[wuwhere]

  I had to order 1 at a time to keep the price under the threshold where I would have to pay tax.
For anything over $13.2 the fee you have to pay for the postal service to check the package is over $26 

 

 
That's highway robbery

 

[Xenophon]

   
That's highway robbery

No, that's typical for E.U. postal services.  Here in Belgium it's 30 USD if they have to file a declaration, taxes and duties get added to that if/when applicable.  Theoretically you can do the formalities yourself but that involves driving to an industrial estate 10 miles from the capital, wasting an hour filing paperwork and then trekking back to where one lives.  Occasionally when I'm building an amp I need components that are not readily available here and I have to order with Mouser or Digikey in the US, always a pleasure to receive 20 USD worth of stuff and to pay 40 USD in fees/taxes.

 

[NinjaHamster]

Does anybody have any info on when the new version of the HE-6 is likely to be released ?

 

[shayson1357]

"Does anybody have any info on when the new version of the HE-6 is likely to be released ?"

and you want fang to do what exactly ?, use an even thinner diaphragm and make the he-6 even more power hungry 

not that I'd mind of course 

well..... maybe they can do a fuzz./pad/grill  factory modified version and release that as the new stock model

 

 

[jelt2359]

  "Does anybody have any info on when the new version of the HE-6 is likely to be released ?"

and you want fang to do what exactly ?, use an even thinner diaphragm and make the he-6 even more power hungry 

not that I'd mind of course 

well..... maybe they can do a fuzz./pad/grill  factory modified version and release that as the new stock model

 

Making the weight a bit lighter would be nice!

 

[TonyNewman]

  .... maybe they can do a fuzz./pad/grill  factory modified version and release that as the new stock model

 

 
He could do a lot worse. It will be interesting to see if the HE6 replacement is better than a modded HE6 - it would have to be a spectacular headphone to pull that off.
 
How long after the release of the new headphones before it gets modded? I'm thinking days (if not hours). All part of the crazy fun

 

[jelt2359]

What's the consensus choice of amp these days on this? I just got a new speaker amp (Virtue One.3) and immediately fell in love with the HE6 again, so I'm in the market
 
I read something about First Watt, but it's too rich for my blood (~$1.5K is the max I'd go) and it looks difficult to get my hands on.
 
I also considered the EF6, but the reviews are not uniformly good.
 
How about the Audio-Gd Master 3 or Master 10? Appreciate any other suggestions as well...

 

[Clemmaster]

  What's the consensus choice of amp these days on this? I just got a new speaker amp (Virtue One.3) and immediately fell in love with the HE6 again, so I'm in the market
 
I read something about First Watt, but it's too rich for my blood (~$1.5K is the max I'd go) and it looks difficult to get my hands on.
 
I also considered the EF6, but the reviews are not uniformly good.
 
How about the Audio-Gd Master 3 or Master 10? Appreciate any other suggestions as well...

Schiit Ragnarok over any other beefy headphone amp I've owned (Master-9, EF-6) or heard (Taurus).

 

[TonyNewman]

  Schiit Ragnarok over any other beefy headphone amp I've owned (Master-9, EF-6) or heard (Taurus).

 
Taurus does the best it can with the approx 4W it can put into the HE6, but that really isn't enough juice. Sound is thin and the bass is weak.
 
Looking at the specs for the Schiit Ragnarok - 10W into 50 Ohm should do a the job nicely indeed.
 
I use a WA5 to drive my HE6. That puts 8W into it - and that does an excellent job.

 

[Xenophon]

  What's the consensus choice of amp these days on this? I just got a new speaker amp (Virtue One.3) and immediately fell in love with the HE6 again, so I'm in the market
 
I read something about First Watt, but it's too rich for my blood (~$1.5K is the max I'd go) and it looks difficult to get my hands on.
 
I also considered the EF6, but the reviews are not uniformly good.
 
How about the Audio-Gd Master 3 or Master 10? Appreciate any other suggestions as well...

You could get a FW clone built for less than 1.5k,  the F-amps are very nice, clean sounding (especially the F1, incredible but perhaps a bit too much for some), lots of energy despite seemingly lowish power specs.  But obviously you'd need a good preamp or dac for volume control.  No idea about the Audio-GD amps, some big fans here but I haven't heard them and there are engineers that seem to find fault in their design.  What I can definitely say is that for me the EF-6 is NOT worth the money. I spent a couple of days auditioning it and boy am I glad that I didn't rely on some reviews and purchase it unheard.  No idea about the Ragnarok but it definitely costs more than 1500.

 

[preproman]

  What's the consensus choice of amp these days on this? I just got a new speaker amp (Virtue One.3) and immediately fell in love with the HE6 again, so I'm in the market
 
I read something about First Watt, but it's too rich for my blood (~$1.5K is the max I'd go) and it looks difficult to get my hands on.
 
I also considered the EF6, but the reviews are not uniformly good.
 
How about the Audio-Gd Master 3 or Master 10? Appreciate any other suggestions as well...

From what you listed the Master 10 will be your best bet.  If you can get your hands on a First Watt F1J that will be good as well.  I never heard / read about any engineers finding fault in the Audio-GD Master series design.  In fact Kevin Gilmore gives the amps a thumbs up saying the amps should cost way more than they do..  
 
In getting my Master 10 upgraded to the Master 10 (2015).  It's all about the power supply and audio GD pays real close attention to his power supplies.
 
Also you can go with a Odyssey amp:  http://odysseyaudio.com   Klaus will custom make your amp at your price point - what ever it is...

 

[screwdriver]

I use odyssey stratos extreme used from audiogon and its excellent, I tried the first watt J2 and I feel it lacking . I also tried a Sophia el34 and while it sounds excellent it does not have enough power.

 

[Happy Camper]

At that budget, I'd consider a mid end used speaker amp.

 

[jelt2359]

At that budget, I'd consider a mid end used speaker amp.

Thanks. Any to recommend? I don't know much about speaker amps..

 

[wuwhere]

Thanks. Any to recommend?

I don't know much about speaker amps..

 
They have different sounds even different solid state amps. Some are accurate but may sound thin to you. Some are less accurate or transparent but may have that full sound. It just depends on your preference and the type of music you mostly listen to.