Amps that can drive the HiFiMan HE-6 planar headphones
Nov 3, 2017 at 2:26 PM Post #5,116 of 6,061
I use the Sansui AU719 with 100W @ 8Ohm and I have no hiss issues or channel imbalance. The volume adjustments could be an issue if bypass the digital preamp function on the DAC, but I use it and set it to about 2/3rds of full output, and I am fine.
 
Nov 5, 2017 at 11:42 PM Post #5,118 of 6,061
I did ages ago with a very short audition... nothing really stood out from memory.
 
Nov 6, 2017 at 12:26 AM Post #5,120 of 6,061
In theory a kilowatt amp should blow (literally) everything else out of the water... but theory and practice are rarely in sync.
 
Nov 6, 2017 at 12:54 AM Post #5,122 of 6,061
Got the J2 again and it's just as good as I remember it. Such a good pairing.
 
Dec 7, 2017 at 4:24 AM Post #5,126 of 6,061
What would any ones experience be with a perfectly black background, absolutely no hiss from a speaker amp with the Hifiman's connected? I used to have the Musical Fidelity A308CR Pre+Amp paired with the HE400i, and as lovely as it was, there was hiss preventing me from extracting all of the potential from the amplifier. Could only really turn the volume to 10-11 o'clock. Something to consider, I could have sworn that there was channel imbalance due to the low level out of the pre section, something I have have experienced before.

Another note to make, I also used to have noise with my headphone amplifier but only at full volume, now with a power line conditioner it's gone, zero noise or hiss in the headphones at full volume (without music playing of course.) Now I have the headphone amplifier turned up to nearly full volume and have adjusted the DAC to lower the volume, channel imbalance improved a lot, pretty much gone.This is my concern with going down the speaker separates path again, will most likely try a few out in my system and see how they go with the noise floor.

Got me thinking maybe the MF would have had a better noise floor with the line conditioner?

Anyone got a noiseless system with a speaker amp and Hifiman cans?

Looking at options for the next amp to get, probably will go with the HE1000.
 
Dec 7, 2017 at 11:47 AM Post #5,127 of 6,061
I have an HE-6 (6 screws) that I run through my power amp (Primare A32 250W @ 8 Ohms) and have no hiss. Volume control is through my Primare Pre32 preamp (max volume on the dial is 75). When listening to the HE-6 the max volume is around 37, with speakers around 50. My DAC is set to LINE for fixed (not variable) output. I also have a vintage Yamaha A-450 integrated amp (1980's 200W @ 8 Ohms) I used to burn in a WyWires Red Series XLR HP cable.The volume knob starts at about 7 o'clock = zero. I barely turn the volume past 8 when listening to the HE-6. There's channel imbalance just past zero but it levels out quickly. Looks like your HE-400i and the HE-1000 impedance is 35 Ohms and meant to be driven with regular headphone amps, not speaker amps. The HE-6's impedance is 50 Ohms and I've had another forum member tell me they wouldn't even drive the HE-6 with an amp as powerful as mine. But the combination works wonderfully and I enjoy it. I had Violectric's V281 HP amp for a while (great HP amp which drove all of my HP's wonderfully with the volume around 9 o'clock for the HE-6). Also had the Sennheiser HDVA 600 HP amp which drove the HD-650 and HD-800 very well. I always run my HP's with balanced XLR cables (for me it greatly improves sound quality). YMMV.
 
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Dec 7, 2017 at 12:14 PM Post #5,129 of 6,061
I saw you sold it the first time you had it. I figured you did not enjoy the pairing and honestly was surprised. I am glad that was not the case, beautiful synergy between the two for sure!

I sold it because I needed the funds for another purchase at the time that I didnt want to pass on. Have always loved the pairing and wouldnt consider another power amp for the HE-6 until I hear one that is definitely better.
 
Dec 7, 2017 at 12:24 PM Post #5,130 of 6,061
I was thinking since Naim amps have high current output so theoretically should be able to drive the 6 well.

Well, let's look at the HE6 specs. It has a rated impedance of 50 ohms and a rated sensitivity of 83.5 dB - presumably that is for 1 milliwatt input. Using a variation of Ohm's law, power = V*V/R = I*I*R so 1 milliwatt into 50 ohms is 0.224 V rms, or 4.5 mA rms.

This means that 22.4 V rms, or 0.45 A rms will produce 123 dB into your ears, which is above the threshold of pain. 22.4 V rms is about 60 watts into 8 ohms, while 0.45 A rms is only 1.6 watts into 8 ohms - 60 watts into 8 ohms corresponds to 2.7 A rms.

So, it doesn't need a high current output - in fact any speaker amp that is rated at 60 watts per channel into 8 ohms, even a cheap junk amp that current limits into any load below 8 ohms, IS a high current output amp into the 50 ohm load of the HE6, and hurt you without any problems whatsoever.
 
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