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Amps that can drive the HiFiMan HE-6 planar headphones
Jul 2, 2014 at 8:31 PM Post #2,941 of 6,061
theogenes said:
   
While I found the LCD-X to be quite good, I thought the HE-6 was a substantially better-sounding headphone in terms of detail retrieval and overall balance. YMMV, ofc. 
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I only have about 10 hours on the HE6 so far, so way too early for me to say, but the results so far are very promising. It does 'feel' like a more even presentation, but I would not want to make that call without a lot more hours on both the LCD-X and HE6.
 
One thing I am certain about - the HE6 represents excellent value when driven well. It's 'bang for the buck' ratio is astounding. I'd say the same thing about the Taurus amp also.
 
Jul 2, 2014 at 8:57 PM Post #2,942 of 6,061
I know some folks say the Taurus drives the HE-6 really well.  I'm not sure how the Taurus compares to a good speaker amp.  By the "looks" of it I would put the Taurus on the same level as the GS-X mk2.  However, the LCD-X on the Taurus vs. the HE-6 "good" speaker would be a better competition.
 
Jul 2, 2014 at 10:14 PM Post #2,943 of 6,061
tonynewman said:
 
I only have about 10 hours on the HE6 so far, so way too early for me to say, but the results so far are very promising. It does 'feel' like a more even presentation, but I would not want to make that call without a lot more hours on both the LCD-X and HE6.
 
One thing I am certain about - the HE6 represents excellent value when driven well. It's 'bang for the buck' ratio is astounding. I'd say the same thing about the Taurus amp also.
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Very cool, man. Really interested in your thoughts both on how the X and 6 compare, and also on the ultimate efficacy of the Taurus in driving the sixes! Keep us posted!! :)
 
Jul 2, 2014 at 10:38 PM Post #2,944 of 6,061
theogenes said:
   
Very cool, man. Really interested in your thoughts both on how the X and 6 compare, and also on the ultimate efficacy of the Taurus in driving the sixes! Keep us posted!! :)
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Will do. I want to get at least 200 hours of burn in onto these puppies before I say too much about them.
 
I learnt the hard way with my LCD-X that planars seem to require significant burn in to sound their best.
 
Jul 2, 2014 at 11:13 PM Post #2,945 of 6,061
tonynewman said:
  Will do. I want to get at least 200 hours of burn in onto these puppies before I say too much about them.
 
I learnt the hard way with my LCD-X that planars seem to require significant burn in to sound their best.
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Sounds reasonable to me. Looking forward to it, man!!
 
Jul 3, 2014 at 4:30 AM Post #2,946 of 6,061
preproman said:
I know some folks say the Taurus drives the HE-6 really well.  I'm not sure how the Taurus compares to a good speaker amp.  By the "looks" of it I would put the Taurus on the same level as the GS-X mk2.  However, the LCD-X on the Taurus vs. the HE-6 "good" speaker would be a better competition.
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Ain't it fun funny that no one ever seems to have done a good comparison between one of the great HE6-speaker-amps and great headphone amp amps like the Taurus or the Master 9?
 
Jul 3, 2014 at 4:36 AM Post #2,947 of 6,061
ardilla said:
Ain't it fun funny that no one ever seems to have done a good comparison between one of the great HE6-speaker-amps and great headphone amp amps like the Taurus or the Master 9?
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Not sure this is new to anyone - but below is a link to a review where the following is stated:
 
"For those not familiar with the HiFi MAN HE-6 headphones, they are a planar style with a difficult impedance curve—a tough load that most headphone amplifiers make sound mushy and uncontrolled when trying to drive them. The Taurus sails through, with its high-current, Class-A output stage providing enough grip and delicacy to showcase these premier phones at their finest. The Taurus even beats the HiFi MAN amplifier designed specifically for the HE-6 at its own game, revealing more music and a smoother, more delicate and more nuanced presentation."
 
Link
 
The words above are one of the big reasons I bought the Taurus amp. I wanted to be able to drive any dynamic or planar headphone, including the HE6 - so it was the Taurus, or a much bigger outlay for something like the ALO Studio 6.
 
EDIT - I wonder if folks would take the Taurus amp more seriously if Auralic charged an extra grand for it? It is the real deal - a SS reference amp well able to drive the HE6. If you want to step up from it you are talking serious coin for something like the ALO Studio 6.
 
