[alota]

Quote:

So, where are we now in the loaner program ?
We have no news since Axellone's review...

best56
i think that you´re the next
aldo 

 

[giuca70]

Hello friends,
 
so, Enrico, You consider first edition of H6, best than this revisited version of new H6.
 
The difference: plus efficiency, less realistic.
 
When I listen first version H6, I remember good sound, very realistic sound, but this get 2/4  volume of my Ibrid 80 Watt per channel.
 
You think H5-LE is best buy ?

 

[axellone]

 
Hello Carlo, I certainly prefer the first version of the he6, more difficult to play well, but much more realistic then the second version.
Now he5 and he6  have a very similar sound, but  he6 is superior in everything and is a very great improvement for those love he5.

 

[grokit]

 
Quote:

 
Hello Carlo, I certainly prefer the first version of the he6, more difficult to play well, but much more realistic then the second version.
Now he5 and he6  have a very similar sound, but  he6 is superior in everything and is a very great improvement for those love he5.

This is what I was afraid of 

 

[best56]

 
[size=12.5pt].... Good Morning Headphone Friends,[/size]

[size=12.5pt]Yesterday afternoon is arrived  the long awaited Hifiman HE-6 Headphone from my friend Vulcan, and now I can start with a plays for a simultaneous comparison with others my Headphones Top Class as AKG K1000, Grado GS1000 and Rudistor MD1 Chroma Signature.[/size]

• The Headphone System is composed of:

• Source: Krell-KPS20i and SACD Marantz SA-15S1 as Transport only and D/A Converter by  Krell
• Driver: CEC HD53N, ull Balanced and Spark D730, with 300B Tube in S.E.
• Cable Signal: Transparent Ultra XLR (balanced) and Reveletional Harmonic Sound Silver RCA.
• Digital Cable: MIT Digital Reference
• Power Cable: Oyaide  with Schuko and IEC plug C-079 P-079E.

The software used for this short session, was:

• Antonio Forcione in "Live" (Naim Label)
• Al Di Meola in "Live in Milan, World Sinfonia" (Velten Label)
• Kramer Remar "Amentos (Velut Luna Label)
• Rachelle Ferrell "Rachelle Ferrell" (Somethin'else Label)
• Pink Floyd "Dark Side Of The Moon" (Harvest Original Master Recording Label)
• Pink Floyd "Wish You Were Here (Harvest Label)

The packaging of the HE-6 is quite heavy compared to the received x MD1 Chroma Signature, and in fact the inside I was presented with a wooden box covered with plastic and with the logo HIFIMAN.
 Inside there is the HE-6 placed in a home shaped for its form, accompanied by a cord about 2 meters of transparent harness, that similar to ALO Cable ... but I do not know, with  small gold connectors to screw the transducers on one side, and on the other side a 4-pin male XLR connector, similar to the AKG K1000, and also a harness of about 1 meter. 4-pin XLR female and on the other side, a 6.3 mm jack. Furutech golden. Then add to a photo with an explanation in English, I find a plastic adapter cables to connect headphones directly to the speaker outputs of the amplifier, using banana plugs on one side and the other side is always a female XLR connector. This Adapter  I think that will not present on  final production, and will be similar to AKG K1000 Model.

HE-6 pulled away from the case, I realize that the headphone weighs like a brick, and in fact intrigued by the hill on a kitchen scale, and read a basic weight of 550 gr., That is more of  300gr. than the MD1 and Chroma and GS1000, and 250gr. more of the K1000.
The manufacture is good but not to State of the Art ... but we are talking about a pre-production, the color black appears in the light showed an intense dark color aubergine, very special. The directions left and right of Trasducer , are abbreviated in small “L” and “R” on the back of them, and certainly difficult to distinguish in dim light.
 
 
[size=12.5pt]Post in the head, the headset shows its full weight, even if well distributed between arch and transducers, however some pressure is present on temple and jaw, not just giving a sense of comfort, and the weight will impact dramatically on the neck and shoulder, after a play not so long time.[/size]

[size=12.5pt]Listen[/size]

The system is well warmed up and start listening with unbalanced version, using the one meter harness of equipment in HE-6, consisting of a 6.3mm jack and XLR 4 pin connector, which connects to male headphone cable terminal . All pins are gold plated but the beauty and finish are not comparable with the Connectors installed by Rudistor on his Top MD1 Chroma. In this configuration, I have used the CEC HD53N Driver. I can not make a play simultaneously with two attached headphones because the volume needed to drive the HE-6, goes up to 12:30 hours, is to much for Grado GS1000 and MD1 Chroma. The sound that comes out is not acceptable sound because is very closed and constipated. For this reason I aborted after a few minutes this solution, because the parameters are unlistenable for a Headphone Top Class.

So, I decided that maybe the best synergy, as for the K1000, using the valve driver 300B SE, through out of the speakers connectors and using the same extension cord utilized for my AKG K1000.

This extension was built with the help and experience of a friend who works c/o the Avionics Department of my Company, using a Military Specification Cable for Aviation, bought surplus, because obsolete and no longer in use on the aircraft, whose cost was initially U.S. $ 100 in Yard (0.9133 m).. Which means that x to make a cable length of 3 meters., It takes 12 mt. cable x total just over $ 1,300 (about 950 €).

