Eddie Current Balancing Act - Page 73

For what it's worth, I prefer the HE-6 better from the BA (or any other quality amp) than any "speaker" or "high powered specially made for ortho" amp I've heard. This is provided I roll tubes that work well with the HE-6. I had no problems with gain or power, but the HE-6 is not one of those headphones which I like to blast loudly like the SR-007 or LCD2 to a lesser extent.

My opinion is of the minority though. For me, powering the HE-6 was always a matter of quality vs. quantity, provided that one had sufficient quantity. I'm not saying speaker amps such as vintage receivers, etc. don't work well with the HE-6. They actually do. A lot of speaker amps and receivers (with more caps in signal path, gain stages, etc.) tend to sound darker, thicker, slightly veiled, and slower compared to most head-amps. These qualities oftentimes result in a good match with the HE-6, which can sound etched or lean with many head-amps.

Purrin,  thanks for the feedback.  I'll have to try the HE-6s at some point with the BA and my speaker amp.  

Quote:

Originally Posted by purrin 

For what it's worth, I prefer the HE-6 better from the BA (or any other quality amp) than any "speaker" or "high powered specially made for ortho" amp I've heard. This is provided I roll tubes that work well with the HE-6. I had no problems with gain or power, but the HE-6 is not one of those headphones which I like to blast loudly like the SR-007 or LCD2 to a lesser extent.

 

My opinion is of the minority though. For me, powering the HE-6 was always a matter of quality vs. quantity, provided that one had sufficient quantity. I'm not saying speaker amps such as vintage receivers, etc. don't work well with the HE-6. They actually do. A lot of speaker amps and receivers (with more caps in signal path, gain stages, etc.) tend to sound darker, thicker, slightly veiled, and slower compared to most head-amps. These qualities oftentimes result in a good match with the HE-6, which can sound etched or lean with many head-amps.

Tell me more..

Quote:

Originally Posted by purr in 

For what it's worth, I prefer the HE-6 better from the BA (or any other quality amp) than any "speaker" or "high powered specially made for ortho" amp I've heard. This is provided I roll tubes that work well with the HE-6. I had no problems with gain or power, but the HE-6 is not one of those headphones which I like to blast loudly like the SR-007 or LCD2 to a lesser extent.

 

My opinion is of the minority though. For me, powering the HE-6 was always a matter of quality vs. quantity, provided that one had sufficient quantity. I'm not saying speaker amps such as vintage receivers, etc. don't work well with the HE-6. They actually do. A lot of speaker amps and receivers (with more caps in signal path, gain stages, etc.) tend to sound darker, thicker, slightly veiled, and slower compared to most head-amps. These qualities oftentimes result in a good match with the HE-6, which can sound etched or lean with many head-amps.

I'm trying to get a full understanding of what your saying here.  

"For what it's worth, I prefer the HE-6 better from the BA (or any other quality amp) than any "speaker" or "high powered specially made for ortho" amp I've heard."

What "high powered specially made for ortho" amps are we talking about here?  

Also are you saying you prefer the HE-6 better from the BA than any "speaker amp"?

What is "any other quality amp"?  The HE-6 does not work on many amps "well" so it should not be hard to name a few.

"My opinion is of the minority though. For me, powering the HE-6 was always a matter of quality vs. quantity, provided that one had sufficient quantity."

Agreed.  The key here is first there has to be the quantity then the quality. 

" A lot of speaker amps and receivers (with more caps in signal path, gain stages, etc.) tend to sound darker, thicker, slightly veiled, and slower compared to most head-amps."

The amps I've listened to with the HE-6 have been more of the modern day amps that's fully discrete, differential with short signal paths.  I have not heard a vintage amp or receivers with the HE-6.  So I can't speak to them.  However, the more modern day amps does not sound dark, thicker, veiled or slower than most head amps - "with the HE-6"

I use duel 300 watt mono blocks with my HE-6s.  This decision came from comparing a B22, B24, 125 watt Rotel mono blocks, 200wpc 2 channel amp.  The 300 watt monos came out on top by far.

Other amps I've heard that also sound outstanding with the HE-6 (integrated amps);

http://www.simaudio.com/moon250i.htm

http://www.simaudio.com/moon340i.htm

This on was the best of these:

http://www.simaudio.com/moon600i.htm

Mainly referring to the usual: EF-6, various T-amps, Lyr, vintage receivers, B22, Crest CA2 power amp, etc. HE-6 from BA sounded better than any of those, although the Crest came close. In fact, I've heard a little dinky Triad head-amp sound better than most of the above with the HE-6.

Not surprised your Dual 300watt monoblocks sound better than anything else, but I suspect its better quality not moar power. Someone else I know reported good results with a Nelson Pass J2. Again quality, not power.

I should point out that I'm running vintage PX25 tubes (more gain) on a modded BA. I sometimes forget that.

Oh I See.  Just to point out that you also need the power on a quality amp.

The BHA-1 is a quality amp and the HE-6 sounds pretty good on it (not the best).  However, with the volume knob all the way to the max the HE-6 is still asking for more.  This is where more power comes in.  Having enough in the tank (reserves) so to speak.  The B22 is the same way. Can't really take it to the max (gain set at 8X).  

Anyway....

Yeah, I can see people wanting more volume. I'm already at 2/3 to 3/4 on the BA with the HE-6 at normal listening levels.

low voltage source? 

Quote:

Originally Posted by purrin 

Yeah, I can see people wanting more volume. I'm already at 2/3 to 3/4 on the BA with the HE-6 at normal listening levels.

Actually the PWD (If that's what Purrin's using) has fairly high output V.  Most Dacs are 2/4 (RCA/XLR) or 2.3/4.6.  PWD goes nearly 3/6 max.

Yeah, that's with balanced out on the PWD. The HE-6 isn't exactly the most efficient.

On a related note, don't discount the HE-5 or 5LE. These seem to be always forgotten between the HE-6 and HE-500.

Quote:

Originally Posted by purrin 
On a related note, don't discount the 5LE. These seem to be always forgotten between the HE-6 and HE-500.

Indeed. I've had the good fortune of owning 5LE driven by a Threshold amp and have never been tempted to upgrade to the 6. I've auditioned it, and it is a wonderful 'phone but not that much different from 5LE, at least not through the Threshold or the hybrid Music Reference RM-200. The treble energy is slightly more noticeable on the 6 but, for me, not worth the extra $600. (I am hoping for the "7" from Hifiman. Good company!)

Well, as always, just in my opinion.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SHAHZADA123 

Is it possible to use the ECBA as a Pre amp using RCA interconnects.

Yes it is. I have been using my ECBA more as a Pre Amp these days then a Headphone amp. I use it's XLR's outputs though not RCA's. You can use the RCA's but just be careful if you do as the RCA outputs are "fixed". That is to say you cannot adjust the Volume control on the ECBA when using the RCA pre-outs. You can with the XLR outputs but not the RCA. In face if you intend to use the RCA line-outs you don't even need to turn it on. The ECBA will work switched off when using the RCA line outs.

So yes you can use the ECBA as a pre-amp using the RCA outputs but remember the volume is fixed (maximum volume) when using it this way. You either have to feed it into some sort of volume attenuator or potentially use digital (software) volume control. And for the record i have linked to the 6moons review where they talk about using the ECBA as a pre-amp. In fact this review is split into two - one as a premap and the other as a headphone amp.

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/eddiecurrent3/4.html

The ECBA has finally trumped the EAR HP4!!

The KR PX4/Mullard ECC35 combination is absolutely spectacular. It beats my previous VV30/TS BGRP.

I will be putting up the HP4 for sale shortly.