[nishan99]

Oh you own the HEKse and not the Verite, sorry I misread you (people usually ask about the headphones they don't own in their threads ).

Yeah definitely pick a Verite!. Every audiophile needs to own a ZMF imo, just to know what a musical headphones should sound like!.

Some hardcore audiophiles (e.g. @Max_Settings ) may not like them because they're not resolving and transparent for their asking price. They are gorgeous and musical headphones with amazing customer service (lifetime warranty too).

 

[Gibson59]

Oh you own the HEKse and not the Verite, sorry I misread you (people usually ask about the headphones they don't own in their threads ).

Yeah definitely pick a Verite!. Every audiophile needs to own a ZMF imo, just to know what a musical headphones should sound like!.

Some hardcore audiophiles (e.g. @Max_Settings ) may not like them because they're not resolving and transparent for their asking price. They are gorgeous and musical headphones with amazing customer service (lifetime warranty too).

Part of the reason I asked here is there’s a better chance someone owns HEKse as well. Also, in every thread for a specific headphone there’s a lot of bias and anyone who offers anything other than praise is torn apart... so I assumed here people might be more willing to be 100% candid about their thoughts on Verite as HEKse owners.

 

[mixman]

Part of the reason I asked here is there’s a better chance someone owns HEKse as well. Also, I’m every thread for a specific headphone there’s a lot of bias and anyone who offers anything other than praise is torn apart... so I assumed here people might be more willing to be 100% candid about their thoughts on Verite as HEKse owners.

Yep 100% agree.

 

[Slim1970]

I picked up a used Lavricables Grand 20 Core cable for my HEKse's. To everyone saying that the HEKse's can improve with a good aftermarket cable, I must say, that you are correct. I'm hearing a sonic improvement across the entire frequency spectrum. This is my first experience with Lavricables and I think it's a great match for the HEKse's.

 

[mixman]

I picked up a used Lavricables Grand 20 Core cable for my HEKse's. To everyone saying that the HEKse's can improve with a good aftermarket cable, I must say, that you are correct. I'm hearing a sonic improvement across the entire frequency spectrum. This is my first experience with Lavricables and I think it's a great match for the HEKse's.

Did they get brighter, warmer or just more clarity with the Lavricables?

 

[Slim1970]

Did they get brighter, warmer or just more clarity with the Lavricables?

I was expecting them to get brighter but they did not. They just got more detailed and faster. The bass got more defined and more taunt with more energy in sub bass region. I can feel the bass thumps on my face. The detail retrieval and transparency level took a step up. The midrange has the biggest improvement to my ears. It sounds more balanced now. There's a sweetness to midrange with vocals that wasn't there with the stock cable. Guitars on rock and metal music have more edge and grunt to them now. I also don't hear the treble peakiness any longer. It sounds a lot smoother in the upper regions. Instrument placement and staging also improved.

I don't know how much of these improvement I can attribute to the HEKse's starting to break in or the Burson Conductor 3XR starting to break in. Both are new and I've been burning both in with a burn in disk together before the Lavricables addition. I'm hearing a lot of changes for the better on both. The Lavricables just seems to bring it all together. I also swapped the op-amps in the 3XR to the Sparkos SS3602's. So between the new cable and op-amp upgrades the system synergy with the HEKse's is breathtaking. Not only with them but with the Audeze LCD-4z's I'm demoing as well.

 

[joseph69]

I was expecting them to get brighter but they did not.

A well made silver cable shouldn't make the sound brighter, it should sound as you described.
This is my experience as well using the WW Nano-Platinum Eclipse with my Utopia, HE1Kv2 & HD800.

 

[Womaz]

Hi guys , is the shape of the SE and V2 the same as the original HEK. I need some replacement earpads for the original model and I am struggling to find them here in the UK.
I vaguely remember some posts a few year ago saying that the V2 pads would work on the original HEK.

Any guidance as always welcome

 

[Hifiearspeakers]

Hi guys , is the shape of the SE and V2 the same as the original HEK. I need some replacement earpads for the original model and I am struggling to find them here in the UK.
I vaguely remember some posts a few year ago saying that the V2 pads would work on the original HEK.

Any guidance as always welcome

Yes.

 

[thecrow]

.

