Hello all,
I just listen H6 this week, and I would to summarize the results of listening, now.
The new Hifiman H6 is a good headphone, with real headstage, less than HD800, and like to sound good with speaker-out of traditional amp.
There is 3 focal key points about listen the H6:
1) MKVI rediscovered another amp, with sufficient power to drive H6, and re-valve it with Tung-sol, or Sylvania, can do better linearity. (I do not try this)
2) integrated headphone outputs of traditional amp, is insufficient for H6. No worry, but H6 would more power than jack.
3) Wonder to drive speakers directly from 2 amp (hybrid and SS). The sound is impressive, rich, beautiful, like a mixture from HD800 balanced and DT880 Pro balanced.
Well, I have to reconsider a set of parameters for MKVI about his input gain and swing.
I had forgotten the existence of the gain adjustable (5x and 10x dedicated to K1000) on this amp.
Advance that all the headsets I have, and now with 10x gain ruminating over 50% of dynamic than before (gain 5x). The reason is to be found in the type of change made valves, which I try to explain it simply.
It should be a brief tour around the valve gear, said. The original Russian 6H9C on pre were replaced with a matched pair of Brimar nos CV1988, equivalent to 6SN7GT, with MU at about 20. If I had opted for the 6SL7 (with MU 70) I noticed that increase of dynamic appreciated by those with the MKVI tube rolled 6SL7 on pre. Actually, I thought I had solved by using a pre-ampli, with improved dynamics, but not to the levels that I heard tonight with gain of MKVI set to 10x.
The income surplus 5x gain more, which arose with the pre-balancer, positive effects.
Well, I then set the internal dip-switches on the position 10x gain of MKVI, and I connected the H6.
Sounds better than before (5x) and after 30 hours burn-in, I notice a fog on acute deliver more dynamic but is veiled, like the HD650 for those who know.
But let us proceed to order:
CD source dAD3 Cyrus DAC with additional high-performance, redundant external power PSX-R.
alternative source CD: Sony professional balanced (nothing esoteric)
Software CD: Classical, symphonic, piano, Italian, light rock, electronic.
The amp which I saw all my comments, in the round, the MKVI, has been linked to two sources.
results: H6 returns as what is upstream, better with Cyrus.
The sound of H6 (will all burn-in and exchange rate gain) is veiled, very present in ultra-low range, the valves give the heat anyway, and everything is whispered to minimum volumes, and becomes furious at listening volumes high. The MKVI now works at 10 o'clock with minimum volumes, 11 o'clock with volumes supported by the hour, at 12 o'clock we are at high levels. The dynamic is great, a sign that H6 is like the K1000, thirsting for power steering, and well like high volumes.
Overall, however, something I am not convinced, and denotes that the MKVI is nevertheless limited than for the impedance to the low efficiency of H6 (89 dB). In fact working near its limits, in the highest working class A. Witness the fact that the clock bias reeling at 12. The greatest gain has had its desired effect, has increased the momentum, but in general practice has also approached the point of "breaking": the response of protections for excessive power output.
Thus, with the MKVI, the HiFiman H6 does not marry very well. My vote is 6. But a re-valve with 6SL7 or another tube like Sylvania or Tung-sol, more light in high frequencies, can do the difference.
Surprise comes from the comparison across the board of SW CD (from classical to symphonic, rock, electronic), including all balanced headphones I have, heavy bass AKG K340 balanced, Sennheiser HD800 balanced, Beyerdinamic DT880pro balanced, and also by Ultrasone Pro 900 SE, which shows the Queen Monitor the evening.
A net increase of sharpness, contrast micro-dynamics, wider dynamic music, the HD800 is shown another headset, very comprehensive and with a headstage unbeatable widespread.
now: listen test with Cyrus CD SE, pre-amp balancer (8 Volt rms for phase), MKVI tube rolled 2 Brimar CV1988, 4 Raytheon 6080 balanced.
The piano
(Beethoven, the Moonlight - Pathetique - Waldstein, Dubravka Tomsic - DDD)
(Alla Turca)
(For Elisa)
(Waltz)
convince me with H6, the presence of many harmonics, and for those ultra-low prevailing on the scene. The result is colorful, perhaps a bit too much, but pleasant listening.
With the 800 it clearly indicates the presence of space between the notes, and individual harmonic, beautiful and very airy.
