[Tobes]

I concur.  The highest peak-to-peak voltage I've measured on my HE-6 (driven by a 125 W @ 8 ohm amp) was ± 20 V.  The F5 spec says ± 20 V peak is max unclipped output voltage.  8 W peak should be great for the HE-6.

Assuming 40Vp-p and 50ohms for HE6 would give about 4W rms

Edit: I incorrectly wrote 20V p-p when of course its 40V p-p. = 14.14Vrms. Which is the value is used to calculate 4W

 

[StryGR]

p-p Voltage > peak W, not rms!

 

[Tobes]

  p-p Voltage > peak W, not rms!

I'm not sure what you mean by that?
All I'm saying is that 40Vp-p at the output with a 50ohm load will be 4W rms. 
I thought people would relate to the rms power figure since most amps are specced that way.

 

[Maconi]

 
 


The F5's peak power is actually double that 25W RMS rating, so it will be more like an 8W max peak into the HE-6. Plenty of juice for the HE-6.

I concur.  The highest peak-to-peak voltage I've measured on my HE-6 (driven by a 125 W @ 8 ohm amp) was ± 20 V.  The F5 spec says ± 20 V peak is max unclipped output voltage.  8 W peak should be great for the HE-6.

 


The Schiit Ragnarok can do 10W @ 50ohms meaning it's pushing ~22V, right? (could be butchering the math there lol)

If so maybe I should put the HE-6 on my list of headphones to try someday (I have a Ragnarok).

 

[Hansotek]

  ...Which means 14.5 V rms max. output voltage that cannot completely drive the HE-6 to its limits. Right?

 
Assuming 40Vp-p and 50ohms for HE6 would give about 4W rms

Edit: I incorrectly wrote 20V p-p when of course its 40V p-p. = 14.14Vrms. Which is the value is used to calculate 4W

  p-p Voltage > peak W, not rms!

I'm not sure what you mean by that?
All I'm saying is that 40Vp-p at the output with a 50ohm load will be 4W rms. 
I thought people would relate to the rms power figure since most amps are specced that way.

 
Ok look guys, this is all in the manual for the amp. 
 
The maximum unclipped voltage output from the amp is +/- 20V, not 14.4. The F5 will provide up to 10A of current against a 2 ohm load. From that we can extrapolate the F5 is going to give you 50W into 8 ohms (which is also in the manual), and 8W into 50 ohms. Those are the max ratings. I believe that was the original question.
 
The RMS spec listed is simply those numbers divided by two (this is also in the manual). This is a common practice when spec-ing speaker amps, since dynamic peaks vary greatly. Does that answer all the questions?

 

[LarsHP]

   
Ok look guys, this is all in the manual for the amp. 
 
The maximum unclipped voltage output from the amp is +/- 20V, not 14.4. The F5 will provide up to 10A of current against a 2 ohm load. From that we can extrapolate the F5 is going to give you 50W into 8 ohms (which is also in the manual), and 8W into 50 ohms. Those are the max ratings. I believe that was the original question.
 
The RMS spec listed is simply those numbers divided by two (this is also in the manual). This is a common practice when spec-ing speaker amps, since dynamic peaks vary greatly. Does that answer all the questions?

This means that if a well designed amp is spec'ed to 50W RMS, then it's usually capable of doing 100W in peaks?

If this is true, I certainly learned something new today too.

 

[Hansotek]

This means that if a well designed amp is spec'ed to 50W RMS, then it's usually capable of doing 100W in peaks?

If this is true, I certainly learned something new today too.

 
I'll quote Nelson Pass's explanation from the F5 manual. In his explanation of the simplified circuit, he says:
 
"The power of 2.6 amps into 8 ohms is I^2 * R, or 2.6 * 2.6 * 8 = 54 watts. This is the peak value, and the nature of an undistorted sine wave is that the peak wattage is twice the average, so this circuit would operate 27 watts average Class A into 8 ohms. At currents above 2.6 amps one of the transistors will shut off, leaving the other to continue to increase beyond the 2.6 amps in what is known as Class AB."
 
(He goes on to add some resistors later in explanation of the finished circuit, which bring the power specs down to 25W RMS & 50W max)

 

[Tobes]

   
Ok look guys, this is all in the manual for the amp. 
 
The maximum unclipped voltage output from the amp is +/- 20V, not 14.4. The F5 will provide up to 10A of current against a 2 ohm load. From that we can extrapolate the F5 is going to give you 50W into 8 ohms (which is also in the manual), and 8W into 50 ohms. Those are the max ratings. I believe that was the original question.
 
The RMS spec listed is simply those numbers divided by two (this is also in the manual). This is a common practice when spec-ing speaker amps, since dynamic peaks vary greatly. Does that answer all the questions?

