The "Baby HE-1"! - The Warwick Bravura Review 

Not gonna lie, that video title made us click 👀

I own Bravura, I think this is a super accurate review. If you listen to acoustic, classical, jazz, certain EDM where bass speed is important, and especially vocal the sound is unreal and it’s really fun and it draws you in and makes you want to re-listen to all your music, like Josh said. But honestly, I wouldn't buy it again because the cable is beyond annoying and can’t be changed. The comfort issues are real, its ugly, and storing it in dust covers is a bit irritating, but that f-ing cable…. If Warwick would just build a better cable that you could buy and swap out it would be a game changer.

I only got about 4 min in and this system has too many downsides for a basic norm like me. Cost and proprietary everything makes this headphone a unicorn.

$7,000 for a headphone that sucks at bass does not feel like it should be acceptable

I have mixed feelings about this review. As an owner of the Bravura (alongside other headphones like Susvara, OG Utopia etc), most of what you mentioned is accurate, except for the sub-bass complaints. While there is a little less sub-bass quantity compared to planars (i.e. Susvara on a good chain), the sub-bass quality is actually excellent. The sub-bass issue you encountered might be a track specific issue as the Sonoma employs a degree of DSP - a while back I had a weird issue with one of my tracks playing really soft (out of the 1000s that I tried). I fixed it by downloading it again from another source. While the silver version of the Bravura system does cost $6000, I think its actually good value considering the timbre, clarity and especially the resolution of the system. It trades blows in terms of overall sound with good Susvara chains that cost significantly more than $6000. [Edit: Some of the alternative headphones mentioned in this video are not at the same level in terms of either timbre (i.e. empyrean 2 has a more colored/fun tuning) or sheer ability to resolve details in recordings while still maintaining a high degree of naturalness/musicality. The Bravura system is not for everyone. It has clear downsides in being a closed system and in terms of ergonomics for some folks, but I think this review understates how good it is tonally and technically.] Agree that there are some ergonomics issues regarding the clamp force and cable. The clamp force was not an issue for me but a few friends I know who tried the Bravura found the clamp force excessive (prospective buyers should definitely try and see if this is an issue before buying as its a potential deal breaker - it does loosen up slightly over time but not by much). I honestly didn't find the cable that bad (slight micro-phonics, but nothing excessive) but the length will irk some people for sure.

Now do the Warwick Aperio :)

All electrostats work the same way. The only difference is the DC bias voltage used by the system. STAX pro bias 580VDC. Warwick probably uses a different bias voltage, thus making the two systems incompatible with each other.

Great review ! Personally I don't find the sub-bass to be that lacking on my Bravura, just a little less than an He1000se for example. If I must resume my experience with three words it would be: speed, balance and clarity. For me it's an all rounder with really high detail and precision without being fatiguing or harsh, kind of magic after a few hifiman. I really like EDM, acoustic and classical on these. A little sad that the price tag has increase but I can understand. Btw, the bravura run at much higher bias votage than the regular stax (1350 vs 590 volts) and sonoma apply an eq, that's why you can't run it on other energiser and I don't think you should.

I agree with everything you have said except the view on subbass. Its the best subbass i have ever heard in a headphone. And with best i dont mean just resolution and texture but also a subwoofer'esque statisfyingness when called for. They go to 20 herz without any disortion and there is a true rumble to it which sounds very similar to my high end subwoofer (although less tactile because the sound doesen't hit your body). It also responds to eq very well, even with a 7DB bass shelf at 20hz there is no audible distortion. I use it for movie effects all the time and its great. However there is one dolby atmos demo where for whatever reason the headphone produces almost no subbass, maybe you run into a similar issue? if you feel inclined to give the subbass an other try: the ultra low bass tests here on youtube show what its capable of. Otherwise great insighfull review which captures the sound really well according to my experience.

Joshua, you saved me from watching the remainder of "Zeos Pantera's" Axpona video. 😅

All pros and cons aside, I am really glad to see other manufacturers getting into what used to be a very niche technology. Who knows, in few years ES may become more affordable and plentiful to choose from? I for sure benefited from progress in planar headphones; now I own three.

