[Benny-x]

I'm not familiar with that amp at all. Often I would blame an amp for a headphone not sounding very good.
But besides the point. The hd800 is never lacking bass!!! That's for damn sure. If you are using jriver, enabling bass extensions and using sonarworks dsp with the hd800 no limits settings file. Tunes specifically for hd800 to make it a flat curve. Absolutely stunning sounding. Albeit I still enjoy my hex more and HEK. But the hd800 still had some incredible sub bass when it's setup properly. Stock hd800, it sound is bollocks. And the hd800 is uber picky about amps, only a hand full of amps allow it to sing properly.
The he1000 scales up significantly. So odd that people say it doesn't have bass, soooo not true. But a good amp is required to get bass. As well as the proper cable. The Zoetic will give some serious sub bass, as well as a silvergard s. I'm pretty sure the draug2 may be ultimate for bass but the silvergard S would be all around best. The stock cable for hifiman is not very good at all imho.

The Audeze line is insanely heavy and I will never own a pair for that reason alone. I could care less how good they "might" sound. They simply are horrid for long listening sessions. The th900 was a good headphone all around, yet quite bright sounding for my taste, albeit bass is thunderous. Assuming you liked the th900 and lcdX I would venture to say you may be a bass head. The hex is NOT a bass head headphone albeit efficient enough to get decent bass. Use jriver to add an eq curve of +12db for 16hz and Q of 2.3
And second eq adjustment of +6db for 32hz and Q of 2.6
That's my settings anyhow. Adds just a little bump of sub bass before any distortion settles in.
This all all assuming your USB implementation or oscillators have low enough phase noise to reproduce bass without distortions. I.e.: crystek 957's of approx -97db for 10hz or the little NDK's that even do better.

I've been wondering about the bass on the HE1K and the HEX. I audionted the HE1K for 2hrs at a headphone shop in Shanghai and thought the bass could be thunderous when called on. As a quasi basshead I loved that, but I was also afraid of placebo since it was a $3000 pair of headphones and I knew that.

So what's your take since you've heard the TH900 and the HE1K?

 

[tuna47]

Where is everyone has this tread died I hope not

 

[MattTCG]

These headphones are exceptionally good. I actually like them more than the HEK for my preferences. That being said, they are still too expensive IMO. Around $1300 seems to be appropriate and fair. 

 

[bimmer100]

These headphones are exceptionally good. I actually like them more than the HEK for my preferences. That being said, they are still too expensive IMO. Around $1300 seems to be appropriate and fair. 

Yes, I like them more than the he1000 and get frustrated when one says the he1000 are better. It's strictly a preference or opinion. And the hex can be had for 1500 which is fair.

Anyhow, I've been listening to mine and not on the threads much anymore.
The silvergarde S cable is truly special with this headphone.

 

[bmichels]

Yes, I like them more than the he1000 and get frustrated when one says the he1000 are better. It's strictly a preference or opinion. And the hex can be had for 1500 which is fair.

Anyhow, I've been listening to mine and not on the threads much anymore.
The silvergarde S cable is truly special with this headphone.

Don't be frustrated, you are not alone, me too I prefer the HE-X over the HE-1000.

Should we start a community of the HE-X over HE-1000 believers ?

 

[jlbrach]

I listen to my HEK with my Yiggy/Rago combo and it is glorious...I listen to my HEX on the go with my Hugo or Mojo and it is a fantastic travel companion.....outstanding but IMHO the HEK is better but that doesnt take anything away from the HEX

 

[bmichels]

I listen to my HEK with my Yiggy/Rago combo and it is glorious...I listen to my HEX on the go with my Hugo or Mojo and it is a fantastic travel companion.....outstanding but IMHO the HEK is better but that doesnt take anything away from the HEX

Why don't you also take your HE-K on the Road ?

Is the HUGO not powerfull enough for the HE-K and sound better with the HE-X ??

 

[jlbrach]

The HEK is bigger and more fragile and too expensive to take on the road,also IMHO the HEK needs more power than the HEX obviously and is better suited to a desktop rig with more power...the HEX pairs beautifully with the Hugo and Mojo,the HEK not so much IMHO

 

[bmichels]

The HEK is bigger and more fragile and too expensive to take on the road,also IMHO the HEK needs more power than the HEX obviously and is better suited to a desktop rig with more power...the HEX pairs beautifully with the Hugo and Mojo,the HEK not so much IMHO

Make sense. But... I did not noticed that the K was bigger than the X ! Are you sure ? ( I have had both in hands)

 

[jlbrach]

I am quite sure,the X is lighter and to me the K is more fragile....I am listening to the X as i type this

 

[bmichels]

I am quite sure,the X is lighter and to me the K is more fragile....I am listening to the X as i type this

Lighter OK I agree (but not smaller)

 

[jlbrach]

lighter and more transportable and easier to drive than the K which makes it the better choice for travel.......pairs well with the mojo,the K not so much....

 

[JaZZ]

  The HEK is bigger and more fragile and too expensive to take on the road,also IMHO the HEK needs more power than the HEX obviously and is better suited to a desktop rig with more power...the HEX pairs beautifully with the Hugo and Mojo,the HEK not so much IMHO

 
Just for clarification: The Hugo doesn't lack the power to drive the HEK properly. To attribute the lack of tonal synergy to the lack of power is just an unfounded speculation. (We had this before already.)
 
I bet you would like the HE1000 driven by DAVE. This although it doesn't have so much more power than the Hugo. But it sounds rounder, somewhat fuller, and I take it that that's what you like better with your desktop system.
 
I have equalized the Hugo/HE1000 combo from the start, hence wasn't dependent on tonal synergy.

 

[jlbrach]

I will not quibble with your explanation of the differences between my desktop rig and my Hugo...I love my Hugo and it drives most everything quite well...I just find that my HEX sounds wonderful driven by the Hugo but my HEK sounds a bit thin,certainly good but not nearly as good as with my desktop..I do not profess to be able to debate the different variables ...i also am not in the least belittling the hugo or Mojo which i think are awesome products....i have the same experience with my home stereo and my speakers which require enough power to really sing.....

 

[JaZZ]

Well, you could try to make the Hugo «sing» with my method, then you would know. I don't know the Yggdrasil, so I'm not talking of better or worse. Just making clear that power isn't the issue. In contrast to most I have seriously tried to max out the Hugo's potential as a DAC/amp combo instead of giving up under the premise that it «lacks power» with some headphones.
 
Talking of speaker amps: I have encountered some with relatively low power which sounded nevertheless fuller and more dynamic than high-power amps. Also, full or colorful or euphonic sound isn't the equivalent of high fidelity. This gets often mixed up, particularly on Head-Fi.