No volts have been stolen: - 40Vp-p = 14.14Vrms - rms volts is p-p divided by  2*Sqrt(2)
It's just a different way of expressing the same thing.
The 8ohm rms figure quoted by Pass can be deduced by substituting the rms voltage above:
P=V^2/R = (14.14)^2 / 8 = 25Wrms
 
Anyway my point in the post above was that the HE6 is using 4Wrms max - most of the time much less.
ie 4Wrms is adequate..
The more important parameter is the SQ of the watts - which is apparently very good with the F5.

 

[Hansotek]

 
Your math isn't wrong. RMS average voltage and max unclipped voltage are simply different things. I think we were just both confused by what stryGR was saying and trying to help.

 

[Happy Camper]

Before dropping the bucks for a Rag. for the 6s, type in the unit in the HE-6 thread. Less expensive amps with better performance with the 6s can be had.

 

[Keithpgdrb]

I'd just like to drop a note that I'm getting really nice results running the he6 from my Yamaha cr2020 receiver.  Also, FAR too many people have written the HE6 off because of the amping requirments.  they dont realize that excellent speaker amps can cost A LOT less then trying to find an actual headphone amp with the proper juice.  
 
AND, having heard most of the current flagship headphones out there, I still think the HE6 is the one to beat.  granted, I have not spent time with top tier stax, a properly amped and fitted Abyss, or the new hd800s (yet).  But for what I look for in my listening, the HE6 has not left me wanting.  The prices of the new flagships are out of control as well.  and now you can get an HE6 on Amazon for under 1K.. come on. seriously?
 
Fang really brought it with this headphone.  and he did it in what, like 2010?  respect.

 

[Hansotek]

I'd just like to drop a note that I'm getting really nice results running the he6 from my Yamaha cr2020 receiver.  Also, FAR too many people have written the HE6 off because of the amping requirments.  they dont realize that excellent speaker amps can cost A LOT less then trying to find an actual headphone amp with the proper juice.  

AND, having heard most of the current flagship headphones out there, I still think the HE6 is the one to beat.  granted, I have not spent time with top tier stax, a properly amped and fitted Abyss, or the new hd800s (yet).  But for what I look for in my listening, the HE6 has not left me wanting.  The prices of the new flagships are out of control as well.  and now you can get an HE6 on Amazon for under 1K.. come on. seriously?

Fang really brought it with this headphone.  and he did it in what, like 2010?  respect.

That Yamaha sounded awesome at the Chicago meet!

 

[GUTB]

So. How DO you HE-6 owners connect these headphones to speaker taps? I've used a HiFiMan HE-Adapter to connect mine to a old Pioneer VS-816 (110w/c) -- and besides it sounding pretty inferior, the HE-Adapter is prone to getting very hot, and solder or something inside releasing stinking smoke. Placing the adapter in an open window during freezing temperatures will solve that problem, but that's obviously not a workable solution.

 

[Hansotek]

  So. How DO you HE-6 owners connect these headphones to speaker taps? I've used a HiFiMan HE-Adapter to connect mine to a old Pioneer VS-816 (110w/c) -- and besides it sounding pretty inferior, the HE-Adapter is prone to getting very hot, and solder or something inside releasing stinking smoke. Placing the adapter in an open window during freezing temperatures will solve that problem, but that's obviously not a workable solution.

 
You don't need the HE-Adaptor if you're running the HE-6 out of a solid state amp. You're just adding extra resistance and degrading the signal. You only need it if you are running out of a tube amp.
 
With a solid state amp you can terminate directly into the speaker taps with your cable. Many people prefer to do this with a 4-pin female to speaker tap adaptor like this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Handmade-Dyson-Audio-OFHC-Hifiman-HE-6-HE-5LE-HE-4-Binding-Post-Adapter-/351647572231 

 

[Keithpgdrb]

  So. How DO you HE-6 owners connect these headphones to speaker taps? I've used a HiFiMan HE-Adapter to connect mine to a old Pioneer VS-816 (110w/c) -- and besides it sounding pretty inferior, the HE-Adapter is prone to getting very hot, and solder or something inside releasing stinking smoke. Placing the adapter in an open window during freezing temperatures will solve that problem, but that's obviously not a workable solution.

 
 

   
You don't need the HE-Adaptor if you're running the HE-6 out of a solid state amp. You're just adding extra resistance and degrading the signal. You only need it if you are running out of a tube amp.
 
With a solid state amp you can terminate directly into the speaker taps with your cable. Many people prefer to do this with a 4-pin female to speaker tap adaptor like this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Handmade-Dyson-Audio-OFHC-Hifiman-HE-6-HE-5LE-HE-4-Binding-Post-Adapter-/351647572231 

Yes. this.. 
I am terminated to bare wire into the speaker taps as well.  I had the cable made.  I believe in pulling as much out of the signal path as possible.  I thought about hardwiring the cables to the drivers, but opted against it, just in case I ever wanted to sell them.  
 
some people have taken the included adapter and just chopped off the xlr.  I did not. lol.