HIFIMAN HE6se

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In which I thank my suppliers and give a casual introduction and generally set the tone for the musings which will follow​

I got married in 2019. Typically of me it was a laid back experience where things just seemed to fall into place. That is, until HiFIMan came along. The esteemed company started really upping their game. There were headphones, Dacs, Amps coming out of that factory faster than the reviewers could keep up with. I have had a close relationship with HiFiMan for many years, but 2019 was when it got serious. I can remember the date it got real. It was 20th April 2019, 7 days before I was due to get married. The Jade II system arrived. The HE6SE arrived. Both big launches and both building from a huge cult following of previous designs. The items had been in the subjective review offices for a week and I recieved an email requesting their prompt return. Despite working full time and preparing for a wedding the following week, the business on these 2 items was done, they were returned, and, since that time, I have not had a single chance to return to the HE6SE. Now, we are back together again. I have the time to relaunch the relaunch, as it were.

HiFiMan had their arm twisted gently round their back and have very kindly sent me another review sample. Typically, the review samples from them are no different than that which you would get, should you order them. The SE part of the HE6 stands for special edition – it’s important not to confuse that for Stealth Edition. Special Edition, in this case, means the old HE6 has had a facelift. Based on feedback and research from the great brains that work behind the scenes to bring you these endless improvements, the HE6 looks quite different from it’s elder brother. A new headband, new connectors and a shiny new set of cups gives me the distinct impression that this looks like the Massdrop version of the legend.

Why is the old HE6 a legend? Because there is great love for it. Huge numbers of posts have been submitted regarding every aspect of this phone, how good it is, what is needed to bring out it’s best, who has what version, which pads are the best, how and what to mod, nothing has been left untouched. When the HE6 went out of production, to make way for new models such as the HE1000, there was a deep sigh of anguish which could be heard echoing through the valleys of the portable audio clan. How could they discard such a headphone? There were reasons, of course. The HE6 was heavy. The planar drivers were notoriously difficult to drive. Not only that; it was expensive aswell.

The HE6SE now​

The relaunch of the HE6 was a greatly anticipated affair. A new look, a more comfortable headand, a universal connector and a highly polished aluminium styling brought an old design a new flair. What hadn’t been changed were those planar drivers that so many people held in reverence. What remained of the old design was the weight and the inefficiency. Despite a new headband and an adapter to hook these up to a speaker amp, those 2 factors appear to have been stumbling blocks. It’s fair to say that the SE version of the HE6 has not sold as well as HiFiMan had hoped. The HE6SE are now becoming scarce. There are less SE’s around than there are 6’s. When you can find them, such as on the HiFiMan website this week, as per the introductory picture shown, they are on sale for a fraction of the RRP on launch, as illustrated below:

The UK bit of Amazon seems to be the only stockist around at present, although I’m sure HiFiMan would do what they could to source an SE for those of you outside of the UK. Do Not despair! Ok, so we have talked about buying them and how to find one, but are they actually worth purchasing, when there are 100s of other choices out there? That, my friends, is down to you. I can guide you as to what I think, but you really need to give them a listen first. When they’re so scarce that’s going to be difficult. Until now….

The HE6SE in action​

The opportunity to listen to the HE6SE and to compare it to another top class headphone as in the power of your fingertips. This is because I have the ability to bring you the actual sound of a set of full size headphones, as if you were wearing them yourself. All you need is an open mind, plenty of time, and some half decent headphones or earphones. I’ll do the rest. How though? Easy! I have a set of binaural in ear mics – the Sennheiser Ambeo, which I have connected to an ipad. I put these in my ears, set the volume correctly, put the headphones on over the in ears, put the music on and press record. The mics pick up what is going on inside the cups. I record in lossless, 44.1 quality and upload the results into the cloud, and provide a short sample on the YouTube video, as below:



