[bagwell359]

back to the HEX v2:

They get criticism for not having enough dynamics. Well after the EQ they have more, but like the HEK class overall, they have a softish diffused touch overall - say compared to the HE-6, which sounds like if you can imagine one of those old machine guns with 6 places where the bullets come out, flaming away at high velocity like in some war movie. The HEX and HEK's are still firing, but, the velocity is well down and there are no flames. It's simply a different character.

Also, the missing definition - it's not missing. It's there in the 2nd and 3rd harmonic of the mids - now raised about 3.9 db from 2.2k to 5k. The small annoying issue the treble is gone by tamping down on 8.25k and 16.5k (narrow Q). The toneboosters digital parametric EQ doesn't breathe like you get from companders - or phase issues from analog EQ. It's simply not audible to me.

The EQ'd HEK treble isn't as defined as the HEK class, OTOH its not as annoying as the HEK v1. Overall, I use the HE6se as my prime can, the HEX v2 when I want sort of a Monet feeling, the HE-500 great as it is - is hard pressed to knock those two aside. It took me a long time to the figure out the EQ on the 500, and it also helps the 500. I just ordered a BH Crack (and many after market parts) for my HD-600 (to keep me off the streets...).

 

[Fegefeuer]

Yes I tried the Pali on the HE-500, HE5LE, MD-4XX, HE5se. It was least objectionable on the 4XX, and worst on the HE6SE.

I don't know if you've read everything about the 6SE I wrote over the past 4 months.

1. amazed that they seem better overall then then HE-6
2. then shocked at how hot they seemed in the low treble
3. packed and sold them
4. got them back for a very questionable issue
5. tossed them in the corner
6. my AC which had been at 114/120 for months suddenly shot to 120/120, and the HE-500 sounded a notable amount better - but not the HEX v2, 4XX - so I tried the HE6se again.
7. tried the HE6se again, and it's back to #1
8. went to TIDAL hi-res/UAPP/LG v40, and they take another big step
9. try out the toneboosters parametric EQ. Threw out the guidance of "oratory 1990" in the bass (ridiculously over the top - maybe not on a phone, but on a Ragnarok? Yup), and went with the freq response graph along with waterfall plots to look for a starting place. It's been almost 3 weeks and all 4 of my regular cans (see sig) are sounding markedly better, borderline scary. I was anti/standoffish to EQ's for 40 years after owning a good graphic EQ for a year.

Only my friend with the 15 ips tapes in the 1980's and my own heavy duty LP playback (VPI TNT Jr, Clearaudio TQA-1, Koetsu Rosewood Sig, Pass Xono) from 1995-2015) are in the same class as the front end I have now.

It's impossible to know how other cans I know would sound. I expect the 007, Voce, LCD-4, Phi would all be that much better.

I've followed most of your posts but I missed that you like the SE better now than the OG (6 screw?).

I actually consider the HE-6SE even a better choice than the Arya. Sure, it doesn't have the staging and imaging, the Arya is finer in microdetails but that's negligible as the 6SE wins in naturalness of the treble and mids, overall attack (less soft), weightyness, better balance with no serious peaks to be wary off.

 

[bagwell359]

I've followed most of your posts but I missed that you like the SE better now than the OG (6 screw?).

I actually consider the HE-6SE even a better choice than the Arya. Sure, it doesn't have the staging and imaging, the Arya is finer in microdetails but that's negligible as the 6SE wins in naturalness of the treble and mids, overall attack (less soft), weightyness, better balance with no serious peaks to be wary off.

I'm suddenly in much less hurry to "bag" my next TOTL can due in large part to the 6se's renaissance with me. I know the 6se will never have the bass impact of the 6 and I haven't heard the 6 with my front end - so I can't say much else for sure, but that the 6se is less spiky in 2.5 kHz and up range. Never heard a 4 screw, just the 6. I'd like one but, the age and crazy mods/amps some of them have lived through make me nervous.

I want to let the past month marinate in my head while I keep listening to newer material. I'd like to see the ribbon and amt technologies grow too. Also I'm building my own Bottlehead Crack amp for my HD-600's and then take time to play with that. Maybe after life returns to normal and yellow leaves are falling we'll see.

 

[rendyG]

I agree that HEX v2 is the more natural and pleasant to listen to compared to Ananda, which is more neutral and can be a bit sharp sometimes. At the end it all comes down to amp (cable) pairing as I can imagine HEX v2 through warm amp to be too "thick".



Unfortunately I don't have enough time to listen to my beloved HEX v2 these days anymore so I'm thinking about letting them go. Because I'm on the go all the time I use my iems and AFC mostly...
If any of you is interested in this pair, let me know (EU pref.). The pleather layer on earpads are slowly starting to peel off on a few spots.

 

[bagwell359]

I started off with cables, then "nuggets", these really need EQ. They are shelved down from 1.8 kHz to 4.25 kHz. They need to be turned down at 8k and 16k. Using a parametric EQ such as toneboosters thru UAPP/Tidal does a lot more than cables, even expensive silver ones vs the stock rubbish - IMO.

