[Spawn300Z]

I preferred the HEXSE. Especially off my TT2. But then with the Riviera AIC-10. It seems to get about 85% of the Susvaras. But i think for the money the HEK series is hard to beat.

 

[KenMan85]

I'm listening to HEKV2 right now and almost crying.
It's so detailed and has a huge stage.
Tomorrow I receive HEKSE.
I thought my endgame was HE6seV2.
screw my life LOLOL
It's so clear.
Imagine HEKSE tomorrow?
Setup is from my signature but instead of Questyle, the DAC is Schiit Bifrost 2 OG.
I'm revaluating my life right now LOL

Reply with SE thoughts.

 

[Guipnox]

Reply with SE thoughts.

For sure, man.
My friend wrote detailed impressions from various headphones he tested here (in my house): https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/xm31cr/impressions_he1000se_arya_se_ananda_edition_xs/
He's much better than me in properly describing them.
But I'll do my best.
I was comparing HEKV2, Arya SE and HE6seV2 a few minutes ago.
I'll compile my thoughts soon so I can better differentiate them.

 

[joseph69]

Listening to my v2 as well right now. Beautiful headphone for my tastes and it's been with me for several years and will always remain with me. Owned both, the Susvara & V2 at the same time and let the Susvara go before the V2. I said that I'd revisit the Susvara one day, but really don't feel the need too.

 

[Olivier61]

In fact v2 is a little less precise but also more distant, more poetic. I don't find the treble insurmountable, neither in v2 nor in SE, I'm 60 years old so the high frequencies are softer. Besides, instead of going down the 3khz and 5/6khz (HEK frequency spikes) ... I do the opposite I go up the 4khz. I need a little more bite, always because of the age.

That said, those of the Arya were too lively, not in frequency, in dynamics. The v2 is perfect, it's a poetic helmet, with its slightly softer, more evaporated dynamics... I think I would have ended up being less moved with the SE, more dynamic like the Arya.

Which is "better" is absolutely a subjective matter, since always in audio I believe that choices should be dictated by personal analysis. I've seen too many friends buy because it's new or way more expensive.

These are errors, which sometimes force you to take what you like less! The HEKv2 is the one that pleases because its softness and its fullness are a very appreciable effect in music. The HEKse is identical and with more hold, more strength and precision, it's a different charm, the sound stage becomes tighter, while respecting the overall sound of Hifiman.

Everyone then finds his pleasure in one or the other. It is legitimate and desirable as well, on the other hand I refuse a hierarchy, here it is not the case, sometimes it is true, here they are different subtleties of an almost same helmet.

Let us specify useful before any discussions between us, I totally deny the idea of cables, in amplification I like tube preamps and Mosfet amps, I like equalizers (not always), I like DAC in r2r or hybrid solutions like those of iFi, I listen to headphones that are not very sensitive on the HP terminals and I check if my other headphone amps are sufficient (sometimes a weak dynamic does not bother me, if the quality remains) .

PS : Ah if another of my faults ..
..... I sometimes keep 20 or 30 year old gear, if its quality is not blatantly exceeded by another! . I may be wrong, for a few years I have not tried to test elsewhere (apologies, I can move less). Nevertheless open if friends want to demonstrate at Bibi , the door is open to lovers of beautiful music and beautiful gear.

Sorry for my English if words .. i transalte ..

 

[KenMan85]

For sure, man.
My friend wrote detailed impressions from various headphones he tested here (in my house): https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/xm31cr/impressions_he1000se_arya_se_ananda_edition_xs/
He's much better than me in properly describing them.
But I'll do my best.
I was comparing HEKV2, Arya SE and HE6seV2 a few minutes ago.
I'll compile my thoughts soon so I can better differentiate them.

Have you had anytime with it yet

 

[ctrlm]

I posted this in the HE1000 thread but I think that thread has all but died.

I was very close to pulling the trigger on the reduced price ($1999) HE1000 V2 on the weekend. I currently have 4 x headphones and I use some sort of EQ on all of them:

• HFM Edition XS
• HFM 2020 Sundara
• Focal Clear
• Senn HD600

The Edition XS is great and gets the vast majority of head time, I really only use the others from time to time out of a sense of duty. I prefer the planar presentation over dynamic drivers and the Hifiman "boosted treble" on the Sundara & EXS don't bother me at all.

My plan was to look at a TOTL upgrade from the EXS to see how much more I could get for the additional $$$ and I was looking at the newer DCA Expanse and ZMF Caldera as possibilities but these will be nearly twice the price of the V2 and reviews so far on the Expanse aren't exactly ringing endorsements - which leads me to the now 6 year old HE1000 V2 as an upgrade option at the reduced price even though the current exchange rate sucks. At a push I could go with the SE.

I have a few amp options at home:

• Violectric HPA V550
• Violectric HPA V281
• Holo Audio Azure

Maybe someone here has compared the HE1000 V2 or SE to the Edition XS and has some thoughts on the major differences?