You are closer to the truth now. Yes, I agree wholeheartedly that measurements for a headphone are interesting and important, especially in the design and quality control stages of their construction. But we don’t cannot listen to a measurement, we can only imagine what a headphone can sound like by studying it’s relative performance. Such analysis I will leave to the likes of those that have invested the time and money into doing them, at least for now. The only way you can truly know what a headphone sounds like is to listen to it over time, with different genres of music, different sources of hardware, in different moods. Of course, even I can’t provide you with all of this. My samples are at least a start, a part, of that journey. My observations are drawn over time, and with the different genres and sources, so bear with while I demystify the HE6SE/Arya debate, that is, hoping that you have had a chance to have a listen yourself by now. If not, please head back and equip yourself witha listen or 10. Then you’ll be able to draw your own conclusions.

HE6SE v Arya Organic​

This match is a legend v pedigree setup. The Arya is part of the new styling that stems from that 1st glimpse of the large teardrop design that was introduced for the HE1000 series. The headband for the 6SE is usually seen on the HiFiMan base models, the planar driver wouldn’t fit into the teardrop shape either. The overall aestetic impression is therefore that the HE6SE looks cheaper. I mean, it is now, but it certainly didn’t start out that way. The Arya Organic doesn’t need anything like the amount of power the HE6SE craves, it is happy with a fairly standard DacAmp. The Organic will respond to a bit more juice, as one would expect from a headphone of this class. I make no excuses for putting these 2 headphones into a very special headphone amplifier indeed. Fang Bian, the CEO and founder of HiFiMan has stated that the SE needs 2W at 50 Ohms to make it sing. I can provide 20W of Pure Class A mode with the kit I have used. How does that sound?!

Yes; that should do it. The EF1000 amplifier. A £13 000 slab of valve/transistor amplification that has no compromises. That is certainly a fitting place to plug in a couple of headphones for our little demo, don’t you think?
The results are in. The HE6SE was a punchy, detailed, lively affair, which could arguably be described as a little forward, or hot, or peaky, in the mid to high frequencies. The bass was faster, and leaner, than the Arya, the mids had more clarity, as did the highs, than it’s counterpart. It had to be turned up an awful lot higher than the Arya Organic. The Arya had an effortless, smooth, balanced sound to it, a fuller, richer bass and mid response, that hid some of the detail that was present in the HE6SE. The highs were rolled off somewhat compared to the SE, but tastefully so.

Conclusion​

So,which was best? For detail and clarity – the HE6SE. For richness and tonality – the Arya Organic. For shortish periods of listening to music – the HE6SE. For longer sessions, using lots of different genres of music – the Arya Organic. These are my opinions, I respect if you feel differently, and maybe the measurements will asist you with that. I hope to see more reviews of theHE6SE in years to come. In fact, I shall take a look at the differences between this and the original, and see if there is anything sonically different. I suspect I may be part of a dying breed, but I sincerely hope that I’m not

Introduction​

HE6 was one of the big boi planars. They debuted in 2010 as one of the first models in HiFiMan’s offer and one of the first headphones of the revolution. Gandalf, I was there… 3000 years ago… At least, it feels like that.
A broke-ass kid, just touching the world of headphones. When I was buying my first good pair of cans, I tried the HE400, the OG one. It was something else. Shopkeepers wouldn’t even let me touch the HE6 at that time. It was uncomprehensive for headphones to cost that much. Stax and the Orpheus were basically unknown to people. The HE6 was listed in Forbes as one of the most expensive headphones at the time. It was dark times before planars were so easily accessible. And before $1000+, headphones were considered normal.

The HE6 was a big success for HiFiMan. So big that it became a product that was ordered and serviced for years to come. Even after the newer series came to life, some people still swear by the venerable HE6. A true classic, a young timer, actually. We can safely say that this is a mark of incredible quality in a world of change. HiFiMan often asked about repairs, and spare drivers were still continuing to manufacture them, so an idea popped up to refresh the HE6 into more modern, more comfortable headphones. This is how the HE6SE came to life. It uses the same drivers as the OG HE6, but a lighter and more comfortable frame. So, if you want a piece of the legend, you can have it. But isn’t it just some reheated dinner? After all, HiFiMan moved on with technology for a reason. Is there anything special about the HE6SE that the HE1000se can’t do?

