[mrarroyo]

Good stuff there Rob, look forward to listening the HE-6.

 

[Skylab]

I want to slightly modify something I said above, regarding the bass. Listening louder than I typically do DID in fact bring out the bass, to the point where it was plenty satisfying, and I didn't feel that it was over damped. And I still was not bothered by the treble. However, I don't like to listen that loud (peaks about 90dBA). But for people who do, and have the amp to get it done, the HE6 sound even better at louder levels.

 

[Frank I]

Quote:

I want to slightly modify something I said above, regarding the bass. Listening louder than I typically do DID in fact bring out the bass, to the point where it was plenty satisfying, and I didn't feel that it was over damped. And I still was not bothered by the treble. However, I don't like to listen that loud (peaks about 90dBA). But for people who do, and have the amp to get it done, the HE6 sound even better at louder levels.

Nice job Rob. Have you tried the He5LE with the speaker amp and any comparison the the HE6. That would also be an interesting comparison. I would be interested if the diminishing returns were woth the difference in price.

 

[baka1969]

Quote: Originally Posted by Frank I  

" Nice job Rob. Have you tried the He5LE with the speaker amp and any comparison the the HE6. That would also be an interesting comparison. I would be interested if the diminishing returns were woth the difference in price."


The HE-5LE is an excellent headphone that's made even better with a speaker amp. I felt the jump in improvement using the HE-5LE was greater with the speaker amp than the difference between the HE-5LE and the HE-6. That's a testament to both headphones really. But we all know that incremental gains come at exponential costs. The problem comes that once you hear the better HE-6 it would be difficult to accept the slightly lesser 5LE. The difference are more than subtle, just not a grand leap. If I didn't already have the HD800, I would have definitely purchased the HE-6. It's just hard to justify both. At least to me. If all were equal, the HD800 is more comfortable to me.


Depending on how Fang prices the HE-6 will also determine if it's worth it. It deserves a premium over the HE-5LE that's for certain. Just how much and how it's priced to it's worthy competition will also be a factor.

 

[frenshprince]

Thanks for the answer.

 
Is there a webshop where I could buy this kind of cables at cheaper price than Moonaudio ?
I'm not looking for a top end cable, just something good enough for trying the HE-6 when I'll receive them. (EU Loaner Program)
Quote:

Originally Posted by DannyB /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
There is an adaptor cable of which one end goes to your speaker terminals (two small wires that attach directly to the terminals of each of the two channels) and the other is a 4 pin XLR female to which you plug in the headphone's male 4 pin XLR. This is commonly used with AKG K1000s also.
 
Check down about half way down the page for a picture of one on Moon Audio's site.
It is labled AKG K1000 extension cable.
 
http://www.moon-audio.com/Moon_Audio_Headphone_Cable.htm

 

[baka1969]

Quote:
Originally Posted by frenshprince  
Thanks for the answer.

" Is there a webshop where I could buy this kind of cables at cheaper price than Moonaudio ? I'm not looking for a top end cable, just something good enough for trying the HE-6 when I'll receive them. (EU Loaner Program)"


The HE-6 should come with all the cables and connections you need. Fang was pretty good about making sure. I guess unless you'll be running them balanced I suppose. If you are running the HE-6 throuh a balanced amp, maybe ask Fang if he'll send them to you.

 

[Skylab]

Quote: Originally Posted by Frank I  



" Nice job Rob. Have you tried the He5LE with the speaker amp and any comparison the the HE6. That would also be an interesting comparison. I would be interested if the diminishing returns were woth the difference in price."





The HE-5LE is an excellent headphone that's made even better with a speaker amp. I felt the jump in improvement using the HE-5LE was greater with the speaker amp than the difference between the HE-5LE and the HE-6. That's a testament to both headphones really. But we all know that incremental gains come at exponential costs. The problem comes that once you hear the better HE-6 it would be difficult to accept the slightly lesser 5LE. The difference are more than subtle, just not a grand leap. If I didn't already have the HD800, I would have definitely purchased the HE-6. It's just hard to justify both. At least to me. If all were equal, the HD800 is more comfortable to me.