Thanks in advance

 

[UntilThen]

Maybe someone here has compared the HE1000 V2 or SE to the Edition XS and has some thoughts on the major differences?

I have only heard the Edition XS for a day. I love the SE and preferred it over the V2. I had the V2 for a week to compare with my SE. The former (SE) is more linear with quite a bass impact while the latter (V2) has more body and texture. This was a while ago so going from memory.

The Edition XS is closer to the V2 than SE but both V2 and SE are more resolving than XS. Is it worth the differences to go from XS to V2 or SE? Definitely. They play at different levels. Some might question whether value for money is in the equation. Definitely is but when you're in head-fi long enough, you will move up or move out or just stay stagnant.

I no longer have He6se and SE. I have jump ship to Susvara and imo it's worth more than several Michelin 3 stars restaurants.

 

[Spawn300Z]

For sure, man.
My friend wrote detailed impressions from various headphones he tested here (in my house): https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/xm31cr/impressions_he1000se_arya_se_ananda_edition_xs/
He's much better than me in properly describing them.
But I'll do my best.
I was comparing HEKV2, Arya SE and HE6seV2 a few minutes ago.
I'll compile my thoughts soon so I can better differentiate them.

So what do you think of the HEXSE?

 

[Guipnox]

So what do you think of the HEXSE?

My HEKSE had a defective left driver.
I noticed with extremely low bass.
I returned to Hifiman.
They replaced it.
It's gonna arrive here in Brazil in like 10-15 days.
Unfortunately (or fortunately for me lol) I've sold my HEKV2 here.
So I won't be able to compare them.
But I can compare to Arya SE, LCD-X 2021, HE6seV2 and others I have here (if I don't sell them before).

 

[ctrlm]

I have only heard the Edition XS for a day. I love the SE and preferred it over the V2. I had the V2 for a week to compare with my SE. The former (SE) is more linear with quite a bass impact while the latter (V2) has more body and texture. This was a while ago so going from memory.

The Edition XS is closer to the V2 than SE but both V2 and SE are more resolving than XS. Is it worth the differences to go from XS to V2 or SE? Definitely. They play at different levels. Some might question whether value for money is in the equation. Definitely is but when you're in head-fi long enough, you will move up or move out or just stay stagnant.

I no longer have He6se and SE. I have jump ship to Susvara and imo it's worth more than several Michelin 3 stars restaurants.

Thanks!

Funnily enough I actually assumed from all the user impressions that the V2 would be closer to the Edition XS than the SE and your experience confirms it.

I have no intention of jumping to the Susvara. The differing opinions on just how much power they need to perform at an optimum level are just bewildering and as my local council won't allow me to build a nuclear reactor to drive them, I will look elsewhere

 

[UntilThen]

Thanks!

Funnily enough I actually assumed from all the user impressions that the V2 would be closer to the Edition XS than the SE and your experience confirms it.

I have no intention of jumping to the Susvara. The differing opinions on just how much power they need to perform at an optimum level are just bewildering and as my local council won't allow me to build a nuclear reactor to drive them, I will look elsewhere

Don't listen to them that says you need nuclear to power Susvara. Just an atomic bomb will do.

 

[jcdreamer]

I've been told by someone who owns both the HEKse and the Susvara that the difference between the two is only 10 to 15 percent. I choose to believe him for the sake of my wallet and decided to be perfectly happy with my HEKse. For now.......

 

[UntilThen]

I've been told by someone who owns both the HEKse and the Susvara that the difference between the two is only 10 to 15 percent. I choose to believe him for the sake of my wallet and decided to be perfectly happy with my HEKse. For now.......

It's hard to quantify a percentage. Believe me I had the He1000se for more than a year and in that time I refuse to believe that Susvara is much better. I was living happily with my He1000se and LCD4, believing that is all I need and was 100% sure I wouldn't need to upgrade.

Well a year past and both those 2 headphones are gone and in their place is Susvara. Now I am pretty sure I won't need to upgrade anymore. Well who knows maybe a year from now what will happen. Perhaps I will just have enough of head-fi and call it a day.

However the simple chain of Yggdrasil > Odyssey > Susvara now is simply amazing. Every listening session is a new experience. I did not regret letting He1000se and LCD4 go.

 

[silversurfer616]

I've been told by someone who owns both the HEKse and the Susvara that the difference between the two is only 10 to 15 percent. I choose to believe him for the sake of my wallet and decided to be perfectly happy with my HEKse. For now.......

Had the HEKse and always thought Susvara can’t be much better or just marginally. So why spend that outrageous amount of money on a headphone that’s obviously only slightly better. It’s much better. HEKse in comparison too bright and Susvara just renders music in the most beautiful way. Also, it has superb bass when there’s bass in the music. And it’s not HD800S bass…it’s shattering if it’s there.
And don’t believe the amp hysteria!