Packaging and Comfort​

The HE6SE comes in an exquisite box covered in artificial leather. It looks like an oversized jewelry box. Inside, you will find the cans, a stock XLR cable with a 6,3mm adapter, and a few leaflets. It is basic, but frankly, what else do you need?

The cans share the suspension and headband system from the Sundara. This is a practical solution from HiFiMan, as it is much nicer than the original system that was implemented in HE6. It is also proven, and spare parts are available. The only thing missing is pivoting the cups, but during my testing, it was not an issue. Nothing worse than overcomplicated headphone that is hard to repair. No, thank you.

But when unboxing, it felt a little weird that the $400 cans have the same system as the $1800 ones. But, since it works… The comfort is there. It’s not as comfy as Meze Liric, but it is absolutely fine to use them for hours. At 470 grams, the weight is on the heavier side but still acceptable. It’s around 40 grams heavier than my Sundara Closed back.

Build Quality and Tech​

The headphone is well made. HiFiMan used metal and high-quality plastic. The headband’s support is made out of artificial leather. The perforated cups hold approx. 60mm planar magnetic driver. The diaphragm is gold-plated. It looks absolutely sick. You can be ballin’ on everybody on your nearest audio meet. The gold plating on the foil creates an inductor, which moves it in a strong magnetic field, creating sound. The HE6SE, just like the original HE6 has a very low sensitivity. You will need POWAH to make them sing. I’m talking 2W+, and I mean the real Watts. 83,5dB is no joke.


A balanced drive is recommended, as always with planars. You know me. The impedance is 50 Ohms, but many measurements show 64 Ohm impedance. While not crazy high, together with low sensitivity it can be a problem for amplifiers that don’t offer large output voltages. The low sensitivity is not all bad, though. The noise will be below the hearing threshold, even with tube gear. Most of the times.

The connections to the cups are made with a 3,5mm jack, unlike in the OG HE6, and I see it as a great quality of life improvement. Some people mod their HE6SE by removing the grille covering the drivers, but I have not tried it, and it is not a part of the review. I’m just letting you know there is an option if you are interested.

Sound​

So, what does the HE6SE sound like? Absolutely fantastic. It is my favorite planar headphone now. If I had to use one word to describe it, it would be the resolution. It gives you 10/10 insight into the music. While it is slightly less detailed than HE1000se, it has better control. If you drive them properly, the HE6SE will never skip a beat.
Metalheads, EDM-lovers, this one is for you. For others too. It’s a very universal headphone, and its slightly darker, slightly musical tuning will appease many. The tonal balance is neutral, with a solid bass (especially for open-back headphones). It is a darker presentation than the newer series of headphones. It has its own style of sound. And it is not worse. It’s different. Dark neutrality. Perfect speed and control, with a fantastic insight into the textures. Luckily it wasn’t done by diminishing musicality. I’m using the HE6SE with HiFiMan’s EF400, and I believe it’s one of the best possible combinations, especially without spending unreasonable amounts of money. It does everything at least very well and many things exceptionally.

Bass

For an open back, the subject of this review checks all of the boxes. The speed, volume, textures, foot driving, impact it’s all in there. Let me tell you that listening to Halo by Machine Head was a ride. One of the most technically advanced songs by Californians, this song will keep you on your toes. The wall of sound, the crazy bass lines by Adam Duce, and the absolutely insane drums played by Dave McClain. It’s an all-out assault, a release of emotions musicians hold inside. Yet the HE6SE can reproduce that with no own input. In all that insanity, there is a calm professional who works to deliver you the best possible experience. I can’t describe the bass as anything less than perfection in open-back headphones.



