[elwappo99]

Quote:

I also found the HE6 to scale higher than the LCD-2. Sold the latter.

 
I'm definitely in the same boat. I made the switch when I had both headphones. Back then I didn't have the amplification power or matching for the HE-6 either. I definitely heard a large difference. World of difference when I got them hooked up to other power sources. 

 

[Magick Man]

Yeah, HE-6s and HE-500s are very similar with "so-so" amps, but with a rig that has some testes you get that last ~10% out of the HE-6 and it makes a difference.

 

[sillysally]

Quote:

 
Personally I think your statement is pure hogwash!!
 
The Master-6 underpowered? you have got to on drugs if you think that. I only go to max volume 40 out of 70 (with low level recordings) and at that level the HE6's are extremely loud, powerful and dynamic.
 
As regards flexibility I meant the flexibility to run different type of headphones on one amp. Receivers are not recommended for high impedance phones, easy to drive phones, very low impedance phones or IEM's.
I have tried all but an IEM and it runs them superbly.
 
Its your amps you have mentioned that do not have the power to do the HE6's justice. I believe the Liquid Fire has more power than your Woo but just 4watts into 32 ohms. So that is what? 3 watts into 50 ohms whereas the Master-6 has 7 watts a 233% increase!!!
 
I do agree that bang for buck is better with vintage amps BUT only if you have the headphones that the vintage amp works well with which as I have mentioned most will not.

 
Sorry I thought you had a masters 5 that puts out "[size=small]50 ohm: 1700MW[/size][size=small]". Yes of course the masters 6 has plenty of wattage for the HE6.[/size]
 
We are talking about vintage stereo tuners/receiver, and yes you can plug most any headphone you want into the headphone jack, because of the resister that is in place. 
 
Loud or a lot of wattage has not much to do with properly powering the HE6, most receivers using the headphone jack will make the HE6 sound loud, but in a lot of cases will never bring out the depth, sound stage and clarity that the HE6's can deliver. 
 
On a side note. Because of my quest for the holy grail of amps to properly power the HE6, but imo never finding that amp, that is why I went to the SR-009/SRM-727 combo. So now I have my liquid fire and wa5le (these two amps really do a nice job with the HE6 in my system) as a back-up amp and of course my HE6's. 
 
Yes I have tried other receivers and never said that the sx650 was what I was solely basing my opinion on , and yes my wa5le and liquid fire have about 3 watts, and yes in my system both of these amps do a very nice job with the HE6.

 

[Happy Camper]

Could be the amps certainly, that's why I caveated.  Lucky for Stax owners, the equation for chasing better sound mostly just comes down to how much voltage the amp supplies--if I'm not mistaken the KGSSHV & BH are the highest...not counting the elusive T2.  Not sure how much voltage that one dishes out.  I wish matching dynamic amps were that easy.  Random thoughts:

• I heard the HE-6 & EF6 at a meet this weekend.  It was ok.

• I can't begin to put into words the divide between the HE-500 & HE-6.  People have called them pretty close on head-fi--but to me the HE-6 is unequivocally a better phone.  

• When my experiment with the LCD-2 ends (only one permutation left to try, LCD-2 + LCD-3 pads), I might trade it for an HE-6.  Still not sure if I want the headache and expense of getting a hi-power amp but I'll probably buy a hardware EQ for my HD800 anyway, might work perfect for the HE-6 too.

I'm using two 25w @ 42 (125w @8) ohm monoblocks you can get on ebay from time to time for $250 each. Get a used HE-6 and a quality amp and you won't be disappointed. The power does have a direct impact on what the 6s can do. 5 w @ 50 ohms just isn't optimum. I'd say at least 10 watts @ 50 ohm. The amp should be dead quiet in silent mode.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

 
This being the case with a good vintage amp, and I would agree with you because I have a nice vintage SS amp also. 
 
What is the point on buying a WA/EC/RS or what ever dynamic amp, when a good vintage amp will do as well if not even better. As you and many others seen to like how a vintage SS amp sounds with dynamic headphones sounds. 

 
My ZDT amp may not be as powerful but it sounds more refined and spacious than my un-modded 2240, with better micro-detail, blacker background, and more transparency (disappears better).  So, there is a reason for a better amp.
 
But in a similar price range, as a speaker amp the Marantz 2240 beats my Travagans Red, Qinpu A-3, or Nuforce Icon ($169-249) for driving HE-6, Stax transformers or speakers.  Before I bought it from Skylab he told me he liked it better than his old Meier desktop amp for headphones.  However in that same price range as the 2240 my Emotiva BDP-1 amp is even better.  If the 2240 was refurbished that might change, but as far as I know it's got the stock 35 year old caps, and has not been biased in years.

