HifiMAN HE-6 Planar Magnetic Headphone - Page 452

Quote:

Originally Posted by rawrster 

Thanks!

 

I'm pretty excited to have my Mjolnir amp back with me. It sounded amazing with the HD800. While the amp inside my dac is no slouch there's something missing compared to that amp. All things point to the HE-6 and Mjolnir being a good combination and I'm hoping that to be true. I'm not going to have headphone specific amps. I like versatility in my amps and having the ability to sound great with all my headphones with the exception of the AD2k since that is single ended...for now :)

 

I've only heard the HE-6 at a mini meet but it was quiet enough where I could get some real impressions of them and I really liked them but I also like the HD800 but I guess now I have the best of both worlds. A few weeks ago I thought I would never own the HE-6 but after hearing them and seeing a good deal on them I just couldn't pass. I thought I was done with the HD800 but apparently not. I consider the HE-6 and HD800 the top 2 headphones outside of Stax so I guess the next step if I want to go there would be Stax and thankfully I can't afford that right now.

I heard the HE-6 sounds pretty good with the MJ.  However, the HD800 with the MJ is very interesting,  I heard this amp has a very aggressive, resolving and transparent style - I'm not sure if the MJ and the HD800 will be a good match,  I can imagine the MJ being a great match with the LCD-2.2 and the color it brings to the table - that type of amp like the BHA-1 with the LCDs are just a match made in Head Fi heaven.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rawrster 

Thanks!

 

I'm pretty excited to have my Mjolnir amp back with me. It sounded amazing with the HD800. While the amp inside my dac is no slouch there's something missing compared to that amp. All things point to the HE-6 and Mjolnir being a good combination and I'm hoping that to be true. I'm not going to have headphone specific amps. I like versatility in my amps and having the ability to sound great with all my headphones with the exception of the AD2k since that is single ended...for now :)

 

I've only heard the HE-6 at a mini meet but it was quiet enough where I could get some real impressions of them and I really liked them but I also like the HD800 but I guess now I have the best of both worlds. A few weeks ago I thought I would never own the HE-6 but after hearing them and seeing a good deal on them I just couldn't pass. I thought I was done with the HD800 but apparently not. I consider the HE-6 and HD800 the top 2 headphones outside of Stax so I guess the next step if I want to go there would be Stax and thankfully I can't afford that right now.

I'm in the same boat as you. I've contemplated a speaker amp for the HE-6, but like to keep things simple and clean. I've paired a monoblock with the HE-6 against

the Mjolnir w/Gungnir and ended up liking the Schiit pairing more. While more power can be a good thing, I found the monoblocks to lack overall across the entire spectrum comparatively.

I've also thought about trying the HD800 with the Mjolnir, but not liking how bright they were before, I am just unsure of what things would have changed for the better

with Mjolnir. I'd surmise  the forward and transparent presentation of Mojo to be a bad match with the HD800. However all accounts are to the contrary.

Looking forward to your impressions of Mojo and HE-6 and any other competitors.

What monoblocks?

Quote:

Originally Posted by preproman 

What monoblocks?

The monoblock was a a W4S SX-500. I've also heard the Emotiva XPA-1.

I'll be looking to audition some higher end stuff as I feel there is too much hype to mono's.

The integrated was a Yamaha RX-A2010BL. IMO, it's safe to say

both are much more efficient for HT setups.

Quote:

Originally Posted by paradoxper 

ended up liking the Schiit pairing more. While more power can be a good thing, I found the monoblocks to lack overall across the entire spectrum comparatively.

 

This is very interesting.  

I along with a few Head Fi'ers on here did some intensive comparisons with monoblocks, two channels, integrated - very high end and very low end applications,  At no point was it agreed that "any" speaker amp lacked anything compared to any headphone amp.  We're talking about the Dark Star, 4 channel B22, BHA-1, Balanced M^3.  

As far as speaker amps we're taking about very old Rotel mono blocks, very cheap and very low end Emotivas, Very expensive high end Sim Audio Moon series amps, and other mid tier integrated amps.  The results is always the same.  

We have another trip to a different audio store to test out more amps with the HE-6 later this month.  This type of trip and meet with two or three experienced Head Fi'ers provide a wealth of fun and a host of experiences.

Maybe I'm misremembering, but I think someone mentioned earlier that the Beta22 was more detailed than the speaker amps, but didn't sound as good in other ways.

Quote:

Originally Posted by paradoxper 

The monoblock was a a W4S SX-500. I've also heard the Emotiva XPA-1.