 

[JaZZ]

Hi guys , is the shape of the SE and V2 the same as the original HEK. I need some replacement earpads for the original model and I am struggling to find them here in the UK.
I vaguely remember some posts a few year ago saying that the V2 pads would work on the original HEK.

The V2 pads made for (at least) half of the upgrade to the HE1000 V2 and in my case a significant sonic improvement – I guess not least due to the stronger driver angling they provide. And they were much more comfortable. Apart from the protective mesh they're also identical to the SE pads.

In this context this easy mod is recommended. That said (to give the mod inventor the deserved credit), Maxx' follow-up mod is certainly at least as effective, just a bit less easy.

 

[Womaz]

The V2 pads made for (at least) half of the upgrade to the HE1000 V2 and in my case a significant sonic improvement – I guess not least due to the stronger driver angling they provide. And they were much more comfortable. Apart from the protective mesh they're also identical to the SE pads.

In this context this easy mod is recommended. That said (to give the mod inventor the deserved credit), Maxx' follow-up mod is certainly at least as effective, just a bit less easy.

Thanks for the post , I doubt I will try and do the mod as I am even wary of changing the pads . That’s if I can ever find them in the UK Also a little hesitant as they are so comfortable with my old pads ,

 

[astrostar59]

Still seems strange to me why you wouldn't direct this to @TheAttorney but, whatever.
I was offered the opportunity to demo the original Citadel if I paid the shipping from Sweden to USA and back, which was $460.00 so I was unsure even though this was a fair enough offer, but I didn't need another amplifier (at all) being I own, and am very happy with both, the WA33 & GS-X mk2. After reading nothing but positive impressions about both, the Oblivion & Citadel I decided to ordered the CC w/impedance selector switch & speaker output/pre-amp switch, but not return it if I didn't care for it, but rather sell it. I figured the speaker output/pre-amp option would appeal to other possible buyers which is why I added this, otherwise I've no need for it, at least right now. With that said, I have absolutely no intentions whatsoever to sell my Citadel. The CC shown on Ultrasonic Studios site is my BTO unit before it was shipped to me.

Not heard this amp, you got any photos?

 

[TheAttorney]

ed

In this context this easy mod is recommended. That said (to give the mod inventor the deserved credit), Maxx' follow-up mod is certainly at least as effective, just a bit less easy.

I think those mods originally related to HEK V1.
For V2, Maxx moved on to the Fellian port mod, which is a completely different mod, and which I can confirm worked well for my V2's.
Unless you've specifically tried these original mods on a true V2 model (not a V1 with V2 pads), then I suggest you reserve judgement on how effective they would be.

Subsequently, I also tried the Fellian port mod on my SE's - with mixed results, and in the end I removed the mod.
There seems to be subtle detail changes in the enclosure between V2 and SE that complicates both the construction and SQ of the Fellian mod for the SE.
One of these changes is that my SE already has a slight air gap at the jack connector point - it's an area I intend to revisit in the future.

 

[JaZZ]

I think those mods originally related to HEK V1.

Yes – and Womaz has the HE1000 V1.

For V2, Maxx moved on to the Fellian port mod, which is a completely different mod, and which I can confirm worked well for my V2's.
Unless you've specifically tried these original mods on a true V2 model (not a V1 with V2 pads), then I suggest you reserve judgement on how effective they would be.

I wonder why you bring up the Felian port mod. I haven't mentioned it, nor was I criticising his modified mod I was talking about (if you read more carefully).

Subsequently, I also tried the Fellian port mod on my SE's - with mixed results, and in the end I removed the mod.
There seems to be subtle detail changes in the enclosure between V2 and SE that complicates both the construction and SQ of the Fellian mod for the SE.
One of these changes is that my SE already has a slight air gap at the jack connector point - it's an area I intend to revisit in the future.

It made no sense to me to try this, as I never got a perfect seal with both HE1000 variants anyway, there was always some gap behind my neck. I just heard a subtle change of tonal balance by slightly increasing it, but no improvement (or worsening) of any kind. That's why I suspect the Felian port mod could just be that: a slight bass decrease, which the HE1000se (and the predecessors) can absolutely cope with – and I usually achieve with equalizing (with the advantage of reduced membrane excursions).