Depending on how Fang prices the HE-6 will also determine if it's worth it. It deserves a premium over the HE-5LE that's for certain. Just how much and how it's priced to it's worthy competition will also be a factor.

I have not tried the HE-5LE with a speaker amp other than the Leben, but they sound great with it. I actually think the difference between the HE-5LE and HE-6 is larger than the difference in how the HE-5LE is amped, though. But both benefit from lots of juice, as do all planars, it seems.

 

[DannyB]

I forgot to mention that Fang did include a cable to allow hook up to amps with the prototype HE6. I cannot speak for him but I do assume he will include this type of cable with the purchase of the HE6 because the HE6 can't come close to its potential without it.
 
I did compare the stock adaptor cable with my Moon Audio Black Dragon cable, which I use for the K1K, and I will comment on that a little later in my review which is forthcoming.

 

[baka1969]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Skylab  


" I have not tried the HE-5LE with a speaker amp other than the Leben, but they sound great with it. I actually think the difference between the HE-5LE and HE-6 is larger than the difference in how the HE-5LE is amped, though. But both benefit from lots of juice, as do all planars, it seems."



I'll guess I can attribute the discrepancy due to the fact that the jump from the Gilmore Lite to the NAD amp was a larger jump in power. Several others comparing the two setups and the HE-6 noticed the same thing.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Well, I spent a late night listening last night - was up well past my normal bedtime

 
The HE-6 are an interesting headphone, as I've said.  There are some ways in which they are spectacular.  And there are some ways in which I wish they were different. 
 
All my comments refer to the HE-6 via the Leben CS300X, which drives them effortlessly - and that's no easy task!  I hauled my high end digital rig - AVA tube/hybrid DAC with Assemblage jitter filter and Wadia i170 up to the Leben.
 
The HE-6 have an astoundingly open and transparent sound.  In the midrange, the sound is so open and transparent that it's a little startling at first.  VERY impressive  They are as grainless and pure sounding as I have ever heard a headphone sound.  And they absolutely excel at detail retrieval - it is possible to hear micro-details in the music via the HE-6 that are not as easily heard via even my other high-end cans.  Some of this is due, I think, to what is a slightly elevated treble response.  The HE-6 have such a pure, grainless, and effortless treble that the fact that there is a lot of treble energy isn't as bothersome as it would be otherwise, and it at least seems to me not to be very peaky, but rather a broadly elevated treble.  I think, though, that there is more treble energy than is really natural.  Sometimes this was thrilling, other times I found myself wishing that the response was a little warmer, and, IMO, truer to real life in that regard.  It's a paradox, because in some respects the HE-6 sound more natural than anything I have heard (due I believe to their astonishing transparency and I think dynamics/transient response), but their spectral response is upward-tilting, and to a slightly greater degree than I think is ideal, within the context of an ultra-high-end headphone.  While the Leben is a tube amp, it's not really lush or tubey sounding in and of itself, being really very neutral.  But my digital front end is if anything just slightly warm.  So it's not the case that my system was "cooling off" the HE-6.
 
 
The HE-6 have VERY deep bass, and the bass pitch and definition is truly excellent, but at lower listening levels, the bass is definitely in the camp of slightly overdamped.  I think it probably extends truly to below 20 Hz, but I wished for a little more bass weight at the levels I typically listen at (80dBA peaks).  Turning the volume up to get more bass (listening louder than I typically do) DID in fact seem to bring out the bass, to the point where it was plenty satisfying, and I didn't feel that it was overdamped. And I still was not bothered by the treble. However, I don't like to listen that loud (peaks about 90dBA). But for people who do, and have the amp to get it done, the HE-6 sound even better at louder levels.  At my typical listening levels, I preferred the Audeze LCD-2's tonal balance over the HE-6, and in general, I enjoyed listening to the LCD-2 more in some ways when comparing them directly. 
 
