HifiMAN HE-6 Planar Magnetic Headphone - Page 531

After having HE-6 for 1+ year - they had to go. Have tried them with many stereo amplifiers. Some cheap. Some expensive. Different DACs. Different headphone amplifiers. The journey has been educational - but I finally see that regardless of the DAC / amps chosen - the HE-6 is not for me and longer music sessions. That is OK. LL is always valid. 

 

Logged out of the HE-6.

Can't say ya didn't give em a shot. From the looks, you're a LCD fan (though I see the 500s still in the stable). Some one got a good deal. How do those TH-900 sound?

Sounds like another one bites the dust.  

 

Sure would like to know the names of some of those amps so I can stay away from them.  

 

The F1J is doing me justice.  Oh wait.  I'm going on the 6th hour.  I'd better get something to eat.  I might pull a all nighter.   

The new owner have done his research and has chosen the Burson Soloist. I havt told him that the Mjolnir is a better match - or a speaker amp. However, people must chose their own trails. I respect that. That is part of the hobby; "follow your own beliefs - and research".

 

The HE-500 is a mixed bag. Sometimes it is extremely capable - and other times it is mediocre. Not quite sure why. Sometimes I perceive the sound from the HE.500 to be like this -------------- (coarse) and sometimes ____________ (continuum).

 

It is now lie to stamp me as an Audeze. They fit my music preferences to a large degree.

 

TH-900 is a bit strange. They have some of the magic that that the orthos have - but the TH-900 lack the seamless coherence in the music. It is more a dynamic "bass" + "vocal" + "treble" story with the TH-900. That does not mean I find them being faulty. They are just different - and good in their own domain. 

I don't think any super-powerful amp will transform the HE-6 into a neutral headphone, simply because the issue with the HE-6 isn't lacking bass, but too much treble. This can't be cured by a speaker amp - unless you use a tone control, but that's of course a different story. An amp with rolled off highs may make it less bright, but I feel quite confident that it won't take the treble down the extra 6-10 dBs the HE-6 has above 5-6 kHz.

 

To me - the HE-6 sound basically the same with both the Burson Soloist, Audio-gd Master-6 and from the speaker taps of my 50W class A power amp. There are differences, but none of the amps make it sound neutral - it sounds bright no matter what because of the extra treble output. I have modded the HE-6 using a piece of felt with a hole in the middle (between the driver and ear) and this takes away the excess treble and adds bass.

 

I certainly prefer the HE-6 on classical and female voices, but for rhythmical music, the LCD-2 is a better choice.

 

To me, the HE-6 is bright and the LCD-2 dark. The HE-6 is brighter than the LCD-2 is dark, but both are fantastic headphones - and in terms of tonality / frequency response - they crushed the HD800 in my short test. Both these dynamic headphones have the same dry treble (to my ears), while the two orthodynamics have a much smoother treble.

Edited by LarsHP - 1/27/13 at 2:49pm

I had a brief moment of panic just now when I heard static coming from my left side. I frantically changed cables and amps but the static remained. I got that sinking feeling in my gut that something might be wrong with the driver... then I pulled off the pad, removed the errant hair that had snuck in, and now I'm back to normal. Phew!

Mine has shocked me a few times too. Quite the jolt!

 

 

I'm sorry, but I just don't agree.  Tell me this.  How do you know the HE-6 has to much treble and has a peak at 5-6 kHz?  By the FR chart that was taken on an inadequate headphone amp?  I bet if the HE-6 was measured on a high current output amp you would see different measurements.  

 

That's because the HE-6 will perform or under perform according to what's feeding it.  I'm not saying that it will be a drastic change - no not at all.  But I am saying those nasty peaks won't show up IMO.  

 

The amp I'm using them with is a no voltage amp.  All current.  IMO the HE-6 on this amp is as neutral as neutral can be.  No peaks, dips, bumps or humps.  The bass is outstanding and extends very well.  The highs are crisp and the treble has energy and is highly transparent and fast.

 

The HE-6 has a large sound stage with a pretty good matching amp, but not as large as the HD800.  The space between the instruments are the best I've heard and has a really good center image.

 

I find the HE6 is neither bright nor warm in my system (neutral) . It plays the music as recorded. On really good recordings you will hear every detail in the recording.

 

The scalability of the headphone is scary.  I put my HE-500 / LCD-2 / LCD-3 on the same amp.  Start turning the volume up and each headphone starts to distort.  I turn the volume up on the HE-6 and it says to me - is that all you got until I ears just can't take it anymore - never did it distort not one bit.  How much can this headphone take before it starts to distort?

Very well said! And best of all it's TRUE.

I have to say, I too have only found the HE-6 to be bright when underpowered.

We all have our preferences and I can understand how the LCD fan would think the HE-6 sounds hot. Same with the HE fan thinking the LCD recessed. That's why we have so many choices.

I've read that the HEs are muffled, strident, lacking bass, too energetic highs, diffused soundstage, etc. I guess that's what I like in a headphone

Not to beat a dead horse, but you all know what I'm about to say. When driven with the right amp(and that don't automatically mean powerful speaker amp), bright isn't a word I would ever use with the he-6. But I have heard them sound very bright before. But only when it's not properly amped. The treble out of the he-6 is hands down is the best I've heard so far, even surpassing the electrostats I've heard(save the 009). And that is quiet a feat, but more importantly, the treble is as smooth as it is extended without a hint of harshness or glare. Also while remaining completely balanced with the rest of the frequency spectrum. The scary thing is, the the rest of the frequency range of the he-6 is just as good "to me".

Beating a dead horse (AGAIN).

 

Sorry for reposting this again.

 

http://www.element-acoustics.ca/audio_visits.php?aid=46

 

And this in the presence of STAX Sr-009, the HD800 and the LCD-2 . High praise indeed and the dealer does not even carry the product.

 

You got a brightness problem with the treble in the HE-6, look elsewhere in the chain because it ain't the HE-6 that is the culprit.
 

I purchased a HE-6 on a whim about 7 weeks ago. I had read it would be a good match with my Marantz 2285b receiver. Given all the comments concerning it's brightness, I figured it would be a phone I just wanted to try and sooner or later sell as I am mostly a LCD-2 fan . I have to say, the HE-6 is my most exciting head fi purchase to date. I think the detail, air, smooth treble and all the other excellent qualities this phone puts forward is exactly what I have wanted all along in my head fi journey. I recently put a Antelope Zodiac infront of my Marantz and everything is just so much better. 

 

I had thought that an under powered HE-6 would mean a lack of volume. To my surprise, when I tried the HE-6 on my Lyr and Headroom Ultra Desktop, I got plenty of volume. The sound, however, was bright and w/o much low end. I think people get confused as they get plenty of volume w/ their dedicated hp amps. The Lyr with is 5 or 6 watts (can't remember) does not drive this phone well. I get a very well balanced sound with the hp out of my vintage Marantz and 2 vintage Pioneer receivers.

+1 for disagreeing about the HE-6 being a bright can. I heard them out of a vintage Marantz receiver and thought they were actually quite dark compared to what I am used to, a Little Dot MKVI+, which I don't consider bright either. But again will all hear things differently so horses for courses..