Midrange

I absolutely adore the Tenacious D. Below the funny lyrics and showmanship of JB and KG you will find great craftsmanship that might get overshadowed by these. It is also music focused on guitar and vocals. Which is perfect for this paragraph, isn’t it? Add to it, that the mastering of the Pick Of The Destiny is really good. The funniest benchmark ever is here. For my tests, I have selected The Classico. It really shows off Jack’s singing skills. The scale, the vibratos, the explosive dynamics. The HE6SE delivers his performance with absolute resolution. There is an endless amount of tone in his voice, and it shows. Another big pro of the cans is the fact that the sound is extremely smooth. It’s not smoothened. It’s smooth. It means that the distortion is really low. Somebody smart once said sometimes it’s not about what is in the sound. Sometimes it’s about what isn’t there. HE6SE gives you all you need and nothing besides that.

Treble

Treble is very good too. Listening to The Nearness Of You by Tsuyoshi Yamamoto Trio is a pure pleasure. The song is rich with cymbals from start to end. What I really like, and I imagine many of you will appreciate too, is that the highs are soft, yet they retain their detail. It’s not as detailed as on many other headphones in this class, but it provides more than enough information. What is lovely is that it never lets the sound get out of its grip. Even in more intensive passages, the sounds stay coherent and separated. The high tones of a piano are silky smooth, while at the same time, the cymbals are brassy and metallic. I feel the top end might be slightly lower in volume compared to the Harman tuning, but it’s the way I like it.

Soundstage

The HE6SE delivers a solid performance in the sound staging, but it is not as amazing as the other characteristics of the sound. It is certainly good enough, but it’s pretty far from the HD800. The stage is pretty close to the listener but not inside the head. There is good reach to the sides, but they could use some more depth. I tried the Muddy Waters song My Home Is In The Delta, and the mentioned happened, but there was an interesting thing. The whole album is full of big volume jumps, it’s very dynamic. And that is something that HE6SE excels at. Those leaps in volume really enhance and enlarge the perceived soundstage. But, and it’s a big but – you need a powerful amp to do that with the HE6SE.

Comparisons​

HiFiMAN HE1000se



Brother against brother, the civil war. They are very different indeed. Their common point is the fact that both are very detailed and have great resolution. The HE1000se is brighter than the HE6SE, providing more detail, a nicer, and more interesting treble. The sound staging is also better on the newer model. There is much more space between the sound and the listener, which I appreciate very much.
On the other hand, the HE6SE is more pleasant sounding and excels at the control of the sound. The HE1000se is also more comfortable and easier to drive. Both are absolutely amazing headphones, and the final decision will come down to your preference. If you like hard and heavy music, the HE6SE will be a better choice, that’s for sure.

Audeze LCD-X 2021



The Audeze LCD-X 2021 was praised by us for its bass, but it has to take a knee before the HE6SE. While the American cans have more muscle, the quality is on HiFiMan’s side. It’s more agile, controlled, and refined without losing the fun aspect. The LCD-X has a thicker and richer midrange, which might be an advantage if that is something that you seek. It loses in insight and resolution, which was to be expected in this case. Treble is a close tie. HE6SE was smoother but sometimes more boring. The Audeze is more interesting but could go into too much in some cases. The soundstage of the two is on par also. This is probably the closest comparison in this review. A testimony of two amazing pairs of headphones.

HEDDphone



The HEDD is darker in tonality but doesn’t provide as much in terms of bass, both amount-, and quality-wise. It has a completely different style of providing sound. More lively, more colorful. The sound also is leaner and faster than the HE6SE. The midrange of the HE6SE is more neutral and cleaner, but in some cases feels more boring. The treble of the HEDDphone is legendary, and the HE6SE can’t compete with it. It’s smoother and more detailed at the same time. Sharper in the good meaning. And it creates no fatigue, unlike the headphones themselves. The HEDDphone is well known for not being the most comfortable cans on the market.