Resumed the hearing in this configuration, the volume knob was from 9-10 o’clock, normal position for a level of play more than good ... but what has dramatically changed, is the sound that came out of these transducers, now up to the other TOP in my possession. Sound is clear and beautiful carved with a great tone and great bass, though the sound stage (headstage), however, does not reach the levels of the other three compared in this review, but certainly for those who have at hand a meter comparison like this, it certainly led to appreciate the sound that comes out of this headset HE-6, is certainly the performance of the valve and cable K1000, bring out the beauty that this headset can offer in terms of listening.
Listening to the live CD of Al di Meola, with Peo Alfonsi, Beccalossi and Ortiz, you seem to be on stage in their midst. ... A really good experience, if we played more realistically with the K1000, GS1000 and MD1 Chroma, what from skin crawl.
This my opinion, I understand that goes a bit 'in conflict with other opinions that has been reported on Forum by other friends for this pre-production test. In addition to my partial defense, I have not had a previous experience of listening the baby, the HE5-LE, but the listening that I get in this configuration is a nice feeling, better than the one received with the HD800 at home of my friend Vulcan. I think the best trade off x this headphone is with the driver tube fitted with valves 2A3 or 300B SE or similar.
 

[size=12.5pt]Very good the sound of the HE-6 through the Driver CEC HD-53N, in full balanced configuration, and through the output speakers.

Conclusions[/size]

The conclusions are quite clear and outlined in my logic, all 4 Headphones are real Fuoriserie.
[size=12.5pt]Wanting to give an overall score to our protagonists, I would say that the order of arrival is this:[/size]

[size=12.5pt]• AKG K1000 (Score 10)[/size]
• Chroma MD1 Signature (Score 9.5)
• Grado GS1000 (Score 9 -)
• HE-6 (rating 8)

A parting thoughts on the HE-6, is on what could be the motivation its hypothetical purchase or otherwise, in the near future are tied to the economic fundamental for me:

1) If the purchase price was confirmed at around $ 1,600 (1150 €), the purchase is certainly not advisable, given the severity of its use due to high weight (550gr.) and what can offer at lower prices Rudistor, Grado, Sennheiser and Beyerdynamic.
2) If the price will be lower, between 950-1000 USD (€ 680-720), certainly the HE-6 can be a Best  Buy, seen the better performance showed respect to Sennheiser HD-800.


Valentino

 

[grokit]

 
Quote:

Originally Posted by best56 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
HE-6 pulled away from the case, I realize that the headphone weighs like a brick, and in fact intrigued by the hill on a kitchen scale, and read a basic weight of 550 gr.
 
[size=12.5pt]• AKG K1000 (Score 10)[/size]
• Chroma MD1 Signature (Score 9.5)
• Grado GS1000 (Score 9 -)
• HE-6 (rating 8)

Valentino, is that 550g without the cable? That makes it the same weight as the LCD-2.
 
And where would you rate the HD800 on this scale, how far less than 8?

 

[axellone]

Quote:

 

.. is that 550g without the cable? ....

The weight without the cable is 505gr.

 

[kiertijai]

Dear Best56,
    Thanks for your interesting and thorough review of the new headphones  other than the 3 most popular : Sennheiser HD800, Audeze LCD2 and Beyerdynamic T1.
    I am very interested in the HE6 and the Chroma MD1 signature.  You have mentioned that you scored more for the Chroma MD1.
    Could you elaborate more that that?   I am also interested in the HE6 and followed the blogs for a couple of months now, however it seems that the
sound signature of HE6 is the same as the HE5 which I have already owned two of them.   What is the sound signature of the Chroma MD1 signature?
What kind of music  for this headphone?  What are the other specifications : what type of cable do they use , is it replacable ? can it be modified to
a 4 pin XLR?  My amplifier is ZDT with 2 4pin XLR and 1/4 jack.
    I have entered their website and know that the cost is 990$ including S&H worldwide and I have emailed them to get more detail of the specification only to know that
the price will be increased by 10% next week because of the falling dollars against euro.
Thanks,
Kiertijai

 

[kiertijai]

Dear Best56
   I am also interested in your review about the Rudistor : is it the comercially available Chroma MD1 or the limited version or Chroma signature?

 

[alota]

Quote:

Dear Best56
   I am also interested in your review about the Rudistor : is it the comercially available Chroma MD1 or the limited version or Chroma signature?

in this moment is available only the standard version.
the limited version not exist.
the signature is sold
aldo

 

[frenshprince]

Hi there,
 
I just received the HE-6 today
I haven't spend much time with them, but someting is really bothering me.
There is some noise crackle issue with the plastic.
I don't know how to explain this in english, but when you put the headhones on your head, you can hear some noise from the plastic.
Even when you don't move your head.
I hope it's a prototype issue, cause otherwise, even if they sound perfect (I don't know yet), it's a direct stop for me.
 
I'll try them tonight on the Meiier Concerto.

 

[grokit]

That's a bummer, freshprince from France!

 

[NaturalMusic]

I would be interested to hear how the HE6 sound on the Meiier Concerto with reference to other headphones on the same amp

 

[immtbiker]

Are these the older protos. or newer prodos.?
I know with the Stax 404's the plastic shell made a creaking noise (frame design, not output) and it drove me nuts.
I have listened to the protos and the prodos and never heard any noise in the frame. Does it happen when you pivot the earcups on their hangars,
or while they are on your head, and the music is playing, or on the head when not playing any music?
Sorry, just trying to get a better grasp of the problem.

 

[frenshprince]

About the cracking noise issue, I fixed it.
 
It seems that the screw on the side were too tight.
I just very lightly loosened them, and no noise anymore

 
Otherwise I've spend the evening with the HE-6 and the LCD2 on the Concerto, and it was very interesting.
I'll post my review tomorrow.