[Superhero Rick]

It enhances your audio experience, that's all that matters. Is it imaginable or real, to date no measuring system has been invented yet to prove that it actually works, so we can only rely on our senses and best judgment.

To be true, after 5-6 different wires that didn't give me nearly no any difference I was not believing if it is real... so I was not affected by the crowd opinion, I was even arguing with some people of our hobby that it is matter of autosuggestion probably...
But my mate asked to check one master's wires. I didn't really wanted to buy anything from him and made a "courtesy call" if I call it right.
I came and checked his examples of wires:
It was noticeable even not in side to side comparison...
But I came with few my wires and headphones and compared same tracks, same players, headphones etc...
And I was really really shocked that it can give so big and evident difference.

Talking about the measurements the one who offered me to this master is fan of iems. And this type of headphones is affected by wires the most and he makes sometimes measurements to compare. They are evident according to him.
But yes I know that ohms are much different on iems and the wire impedance works there more noticeable.

 

[Superhero Rick]

I don't really want to argue I just can notice the difference in blind test without any problem according to my favourite wire now... But I probably will fail recognizing some other wire I have (like tripowin or stocks I have) to be true... (According to over ear headphones).

Btw same to the earbuds, I have one litz wire from 7hz that feels noticeable comparing to others that I can easily recognize with my earbuds.
To be true I own just few other wires for the earbuds and few earbuds with changeable wires, so it sounds not vivid...
But I've tested 6 types of wires to chose for custom earbuds and 2 of them sounded very very different from others. That were some hybrid metal wires. Not expensive but with different admixture as I suppose.

And if you ever was fond of iems (I'm not) you could feel easy the effect of wires. I just listened to my mates collections and it is rather noticeable even with not expensive wires too.

 

[Happy Camper]

DBT and such are put in the science forum and are supposed to be kept out of equipment forums. FWIW, put away the formulas and try listening.

 

[bagwell359]

If you can easily and repeatedly spot the difference between the two in blind ABX test, one is defective.

I was off cable nonsense from 1995-2018. Then I got a used HE-500. With stock cable and the cable I got with a HE-5LE - a Black Dragon v1. The stock HE-500 was very splashy and made cymbal overtones go on and on (silver plated). Could not accept that. Resoldered all the connections - same thing. Bought new connections, cut off the ends, got another cable, no O2 damage observed, and DIY'd one too. Tested the cables, nothing strange. The 3 other non HFM cables all seemed the same, but different from the HFM stock.

Later got a HEX v2 and HE-6 SE - both cables also notably different from the standard after market jobs. oh yeah left out the AB blind testing with fat towels so I couldn't feel the weight or thickness of the cable for all of the above.

No problems with DCA, Senn, Audeze... I used DIY speaker cable and cheap Blue Jeans, generic XLR's, and power cords (one old audiophile job for old times sake and self protection since it's about 00 gauge including the wrapper).

It's the HFM's. Everything but the drivers are low Quality, haphazard, why not the cables?

Now back on topic.

 

[greenfielda2]

No sir, I mean your assertion about wear and tear? So my 1979 Cizeks and 1984 ProAc's should be dust by now? I rebuilt xover of Pro AC from scratch about 20 yrs ago and Cizek last year and replaced not only the xovers but tweets at same time w orig spec units (tweets that is, not the caps those were upgraded). They seem pretty much like new, or a bit better - sorry no measurements.

My main system is a pair ~1995 Thiel CS 2.2, still sounds 'new'

 

[kamikazeing]

For all of you pro EQ peeps, I suggest giving Resolve's EQ preset for the OG HE6 (with palipad) made with B&K 5128 measurement rig a try.

The OG HE6 and HE6se measured pretty similarly to begin with, and even more so with the same pads on both. So I thought this EQ could make a pretty good fit for the HE6se. The results are pretty darn remarkable. I don't know if their new target just happens to align with my own HRTF but gone is the cold plasticky nature of these phones' that I could never get rid of without extensive pad swapping.

It's the best I've heard the HE6se sound. Leagues better than any of the other cookie cutter harman EQ presets of yesterday.

 

[ufospls2]

For all of you pro EQ peeps, I suggest giving Resolve's EQ preset for the OG HE6 (with palipad) made with B&K 5128 measurement rig a try.

