[negura]

The adapter box tames some of the dynamic response. If you don't care about the 4 pin XLR, you can wack it off and just wire it directly to the taps. I cut my 1/4" jack off the adapter and just wired it to the amp. There are plenty of folks here on Head Fi that would make you one if you want to keep all your cables.

 
How did you wire it to the amp? Did you attach speaker connectors? Or just straight forward screwing/crimping the headphone cable wires in?

 

[Armaegis]

  Would the HE-6 be badly compromised by being connected to a Lyr amp. I get the impression most would say that combo would result in the HE-6 being underpowered and not sounding their best, but would that be badly underpowered or just barely...I just read a review (favorable) of the HE-6 and the reviewer was using a Lyr to power the 6 for the review, so I am assuming it is at least adequate for the job.

 
The Lyr has enough power, but I did not enjoy the pairing with the HE-6. I think it's a good amp for the LCD2/3 however.
 

   
I use the adapter box when connecting to tube amps to protect the amp. I plug a variety of headphones into it - not just the HE6. Works great for the HD800.
 
My understanding is that the adapter box is not necessary when connecting to the speaker taps of a SS amp - but to connect directly to the speaker taps requires a cable rig that has HE6 connectors. This is what I am trying to find. Just checked Moon Audio - can't find it in their product listing - might be a special order.
 
I have emailed Moon Audio - will post in this thread if I have any success.

 
Basically you just need a banana to XLR4(f) adapter made (assuming your HE-6 cable is terminated to XLR4(m))
Where:
pin1 = L+
pin2 = L-
pin3 = R+
pin4 = R-

 

[Happy Camper]

I used silver banana plugs with hex nuts.

 

[Rdrcr]

   
Yeah I have no idea what happened with the amps. I got them months apart, so likely not from the same batch. They were both dead silent when I first got them. They were both plugged into a surge protector, along with my computer and dac. The laptop and dac are fine (I would think if there was a surge big enough to hit both amps, my other gear would have been toasted too?).
 
I never really noticed anything since I was always in balanced mode with the HE-6 which kinda lets you ignore a lot of noise. It wasn't until I plugged in a headphone single ended that I noticed a ridiculous noise. When I got the same thing from both amps, I assumed that it was something funny with the wiring/ground in the house. After all, the noise changed depending on time of day, if appliances were running, if the dimmers were on, etc. But then I switched amps with a friend who also has the same set of monos and his are silent (and mine are still noisy at his house). So... my amps are busted

 
That's awful.  What kind of noise were you hearing from the amps?
 
Mike

 

[Armaegis]

   
That's awful.  What kind of noise were you hearing from the amps?
 
Mike

 
Mostly electrical hash. Constant buzzing at 60Hz and 120Hz plus other fuzzies. If I plugged anything else into the power strip the tone of the buzzing would change. If I dimmed the lights, different buzzing. Fridge, dryer, stove, etc, everything was coming through.
 
At first I just thought that I had ridiculously bad noise in my house wiring, but then I borrowed my friend's amps (he has the same setup as me) and his amps are silent.
 
So I dunno... My best guess is that the power supply is borked and it's somehow feeding electrical hash into the ground and amplifying it. How both monoblocks developed the same problem is anyone's guess.

 

[TonyNewman]

  Basically you just need a banana to XLR4(f) adapter made (assuming your HE-6 cable is terminated to XLR4(m))
Where:
pin1 = L+
pin2 = L-
pin3 = R+
pin4 = R-

 
Thank you

 
DIY will be the the last resort for me - I am a total klutz at such things I could see a very bad ending as the most likely outcome

 

[Oregonian]

   
As requested..............pics of the Stax 007 pads on the HE-6.   Pads are breaking in but definitely not as comfy as the Audeze pads.  I had the headphone on for about 3 hours last night straight through and the lower portion did start feeling a bit which with the Audeze pillows I felt nothing.  I still think it may be the break in period so I'll update as the week progresses.
 

 

 

 
So I gave it over a week and quite a few hours of use with the Stax pads....................and I'm back to the Audeze leather pads, taped to the HFM rings which are snapped on as normal.  Yes, they rotate freely but I'm OK with it, and I'm back to loving the comfort of the HE-6.  Bass is just a smidge less going away from the Stax pads but the comfort just did not get better. 
 
