The HE1000 V2 is definitely a step forward from the V1. There are changes all over the place when compared to the V1, with the most substantial being the slimmer cups and fatter, more angled pads. Subtle changes in its frequency response have made it slightly more mainstream, there being more of an emphasis on 70-80 Hz and increased sensitivity, from 1 kHz to 8 kHz. The V2 is brighter, punchier, and definitely less neutral than its predecessor. If you found the V1 a bit to clinical-sounding, the V2 is definitely for you.

Despite gaining some mid bass oomph, it still has an incredibly flat frequency response. Bass extension is incredible, it having real extension down to 20 Hz and being very well-behaved above 5 kHz. The mid bass bump added to the V2 gives your contemporary music that extra bass punch and slam some felt were absent on the V1. HiFiMAN managed to pull this off with the smallest possible deviation from a perfectly flat frequency response, the bump being nothing like you find on many other higher-end headphones.

Price-wise, these are of course over the top compared to normal mainstream headphones, but they do present good value for the money when compared to other absurd über-high-end offerings available today. The tuning of the HE1000 V2, while more normal than on the V1, is still unique to HifiMAN's HE1000s. The best just got better for the majority of audiophiles, wallets watch out!