[purplegoat]

Hi All,
 
I've already done a lot of research and consulted some people but I will be jumping from 100 dollar HP set up to potentially a 3k+ one.. so I'm doing everything I can to not get this wrong.
 
I'm trying to decide between the HE-6 and HD800. I want a headphone I can produce and mix electronic music on, as well as study frequency. Additionally I'd love to be able to play Counter Strike in them. I bet that gives a point to the HD800 

 
I will be buying either a DA8 or an Anedio D2 (pretty heavily leaning to toward DA8 unless anyone has a reason otherwise) and then amping them through a Denon PMA-750.
 
--
 
 
Pros and cons so far (from what I've read, pls correct if wrong):
 
HD800
 
Pros:
 
neutral balance
large sound stage
build quality
comfort
 
Cons:
 
I'm worried they may sound artificial, not natural
could be bright
 
HE-6
 
Pros:
 
may be more natural
may be less bright
FR doesn't change at low volumes (planar)
 
Cons:
 
heavy
some report issues with sound stage, probably worse for Counter Strike
less well made
could be totally wrong and sound bad to me, I'm familiar with the HD280 Pro and HD25-1 II, bought the AKG K712 recently and dislike it (won't buy AKG again)
 
--
 
I'm not sure how much of this changes for electronic music. Would love some opinions.
 
Thanks!

 

[jodgey4]

The HD800's are more revealing, the HE-6 more euphonic in a word. I've heard neither, and there are many threads comparing the two, just do a search and you should find many comparisons. Both are top notch. For CS... I guarantee you won't have a problem with either can in picking up all the cues you need.
 
The best I can tell you is, before spending a few 'k'... you really should try to audition them!

 

[purplegoat]

  The HD800's are more revealing, the HE-6 more euphonic in a word. I've heard neither, and there are many threads comparing the two, just do a search and you should find many comparisons. Both are top notch. For CS... I guarantee you won't have a problem with either can in picking up all the cues you need.
 
The best I can tell you is, before spending a few 'k'... you really should try to audition them!

Thanks for the reply. Good advice re: auditioning them but I'm not sure how to make that happen.  I have read every thread I've been able to find comparing the two.

 

[jodgey4]

Are you in the US? If so what area?

 

[grizzlybeast]

The he6 is a very cohesive headphone and everything electronic on it I have heard sounds great. I haven't heard the he 800 but I highly doubt it's the better for electronic. It's mostly recommended for (not exclusive to) chamber music and classical. The he 800 is also recommended for use as a microscope into the music and often a bench mark for what balanced is supposed to sound like despite it being bright.
Vouching only for the he6, I can say that the I instrument separation, imaging, detail retrieval, and tones are very good. It has a weight to the notes that the he500 can't match and extremely good dynamics.

I would love to hear those hd800's though. They are said to be the imaging and detail king, though I have never heard them praised for musicality doesn't mean they aren't.

I am standing by to hear impressions as well.

Meanwhile if you google "battle of the flagships" or put it in the search here you will probably have your answer.

 

[pbui44]

I have not heard either, but heard the HD700 and have the HE-4. Since you don't like the K712, you should start with something with more bass impact, like the HE-400 (never heard it, but apparently has more impact, less detailed bass than HE-4) or HD-600 (owned before, has okay impact, but very good detail). Once you get too used to those, then go with the big boys for more detail.

 

[grizzlybeast]

Having had the 400 500 (both twice) and currently owning he6 I would say grabbing an he 6 from jump is cool. It doesn't sound like the others. If I had 3000+ to spare I would buy an odac and emotiva mini with speaker taps and audition both. Then build a set up around the one I like the best after returning/ selling the one I don't like. That would actually be fun for me.

 

[purplegoat]

pbui44, the k712 has far too much bass impact for me. I believe both the HE-6 and HD800 have less.
 
I'm near Los Angeles CA
 
I have checked out the battle of flagships and read it multiple times.
 
grizzlybeast I'm really glad to hear that you feel the HE-6 performs well with electronic.

 

[jodgey4]

LA meet is August 9th, SF is July 19th. I'd try to make it to one of those. Or just order both, and return the one you don't like. Check my signature for my thoughts on auditions

.

 

[ruthieandjohn]

If it helps (it doesn't I'm sure), 11 people owned both the HD800 and the HE-6 that reported data that I analyzed in the thread "Rank The Headphones That You Own."
 
5 of those people rated the HD 800 over the HE-6; 6 people rated the HE-6 over the HD 800.
 
This was a general ranking, with no particular emphasis on a purpose (e.g., gaming) or a genre (e.g., electronic).
 
More details are in the first post in my signature line... just click on it to get the cross-ranking tables, then click on the title on that page to get to the actual post.

 

[KG Jag]

They are both excellent headphones, but have very different sound signatures.  Whichever sound signature you prefer will dictate your pick, provided you have have something that will properly drive the HE-6--should you prefer it.  If you don't have such an amp (or at least access to it), you will not hear all that the HE-6 offers.

 

[purplegoat]

wow kayandjohn I love those charts! can't believe I missed those until now.
 
jodgey you definitely speak reason. I guess you are right. I have a 500 dollar gift card I have to kill though by the end of the month. maybe I should cross my fingers and hope the da8 comes up..

 

[davidsh]

Be controversial and get a smyth realizer with a basic Stax system as they recommend.
Else, start easy with the HE-560 and grow from there..

 

[purplegoat]

Hey guys I've been thinking about it and I can go audition them in August but I'm concerned I might not be able to get an accurate read, anyone have an opinion on that? maybe it's worth trying to buy and sell them so I can hear them on my setup?

 

[erikfreedom]

I own both cans. the only complain I have with he-6 is comfort. but I am now used to it. he-6 is more natural, has better bass, is a much better pair of cans with electronica. even though he-6 soundstage might not seem as impressive as hd 800 in reality it can be just as impressive or even more so. it will depend a great deal of the quality of the dac you have. d'ont cut corner with the dac. get the best one you can afford. he-6 can be modded a lot too.
 
he-6 is more euphonic and just as revealing if not more so than hd 800. treble is excellent, midrange is fabulous and bass is hardest hitting I have ever heard.
 
at 1300 bucks, they are headfi greatest bargain in summit fi headphones. they are excellent for gaming and movie watching.
 
but hd 800 is a lot more comfy and yes soundstage is bigger, but he-6 soundstage is more cohesive. music flow in such an impressive way from he-6 it is like being drowned in music. listening to music with he-6 is a very incredible experience. I much prefer he-6 soundstage.
 
hd 800 has not much wow factor. hd 800 is very impressive with well recorded stuff and classical music, especially orchestras stuff with lotsa percussions with big drums like tympanis. very impressive.