My favorite cans is H6 and I still find it very interesting to pair H6 with different setup to find the maximum performance.
I prefer H6 gen1 over gen2, gen2 for me still is very good cans, it can surpass H6v1 in matching with low power source as dap, easy to drive and gain the detail. The treble is sharper and it help v2 to present the micro detail. Compared to H6v1, gen2 is easier to driver, better treble detail, mid is dryer, bass is thicker, not as clean as gen1.
H6 gen1 is very hard to driver to the right performance. If plug in to weak source the signature of v1 is sounded like thin mid range, lack of low mid and treble. Best suite for clean and clear voice such as Haley Westenra or Celtic Woman voice. The overal tonality is clean and clean through the whole frequency range. I have receive many claim that H6 lacks the sub bass but with my experience, the bass performance and improve extremely much by proper power(detail may go later). The mid range of H6 (in my perspective) is the strongest point of H6, very clean, clear and ariculate, with proper source, you can improve not only bass performance but also add the warmth and thickness to low mid range. I can also enjoy andrea boceli and Alan Taylor :3. Treble of H6 in my expectation (compared to HD800) is lack of power and sharpness, glaring and glassy. However it is suitable for a close can because treble extension can be overhem in the close air can like H6, the room for driver and earpad is not much. I have experience a black cans from UK which treble energy is quite overhem, it lack detail and quite over-dazzling. But the current can now, a brown hazel version is very better, current I'm keeping several cans, but the one bronze hazel for me is the most reference one of H6.
Before going to next part, I would like to assume that the weakness but the potential behind of H6 is: lack of sharperness and detail in treble extended region, clean and thin mid range, clean bass is thin and lack off body and meaty.
Clarity of H6 is very good, but the detail is not excellent. The interesting point is detail can improve very much with high power source and dac. The treble detail and extension can improve with proper DAC such as in the picture below, sp1000 is the best dap to pair with H6, it can drive H6 to the insane level of detail. Another try, H6 with Hifiman 901S, it driver H6 with very much energy and body present in low range, layering is very good but the weekpoint is mid range clarity and detail is not meet my expectation. Aune dap is quite suite for H6 too, Ibasso Dx200 may suite too but I need to give a try :3
Power to H6, in my opinion it still very hunger for power when drive with a dap. A dac/amp combo may be a better choice for p/p. Current i'm plug it in combo cypherlab solo -DB and Alo rxmk3 -b+, and it quite , imo, one of the best choice for p/p. The overall detail and layering of sound stage is improved very much, however, I'm current wanting more from the dac such as a insane level as sp1000 does. This combo can beat sp1000 and 901S in driving power. With, high gain, which is the most extended treble and bass power,H6 also can play Metal music very well(Epica, Hargard), really impressive for portability solution.
Trying with signature sample from B&W.