As an englishman, the way he pronounces "warwick" sends me for a loop everytime lol. No hate to mr Valour, it is just ammusing. The correct way to pronounce it would be like War-Rik (war rhymes with boar in this case) Love your videos boss! edit:lmao spelt warwick as warwich fml

Josh still makes the best videos

It's worth noting that any analogue signal input to Warwick amp goes through an additional A-D conversion, so that the internal DSP can "obtain the desired response." It's difficult to find more detail about more specifics, but I suspect that at the least, Warwick is EQ'ing the frequency response ("neutral" FR noted but unable to do enough for sub-bass). In such cases, usually what suffers is dynamic headroom and possibly a bit of purity of sound is lost (compared to non-DSP'd version).

I lucked out with a killer deal a Stax 700mk 2 for $550 and purchased a new topping EHA5 for $400. I run my little dot ll as a preamp with a musical fidelity v-90. It is a very great combo, very clean sound. The tubes add a little warmth. The treble can bite a little bit. I can EQ a bit of it. The Warwick might be the cleanest sound I have ever heard, but it was so boring.

Bruh suffers from greasy fingers like me. I feel you man. My Mac looks the same.

I think the head boop with the cat needs to be a mandatory part of every headphone test moving forward. Great review as always though! 🙌

Products like these at that price really reminds me of how ridiculous this hobby can get at times. 7k for a bunch of proprietary crap is unacceptable.

I want one, but then there is Stax, or a Quad E-stat second hand speaker system ^^

Better fit and finish over the he1? I have the he1, I’ve played with the bravura. Not even close. Knob feel for one. Marble for other. Stamped metal appearance on bravura. The headset yokes peel in color on the bravura. Unfortunately I will have to disagree. Good call on the LDR Young and Beautiful, the two bass notes are something I look for too. A system that doesn’t get the lower note is a nonstarter for me too. He1 does that in spades.

Josh, see you in CanJam London 2024. I'll be there waiting to meet you.❤

Just don't listen to all the people being immediately hypercritical of your presentation, or the price or functionality of this device. For whatever reason this seems to be an increasingly common theme on video headphone reviews, and honestly I think you're fine you're doing great don't listen to the BS.

I enjoyed this review, thank you! I wish you could review the Sash Tres headphones. For their price they are insanely good imo.

I wish you would try equalizing headphones (I know, kinda seems silly for a 7k headphone, but I'd be willing equalize anything lol). Like if you could have just added to the bass quantity n seen how it then compared to a planar, that would have been interesting.

What are your thoughts on the recently released Sonos Ace? Please review these!

Aperio next?

Damn! I am in the process of assembling a complete system, that can be described as well beyond what I considered to be my "endgame" just 3-4 months ago... It's still going to be, approximately, a❤ thousand bucks short of this headphone bundle!!! And just to be clear, here are the various gadgets: • Speakers • Streaming amp with state of the art room correction • A decent CD transport • A decent turntable • A serious pickup for the turntable • Some room treatment, damping, stands, cables and various other accoutrements 😱😱😱 Don't get me wrong... If someone can afford these, more power to them 😉

Better than he60?

Great review. I had a chance to try them... and the clamping force - I could not stand for more than 10 minutes without getting a serious headache. It completely ruined the whole experience.

That music in background... is so creepy :P

The older Sonoma Model One system is 5000 euro. I listenend to this system a few years ago. But they only had soundclips with vocals on the show. It does not sound like the HE-1 to my ears. The HE-1 is warm sounding with the tubes. I think the Warwick headphones are tuned with a digital equalizer in the energiser/amp. Electrostatic headphones do not have the dynamics of other types of headphones. My refenerence is still the Denon ahd 7200 for bass. It is very fast and precise. And it hits very hard. My Ultrasone Pro 900i punches harder, but lacks the resolution. The Meze Liric (not the 2) surprised me at a show. The bass was very deep and overwhelming, but it was sloppy. But maybe my amplifier could not control the bass: Rupert Neve RNHP. With real live music, big drums or other instruments can go very low. So I disagree with Joshua. With 'real live music' you need (sub) bass.

$7K? The real cost is the buyer’s remorse…

See if you decided to show those to someone who didn’t know what they are or what they cost, how much do you think that they would guess the headphones cost, just by looking at them?

i don't think they actually can make it compatible with stax, these drivers require over 1000 volts, they would have to develop a completely new, compromised driver, not a good idea, however, they should open it to other DAC's, that too isn't simple, as the Sonoma is processing the digital data,, equilaizing it, and it has digital volume control,, allowing other DACs would also be a compromise,

Isn't the clamping force what's making the soundstage a bit narrow?