 

[Asukara]

Hello,
Anyone tried those Serenity pads?
https://store.hifiman.com/index.php/serenitypads.html

 

[sennfan83261]

Hello,
Anyone tried those Serenity pads?
https://store.hifiman.com/index.php/serenitypads.html

You'll be exposing the diaphragms to dust if you use those. It is the same as the Ultrapad minus the dust covers. The Serenity pads are meant for the latest revision of the Aryas and the HE1000se(?) that have dust covers placed over their respective diaphragms.

 

[Asukara]

You'll be exposing the diaphragms to dust if you use those. It is the same as the Ultrapad minus the dust covers. The Serenity pads are meant for the latest revision of the Aryas and the HE1000se(?) that have dust covers placed over their respective diaphragms.

Oh yes you are right!

 

[FatCash]

Hi, currently on chord mojo and Hifiman X. Learning about balanced cables and considering an upgrade to RME ADI-2 pro with dual balanced output.

According to: https://www.headphones.com/pages/balanced-headphones-guide

..even some 'high end' headphones cannot truly be balanced due to their internal wiring construction and/or other design issues

and

Does That Mean I Can Plug My Standard Headphones Into a Balanced Amp and Get a Balanced Signal?

No. But you can listen to standard headphones on a balanced headphone amp just fine, you're just not listening in true balanced mode

Is there any benefit with balanced cable on Hifiman X? Is it a "balanced" headphone in that sense?
Will I be able to achieve "true balanced mode" with Hifiman X if I just find the right cable?

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Hi, currently on chord mojo and Hifiman X. Learning about balanced cables and considering an upgrade to RME ADI-2 pro with dual balanced output.

According to: https://www.headphones.com/pages/balanced-headphones-guide

and

Is there any benefit with balanced cable on Hifiman X? Is it a "balanced" headphone in that sense?
Will I be able to achieve "true balanced mode" with Hifiman X if I just find the right cable?

On my Edition X V2 each ear cup has it's own connector, and so a balanced cable would be truly balanced if the cable has a balanced plug and the amp has a balanced output.

 

[FatCash]

On my Edition X V2 each ear cup has it's own connector, and so a balanced cable would be truly balanced if the cable has a balanced plug and the amp has a balanced output.

Thanks, great, my v1 also has individual 2.5mm connectors to each cup.
Maybe a difficult question but do you feed any improvement over truly balanced vs non-balanced on your Hifiman?
I read that it mainly removes any static/hum/noise/interference and gives the headphone more power (in case of ADI-2 pro individual dac/amp per L/R side)

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Thanks, great, my v1 also has individual 2.5mm connectors to each cup.
Maybe a difficult question but do you feed any improvement over truly balanced vs non-balanced on your Hifiman?
I read that it mainly removes any static/hum/noise/interference and gives the headphone more power (in case of ADI-2 pro individual dac/amp per L/R side)

I think the difference in my case is more that my balanced cable is a $350 Moon-Audio Silver Dragon, which improves the upper midrange coloration. However, I do feel that I get more micro-detail and a wider soundstage with improved imaging too. My BlueDAC has twice the power in balanced mode as well - extremely fast and punchy that way. My son tried a $999 Dana Cables with his Edition-X at RMAF and we both thought it made them sound more like an HE-1000 V2 on the stock cable, which was a big step up.

 

[bagwell359]

Thanks, great, my v1 also has individual 2.5mm connectors to each cup.
Maybe a difficult question but do you feed any improvement over truly balanced vs non-balanced on your Hifiman?
I read that it mainly removes any static/hum/noise/interference and gives the headphone more power (in case of ADI-2 pro individual dac/amp per L/R side)

My amp behaves much better in balanced than SE (Ragnarok 1). Check your amp. But I've been a big fan since the mid 90's of balanced connections. And I think its harder to tell cables apart in balanced, so mega buck SE cables don't seem to translate in balanced

 

[Vatnos]

Concerned about the stories that Hifiman may replace HEXes that need service with Anandas. I don't want that, should it ever come to that. My HEX is ancient at this point. If something should ever happen I'd be quite sad to replace it with something inferior. I'm also quite disturbed to learn that the Arya has worse soundstage. That's a nonstarter for me. Soundstage is more important than that last 10% of detail for me, easily.

Pretty pleased with my getup, and I haven't checked the forum for the last year because of it. The HEX needs clean power and it'll sing. I think the DAC is the weakest link in my chain currently and I plan to upgrade that in a couple months, but still very pleased with the HEXv2 x Apex Sangaku combo. People have said that the Sangaku pairs well with the HEKv2, and I think I'm the only one to run a HEX off of it. I can say that works very well also. It's maybe ~5% warmer than optimal, but close enough.

 

[Luke Thomas]

Yes I got anandas. Don’t know it their any good as I listen to my 800s. Would like to sell anandas just don’t need them