[Music Alchemist]

​

 
There is already a thread for general discussion of amps for the HE6:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/529873/amps-that-can-drive-the-hifiman-he-6-planar-headphones
 
This one is for ranking only.
 
There is an ocean of confusing info on the topic, so I thought this could help a lot of people more efficiently.
 
I'd like to keep discussion to a minimum in this companion thread so as to facilitate its purpose as a database to refer to. If you want to talk about stuff, do so at the main thread linked above.
 
So simply list the amps you have heard with the HE6, in descending order -- from most favorite to least favorite, in terms of sound quality alone. If you can list the price range of each amp in parentheses next to it, that would be helpful as well.
 
Although descriptions are okay, the preferred format is thus:
 
Favorite Amp ($X)
Second Favorite Amp ($X)
Third Favorite Amp ($X)
etc.

 

[Hansotek]

1. DNA Stratus ($2,600)
Perfection in every regard. True end game. Best mids evar. Bone-crunching impact. Gentle treble with infinity detail.

2. Schiit Ranarok ($1,700)
Killer impact and wonderful detail. Treble is well-managed but not as smooth as the Stratus.

3. Harmon Kardon 730 ($350) with Clear Audio turntable (Note this amp appears twice)
Gigantic soundstage bested only by the HD800. Didn't know the HE-6 could sound this big. Spectacular imaging. Impact and dynamics are good, but not on the level of the two above.

4. Harmon Kardon PM640 VXi ($150)
Well-balanced sound. Doesn't hit super hard, but enough to be acceptable. Wonderful clarity helps it easily beat out those below.

5A. Virtue Two ($200-$450)
Supreme dynamics. Hits hard and brings out some of the magic. Sibilant as all hell. Clarity is garbage.

5B. Schiit Lyr ($450)
Beautiful tone that almost gets there. Very smooth sounding. Lacks the dynamic punch that makes the HE-6 special, but very listenable overall. Far mor detailed than the Virtue Two.

6. Burson HA160 ($325 used)
Not enough juice to engage the dynamics. Just flat.

7. Harmon Kardon 730 with NAD CD player
Treble/sibilance were out of control. I'm blaming a bad Burr-Brown implementation, but the amp certainly didn't do anything to save it. Total collapse of the huge soundstage I heard on the Clear Audio turntable.

8. Onkyo TX-NR626 ($400)
Not really what this receiver is meant for. Made the HE-6 sound bland and boring overall.

 

[Moostrkraaft]

The Cavalli LAu is the only amp that ever made the HE6 worth keeping and revering (over my other headphones, as well). The Lyr was decent but never made me love the headphones.

 

[ohhgourami]

There's only maybe 5 people on this whole forum who are qualified to post a ranking and none of those will or should bother. There's a whole HE-6 and HE-6 amp thread devoted for the whole purpose of discussing this already.

 

[punit]

My ranking is posted on HE 6 thread

 

[Hansotek]

My ranking is posted on HE 6 thread

Could you provide a link please? I'd like to check that out!

 

[Music Alchemist]

  There's only maybe 5 people on this whole forum who are qualified to post a ranking and none of those will or should bother. There's a whole HE-6 and HE-6 amp thread devoted for the whole purpose of discussing this already.

 
Read the first post of this thread. I made everything perfectly clear. The purpose of this thread is to have a database that people can refer to without having to sift through countless posts that do not contain rankings of amps for the HE6. More than a handful of people have heard multiple amps with this headphone. Anyway, my intent was for this *not* to be a discussion thread, since the other threads have that covered.
 

  My ranking is posted on HE 6 thread

 
It's a shame that you removed your ranking here. It was helpful, and now, people may have a harder time finding it among the countless posts about other subjects.
 

Could you provide a link please? I'd like to check that out!

 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/493214/hifiman-he-6-planar-magnetic-headphone

 

[Hansotek]

There's only maybe 5 people on this whole forum who are qualified to post a ranking and none of those will or should bother. There's a whole HE-6 and HE-6 amp thread devoted for the whole purpose of discussing this already.

This is a valid point. Who ranks the rankings? I posted the 7 or 8 I've tried now for Music Alchemist's benefit, but it's a pretty narrow sampling of the thousands of options available.

 

[Music Alchemist]

This is a valid point. Who ranks the rankings? I posted the 7 or 8 I've tried now for Music Alchemist's benefit, but it's a pretty narrow sampling of the thousands of options available.

 
No one needs to rank the rankings. This is supposed to be a database consisting of everyone sharing their experiences; nothing conclusive.
 
But please: this isn't supposed to be a discussion thread. That just makes it harder to access the rankings, when they're further spread out.

 

[ohhgourami]

1. Clip+
2. O2
3. onboard sound
4. iphone
 
Everyone throw your amps in the trash! I've spoken! Everyone go out and buy a Clip+.

 

[punit]

  It's a shame that you removed your ranking here. It was helpful, and now, people may have a harder time finding it among the countless posts about other subjects.
 
 

http://www.head-fi.org/t/493214/hifiman-he-6-planar-magnetic-headphone/17295#post_11882370

 

[Music Alchemist]

  1. Clip+
2. O2
3. onboard sound
4. iphone
 
Everyone throw your amps in the trash! I've spoken! Everyone go out and buy a Clip+.

 
Revision to previous statement: No one needs to rank the rankings if everyone shares their honest experiences instead of resorting to sarcasm. You have had the luxury of hearing a considerable number of amps with the HE6. Neglecting to contribute while attempting to discredit my genuine efforts to efficiently help people is leaving many members out in the cold, in my eyes, because they may not have found the information otherwise among the sea of topics covered in other posts in similar threads.

 

[sensibus]

1)  Viva Egoista + Abyss
 
2)  SR-009 + DIy T2
 
3)  HD-800 + Woo WA5
 
4)  LCD3 + Darkstar

 

[Asr]

This one is for ranking only.  
There is an ocean of confusing info on the topic, so I thought this could help a lot of people more efficiently.
 
I'd like to keep discussion to a minimum in this companion thread so as to facilitate its purpose as a database to refer to. If you want to talk about stuff, do so at the main thread linked above.

 
First, this section of the site is better for what you're proposing, as the nature of forum threads invites discussion: http://www.head-fi.org/atype/0/Articles
 
Second, a ranking of anything is inherently flawed (given subjectivity that will only be compounded with multiple contributors) and is also a disservice to the manufacturers (who's going to want to buy something ranked low?).

 

[levap]

Fast ranking.
0 tier - sheer lack of power
Burson Soloist, Bryston BHA-1 (alas) and other headamps, not designed to drive extremely power-hungry headphones
 
1 tier - entry point
Schiit Mjolnir - enough of power, but deadly boring, grayish sound signature.
Beta22 3 channels - almost nice, a little lack of bass control
Sugden a21al - sweet A-class mids, vast soundstage, but muddy bass (I really like it for jazz but most of other content is almost unlistenable)
 
2 tier - technically okay, but with some "questions"
NAD C372 (in poweramp mode) - good control, great powerful bass, but a bit recessed mids and brightish highs
ART SLA2 - good control, but could seem too flat and neutralish (but far not so borung as Mjolnir)
 
3 tier - the best
RSA Dark Star - absolute control, lots of power, liquid endorphines in sound signature
Accuphase P-300L speaker power amp - my previous favourite - great control, a little warm mids (I was looking exactly this sound signatute, but, alas currently tired of it)
Beta22 4 channels - my current favourite, best in category of "neutral-but-not-boring" amps I ever heard