HifiMAN HE-6 Planar Magnetic Headphone - Page 565

Originally Posted by catfish 

I would assume the next TOTL hifiman will have a bit better sensitivity than the HE-6,  requiring 50W plus speaker amplification is a bit of an inconvenience to say the least,  in my mind it comes across as a bit of a design flaw (just a personal thought.). So  I guess I am sticking with my HE-500's as I prefer a transformer coupled tube amplifification. 

 

Those who own the HE-6 who like SS should look at the VSSA on DIYA,  it is a step up from the first watt amps and designed in the vein of a 70's amplifier with a modern lateral mosfet.  

 

I am curious if Hifiman has dropped any hints of a replacement/upgrade to the HE-6 any time soon ?

Originally Posted by catfish 

I would assume the next TOTL hifiman will have a bit better sensitivity than the HE-6,  requiring 50W plus speaker amplification is a bit of an inconvenience to say the least,  in my mind it comes across as a bit of a design flaw (just a personal thought.). So  I guess I am sticking with my HE-500's as I prefer a transformer coupled tube amplifification. 

 

Those who own the HE-6 who like SS should look at the VSSA on DIYA,  it is a step up from the first watt amps and designed in the vein of a 70's amplifier with a modern lateral mosfet.  

 

I am curious if Hifiman has dropped any hints of a replacement/upgrade to the HE-6 any time soon ?

Originally Posted by kevin gilmore 

nelson is doing silicon carbide jfets now.

 

Very nice devices when you light them up with enough current.

Originally Posted by Cante Ista 

JFets are da Bomb!

Love my F3! and GSX is a JFet as well! JEFTS all the way baby!

Originally Posted by catfish 

The company that made the jfets went under, finding matched pairs is difficult.   I was just saying if you like 70s itegrated amps the VSSA is a good project of the same vain with a modern layout and devices.

 

But for me I think I will stick with HE-500's,  The was one review I read that preferred the HE-500's to the HE-6.

 

I am interested in the WA5 k1k output,  a 120 ohm tap would deliver the goods,  but the damping factor would be poor,  which may not be an issue if running the HE-6's with "transductance power" as it seems to be working SS,  it may work SET.

Anyone heard the WA5 1k1 output with the HE-6 ?

Originally Posted by Silent One 

David Mahler (battle-of-the-flagships-57-headphones-compared) found the WA5 k1k output with the HE-6 to be sublime.

Originally Posted by Cante Ista 

Thanks for that., I need to revisit that thread. Good to know.

Originally Posted by Silent One 

 

After spending much of Winter 2013 making my "Short list" even shorter, I'm leaning hard toward the WA5/HE-6 pairing. And if I'm really broke after the Woo delivery, my D7000 & HD650 will serve. I'm really gonna make the former move some air!

 

Still on the short list with the aforementioned cans and potentially the HE-6 & HD800 is the Yamamoto A-09S and McIntosh MC275 Tube amp.

Originally Posted by gjc11028 

I just got a first watt m2. Wanted to see what a bit more power would add, compared to the 300b set I have, and to give solid state a shot. Very nice and engaging. The amp is voiced to be a bit soft compared to the other first watt options, which I have not heard, and it does have a presentation that reminds me of the 2a3 mono blocks I use with speakers. The m2 is smooth but there is no lack of detail. It is a little polite but if you stop thinking too hard and just listen it is quite engaging and you do not feel like you are missing anything. The separation is a little better than the set amp.d. Not sure if that is the extra watts, the distortion in the set or the just the way the different amps work. The set is not muddled, my wife likes its presentation better and thinks the set is more natural. To me they are close and that is saying a good thing for the solid state. The 25 watts into 8 ohms of the first watt feel plenty powerful even for complex stuff (Mozart mass for example). I do not listen to this stuff on headphones much anyway as I much prefer speakers for orchestra, but the with the first watt the music certainly does not fall apart seem lifeless.

I have seen some say that solid state does not image as well as set. On the headphones anyway, the first watt is as good as the set I am using , or at least close and I do notice a big difference. The is only so much switching in and out of amps that I am willing to do.

Anyway, it seems to be a pretty good thing after using it for a few days.

Originally Posted by gjc11028 

I just got a first watt m2. Wanted to see what a bit more power would add, compared to the 300b set I have, and to give solid state a shot. Very nice and engaging. The amp is voiced to be a bit soft compared to the other first watt options, which I have not heard, and it does have a presentation that reminds me of the 2a3 mono blocks I use with speakers. The m2 is smooth but there is no lack of detail. It is a little polite but if you stop thinking too hard and just listen it is quite engaging and you do not feel like you are missing anything. The separation is a little better than the set amp.d. Not sure if that is the extra watts, the distortion in the set or the just the way the different amps work. The set is not muddled, my wife likes its presentation better and thinks the set is more natural. To me they are close and that is saying a good thing for the solid state. The 25 watts into 8 ohms of the first watt feel plenty powerful even for complex stuff (Mozart mass for example). I do not listen to this stuff on headphones much anyway as I much prefer speakers for orchestra, but the with the first watt the music certainly does not fall apart seem lifeless.

I have seen some say that solid state does not image as well as set. On the headphones anyway, the first watt is as good as the set I am using , or at least close and I do notice a big difference. The is only so much switching in and out of amps that I am willing to do.

Anyway, it seems to be a pretty good thing after using it for a few days.