[sennfan83261]

After spending a little over a week with the He6sev2 I have to say it's not that impressive . Don't get me wrong, the details definitely live up to the praises but even with diminishing returns factored in I can't say it's justifiable at $700.

I am currently running it with an Asus Muse mkii dac into a Topping A90 with definite plans to pick up a D90. I don't plan to give up on the headphones yet without properly giving them a chance using a speaker amp.

Which option do you guys think I should go?

• Pay $120 for an HE-Adapter directly from Hifiman and pair it with an Onkyo HT-RC270
• Purchase Emotiva BasX A-100 Stereo Flex amplifier and use it in direct drive mode (8.5 watts @ 47Ohms)
• Other...

I'd wish I didn't have to get the adapter though as it's $120 for something I honestly feel should have been included with the headphones as it's use cases are very limited. I've seen some DIY making the adapter but I neither have the equipment nor the savvy to approach this. I'm leaning towards the Emotiva as I feel like for $100 I'll get more for my money than an overpriced adapter.

Unless the speaker amp is a tube amp, you won't need an HE-Adapter (resistor box). For solid state speaker/power amps, just hook up the cans to speaker taps. You'll need a headphone cable adapter though, typically a 4-pin female XLR to L+/L-R+/R- banana plugs.

 

[Oregonian]

After spending a little over a week with the He6sev2 I have to say it's not that impressive . Don't get me wrong, the details definitely live up to the praises but even with diminishing returns factored in I can't say it's justifiable at $700.

I am currently running it with an Asus Muse mkii dac into a Topping A90 with definite plans to pick up a D90. I don't plan to give up on the headphones yet without properly giving them a chance using a speaker amp.

Which option do you guys think I should go?

• Pay $120 for an HE-Adapter directly from Hifiman and pair it with an Onkyo HT-RC270
• Purchase Emotiva BasX A-100 Stereo Flex amplifier and use it in direct drive mode (8.5 watts @ 47Ohms)
• Other...

I'd wish I didn't have to get the adapter though as it's $120 for something I honestly feel should have been included with the headphones as it's use cases are very limited. I've seen some DIY making the adapter but I neither have the equipment nor the savvy to approach this. I'm leaning towards the Emotiva as I feel like for $100 I'll get more for my money than an overpriced adapter.

I'd skip the HE adapter - when I tried it a few years ago with my HE-6 I could hear the difference and it wasn't good. Seemed veiled.

Other............option is a vintage speaker amp. That's all I use and have for 7 years................feeding my current HE-6SE V1 and V2 (yes, have both) straight from the speaker taps. Outstanding bass.

 

[DeafAudiophile]

Unless the speaker amp is a tube amp, you won't need an HE-Adapter (resistor box). For solid state speaker/power amps, just hook up the cans to speaker taps. You'll need a headphone cable adapter though, typically a 4-pin female XLR to L+/L-R+/R- banana plugs.

I'd skip the HE adapter - when I tried it a few years ago with my HE-6 I could hear the difference and it wasn't good. Seemed veiled.

Other............option is a vintage speaker amp. That's all I use and have for 7 years................feeding my current HE-6SE V1 and V2 (yes, have both) straight from the speaker taps. Outstanding bass.

Thanks for the advice! Looks like I'll need to learn how to make the XLR to banana plugs since the prices a pretty absurd but I guess it is quite niche.

I honestly wouldn't know what to look for in terms of vintage amplifiers as I've never owned anything more than a receiver for speakers. I've tried looking through several models recommended throughout this thread but some are either quite expensive or rarely pop up in CL or FB market.

 

[SilverEars]

Yeah, get a well made tap to headphone cable or tap to 4-pin XLR adapter. HE-6 is so hard to drive that it will take so much power and big mistake of keeping volume really high to blow the headphone. Only scenario I can think of is, if really inefficient speaker was used with really high wattage integrated amp and the volume was up high. I will wonder how the HE-6 would fare, but don't want to find out. lol

I noticed it's best to connect to the amp directly if even headphone output is provided with amp's tap power provided through the headphone out connection. Components in between will likely be detrimental to the sound. Like a box, and I don't trust most of the passive pre-amps out there, and even actives. The pre-amps causes differences in sound as well.

Even receiver headphone out is not quite good with the resistor there. It will cause fuzziness to the sound.

 

[Oregonian]

Thanks for the advice! Looks like I'll need to learn how to make the XLR to banana plugs since the prices a pretty absurd but I guess it is quite niche.

I honestly wouldn't know what to look for in terms of vintage amplifiers as I've never owned anything more than a receiver for speakers. I've tried looking through several models recommended throughout this thread but some are either quite expensive or rarely pop up in CL or FB market.

