[Law87]

one doesnt need a 6K amp to enjoy the susvara.....the fact that some will add that amp doesnt make it a necessity

truth...THX 789 or 887 suffice...in balanced configuration.

 

[joseph69]

HEKse in the house (well, office actually).

Listening via Hiby R6 Pro. Can't wait to get home and listen via Gumby/DSHA-3F.

HEKv2 on the sales block

I have the v2 but I'm just not ready to stop listening to them and get the SE being I really enjoy them.
Being you have both, I'm assuming you listened to them side by side sufficiently to have the v2 F/S?

 

[LCMusicLover]

I have the v2 but I'm just not ready to stop listening to them and get the SE being I really enjoy them.
Being you have both, I'm assuming you listened to them side by side sufficiently to have the v2 F/S?

Here's what I wrote in response to a PM enquiry:

Spoiler: HEKv2 VS HEKse

Interesting -- folks have said 'better in every way'. I think it should be 'slightly better in every way':

- slightly fuller as HEKv2 can sound a bit thin or delicate
- a little better mids (possibly just repeating the above point)
- a little more bass extension
- a little more expansive stage
- a little more precise stage/imaging

Probably the only negative about the SE vs v2 would be that SE might be a little less forgiving of poor recordings.

All of these are significant enough to know it's not just 'expectation bias', but not a lot more. Actually, the biggest difference is efficiency. Using my Gumby ==> preamp ==> DSHA-3F rig, I have to attenuate the SE by 5 dB on the preamp to volume match.

Honestly, if I had both in hand and you told me I'd have to pay $700 - 800 to upgrade, I don't know if I would. Don't know if I wouldn't either

Note that's based on 1 'serious' comparison session. Both driven by silver cables out of the same rig.

As far as the 'value' statement above, since I already own both, the question becomes whether to sell the HEKv2 or the SE. Assuming a (say) $700 difference, which will I sell? You can visit the 'Headphones for Sale' forum for the answer

 

[Slim1970]

Here's what I wrote in response to a PM enquiry:

Spoiler: HEKv2 VS HEKse

Interesting -- folks have said 'better in every way'. I think it should be 'slightly better in every way':

- slightly fuller as HEKv2 can sound a bit thin or delicate
- a little better mids (possibly just repeating the above point)
- a little more bass extension
- a little more expansive stage
- a little more precise stage/imaging

Probably the only negative about the SE vs v2 would be that SE might be a little less forgiving of poor recordings.

All of these are significant enough to know it's not just 'expectation bias', but not a lot more. Actually, the biggest difference is efficiency. Using my Gumby ==> preamp ==> DSHA-3F rig, I have to attenuate the SE by 5 dB on the preamp to volume match.

Honestly, if I had both in hand and you told me I'd have to pay $700 - 800 to upgrade, I don't know if I would. Don't know if I wouldn't either

Note that's based on 1 'serious' comparison session. Both driven by silver cables out of the same rig.

As far as the 'value' statement above, since I already own both, the question becomes whether to sell the HEKv2 or the SE. Assuming a (say) $700 difference, which will I sell? You can visit the 'Headphones for Sale' forum for the answer

Nice, the differences are subtle but audible. Like you, one of my favorite things I like about the HEKse's is that they are easy to drive. You can get top flight sound in a efficient package.

 

[number1sixerfan]

I had the Abyss Phoi’s and preferred the Susvara’s by quite a bit. At the time, I had the Pro iCan, which drove both very, very well. When I added xbass to the Susvara’s the bass not only matched the Phi’s but was more detailed and nuanced. Then there was comfort, which was no contes. The Susvara’s won that battle hands down. What really got me to choose the Susvara’s over the Phi’s was the midrange. The Susvara’s Midrange made the Phi’s midrange sound recessed and the headphone as a whole sound V-Shaped. So I sold the Phi’s.

The TC’s fixed everything I disliked about the sound of Phi’s. The fit issue still remains, but is a slight compromise because they sound so darn good. The HEKse’s fall in the group of headphones right under these two. In a way, they are their own headphone with their own sound. Taken in that context, the HEKse is a really and I mean really, great headphone. With a cable upgrade and some system matching, you can really transform these headphones. The fact that they are easy to drive in a bonus.

Agree with this 100%. Imo, if the Phi TC's had 0 fit issues and if the midrange was just slightly more intimate/forward and less distant they would easily be the greatest headphones I've ever heard. The sound is just absolutely amazing... but the midrange and the comfort is why I pick up the Susvara more often.

 

[LCMusicLover]

Nice, the differences are subtle but audible. Like you, one of my favorite things I like about the HEKse's is that they are easy to drive. You can get top flight sound in a efficient package.

I’ve gotten about 10 hours of head time with now. Here’s my bottom line on SE vs v2:

- SE are notably more efficient
- If you like v2, you’ll like SE a bit more
- If you don’t like v2, SE isn’t gonna change your mind as they’re not that different

 

[sahmen]

In other words, SE wins the brawl. You can say that. I traded up my v1 with v2 pads for the SE, and I had to acknowledge the superiority of the SE within less than 5 minutes of listening to it,. For some reason, it was more difficult for me to determine whether the v2 was actually superior to the v1 in the same way, or merely different. There was no such hesitation when comparing the sound of the v1 with that of the HekSE. I thought the SE floored the v1 in almost all ways that count for me.

 

[Hifi2jungle]

Gentlemen,

your opinions about HE 1000 SE attached to the Astell Kern SP 2000. Better use an external Amp?

 

[Law87]

Gentlemen,

your opinions about HE 1000 SE attached to the Astell Kern SP 2000. Better use an external Amp?

not needed...it has almost same output power as Chord hugo 2

 

[Hifi2jungle]

not needed...it has almost same output power as Chord hugo 2

Do you think it would sound good? I own the Utopia currently and need a pair of headphones that sound little different.

 

[Law87]

Do you think it would sound good? I own the Utopia currently and need a pair of headphones that sound little different.

I dont know, I dont have the unit, I'm just speaking on power requirement.

 

[LCMusicLover]

Do you think it would sound good? I own the Utopia currently and need a pair of headphones that sound little different.

I’m listening to HEKse via Hiby R6 Pro & Cowon Plenue II Mk2. Plenty power enough from either of those DAPs, so certainly enough from SP2k — no need for external amp. I would say that HEKse & Utopia do sound ‘a little different’. Tonality isn’t hugely different — Utopia is a bit more elevated in upper mids/treble, while HEKse is more extended and impactful in the bass. Again, not hugely different, both are pretty close to neutral to my ears. But the biggest difference is the stage. Truly night-and-day.

 

[sahmen]

Don't know about the A &K SP 2000, but I have been using the He 1000 SE with the A & K Kann Cube, and the synergy is rock solid in my view, with no down sides. And an external amp is definitely not needed.

 

[LCMusicLover]

...
- If you don’t like v2, SE isn’t gonna change your mind as they’re not that different

I’m going to amend this statement to:

- If you don’t like v2, SE isn’t gonna change your mind as they’re not that different, unless...

the reason you didn’t like v2 was the ‘thin’ sound. SE changes this enough that they’re worth a listen to see if the difference changes your opinion.

 

[nishan99]

^^^
The HEKse are still thin in general, I would advise anyone to skip modern hifimans if they are not okay with thin/lightweight sound in general. I have not tried any of them on tubes or pure class A tho.