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Is the Hifiman HE-6 clearly a league above the Hifiman HE-500? - Page 9

post #121 of 281
9/22/12 at 1:30pm
two different flavours, HE-6 is more expensive because of the golden diaphragm.
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post #122 of 281
9/22/12 at 1:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by elwappo99 View Post

 

"Summit-fi" is just a label to make people feel good about their purchases (which by and large is a reason why many people make high end purchases,  the feeling of 'eliteness'). 

 

I think the clear point to make is that the HE-6 are not marginally better on speaker taps, but all the complaints you hear about the HE-6 (spikey treble, lack of bass, etc.) are pretty much eliminated. I'm not saying hooking it up to your $200 denon receiver will do this, but hooking it up to a high quality amp really changes the sound. 

 

I think for most people the HE-500 makes sense. Actually, it makes a lot of sense. If you're not in the market to have a rig centered on the HE-6, and you want a range of headphones, then go for the HE-500. But if you're looking for something a little clearer and can have another amp hooked up to your DAC, go with the HE-6. 

 

That doesn't make any sense to me. If the lean bass and sibilant treble is due to underpowering then it wouldn't matter what speaker amp you plug it into, only how much power you're giving it. A $200 receiver may not give you the resolution and sound quality of a better amp but, if what everyone has been saying is true, it would solve the problems that are purportedly caused by underpowering them. Even a $200 Denon receiver will be pushing quite a lot of power compared to a headphone amp.

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post #123 of 281
9/22/12 at 2:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by devhen View Post

 

That doesn't make any sense to me. If the lean bass and sibilant treble is due to underpowering then it wouldn't matter what speaker amp you plug it into, only how much power you're giving it. A $200 receiver may not give you the resolution and sound quality of a better amp but, if what everyone has been saying is true, it would solve the problems that are purportedly caused by underpowering them. Even a $200 Denon receiver will be pushing quite a lot of power compared to a headphone amp.

 

Yes, I do see your point. I tried a few different receivers and the quality of the amplifier started to come into play. I tried a few pioneer units and they almost had a veil to them, and had bass that couldn't control the HE-6. So it's important to have both the power and quality in the amplifier.

 

For example, Schiit products (imho) sound really gosh darn good. When hooked up to the HE-6 they don't have the power. I tried a pioneer receiver that didn't quite have the sound quality. I've tried a handful of receivers (vintage pioneers, emotiva, vintage and modern marantz, virtue audio,) that had the SQ and power for the HE-6 and really make them sound great! 

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post #124 of 281
9/22/12 at 3:18pm

It's not "just" the amp.  The HE-6 are very revealing of everything upstream: source, cable, amp, tweaks.  Both the Linn Intek and the Qinpu A-1.0X drive the HE-6 well, yet the unique sound signature of each is faithfully rendered by the HifiMAN. 

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post #125 of 281
9/22/12 at 3:23pm

It's not "just" the amp.  The HE-6 are very revealing of everything upstream: source, cable, amp, tweaks.  Both the Linn Intek and the Qinpu A-1.0X drive the HE-6 well, yet the unique sound signature of each is faithfully rendered by the HifiMAN. 

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post #126 of 281
9/22/12 at 3:34pm

People say the same about the HD650, but I found it just as nice out of an iPod, out of an OTL tube amp and out of the O2.  The major differences were the sound signatures-- primarily the tube amp.

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post #127 of 281
9/22/12 at 4:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by pataburd View Post

It's not "just" the amp.  The HE-6 are very revealing of everything upstream: source, cable, amp, tweaks.  Both the Linn Intek and the Qinpu A-1.0X drive the HE-6 well, yet the unique sound signature of each is faithfully rendered by the HifiMAN. 

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by TMRaven View Post

People say the same about the HD650, but I found it just as nice out of an iPod, out of an OTL tube amp and out of the O2.  The major differences were the sound signatures-- primarily the tube amp.