 

[preproman]

So I got a 4 channel fully balanced B22 with x8 gain.  With the HE-6 the volume knob is at 2 o clock.  Any more than that would be to loud for listening.  Sounds full with a good tight bass hit.  
 
I know the B22 is not putting out 10w into 50 ohms.   What is considered underpowered?  

 

[musicman59]

Quote:

So I got a 4 channel fully balanced B22 with x8 gain.  With the HE-6 the volume knob is at 2 o clock.  Any more than that would be to loud for listening.  Sounds full with a good tight bass hit.  
 
I know the B22 is not putting out 10w into 50 ohms.   What is considered underpowered?  

IMO less than 4 or 5 watts in 50 ohms.

 

[preproman]

Quote:

IMO less than 4 or 5 watts in 50 ohms.

 
OK - so I have no idea how many watts this B22 is putting into 50 ohms.  However, I'm listening to the HE-6 / B22 combo right now, easy listening at 1 o clock - Sounding really good to me.  Not thin at all, nice bass impact the treble is extended which is a good thing.  Female vocals are amazing.

 

[musicman59]

Quote:

 
OK - so I have no idea how many watts this B22 is putting into 50 ohms.  However, I'm listening to the HE-6 / B22 combo right now, easy listening at 1 o clock - Sounding really good to me.  Not thin at all, nice bass impact the treble is extended which is a good thing.  Female vocals are amazing.

 
If they fit your taste and like what you are hearing is what matters. For instance I also power my HE-6 with my Woo Audio WA5-LE that puts out a lot less than those 4 or 5 watts. The only strange thing is that even that the HE-6 are low impedance they sound better out of the high impedance output of the Woo. I think it is because probably that high impedance output provide more current than the low impedance output (just a guess) but anyway I really like the way the sound out of the Woo and my volume just go up to about 11:00. 
 
Another variable of how low or high your volume know will go is the input signal gain. If you have source putting out a low voltage you will have to raise the volume in your amp more than is a source is out putting a higher voltage.

 

[Shahrose]

Quote:

 
OK - so I have no idea how many watts this B22 is putting into 50 ohms.  However, I'm listening to the HE-6 / B22 combo right now, easy listening at 1 o clock - Sounding really good to me.  Not thin at all, nice bass impact the treble is extended which is a good thing.  Female vocals are amazing.

 
The HE6 can sound good to great out of the Beta, depending on the source. Power's not an issue, trust me. It's more a matter of how the Beta's inherently warm, dark, and somewhat distant sound signature mates with the headphones.

 

[preproman]

Quote:

 
The HE6 can sound good to great out of the Beta, depending on the source. Power's not an issue, trust me. It's more a matter of how the Beta's inherently warm, dark, and somewhat distant sound signature mates with the headphones.

 
 
That make a lot of sense.  Because the source I'm using now is the Emotiva XDA-1 and it's known to be a bright sounding source from my understanding.  Maybe that's why it sounds really good to me, they must complement each other.  I'll know more once my Buffalo III gets here.  I can compare the two.

 

[Shahrose]

Quote:

 
 
That make a lot of sense.  Because the source I'm using now is the Emotiva XDA-1 and it's known to be a bright sounding source from my understanding.  Maybe that's why it sounds really good to me, they must complement each other.  I'll know more once my Buffalo III gets here.  I can compare the two.

 
Very likely to be the case.
 
BTW, if that Buffalo III is anything like the Buffalo32s I had, it should also pair nicely with the Beta because of its MO (detailed, a bit bright, lean and dry).

 

[Loevhagen]

Hooked my HE-6 to the speaker taps of an Abrahamsen stereo amp (70W@8ohm and 140W@4ohm according to the spec) - so I guess thats above 10W @ 50ohm.

No adapter box, no resistors - just hooked to the speaker taps. it sounds "OK"

 

[Elysian]

Could anyone share how the HE-Adapter box changes the sound (if at all), as opposed to going straight to speaker taps?  I think I read a few people say earlier in this thread that it makes the sound a bit thinner and reduces bass impact.  If the HE-Adapter isn't a desirable option, are there any other commercial options that can handle speaker taps to 4-pin XLR?
 
I'm thinking of picking up a pair of Class D monoblocks I've had my eyes on for awhile, and would use an active preamp behind it to control volume.  The problem is that the monoblocks are 570W/ch at 8ohms, so even with the preamp set to -85dB, I'm unsure whether the monoblocks would damage the HE-6.
 
I've already emailed Fang about safe operational limits and am awaiting a response.

 

[Loevhagen]

There's something with common ground on class D that makes the pairing not straight forward, I believe to have read some place...