I heard them at Munich High End and the amplifier doesnt even drive the headphones. The top model was very nice.

You keep speaking about the speed like even a dt880 was slow

Great video

Expanding on Josh’s example of Lana Del Rey Young and Beautiful, you definitely lose that sub bass at the beginning that you hear well on say ZMF Atriums… but if you listen to the orchestral version of the same song on the same album, on the Warwick you will hear the cellos in the right front, the violins on the front left and when Lana’s voice comes in it will absolutely make the hair on the back of your neck stand up. It annhilates tracks like that, like nothing Ive ever heard.

please do neumann ndh 30

Great video, thanks! Do audiophiles ever go into debt in order to purchase equipment like this?

an open box bravura + sonoma for 4.5k is absolutely incredible. trounces anything in the 4-5k price bracket (other than perhaps a susvara, but then youd have to buy a system to run it).

Clipping at higher volume with 1/3 of recordings is another great perk of this 7k unit. Warwick shouldnt have released this thing in this condition, unless they are luring people into upgrsding to Aperio, which is indeed an incredible headphone.

"You are not that guy" 😁20:22

"you have to buy the dac as well" is an instant no-go for me.

I really did not like the Bravura or Aperio when I tried them. The only estat I really enjoyed was the Corina.

Is this the same Warwick as the bass guitar manufacturer? They make incredible instruments too if so

Interesting product and i would buy it if I was super rich.

Is this a premium skullcandy evo?

Monseniour Valour, I have already directly suggested to Warwick that they release a version of the Bravura that is compatible with standard electrostatic "engergizers" (such as my iFi Phantom). Let's wait and see!

Ill stick to my Stax and Mjolnir energiser and use the savings to buy music.

I've heard all these at Amsterdam. my favorite headphone was The Composer and E3, left all of it in dust.

Imagine a stereo speaker system you could have for $7000.

Did you try to EQ the sub bass ?

"Jack of all trades is a master of none"

Sounds nice but will not play loud without huge distortion as verified by the manufacturer and I'm talking about female vocals not metal. Disappointing at the price.

Please just mention the price at the beginning, why should I watch a video about such an expensive headphone which is unobtainable for a tiny amount of people.

Review the focal stellia

How have you not done a tungsten review yet

I find this misinformative. First of all unfortunately analog inputs at the back DON’T allow for rolling different dac into it because it gets converted back to digital and played back through Sonoma dac again Second, Warwick stuff runs on much much higher bias voltage than stax. Presumably allowing them to redevelop electrostatic tech and mitigate its drawbacks. Either way I wouldn’t complain there’s no adapter Third, what (truly) high end system could you create with 7000$? Susvara you’re left with 1k for dac/amp. Other cheaper flagships are still 4-5k and there wouldn’t be enough left for sources that are equally high end. In the context the price can be seen as very reasonable for a one and done system

nice headphones bro.

The moment i switchwd to another Video, when you dropped 7000 dollar price, cya

Nice review, though I stopped the video at $7000 entry point. Ouch.

Yep I'll stick to my Audeze LCD2's and Sennheiser HD650

Wo rick Waaaaaaaar ick WORICK Wooooooooo wooooo wooooooooo RIK! Wowowowowowoowowowrick ick ick WarawwrarwarwarawrwarwarwariCK War ick ick ick ick Warwarwarwarwarwar ick ick ick ick.

Bro. . . . Just let that hair go. Either that or you gotta get rid of them baby patches up front my guy

Clickbait title as usual. Baby HE1? Cmon

KITTY

2-7k$.. sure.. no, thanks.. not even serious

$ 2,395 🤔🤔

A

Shangri La Mini is so much better guys

KITTEN

Raal Immanis is probably better than this

I would never buy one as its overpriced

all the monolingual folks in the comments complaining about his "Warwick" pronunciation are funny as hell. People will tear your ass up over the dumbest things. It's crazy lmao

The second w in Warwick is silent. Also it’s ‘than’ not ‘then’. Please stop

lmao learn to pronounce Warwkick

£6,000+... Not for nothing but I don't even care that this exists because I'll never be able to sniff the kind of money required to freely spend on headphones this expensive. I'd rather see 99% videos on £200-£1500 range equipment