 

Yes, I didn't want to bring that whole business in. I tested everything using my same source. The HE-6 is incredibly revealing of everything, especially the source and recording. This can be both a bad thing and an amazing thing. 

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post #128 of 281
9/22/12 at 5:45pm
This resolution thing includes PC audio players. Mr. Wizard...........!
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post #129 of 281
9/22/12 at 5:57pm

No doubt the more helix-like pattern the headphone cable looks or elaborate its cloth jacket the more resolution it has.

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post #130 of 281
9/22/12 at 8:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by TMRaven View Post

No doubt the more helix-like pattern the headphone cable looks or elaborate its cloth jacket the more resolution it has.

 

Have you ever heard the HE-6?

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post #131 of 281
9/22/12 at 8:26pm

I don't know why that comment would warrant the question about hearing the HE-6 or not.  I was merely joining in on Happy Camper's comical relief.

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post #132 of 281
9/22/12 at 8:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Darkbeat View Post

 

"Summit-fi" = High End = Top Tier = semantics for headphones that sound World Class.

 

Performance is by and large subjective, but, as we've discussed before, if you remove price from the equation then the HE-6s get rocked by Stax SR-009s. That the HE-6s sound marginally better when hooked up to speaker taps is wonderful if not for the fact it's almost double the cost.

 

Other users have reported similar bright and fatiguing treble on the HE-6 and it's certainly more sibilence prone than the HE-500s, a simple look at a frequency chart would even tell you that. The bass slam is good on the HE-6s via speaker taps, I said it wasn't AS satisfying as on the HE-500s, which to me it isn't.

 

Yes, I'd be more inclined to follow Tyll Hertsens' reviews than your HE-6 crusading in every single thread about planar magnetic headphones (especially as you've never actually heard the HE-500s). That said, I'm even more inclined to follow what my own ears tell me. 

 

Again for the benefit of those who didn't read it already, the HE-6s are the better phones when running in optimal conditions. There are however reasons to pick the HE-500s instead, both sonically and financially.

 

This thread is about the HE-6 and the HE-500 NOT the Stax SR-009s.  Sorry wrong thread.  

 

Have you even heard the HE-6 on a quality speaker amp?  It doesn't sound like it by the way you always say what other people have reported.  I'm telling you what "MY" ears have heard many times on many different quality speaker amps.  

 

It's not subjective that the HE-6 is HiFiMans flagship headphone - I'm just guessing that they're the flagship for a reason and not the HE-500.  No - I Have not heard the HE-500 but tell me, have you heard the HE-6 on anything other than a headphone amp?  If not your ears haven't told you nothing yet.

 

Of course it's financial reasons to get the HE-500 over the HE-6 and of course sonics are based on preference we all no that.  However, the HE-6 are technically better in every way than the HE-500, they scale like no other headphone will including the HE-500. They are technically able to give more than the HE-500 are able to provide - Technically speaking.  So yes the HE-6 are a"league" above the HE-500 - "Technically".angry_face.gif

 

My next headphone will be in fact the HE-500.  Sorry again but I don't go on FR charts I let my ears do the talking and not what others have reported. 


Edited by preproman - 9/22/12 at 9:11pm
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post #133 of 281
9/23/12 at 2:28am

How about this amp for the HE-6?

 

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/YAQIN-2100-Vacuum-Tube-Hi-end-Tube-Power-Amplifier-amp-/310403538313?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Amplifiers&hash=item48457e1d89

 

I am getting the HE-6 and will be buying the above amp. My calculations show it should be alright but real-world results might be different.
 

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post #134 of 281
9/23/12 at 8:07am

On paper, it seems like it might be a good match.

 

That is one nice looking amp for the price!

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post #135 of 281
9/23/12 at 9:04am
I look forward to hearing how this sounds too. Very inexpensive so I want to hear how well the power supply handles the HE with a moderate load and dynamic music. This may be too good to be true but won't know until you try it.
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