Summary​

A reasonable flagship for those unreasonable times. The HE6SE is one of the best planar headphones on the market. It shines in terms of resolution and control while delivering a slightly musical, intensive sound.

Its neutrality makes it easy to shape the sound with your chosen amplifier. Take your time choosing it. With its low sensitivity and 50/64Ohms impedance, the HE6SE is not easy to drive. The safe option is the EF400, and together they form the (probably) cheapest end-game setup on the market.

The comfort is not top-tier, and the materials used could have been nicer, but all of those objections vanish when you listen to it and compare the sound to the asked price. If you are shopping for cans in this price range, it’s an absolute must for an audition. The king lives on.

Highly Recommended.

Big thanks to HiFiMan for providing us with the HE6se for this review. I wasn’t paid or asked to say anything good or bad about this product, all of the above is just my personal, unbiased opinion. HiFiMan hasn’t seen this review before publishing it.

About Author​

Michał Sommerfeld​

I can really say “been there, done that” in regard to audio. Designing, building, fixing, reviewing, selling. All of that for big boy stereo. Headphones are something new and fresh for me. We all need something exciting now and then, so join me in my quest of discovering this cool world. We will listen to, drink and WE WILL bring the balance to the force. Oh, I like beer.

Firstly I would like to thank HiFiMAN for sending me this sample to review.

*disclaimer: This sample was provided for the purpose of writing a review, no incentive was given to write a favourable review. All opinions expressed are my own subjective findings

Gear Used:
Yulong DA10 > HE6SE
Keces S3 > HE6SE
Keces S3 > Keces E40 > HE6SE



Tech Specs:

• Frequency response : 8Hz – 65KHz
• Impedance : 50 Ohms
• Sensitivity : 83.5 dB
• Weight : 502g
• MSRP: $1799
• https://hifiman.com/products/detail/294

Packaging, Build Quality and Accessories:
The HE6SE come in a big card box, inside this you will find the HE6SE box which is styled like the old HiFiMAN packaging except now better finished and more premium. With a hard box covered in black faux leather with a clasp on the front to close it. Inside you will find the headphones well secured in a cutout that is covered with silk like material. It is a luxurious unboxing, and one that you would expect for the price; you will find the cables in a little cutout in the middle, along with a manual styled like a book which is a nice touch.

Build quality is overall very good, the headband is metal with a leather comfort strap, the cups feel sturdy and HiFiMAN have now started using dual 3.5mm jacks on their headphones which is excellent for changing out cables. The earpads are their newer Palipads which seem fairly durable, and are easy to swap out. The cable is odd, with loose cores within a rubbery jacket, I have a feeling the inner materials are good but the cable just doesn’t feel all that special. I have no issues with the build quality, they feel solid and built to last.

Accessory wise you are supposed to get the HE-Adapter but mine didn’t (not an issue for me), you also get a pair of the standard Velour earpads, manual, cable and a 4-pin XLR to 6.3mm adapter. Overall a really good set of accessories and the HE-Adapter will help you hook them up to a speaker amplifier easier.



Comfort:
One of my gripes with the original HE series was always the comfort, these are still not a lightweight headphone but the headband is designed to distribute the weight a lot more effectively which means I can now wear these for extended periods of time with no discomfort. The new Palipads are soft and just about deep enough for me. The one downside to the headband, like with the Sundara, is the lack of swivel to adjust the front/back angle. When using angled pads like the stock ones this is not an issue but a swivel mechanism like the Ananda BT would have been nice.

Amping:
Well the HE6SE are based on the legendary HE6, and they are well known to be one of the hardest to drive headphones on the market. With a sensitivity of only 83.5dB they need some serious amplification to sound their best, with HiFiMAN recommending at least 2wpc @50Ohms to do them justice. Headphone amps have evolved a little since the original HE6 came out, and there are some on the market that will drive the HE6SE pretty well; but most owners will recommend using them with an integrated speaker amplifier or a power amplifier in the range of 50-150wpc into 8Ohms. You shouldn’t need the HE-Adapter with amps ranging for around 50-100wpc but it might be safer to use it if you don’t want to risk damaging your headphones.