Not sure what part of SoCal you are but are there not any vintage stereo shops in your area? I say that coming from a Portland, OR area resident that has at least 4 good shops that specialize in repair and selling of vintage speaker amps. There are tons available on eBay as well, some already recapped and some not.

 

[sennfan83261]

Thanks for the advice! Looks like I'll need to learn how to make the XLR to banana plugs since the prices a pretty absurd but I guess it is quite niche.

I honestly wouldn't know what to look for in terms of vintage amplifiers as I've never owned anything more than a receiver for speakers. I've tried looking through several models recommended throughout this thread but some are either quite expensive or rarely pop up in CL or FB market.

Dyson audio sells this adapter for $34, just inform him what connectors you want (e.g. banana plugs, spade connectors, etc.): https://www.ebay.com/itm/113437046309

 

[Happy Camper]

After spending a little over a week with the He6sev2 I have to say it's not that impressive . Don't get me wrong, the details definitely live up to the praises but even with diminishing returns factored in I can't say it's justifiable at $700.

I am currently running it with an Asus Muse mkii dac into a Topping A90 with definite plans to pick up a D90. I don't plan to give up on the headphones yet without properly giving them a chance using a speaker amp.

Which option do you guys think I should go?

• Pay $120 for an HE-Adapter directly from Hifiman and pair it with an Onkyo HT-RC270
• Purchase Emotiva BasX A-100 Stereo Flex amplifier and use it in direct drive mode (8.5 watts @ 47Ohms)
• Other...

I'd wish I didn't have to get the adapter though as it's $120 for something I honestly feel should have been included with the headphones as it's use cases are very limited. I've seen some DIY making the adapter but I neither have the equipment nor the savvy to approach this. I'm leaning towards the Emotiva as I feel like for $100 I'll get more for my money than an overpriced adapter.

Unless running a tube amp, you don't "need" the adapter. You can run them off the speaker taps of SS amps with responsible volume control.

 

[SilverEars]

After spending a little over a week with the He6sev2 I have to say it's not that impressive . Don't get me wrong, the details definitely live up to the praises but even with diminishing returns factored in I can't say it's justifiable at $700.

I am currently running it with an Asus Muse mkii dac into a Topping A90 with definite plans to pick up a D90. I don't plan to give up on the headphones yet without properly giving them a chance using a speaker amp.

Which option do you guys think I should go?

• Pay $120 for an HE-Adapter directly from Hifiman and pair it with an Onkyo HT-RC270
• Purchase Emotiva BasX A-100 Stereo Flex amplifier and use it in direct drive mode (8.5 watts @ 47Ohms)
• Other...

I'd wish I didn't have to get the adapter though as it's $120 for something I honestly feel should have been included with the headphones as it's use cases are very limited. I've seen some DIY making the adapter but I neither have the equipment nor the savvy to approach this. I'm leaning towards the Emotiva as I feel like for $100 I'll get more for my money than an overpriced adapter.

Personally, I'd advise you to go with BasX and forget any adapter. Just plug in the two jumpers in the headphone-in circuit card in the front, and you will get as much power as the taps out of the 1/4 inch headphone out.

If you are going with amps and dacs, it's better to go with Schiit than something like Topping. Don't waste your money on the D90. For the same money, you can get a Bifrost 2, which should be much better sounding DAC. I think the issue with your setup is the Toppings. They certainly measure well, but doesn't mean they sound good. Same issue with overhyped, well measured crap like THX789. They don't sound good.

And also very important! Research pads because stock Palipads sound like crap.

 

[KenMan85]

We

Personally, I'd advise you to go with BasX and forget any adapter. Just plug in the two jumpers in the headphone-in circuit card in the front, and you will get as much power as the taps out of the 1/4 inch headphone out.

If you are going with amps and dacs, it's better to go with Schiit than something like Topping. Don't waste your money on the D90. For the same money, you can get a Bifrost 2, which should be much better sounding DAC. I think the issue with your setup is the Toppings. They certainly measure well, but doesn't mean they sound good. Same issue with overhyped, well measured crap like THX789. They don't sound good.

And also very important! Research pads because stock Palipads sound like crap.

I love my d 90

 

[KenMan85]

Unless running a tube amp, you don't "need" the adapter. You can run them off the speaker taps of SS amps with responsible volume control.

Screw bring volume careful turn it up to 11

 

[deafenears]

The newly released Schiit jotunheim 2:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sch...bable-start-up.701900/page-4553#post-16041352
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/schiit-jotunheim-2-impressions-thread.949824/

 

[DeafAudiophile]

Not sure what part of SoCal you are but are there not any vintage stereo shops in your area? I say that coming from a Portland, OR area resident that has at least 4 good shops that specialize in repair and selling of vintage speaker amps. There are tons available on eBay as well, some already recapped and some not.

