[nassq8]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Right channel has just stopped working .... using it for almost a year with Mini-X, rarely passing 10 O'clock volume level ! Do not know what happened!!

HE-6 is simply irreplaceable when used with speakers out, even my Abyss does not give the sound feeling I'm craving for from HE6 ...................... SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO frustrated!

Hope Hifiman welling to accept fixing the discontinued HE-6!! Sad day :frown:

 

[JamieMcC]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Right channel has just stopped working

.... using it for almost a year with Mini-X, rarely passing 10 O'clock volume level ! Do not know what happened!!

HE-6 is simply irreplaceable when used with speakers out, even my Abyss does not give the sound feeling I'm craving for from HE6 ...................... SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO frustrated!

Hope Hifiman welling to accept fixing the discontinued HE-6!! Sad day

 
Have you tried swapping round the channels to confirm its the driver

 

[nassq8]

   
Have you tried swapping round the channels to confirm its the driver

 
Yes I have, but the problem stays. I tried even open it up to check the internal connection, but no use. No internal trace of any problem. It just decided to give up on me .... 

 

[bosiemoncrieff]

Funny story, paid $100 more for the EL8 Titanium that I'm definitely taking back to the apple store within 14 days than I did for my HE-6, whose potential I'm nowhere near unleashing, which I will never, ever sell.

 

[TheGadaffiDuck]

Yes I have, but the problem stays. I tried even open it up to check the internal connection, but no use. No internal trace of any problem. It just decided to give up on me .... 

Try it on a different amp. Hell use the adapter to plug into your phone if you have to, to see if will make sound elsewhere

 

[TonyNewman]

Anyone had some A/B time with a well-driven + modded HE6 vs Focal Utopia and can comment on the comparison?
 
My modded HE6 has beat every other high end headphone I have owned - HD800 / HD800S / LCD-X / Ether C. It performs extremely well in the bass and mids, but is slightly unconvincing in the treble to my ears. I am wondering if the Utopia will be the HE6 killer, at least performance-wise, that all these other headphones failed to be.

 

[Clemmaster]

Utopia has more resolution, more bass impact and is overall a faster headphone.
 
Sounds like focal utopia speakers in a well damped room. Tight bass, transparent mids, extended (but smooth) treble.

 

[TonyNewman]

  Utopia has more resolution, more bass impact and is overall a faster headphone.
 
Sounds like focal utopia speakers in a well damped room. Tight bass, transparent mids, extended (but smooth) treble.

 
Wonderful - thank you. Looks like the Utopia really is the modded HE6 killer - but at a hefty price.

 

[LarsHP]

  Utopia has more resolution, more bass impact and is overall a faster headphone.
 
Sounds like focal utopia speakers in a well damped room. Tight bass, transparent mids, extended (but smooth) treble.

Wow! That is quite a statement! Did you listen to Elear! If so - how does it compare til HE-6 (modded).

 

[greenpsycho]

  Utopia has more resolution, more bass impact and is overall a faster headphone.
 
Sounds like focal utopia speakers in a well damped room. Tight bass, transparent mids, extended (but smooth) treble.

 
 

   
Wonderful - thank you. Looks like the Utopia really is the modded HE6 killer - but at a hefty price.

Wait hold on, he never actually said he has tested them side by side (or even heard both), or what the circumstances were and on what system. Could you provide some more details or is this just regurgitating what is being said in other threads?

 

[Ancipital]

  Funny story, paid $100 more for the EL8 Titanium that I'm definitely taking back to the apple store within 14 days than I did for my HE-6, whose potential I'm nowhere near unleashing, which I will never, ever sell.

 
If this pains you, I would be willing to give sanctuary to your HE-6, and attempt to explore its boundaries gently but firmly. It's a sacrifice, though we do what we must..

 

[MrTie84]

   
 

Wait hold on, he never actually said he has tested them side by side (or even heard both), or what the circumstances were and on what system. Could you provide some more details or is this just regurgitating what is being said in other threads?

Clem owns a modded HE-6 and has had a host of first watt amps, pretty sure he brought it to the last meet from the forum that shall not be named,  where the utopia was present. I haven't heard the Utopia so I don't have an opinion on it, but he has certainly heard both in the same room.

 

[raybone0566]

Considering you can build an entire kick ass system w/ the he-6 for the price of the utopia. I'm content where I'm at.

 

[greenpsycho]

 
Clem owns a modded HE-6 and has had a host of first watt amps, pretty sure he brought it to the last meet from the forum that shall not be named,  where the utopia was present. I haven't heard the Utopia so I don't have an opinion on it, but he has certainly heard both in the same room.

Yeah, I would hope thats the case. However, that was not the information that was presented, so worth mentioning that in the future, specifics and actual information are necessary parts in a discussion such as this.

 

[Clemmaster]

I've owned the HE-6 for 3 years, modded it with fuzzor + Blu tack + no grills + Focus A pads (also tried Ohhgourami's mods: don't like the tonality) and tried various amps before I settled with a FirstWatt F6 (and recently a VFET DiY).

Had the Utopia at home for a full week for critical listening. Most of which was done on the Jotunheim and Reference 10.32. DAC is theta DSPro Basic IIIa fed by Rednet3.

That should be enough credentials.

The Utopia has a rather forward and intimate soundstage, which is actually not my preference, but given how precise the sounds are, I don't mind at all.

The Utopia sounds taller (everything sounds bigger in the stage) and definitely "punchier" (in a life-like way).

The tonality is good, except maybe some lower treble spike which could potentially make things brighter than I like (I like warmer FR, hence the fuzzor mod on my HE-6).

The bass is simply amazing for a non planar. Not in your face but deep (enough), tight and articulated, as is expected for focal. Quantity and impact is slightly less than the Elear (which I own) but that's actually closer to neutral and still plenty sufficient. Has definitely more bass than something like the HE-560.

Overall, it's a superbly executed headphone. There will always be people who wish for a HD-800 soundstage, LCD-2 thud or HD-650 smoothness. They can go F, err, buy them and rotate between them.