The Yulong DA10 does a respectable job powering the HE6SE but it comes across a little lifeless when you have tried the HE6SE out of a speaker amp. The Yulong is a very impressive DAC/Amp and brings out volume and detail, with good punch but it doesn’t match the dynamics of a more powerful amp.

For most of my listening I used a 4mm banana plug to 4-pin female XLR adapter that I made a while back using Van Damme starquad cable, out of the Keces E40 (50wpc @ 8Ohm) using the Keces S3 as a pure DAC into it. The E40 has a very black background with no hiss and usable volume being above the imbalance point of the pot.



Sound:
Lows: The HE6SE are not a bass monster but what they have on their side is speed, agility and detail. When powered properly the HE6SE have excellent impact down low, hitting hard with authority but always in a controlled and precise manner. The transient response of the drivers means they never become bloated or congested even with the fastest of metal tracks. Sub-bass rumble is not very strong but they still extend well down into that region when called for, it just isn’t elevated. Not matter how strong the bass is in the mix, they never become muddy or bass heavy. This more neutral and controlled yet very dynamic approach to the lows means the HE6SE are happy to play along with all genres.

Midrange: The midrange is clean and clear, and always perfectly centered in the mix, with excellent layering. Vocals come across with natural tonality and each track is well isolated. Guitars have power, yet intricate acoustic tracks have plenty of nuance. The HE6SE have a way of rendering the tracks as they should be, with great accuracy yet honest and real timbre. Perfectly bridging the gap between the lows and highs, the midrange is never lost in the mix, neither is it too forward or attention grabbing. The natural way these present vocals can be haunting at times, the emotion rendered really is impressive.

Highs: The treble on these is perfect in my books, with the right balance when it comes to presence, falling perfectly in line with lows and midrange. Unashamedly clean and resolving without being bright, the overall linearity from lows to highs is highly enjoyable. The highs come across natural, with effortless extension and shimmer. They are not fatiguing up top yet they are always present and never take a back seat. The transparency up top does mean they do prefer well recorded music, and subtleties that are normally lost up top are on show with the HE6SE.

The soundstage is not huge but it has about equal width as it does height which is good. The HD800s and the Meze Empyrean still have a wider soundstage, but everything is well placed within the stage on the HE6SE. Imaging is one thing the HE6SE excel at, with pinpoint accuracy when it comes to placing instruments.

Comparisons: I can’t really think of anything that comes close to the engaging yet well balance nature of the HE6SE. The Mr Speakers Ether 2 have a more airy and slightly lean sound to them that just doesn’t match the energy of the HE6SE, the HD800s is wider in terms of soundstaging but are no way near as fun or musical. The LCD-4 and Final D8000 are probably the only main comparisons, with the D8000 extracting a little more fine detail with greater punch but they do not sound as neutral and well balanced as the HE6se. The LCD-4 has, again, got better detail retrieval but with lower energy and punch they sound a little reserved and almost boring in comparison, whilst being a superb headphone in their own right.



Conclusion:
Well as you can see, and also probably know, I am a huge fan of the HE6, and the HE6SE. Providing you have an amp that is capable of driving them, the HE6SE are still one of the best headphones around if you enjoy a detailed, well balanced yet engaging listen. There is a fluidity to the HE6SE that is enticing, they have excellent coherency and the overall sound just works. Yes some headphones have better micro-detail, and others have better soundstaging, but when it comes to pure enjoyment and energy there are few that can match what these deliver. I know the price has gone up since the HE6 came out, but if you take into account inflation along with current flagship prices, the HE6SE actually stands its ground and can easily go hand in hand with today’s offerings that often cost more.

Sound Perfection Rating: 9.5/10 (amping is key to getting the most out of this legend reborn