Jul 3, 2014 at 4:38 AM Post #2,948 of 6,061
As someone with the Taurus MKII I agree the 6 sounds great on it, but it will scale higher again on a speaker amp and I don't think the X has much more to give. I easily preferred my 6 to the X I had for a week on my Taurus (they were already burned in), and yet I've heard my 6 better on the couple of speaker amp set-ups I've hooked mine up to (still searching an waiting to find a more-or-less final speaker amp for the 6, in the meantime I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything when I listen to the 6 on the Taurus, if you know what I mean).
 
Jul 3, 2014 at 4:56 AM Post #2,949 of 6,061
nztechfreak said:
  As someone with the Taurus MKII I agree the 6 sounds great on it, but it will scale higher again on a speaker amp and I don't think the X has much more to give. I easily preferred my 6 to the X I had for a week on my Taurus (they were already burned in), and yet I've heard my 6 better on the couple of speaker amp set-ups I've hooked mine up to (still searching an waiting to find a more-or-less final speaker amp for the 6, in the meantime I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything when I listen to the 6 on the Taurus, if you know what I mean).
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Thank you - great to hear from someone that has experienced both the Taurus and speaker amps with the HE6.
dt880smile.png

 
Those last few words nail the point home for me "... in the meantime I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything when I listen to the 6 on the Taurus, if you know what I mean)"
 
Jul 3, 2014 at 5:12 AM Post #2,950 of 6,061
tonynewman said:
Thank you - great to hear from someone that has experienced both the Taurus and speaker amps with the HE6. :dt880smile:

Those last few words nail the point home for me "... in the meantime I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything when I listen to the 6 on the Taurus, if you know what I mean)"
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I have tried several speaker amps of good quality with the HE6, and always preferred the Taurus.

There is always something slightly better out there, but some headphone amps like Taurus or the M9 actually plays the HE6 to a level where has become one of my absolute favorites.
 
Jul 3, 2014 at 5:13 AM Post #2,951 of 6,061
nztechfreak said:
  As someone with the Taurus MKII I agree the 6 sounds great on it, but it will scale higher again on a speaker amp and I don't think the X has much more to give. I easily preferred my 6 to the X I had for a week on my Taurus (they were already burned in), and yet I've heard my 6 better on the couple of speaker amp set-ups I've hooked mine up to (still searching an waiting to find a more-or-less final speaker amp for the 6, in the meantime I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything when I listen to the 6 on the Taurus, if you know what I mean).
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HE-6 sounds good with the Auralic!
 
Jul 3, 2014 at 6:43 AM Post #2,952 of 6,061
ardilla said:
I have tried several speaker amps of good quality with the HE6, and always preferred the Taurus.

There is always something slightly better out there, but some headphone amps like Taurus or the M9 actually plays the HE6 to a level where has become one of my absolute favorites.
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What speaker amps are we talking about here?  
 
Looks may be deceiving, but the Taurus just don't look the part - IMO..  I've never met a headphone amp yet that drives the HE-6 better than a good speaker amp.  "Never"..  There are ton's of speaker amps out there compared to only a few "good" headphones amps - so it would be heavily favored on the speaker amps side..  
 
Jul 3, 2014 at 7:43 AM Post #2,953 of 6,061
preproman said:
   
What speaker amps are we talking about here?  
 
Looks may be deceiving, but the Taurus just don't look the part - IMO..  I've never met a headphone amp yet that drives the HE-6 better than a good speaker amp.  "Never"..  There are ton's of speaker amps out there compared to only a few "good" headphones amps - so it would be heavily favored on the speaker amps side..  
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Prep, will the Emotiva mini X do any justice the 6 at all? That's all I have for the moment so...
 
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:47 AM Post #2,954 of 6,061
kothganesh said:
Prep, will the Emotiva mini X do any justice the 6 at all? That's all I have for the moment so...
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Well, I'm not prepro, but I have had a mini-x. It does drive the HE-6. But know you can look forward to much better performance.
 
Jul 3, 2014 at 10:28 AM Post #2,955 of 6,061
I have the Master 8 and F5 speaker amp, and prefer the F5, personally. It's not a night-and-day difference by any means, though. 
 
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