- Pro:Huge, three-dimensional soundstage with precise imaging
- Pro:Fast transient response and realistic timbre
- Con:Requires separate electrostatic driver unit
- Con:Very high total system cost
- Con:No noise cancellation or wireless convenience
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
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