HifiMAN HE-6 Planar Magnetic Headphone - Page 533

Well, I have only had the LCD-2 for a few months, but still think it's dark sounding. I might be selling it before selling the HE-6 ...

 

I agree on your synergy point - whatever that synergy thing may be - is something that could be an important factor to why different amps make a headphone sound different. Output impedance is of course an important issue in some cases, but not regarding the HE-6, since it's impedance curve is more or less ruler flat (if I understand this correctly).

 

It could be interesting to know what that "synergy" is all about concerning the amping of HE-6

haha for sure, not to say i didnt enjoy the HE-6s, specially from the F1, but that doesnt change the fact that they are a bright headphone.

 

and im not saying the LCD-3s are neutral either, cause they arent, i just like their colorations more

 

 

Correct me if I'm wrong.   I never said anything about power being the issue.  I did talk about high current being fed into the headphones.  Your the one that's keep bringing the power thing up.  I speak more on current if anything else.  

 

Current limiting amps can, and will effect the HE-6 in many different ways and brightness is one of them.  Bass may not be effected in the way treble is.  Just because bass is not effected doesn't mean the headphones is getting what it needs to tame the treble.

 

My amp is only 10 watts into 8ohms and 7 watts into 4 ohms so how the heck is power the issue.  It's the current that these headphones need.

 

I ask you yet a third time:  What amps was used to get the results that you rely so heavy on?  Please answer that.

 

The charts and graphs are skewed.  That's what I'm telling you.  Just because Tyll said it is - don't make it so.  I'm sorry you put so much trust in him.  I don't.   I put my trust in my own piratical experience.  

 

For the FR chart and graphs worshipers:  The HE-6 will benefit from being measured from a high current output source and not your run of the mill headphone amp.  The results will be different IMO.  

 

That's all I'm saying.. 

Edited by preproman - 1/28/13 at 5:30pm

I'm going to take a stab here to say that the source plays more of a problem than the amp and hot treble. I know my old CAL lacked in refined detail but it was never bright. Sounds like there will be some parameters to establish when we do our listening next visit. I suggest we keep live recordings out of the mix unless it's impeccable.

The bold part is what it all boils down to. What suits the listener best. That doesn't make one or the other better or worse at this level of gear. LIke sex, it's all good.

True. It goes back to what I was saying earlier. The he-6 is a very truthful and revealing can. It will give you what you give it. I wouldn't say the source is more important. With some cans, it is. Like my w3000anv. Although they improve with better amping, amp matching isn't as crucial as the source. They sound excellent with a plethora of amps, but they improve even more with better sources. With the he-6, both are equally crucial. Think of it as an hd800, and throw in the need gobs of clean, very refined power(not saying 100wpc, but in comparison to other cans). Since the source and amp requirements of the hd800s are just as crucial. With the he-6, is easy to find a very refined, high quality headphone amp. But harder to find one that also fits the power requirements, which is why many go the route of very capable speaker amps.

 

Btw, Tyll took a lot of heat when he reviewed the he-6 because the amp he used, while being a super highend amp, output only a portion of what's need to properly drive them. I'm sure that amp sounds killer with everything else, just not the he-6. Most people don't even use that as a reference anymore. Even David changed his stance on them once he experimented with different amps. Remember in the first ranking, he had the he-6 ranked even behind the lcd-2, but not anymore. Just saying.

Edited by moodyrn - 1/28/13 at 7:24pm

And at the end of the day, you can always EQ or damp out the portions you don't want.

 

Better to have too much than too little. You can cut out what you don't want, but you can't boost what isn't there. 

 

They sound real good, at least with my vintage audio research amp, a D70.

I cant sell my HE-6.  I just can't, at least not at this point in time.  My HD800 is just raping my ears.  No Anax mod, no tube amp, HD800 is making my ears physically sore.

 

That said I could hope that the HE-6 could be a bit quicker, but then my poor ears.  HE-6 is fine without tube IMO, it can hand even the most neutral system.  Welcome back to my head baby  HD800 is on probation until it gets Anax mod or my system gets a little smoother or tonally fuller.  This is the problem when you build your system around one headphone...

 

 

Today I have chance to listen HE6 via Bakoon HDA 5210 Mk3, and it's definitely the best headphone amp I ever heard for HE6, even compared to DarkStar. This amp also a monster power amp like Darkstar, it can drive HE6 only via "low current" output.

 

Compare to DarkStar, I feel this amp is more full bodied, has better midrange presentation, smoother treble, more bass punch, and has the same 3D feeling, though the DarkStar still take the lead in term of width and depth soundstage. I don't think this amp is cleaner or has better detail presentation than Darkstar though.

 

But with the price it's offered (less USD 2000), I think this amp is simply amazing!

Edited by TheMiddleSky - 1/29/13 at 4:47am

What's the name of the amp?

good question!

 

Whats the name of that cable? I think I've seen power lines that are thinner than that!

Oh geez, I thought that *was* the power line... 

 

 

Actually I already mention the name at my previous post: Bakoon HDA 5210 Mk3

 

 

That's ALO Ref 16 terminate to balance (you can see them on HE6). The one that plug to amp is balance converter (to 6,3mm), it's made from ALO cable 16 awg.

Edited by TheMiddleSky - 1/29/13 at 10:48am

I think you don't want to understand me; that you have decided firmly on what you think is correct, and thus I see no point in trying to make you see and understand what I have to say (and already have explained). You are also saying that I refer to graphs and others opinion even though I have demonstrated otherwise. The amps I have and use are extremely good at delivering current - both fast and lots of it, as you should have understood from my previous posts. I will try one last time to explain it.

 

You ask me what amps were used for these measurments, and I don't know that. You probably knew that when you asked me. However, by asking that question you reveal that you haven't understood what I have already said: It takes only 19,69 MILLI-watts to reach 90 dB with the HE-6. I just looked at the numbers again, and found that to produce those 90dB using 19,69mW, it takes 1018mV and using only 0,019mA - that's 0,000019 Ampere. Are you really trying to make me and others at Head-Fi belive that the amps used for these measurments can't deliver these small amounts of current, and that this produces extra treble?

 

To put things in perspective: I have the Balanced amp card for the HM-801 and it delivers 440mW. The HE-6 sounds less bright out of that than via my Master-6 or ZAPsolute, when the Audio-gd Ref 7.1 DAC is used as source. Why? Because the HM-801 has a rolled off treble and the Ref 7.1 has a flat response. In other words (again): Power or current is not the case, but the treble is.

 

I don't find this exchange of viewpoints fruitful since you don't seem to have an open attitude to what I have to offer. So - let's just say goodbye and leave room for others to share what they have on their mind. I certainly don't wan't to discuss this further along these lines.