HifiMAN HE-6 Planar Magnetic Headphone - Page 126

Quote:

Originally Posted by csholtmeier 

This review lists the HE-6 as shipping with the speaker-tap adapter.

A pre-production review sample that included this adapter, maybe?

That's right, HiFiMAN dropped the speaker connector when they supposedly made the HE-6 production model more efficient. They should have that super speaker connector available separately soon, but evidently they decided against offering a simple one either included or optionally.

They might be willing to sell an extra SE adapter for the HE-6 though, it's pretty simple from there if you have a meter.

I've been listening to my HE6 through the XLR jack on my Woo WA5 that was originally intended for a K1000.  It sounds great and only requires about 9:00 on volume dial for listenable levels which I assume means there is sufficient power?  Any of you guys with much more amp knowledge than me think I am getting the maximum from the HE6 or should I order a speaker tap connector and try that also?

Without looking at the WA5 schematic, I am speculating, but I would think that the XLR jack is most likely in parallel with the speaker taps and that little, if any, benefit would be gained by driving from the speaker taps.

Quote:

Originally Posted by davo50

I've been listening to my HE6 through the XLR jack on my Woo WA5 that was originally intended for a K1000. It sounds great and only requires about 9:00 on volume dial for listenable levels which I assume means there is sufficient power? Any of you guys with much more amp knowledge than me think I am getting the maximum from the HE6 or should I order a speaker tap connector and try that also?

Quote:

Originally Posted by davo50 

I've been listening to my HE6 through the XLR jack on my Woo WA5 that was originally intended for a K1000.  It sounds great and only requires about 9:00 on volume dial for listenable levels which I assume means there is sufficient power?  Any of you guys with much more amp knowledge than me think I am getting the maximum from the HE6 or should I order a speaker tap connector and try that also?
 

The K1000 I think have a 120 Ohm impedance (I could be wrong) as were the HE6s have a 50 Ohm impedance.

The way Jack sets up the WA5LE is you use the low imp jack for up to 70 Ohm impedance and everything over that level you use the high imp jack.

That may be the reason why Jack questioned the XLR K1000 jack for use with the HE6s.

I am getting very good results using the low imp jack (SE) on my WA5LE and for that reason I am not going to play with my speaker amp. But I would be very interested to hear what the difference is for you using a speaker amp with the HE6.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HiFlight 

Without looking at the WA5 schematic, I am speculating, but I would think that the XLR jack is most likely in parallel with the speaker taps and that little, if any, benefit would be gained by driving from the speaker taps.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by sillysally 

The K1000 I think have a 120 Ohm impedance (I could be wrong) as were the HE6s have a 50 Ohm impedance.

The way Jack sets up the WA5LE is you use the low imp jack for up to 70 Ohm impedance and everything over that level you use the high imp jack.

That may be the reason why Jack questioned the XLR K1000 jack for use with the HE6s.

 

I am getting very good results using the low imp jack (SE) on my WA5LE and for that reason I am not going to play with my speaker amp. But I would be very interested to hear what the difference is for you using a speaker amp with the HE6.

Thanks guys.  I can't imagine it sounding better than it does now, but think I will order the speaker tap cable and give it a try...  or else it will always bug me wondering.  I'll report back.

I dropped a 10ohms resistor across the terminal lugs in parallel with the HE-6 and it brought down some of the brightness. This results in the amp driving an 8.33ohms load instead of 50 ohms. Now I have to move the volume up just a  little bit more for extra volume.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wuwhere 

I dropped a 10ohms resistor across the terminal lugs in parallel with the HE-6 and it brought down some of the brightness. This results in the amp driving an 8.33ohms load instead of 50 ohms. Now I have to move the volume up just a  little bit more for extra volume.

Which amp are you using again?

Quote:

Originally Posted by wuwhere 

I dropped a 10ohms resistor across the terminal lugs in parallel with the HE-6 and it brought down some of the brightness. This results in the amp driving an 8.33ohms load instead of 50 ohms. Now I have to move the volume up just a  little bit more for extra volume.

Quality and size an issue?

A Sophia Electric Baby amp, 10w/channel at 8ohms. I'm not short at all in power, the bass is still as deep

and powerful and the sound is still full, the soundstage is still as wide and has very good depth.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Happy Camper 

Quote:

Originally Posted by wuwhere 

I dropped a 10ohms resistor across the terminal lugs in parallel with the HE-6 and it brought down some of the brightness. This results in the amp driving an 8.33ohms load instead of 50 ohms. Now I have to move the volume up just a  little bit more for extra volume.

Quality and size an issue?

In reference to?

The resistor. What is the wattage and would a wire wound resistor be better than the usual?

The power rating of the resistor would most certainly matter.  I would use a serious Dale or Vishay job, myself - there is no way you;re not going to hear the sound of the resistor.

When paralleling with a resistor, even though the amp now "sees" approximately 8 ohms, the resistor is just converting part of your amplifier output to heat. The 50 ohm branch that is the headphone load still requires the same amount of power for the same amount of sound. In effect, you are only reducing the output of your amplifier to the headphones then regaining it by raising the volume.

The impedance mismatch by driving the phones directly without the resistor will result in less power delivered by the amp, but should not noticeably affect the frequency response delivered to the HE6.

A wire-wound power resistor can act as a low-pass filter, thereby slightly attenuating the frequency response of the headphones.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Happy Camper 

The resistor. What is the wattage and would a wire wound resistor be better than the usual?

Use a wirewound resistor with a 10watts power rating. I bought mine from Radio Shack, 10 ohms 10 watts, a buck a piece.