[wuwhere]

After I further modded my dedicated HE-6 tube amp, I'm amaze that I can clearly here the improvements on the 6. More palpable. The 6 scales with better amplification, IMHO, not just with more power but with better amp. I still believe that this can was voiced for tube amps, just my opinion as usual.

 

[grokit]

I agree, when I added a 6SN7 tube stage to my SS HE-6 rig there was an added dimension for sure. The holographic fifth dimension 

 

[wuwhere]

I'm using 4 6P1P-EV Russian power tubes and 2 JW 2C51 Western Electric on my tube amp. I like the WE's mids. Before that I used Tung Sol 2C51, smooth and nice, just a little laid back.
 
I can pause my source, turn off the amp, swap the WE for the Tung Sol, turn it back on and not lose a music beat.

 

[grokit]

The first tubes I tried were Sylvania Bad Boys and they added a dynamic difference, not to shabby really. Then I rolled in some black glass TSRPs and the sound got more refined and "extradimensional". Both tubes are pretty balanced across the spectrum, as it was with just the amp alone.

 

[wuwhere]

That's the nice thing about rolling tubes unlike op-amp rolling. The tubes are exposed and easily removed, just use a hand towel cause they're hot.

 

[ZorgDK]

Yep it's nice tubes are so quick to switch. I have an easier time to hear the difference between opamps though. 
 
How do you think a solid silver analog interconnect between DAC and amp will work with the HE-6? You can see my rig in my signature.
 
 

 

[ohhgourami]

Quote:

Glad you say this, makes me not regret that i bought the HE-6 before I knew about the HE-500. 

I feel the exact same way!  Nice to know that the HE-6 is the still the real flagship can, especially when you can give it enough power...
 

 

[wuwhere]

Quote:

Yep it's nice tubes are so quick to switch. I have an easier time to hear the difference between opamps though. 
 
How do you think a solid silver analog interconnect between DAC and amp will work with the HE-6? You can see my rig in my signature.
 
 

 
I like silver cable, I made a 1-foot silver cable from my amp to the Neutrik connector of my 6. I also rewired my amp's internal wire with silver cable. But I kept the 6's copper cable from the Neutrik to the drivers, they are so flexible and light.

 

[hawkhead]

Linky? please
 
Quote:

Steve at q-Audio is now making HE series headphone cables. I liked his LCD-2 cable so much that I asked him to send me an HE-6 cable. Same result - great ergonomics, and a wide-open, very transparent sound. The stock HE-6 cable is quite good, but I like the Q cable better. Provides a litte bit smoother treble to, it seems to me. And the light and flexible design of Q cables is what has really attracted me to them. Highly recommended.

 

 

[Skylab]

Best to PM Steve Eddy here on HF, I think. He is Q.

 

[Wedge]

I found the best way to get a hold of Steve Eddy is via email, steve@q-audio.com
 
Quote:

Best to PM Steve Eddy here on HF, I think. He is Q.

 

 

[ZorgDK]

Quote:

 
I like silver cable, I made a 1-foot silver cable from my amp to the Neutrik connector of my 6. I also rewired my amp's internal wire with silver cable. But I kept the 6's copper cable from the Neutrik to the drivers, they are so flexible and light.

Sounds good you like it with your HE-6. Agree about the HE-6 cable, it's indeed very nice and ligth. I'll grab a 1ft solid silver cable on ebay then. 
 

 

[wuwhere]

Quote:

Sounds good you like it with your HE-6. Agree about the HE-6 cable, it's indeed very nice and ligth. I'll grab a 1ft solid silver cable on ebay then. 
 

Mine looks like this. I bought the cable from Homegrown Audio before their price went through the roof.
 

 

[wuwhere]

You need 4 ft, 1 foot/speaker post or whatever you are amp has.

 

[dukja]

Finally got my HE-6 in the house.  Power it up with Ref-7 -> Phoenix -> NAD 216THX.  Initially I cannot get used to the soundstage and tonality and felt a little bit disappointed.  The bass has good amount but seems to be less solid comparing to T1.  The attack and "kick" of the bass in my New Age instrumental music was soft and blurred. 
 
However, after spending some time with my classical music collection, I start to get the soundstage.  It is actually quite immense and very natural.  Such wide stage and good focus was so life-like that I feel like sitting in the music hall instead of listening to the recording from a small studio.  That is quite unique experience and I have not yet heard it from my system. This alone already hooks me up.   And the low bass amount was satisfying.  I enjoy the overwhelming low bass rumble from my soundtrack collection and Saint Saens' "Organ" Symphony for a long time.

 
The only complain I had right now was the high/mid quality wasn't top-level crystal clear.  It is a little bit diffuse comparing to T1.  Such lacking was NOT apparent when HE-6 was directly powered up by Phoenix.  However, all the magical soundstage and bass would also disappear.  Phoenix along cannot power HE-6 to the level that I would enjoy HE-6 at all.
 
With NAD, the large scale music is very enjoyable with HE-6 due to its extremely large dynamic range and soundstage.  However, I did not find extra magic with small-scale music with solo instrument such as piano.   In those music the texture of each sound note is more important.  So I guess I need some high quality power amp of integrated amp to improve the bass attack (solidness) and mid/high texture.  Any recommendation?
 
Thanks!