With the 900pro, the piano gives me the impression of listening as it is vivid, sharp and precise.
With the 880Pro, the notes of the piano seem to extend beyond the head, a beautiful scene, better sound of previus less gain on MKVI (5x gain before)
Classic:
Tchaikovsky - Overture 1812
Mozart - Violin Concerto No 4
Donizetti - Don Pasquale
Beethoven - Symphony No.5
Delibes - Coppelia
Johann Strauss Jr. - Roses from the South
The full orchestral are made with color from the H6, the ultra-low frequencies precedence, accentuating the sense of fog on acute. In short, this amp MKVI and H6 just do not want with Brimar valve. Brimar have rich bass, sweet med, fog on acute. H6 is a trasparent headphone. It can sound like a neutral effect, the amp can imprinting sound quality. This is my impression.
Other headphones are inspired by the descriptions, relegating at HD800 the advantage of better ambience instrumental performance.
The Opera:
Verdi - La forza del destino - opera in 4 acts - Domingo, Freni, Zancanaro, Plishka, Bruscantini, Zajíc - Orchesta and chorus of the "Teatro della Scala" - Riccardo Muti art director.
The voice of Don Alvaro (Domingo) has made a very natural, and heat together. That of Carlos (Zancanaro) is powerful, full-bodied, pleasant female ones, never annoying.
The H6 is a headset with low efficiency, means that there is absolute silence in the moments of "quiet" apparent. This is also the effect of fog on acute. With H6 i do not listen rumors, humm, but more silence also in musical moment.
Other headphones snubbing the H6, particularly the HD 800, which I like very much for the performance stage, you can also hear the rustling of clothes ... (The apparent calm in the first decade). Demerit is for MKVI, that just tries to please the H6, but fails to drive with natural sound (with this valve it is much colorfull and unbalanced to bass frequencies).
Electronics:
Jean Michel Jarre - Oxygene, Equinoxe, Magnetic Field, Band in the rain, globe trotter, Calypso.
The H6 astounding color rendering, which it does indicate a remarkable capacity ranges in consistency, which in reality clear with direct speaker-out drive mode.
The other headphones have their typical characteristics, the 900pro much monitor, more headstage for the HD800 with Jarre, the 880Pro is a revelation, the K340 is married to yield the "magic" of a electrostatic drive. I had both versions, the heavy bass is much more convincing than the light bass.
Gianna Nannini (italian rock): orchestra with violins, bows, cross between light rock and modern symphonic.
Other headphones convince many more of H6. The demerit is the MKVI and this setup valve.
I tried to listen H6 with MKVI output SE, the H6 loss dinamic, better with balance mode drive.
And now, the revelation, the H6 amazed me how he can "eat" real 80 watts rms per channel of a hybrid Aeron A160 tube rolled Mullard CV2493 in the pre and final pairs in push-pull Power MOSFET.
It is the complete headphone, which I had expected. Great coherence and harmonic ranges, some cohesion without smudging, all of 800 airy, the 900pro heavy bass presense, 880Pro crisp, the K340 electrostatic.
What headphones, and rich sound, all wins, for a micro-dynamic and large dynamic impact, for clarity.
Winning in every aspect. H6 is wonderful.
The overall sound (Hybrid Aeron A160) is typical of a good hybrid, hot and fast transient. Sounds just like my hybrid ambience .... I will not conceal that I stopped open-mouthed in front of the pumping station watt H6...
The dances end with the Luxman LR8500 Solid State, another power of 140 Watts RMS 2-channel, pure stereo. The glass ... ambience in ... tremble and double.
H6 is an ally of the shows first glance with the SS. Reveals a disarming speed transient, a wonderful micro-detail, while maintaining a sound veiled hot. In this case, H6 sound with natural velocity, tipical of my Luxman. H6 is a transparent headphone, the amp is the director, H6 is like to good servo-drive.
Another example of the inefficiency of traditional transducers H6 requires amp, exaggerated by the powers, to play divinely.
Technically, they will reach a few mW, but the dynamic input that sounds wonderful, with adapters for the speaker outputs.
That said, 'decree for my little experience, and my humble opinion, the H6 a great headphone, nice to hear, you forget the rest of source, pre, ampli, wire, esoteric concept.
Only I think the drive amp can do a powerfull traditional amp, for good listen.
Now, the H6 is go out to Axellone forumer.
Best regards,
Carlo.