I live in the LA area and not a lot of vintage of anything around where I live. I can't say I'm a savvy shopper when it comes to vintage times. The prices can be a bit complicated to gauge, know what it's worth and if I am overpaying or not. I'd also fear the conditions and working state as it can be costly to return through shipping.

Dyson audio sells this adapter for $34, just inform him what connectors you want (e.g. banana plugs, spade connectors, etc.): https://www.ebay.com/itm/113437046309

Thanks I checked them out but I think they might be a little delayed or on early holiday leave as they haven't gotten back to me in over 24 hrs. I'm still a little concerned considering I intend to use them on my receiver and according to the manual it is capable of 100 watts minimum continuous power per channel, 8 ohm loads, 2 channels but I am uncertain whether usage would be the same compared to a dedicated amp. I know it's not a tube amp but I'm not sure if the alternative is solid state only for a receiver.

Personally, I'd advise you to go with BasX and forget any adapter. Just plug in the two jumpers in the headphone-in circuit card in the front, and you will get as much power as the taps out of the 1/4 inch headphone out.

If you are going with amps and dacs, it's better to go with Schiit than something like Topping. Don't waste your money on the D90. For the same money, you can get a Bifrost 2, which should be much better sounding DAC. I think the issue with your setup is the Toppings. They certainly measure well, but doesn't mean they sound good. Same issue with overhyped, well measured crap like THX789. They don't sound good.

And also very important! Research pads because stock Palipads sound like crap.

I'll definitely look into the pads but I don't want to jump the gun before I figure out if the headphones are worth keeping. I am kind of leaning towards the BasX as well, just checking if there are better options out there before I burn $250 to test likely the only headphones that will ever need a speaker amp. I just find it a bit more useful that if they don't provide any improvement I can keep them as a speaker amp though for my computer I already use the Airmotiv5 and don't see a reason to upgrade.

 

[SilverEars]

Ok, so way back I was recommended Schiit Saga with Adcom GFA 545 or 555. I went with 545, and tried out various pre-amps and I initially thought it was a bit too warm of a sounding amp. I did however noticed that it sounded better than the NAD, and BasX being a bit on the colder side in comparison. With various pre-amp types I was getting a bit of thick warmth and bass reduction which I didn't like. That was until I tried Schiit Saga. Now I see why the Saga was recommended in this combo. Saga seems to best signal integrity of the pre-amps I've tried so far. Adcom is still on the warm-side, but not excessively so like from other pre-amps I found out from the Saga. I can tell the signal integrity is good with Saga because the bass is quite visceral with the Saga. But, I think HE-6 can sound more vivid in the imaging than this setup. The imaging still isn't presented in a way of sounds popping out in all directions with seemingly the sounds being expressed like they are expanded outward and sounding more distinct (I like this sort of ridiculous imaging. lol). I think the timbre of this setup will come off more natural to a lot of people being on the warm side. And the bass is quite fun when I run into tracks that hits and rumbles.

 

[SilverEars]

I feel like driving a headphone out of speaker taps of a high wattage amp gives a similar feel to a car with unnecessarily high horse power. lol. Something masculine about this act. lol

Bass of HE-6 a bit unique. It hits, and hit hard, but doesn't bounce back so much, quickly gets back in position to hit again. So, it hits hard, but doesn't really have much subsequent bass decay release. Hits hard and tight, and very fast. Not so tight, has slight softness of the hit, but doesn't decay so much after the hit, it just gets right back for another hit (which is the speed of it's responsiveness). It's like a concentrated rubber ball hitting.

Certain dynamics sounds like there is slight phase delay after the bass hit like subwoofers, but HE-6 is opposite.

I think the purpose of the power of speaker amps is to get this sort of response from the bass. Like an acceleration from a car from the greater horsepower.

 

[DeafAudiophile]

I feel like driving a headphone out of speaker taps of a high wattage amp gives a similar feel to a car with unnecessarily high horse power. lol. Something masculine about this act. lol

Bass of HE-6 a bit unique. It hits, and hit hard, but doesn't bounce back so much, quickly gets back in position to hit again. So, it hits hard, but doesn't really have much subsequent bass decay release. Hits hard and tight, and very fast. Not so tight, has slight softness of the hit, but doesn't decay so much after the hit, it just gets right back for another hit (which is the speed of it's responsiveness). It's like a concentrated rubber ball hitting.

Certain dynamics sounds like there is slight phase delay after the bass hit like subwoofers, but HE-6 is opposite.

I think the purpose of the power of speaker amps is to get this sort of response from the bass. Like an acceleration from a car from the greater horsepower.

I decided to go the enlightened route. I bought the BasX and the taps. Going to find out the truth for myself. Now I just need to figure out which pads will improve my listening experience.