Going to try the Stax pads on my D7000.  I have a feeling the comfort will be just fine on them. 

 

[preproman]

  I was not happy with the Lyr and the HE6. But then I'm not happy with headphone amps and the 6.

 
 
I'm like you on this.  
 
I don't trust any headphone amp with the HE-6 over a good speaker amp or vintage iron. I don't care what headphone amp it is.  When you can get a First Watt for less than $2K and some for $1500 or vintage iron for the same cost why would one go the headphone amp route?  The price : performance value is in the speaker amp or vintage iron.  
 
I'm sure there are some good headphone amps out there that sound good with the HE-6 but a speaker amp / vintage iron for the same price or less would yield better performance - in my experience anyway. 
 
Once you start inserting other headphones in the mix - it's different story.

 

[labrown]

I'm like you on this.  

I don't trust any headphone amp with the HE-6 over a good speaker amp or vintage iron. I don't care what headphone amp it is.  When you can get a First Watt for less than $2K and some for $1500 or vintage iron for the same cost why would one go the headphone amp route?  The price : performance value is in the speaker amp or vintage iron.  

I'm sure there are some good headphone amps out there that sound good with the HE-6 but a speaker amp / vintage iron for the same price or less would yield better performance - in my experience anyway. 

Once you start inserting other headphones in the mix - it's different story.

Didn't you like the HD 800 better on your speaker amps than your headphone amps?

 

[preproman]

I do.  Others like the TH900 and other lower sensitive headphones may be a different story. 

 

[Silent One]

   
 
I'm like you on this.  
 
I don't trust any headphone amp with the HE-6 over a good speaker amp or vintage iron. I don't care what headphone amp it is.  When you can get a First Watt for less than $2K and some for $1500 or vintage iron for the same cost why would one go the headphone amp route?  The price : performance value is in the speaker amp or vintage iron.  
 
I'm sure there are some good headphone amps out there that sound good with the HE-6 but a speaker amp / vintage iron for the same price or less would yield better performance - in my experience anyway. 
 
Once you start inserting other headphones in the mix - it's different story.

HiFiMAN HE-6
 
I spent $1,600 on my vintage lovely to satisfy the HE-6. And that decision left me feelin' just lovely. For context:
 
- HE6: $1,200
- Cable: a bit moar than the cans 

 
 
So, all things considered, the iron brought me huge value.

 

[Armaegis]

The HE-6 really isn't meant for either headphone amps or speaker amps. It stubbornly sits in between like a petulant teenager who wants to play in the big leagues but still wants to get special treatment with kid gloves. It wants more power than a typical headamp can deliver, but wants lower noise floor than what speaker amps typically put out.

 

[Dopaminer]

   
 
I'm like you on this.  
 
I don't trust any headphone amp with the HE-6 over a good speaker amp or vintage iron. I don't care what headphone amp it is.  When you can get a First Watt for less than $2K and some for $1500 or vintage iron for the same cost why would one go the headphone amp route?  The price : performance value is in the speaker amp or vintage iron.  
 
I'm sure there are some good headphone amps out there that sound good with the HE-6 but a speaker amp / vintage iron for the same price or less would yield better performance - in my experience anyway. 
 
Once you start inserting other headphones in the mix - it's different story.

Any need to insert other headphones anywhere disappears with a well-driven and modded HE-6.  

 

[Dopaminer]

  The HE-6 really isn't meant for either headphone amps or speaker amps. It stubbornly sits in between like a petulant teenager who wants to play in the big leagues but still wants to get special treatment with kid gloves. It wants more power than a typical headamp can deliver, but wants lower noise floor than what speaker amps typically put out.

Dead silent out of my Denon PMA-S1 (ca 1993).  My HD800 had a low hiss out of that amp so I never bothered with that configuration.  
 
Now that the HE-6 is wired directly to the PMA-S1 through a speaker-selector box, I am in HEadfi-HEavan and the HD800 is for sale.  

 

[Silent One]

  The HE-6 really isn't meant for either headphone amps or speaker amps. It stubbornly sits in between like a petulant teenager who wants to play in the big leagues but still wants to get special treatment with kid gloves. It wants more power than a typical headamp can deliver, but wants lower noise floor than what speaker amps typically put out.

Fortunately, dead silent out of both my tube & solid state gears.