I'll be looking to audition some higher end stuff as I feel there is too much hype to mono's.

 

The integrated was a Yamaha RX-A2010BL. IMO, it's safe to say

both are much more efficient for HT setups.

"Any" speaker amp compared to "any" headphone amp is a disadvantage from the start.  First the inner circuitry in headphone amps are smaller and less in everything compared to the circuitry in power amps - so the a headphone amp is at a disadvantage from the get go.  

It's surprising the XPA-1 lacks in anything when that amp has won multiple awards for its sound quality.

Quote:

Originally Posted by preproman 

 

This is very interesting.  

 

I along with a few Head Fi'ers on here did some intensive comparisons with monoblocks, two channels, integrated - very high end and very low end applications,  At no point was it agreed that "any" speaker amp lacked anything compared to any headphone amp.  We're talking about the Dark Star, 4 channel B22, BHA-1, Balanced M^3.  

 

As far as speaker amps we're taking about very old Rotel mono blocks, very cheap and very low end Emotivas, Very expensive high end Sim Audio Moon series amps, and other mid tier integrated amps.  The results is always the same.  

 

We have another trip to a different audio store to test out more amps with the HE-6 later this month.  This type of trip and meet with two or three experienced Head Fi'ers provide a wealth of fun and a host of experiences.

Well, to clarify: Perhaps lack wasn't the best term for me to use. It's not that the mono's didn't bring something the Mojo did, but

instead, I just preferred what Mojo did more-so. So my bad, I didn't mean to imply there was something missing, there wasn't.

I just didn't necessarily like what was there. 

The W4S was the better mono overall, soundstage was wider, deeper, more bass, better extension and had a more natural presentation to it.

The XPA-1 brought more power, but louder means nothing meaningful. It lacked in refinement in comparison.

Which had me realize or question if the power requirements were necessary, which I don't think so.

It'd be really great to find a Threshold or something that is highly regarded. In a PM recently, some interest has been brought to the Alesis,

so that could be something to consider. I am just personally hesitant of adding a behemoth, if it's not necessary.

We all have to come to our own conclusions, but with all the mono trends, I gave it a shot. And now I've come to the conclusion

that while monos are dirt cheap and powerful, there have to be better alternatives. But this is just, IMO.

I'll be looking forward to more thoughts after you guys go audition more gear. Your comments about the Prima Luna were helpful.

Oh yea - forgot about the Prima Luna - that was a treat as well very expensive though.

That W4S is a Class D amp using the Ice technology - correct?  Here is an interesting thread about class d amps:

http://www.head-fi.org/t/609853/class-d-heaven-or-hell

What I got out of this thread is Class D amps are not recommended opposed to pure Class A amps.

Quote:

Originally Posted by preproman 

Oh yea - forgot about the Prima Luna - that was a treat as well very expensive though.

 

That W4S is a Class D amp using the Ice technology - correct?  Here is an interesting thread about class d amps:

 

http://www.head-fi.org/t/609853/class-d-heaven-or-hell

 

What I got out of this thread is Class D amps are not recommended opposed to pure Class A amps.

Yep. And while people like to Schiit all over Class D, without even hearing 'em, I found it to be very nice. As said,

I prefer it to the XPA-1 Class A/B. So fwiw, the hyperbole crusade against Class D is silly.

And that's no revelation, people always tout pure Class A amps, nothing new.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rawrster 

I picked up a used HE-6.

Funny, I just sold one today.  I'll continue to follow the thread to see what your impressions are.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sphinxvc 

 

Funny, I just sold one today.  I'll continue to follow the thread to see what your impressions are.

What's with the huge clear-out? Are you venturing in stax territory?

Nothing that exciting.  Just downsizing.  Have my eyes on a one box transport/DAC/amp for now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by preproman 

 

I heard the HE-6 sounds pretty good with the MJ.  However, the HD800 with the MJ is very interesting,  I heard this amp has a very aggressive, resolving and transparent style - I'm not sure if the MJ and the HD800 will be a good match,  I can imagine the MJ being a great match with the LCD-2.2 and the color it brings to the table - that type of amp like the BHA-1 with the LCDs are just a match made in Head Fi heaven.

I thought the Mjolnir and HD800 sounded really good. It was easily better than the V200 and HD800 combo.

I had a nice session with the HE-6 last night and I am really impressed with the amp inside my D1. It easily sounded better than the last time I heard the HE-6 when I used the V200. The headphone doesn't seem as heavy as I remembered and better than what I remembered about the HE500 and it's weight distribution. i really like what I'm hearing but waiting until I get my amp to make any impressions.