[Vatnos]

Yeah the different, contradictory impressions I've seen on other sites make more sense now. I've seen three totally different FR curves from different sites. They seem just as picky as HD800s in how much they react to the sources. Just changing the DAC on the same amp brought them from sounding like the surface of Venus to a cool spring day in Minnesota.

My SHP9500s barely change on all of the same devices. There is a difference but it is much more subtle. I think low impedance planars must behave very differently than low impedance dynamics.

 

[LugBug1]

It's funny how these headphones grow on you or my brain learns to hear them. Coming from the HE-560's, at first I was struck by the difference in scale mostly but wondered whether I could sacrifice that for what I perceived as the extra detail of the HE-560.. But now listening mostly to HEX's going back to the HE560's makes them (the 560's) actually not seem more detailed but just a more "etched" treble. That treble roll off in the HEX is a deceiving thing. I am really looking forward to replacing the Draug3 with a silver cable. If that just gives a little bit more speed up top, I'm really sure these will be perfect. I was kind of hoping I could just go back to the HE560's considering selling the HE560's these days will feel like giving them away..

This is always a valid point. The "growing on you" is your ears adjusting and your brain interpreting. This can take quite a while, especially if your brain/ears are accustomed to hp's with etched treble or bass humps etc. I personally find the HEX to be flat as a pancake but with extra boom at the bottom. I'll say it again, they are a very neutral headphone apart from the added bass.

Would I change anything about them? At a push to answer my own question. I may want them to be a little less midcentric and yes maybe just a touch more sparkle at the very top. But in all seriousness, these are things that are only good for me personally and are attributes to my own ideal of perfection.

For what it is worth.... I still think these are a better hp than the HD800. BUT! I still own the HD800. (Think I'm about 6 month in with the HEX now ) They get on like a cat and dog.... :/

 

[Vatnos]

I would agree with the neutrality. They seem to take on the warm hazy character more often on mid-grade desktop amps that distort on low impedance headphones.

On a clean and neutral setup they become a line basically, and out of the planars I have heard, they may even have my favorite treble so far. The treble doesn't sparkle, but it's very honest up top in terms of detail. I have not heard HE-1000s or LCD-4s of course...

 

[SBranson]

maybe just a touch more sparkle at the very top.

That's really the only thing I would like more of and have a Solvine cable on order from Trevor at Norne that I'm hoping that, if not sparkle, will give a little more crispness in the upper registers.

 

[golfinggino]

I normally listen to my HEX V2 straight off my LG V30 in high impediance mode and it sounds great, I am currently listening with my V30 connected to my fiio q1 mark 2 with the balanced hifiman cable and it sounds even better - I have had the balanced cable and the fiio for a few months but never really listened to it much before. I am really impressed with the HEX everything I listen to them, it was my best purchase in the last year

 

[Arghavan]

I normally listen to my HEX V2 straight off my LG V30 in high impediance mode and it sounds great, I am currently listening with my V30 connected to my fiio q1 mark 2 with the balanced hifiman cable and it sounds even better - I have had the balanced cable and the fiio for a few months but never really listened to it much before. I am really impressed with the HEX everything I listen to them, it was my best purchase in the last year

How do you get the V30 to run in high impedance mode? I think the high impedance mode only triggers if you connect a pair of 50+ ohms impedance headphones by default. I've not tried HEX with V30 but my 32ohms Beyerdynamic AK T1p didn't trigger the high impedance mode and even at the max volume it couldn't drive them fully.

 

[golfinggino]

I use a headphone splitter, first plug it a pair of over 50ohm headphones then plug in the splitter, then plug in the HEX then remove the 50ohm headphone cable - you are now in high impedance mode with the HEX. I find the v30 in high mode powers the hex quite well, obviously not as well as with the fiio q1 and balanced cable in high mode but it does a good job.

 

[Vatnos]

Two more things to add to the list from this post

Bifrost alone (no amp) - Funny little experiment Mshaney suggested, running it directly from the dac since it takes such little power. Well... the volume is fine but clearly something is weird with the power it's getting. The sound is beyond hazy. Incomprehensible almost. Amps aren't just a wire with gain. They do housecleaning too. Enough of that then! Blech.

LG V20 - Well, there's much less glare than the Galaxy S5 at high volumes. Detail is better in comparison. Tonally, maybe a worse match for the HEX though. This phone kinda smoothes things out a bit, which is great for my actual on-the-go headphones but not good for the HEX. Kind of expected it to be able to go louder than this too. Has to go full tilt to drive the HEX.

...

Still trying to decide on an amp. The Neurochrome HP-1 looks interesting. NFB-1 too. Kinda looking at super clean and fast options at this point. The headphone has enough tubey fun built into it already. Tubes with the right properties can do great things for it though, as the Sangaku demonstrated. Probably the best setup for the HEX would involve tubes in some fashion, but I'm gonna start with something clean I think, to get a baseline, and go from there. Anyone else care to weigh in with pairings they've tried?

 

[arielext]

Still trying to decide on an amp. The Neurochrome HP-1 looks interesting. NFB-1 too. Kinda looking at super clean and fast options at this point. The headphone has enough tubey fun built into it already. Tubes with the right properties can do great things for it though, as the Sangaku demonstrated. Probably the best setup for the HEX would involve tubes in some fashion, but I'm gonna start with something clean I think, to get a baseline, and go from there. Anyone else care to weigh in with pairings they've tried?

Rocking a NFB-1AMP / HEXv2 combo here; they like eachother; mostly due to the NFB1-AMP cause it is super flat. If the HEX is your only set of cans the amp has quite some power to spare but if you need an amp for the HEX and something like a 600ohm beyer the NFB1-AMP is a one-stop amp.

 

[mcbaon]

Using bifrost multibit + audeze deckard.. killer combo.

 

[brookbri]

Using Bifrost Multibit and Rupert Neve headphone amp.
Very happy.
Amp has low impedance to match the HEX,
not overly powerful (listen mostly about10 o’clock), tons of detail, and not fatiguing.

 

[Vatnos]

Using bifrost multibit + audeze deckard.. killer combo.

The Deckard would be nice, but sadly it's tough to come by these days. I would be willing to go all-in on the Apex Sangaku--frankly I found the HEX from the Sangaku as impressive as Focal Utopias on an Eddie Current ZDS. Sadly those amps are also tough to come by at the moment. I like the output options and extra goodies the NFB-1 has, but power-wise and space-wise it's hilarious overkill for what I'd be using it for. Rupert Neve's amplifier looks like a good option for now but man... really wish it had pre-outs.

 

[dcguy73]

I regret returning this headphone for a refund. I thought my newly-purchased HEKv2 would be my everything, but I long for a great headphone that I can power from my mobile or tablet again. WTB ad posted.

 

[vlach]

I regret returning this headphone for a refund. I thought my newly-purchased HEKv2 would be my everything, but I long for a great headphone that I can power from my mobile or tablet again. WTB ad posted.

Just to make sure i understand; you expected your mobile to adequately drive the HEKv2?

 

[dcguy73]

Just to make sure i understand; you expected your mobile to adequately drive the HEKv2?

No, my good sir. I didn't expect that. What I meant to say is, "I thought I would be happy with the newly-purchased HEKv2 as my all-around headphone, but I missed being able to listen to music without being chained to a headphone amp, hence my renewed longing for the less-demanding HEXv2."