But then I would put the HE-6 on, and there was all this glorious detail and transparency, and the sound was thrilling.  In spite of their spectral balance, the HE-6 never seem bright in absolute terms, and I was never bothered by excessive sibilance.  Again, I chalk this up to the purity and the smoothness of the treble overall.  I'd love to have them retain their championship-level performance in that regard, and still have just a touch more bass weight, and just a touch of additional warmth.  While I think the HE-6 are very impressive, and enough so that I want to own a pair, I am certain that I will spend more time listening to the LCD-2, as the spectral response suites me better.  But I am equally certain that there will be lots of people who will prefer the spectral response of the HE-6, and for those people, the HE-6 will truly be the holy grail of headphones. 
 
Oh, and then there is the soundstaging.  Again, thrilling is what kept coming to mind.  The soundstage is huge, and exceptionally well defined, but not huge in a way that seems artificially in any way.  It's really impressive in it's imaging capabilities.
 
If you can afford the HE-6, I would rush to hear them any way you can IF:
 
1. You either found the LCD-2 to be too soft in the treble, feel the Senn HD800 has about the right basic tonal balance but wish is was smoother and had more transparency and less grain, or feel the Beyer T1 needs more treble extension and more transparency
2. You have a high-quality speaker amp you can dedicate for use with the HE-6, or a headphone amp with much, much more power than is typical
 
The HE-6 is the detail and transparency king.  The view into the music they provide is absolutely thrilling.  But there are some considerations in terms of partnering equipment and in terms of their tonal balance that need to be made with some care.  For me, their performance overall is so enthralling that I am buying a pair.  But given the amping requirements and the kind of sound they offer, some careful consideration is required, as it always should be when spending considerable money is part of the equation. 
 
As such, I'd really like to thank Fang for putting this loaner program together.  It's an invaluable service.
 

Well, as expected you did a better job than me in describing their performance and sound.

 

[Frank I]

Rob Fang put this together at the reuest of Baka1969. Ross pushed him in the direction of putting this program together and I applaud Ross for getting Fang interested in this program. Maybe good idea for Schiitt to do same with the Vahalla amp.

 

[rhythmdevils]

Fantastic write up Rob!  You do a great job describing something that is not about words.  Very difficult to do!  I also appreciate reading the comparisons and suggestions which gives it great context so it's useful for everyone.

 

[Yikes]

 
Quote:

Rob Fang put this together at the reuest of Baka1969. Ross pushed him in the direction of putting this program together and I applaud Ross for getting Fang interested in this program. Maybe good idea for Schiitt to do same with the Vahalla amp.

I don't know, there's a big difference between a $350 made in America Tube Amp that can be easily returned within a 15 day trial period and a Chinese made $1000+ Orthodynamic headphone that comes with what kind of return policy? Just the price difference alone makes a huge difference. Schiit has at least a dozen preorders for the Valhalla from what I've read on HF, I for one don't see a need for a loaner program.
 
If and when Schiit comes out with a more expensive statement amplifier, then a loaner program may be appropriate.

 

[digger945]

Thanks Rob. Prolificus as always.
 
I'm looking forward to my turn.
 
If this one lines up with your description of all the ones I have tried thus far, it should be a good listen.

 

[jageur272]

I'm currently 7th in line on the East Coast list, but can I be moved a bit down the chain? Perhaps move Frank I and Natural Music up a slot each (that way on the HE-6's way down to FL it can stop by VA).  The proposed change would look like this:
 

---

[size=9pt]1-Immtbiker        NY[/size]
[size=9pt]2-baka1969         NJ[/size]
[size=9pt]3-El_Doug           NJ[/size]
[size=9pt]4-dannyb            NC[/size]
[size=9pt]5-Peli_Kan          NC[/size]
[size=9pt]6-warp08            VA[/size]
[size=9pt]7-Frank I            NJ[/size]
[size=9pt]8-Natural Music   NJ[/size]
[size=9pt]9-jageur272        VA[/size]
[size=9pt]10-mrarroyo        FL[/size]
[size=9pt]11-sambones      FL[/size]
[size=9pt]12-ishcabible      IL[/size]
[size=9pt]13-digger945      IN[/size]
[size=9pt]14-fishski13       MN[/size]

---

 
The reason for this is that I'm currently building a pair of amps (one power amp and one headamp/preamp) and I would like time to allow me to finish (currently waiting on shipping from several distributors).  Please let me know if this is okay you EC guys.