The OG HE6 and HE6se measured pretty similarly to begin with, and even more so with the same pads on both. So I thought this EQ could make a pretty good fit for the HE6se. The results are pretty darn remarkable. I don't know if their new target just happens to align with my own HRTF but gone is the cold plasticky nature of these phones' that I could never get rid of without extensive pad swapping.

It's the best I've heard the HE6se sound. Leagues better than any of the other cookie cutter harman EQ presets of yesterday.

Will give this a go later with the 6seV2, thanks for the tip!

 

[kamikazeing]

Will give this a go later with the 6seV2, thanks for the tip!

No problem! I'd like to hear your thoughts. I suggest adjusting the massive -8db 9600hz filter to taste. I found I liked it better if I raised it by 3db or so instead.

 

[bagwell359]

No problem! I'd like to hear your thoughts. I suggest adjusting the massive -8db 9600hz filter to taste. I found I liked it better if I raised it by 3db or so instead.

I couldn't get into the Pali Pads at all, but on the Ether Angled I didn't see a need for such a big dip at 9.6k. Might be sample related too. All planars change treble response quite a bit with just a tad more or less tension. Try tuning by ear. I do find the setting at 8k (mine 8.1k Q 6 -3 db to be important, but plus???) but more seems to be going on with mine at around 12k K than 9.6k.

A raise at 1.4k seems odd as well. The trough on the 4 SE's I have heard (two v1 two v2) is centered at 1.8k). Small dips around 3.4k and 6.1k I agree with. Resolve is generally quite good. Plus there are too many settings. 13 !!! 8 is plenty for me.

 

[ufospls2]

No problem! I'd like to hear your thoughts. I suggest adjusting the massive -8db 9600hz filter to taste. I found I liked it better if I raised it by 3db or so instead.

I gave it a go. Ended up preferring my EQ I've tweaked to my liking, which admittedly is fairly similar. I'll try it again with the massive -8db 9600 increased or removed, I found it a bit too dark overall with it engaged

 

[cactus_farmer]

Nice to see my mod get some attention! What do you mean when you say ”no luck” ?

Your comment made me pick out my replacement HE6SE V1 from Hifiman, as they just have been sitting in the box unopened since I got hold of HE6 4 & 6 screw.

Installed the bassport modded pads, and been A/B them with the OG HE6’s.
Running of Burson Stack (Soloist 3x and Composer 3xp, all vivid 6 op-amps and supercharger)
Same Cable, same volume, same EQ.
(Both HE6 are blue tack mod’d)

The HE6SE slams harder that any of the HE6’s, with the bassport mod.

If anyone doubt my findings I will run the same test on my Primare A30.1 100W speaker amp.

If I get hold of a measurement rig I will post the proof.


Song used for this test was —Gabriel (Live Garage Mix) by Roy David Jr.
I’m not sure how deep the sub bass in the song is, or if all my pairs of HE6 are equally difficult to drive.

Again nothing professional about my “testing” I’m recently new to this hobby (Started November 2020)

How do you actually do the bass port mod?

Do you have any pictures?

I searched this massive thread and saw a post of yours that says 'refer to my previous post on how to do the mod' - but I can't find that post and this thread is >200 pages long!

 

[cactus_farmer]

After reading all these reports (especially from Resolve at The Headphone Show) that the HE6SE V2 is basically a weaksauce version of the original HE6 with worse dynamics and slam, it concerns me - would I even notice an improvement going from something like an Audeze 2021 LCD-X or Focal Clear Mg to an HE6SE V2 in terms of bass slam/dynamics?

 

[kamikazeing]

After reading all these reports (especially from Resolve at The Headphone Show) that the HE6SE V2 is basically a weaksauce version of the original HE6 with worse dynamics and slam, it concerns me - would I even notice an improvement going from something like an Audeze 2021 LCD-X or Focal Clear Mg to an HE6SE V2 in terms of bass slam/dynamics?

I haven't heard the LCDX but I do have a Clear OG and in terms of bass punch I'd say its a sidegrade at best/just different. The 6SE's bass slam is centered around the really low sub bass, whereas the Clear has quite a bit more midbass punch, and less subbass extension. So really it'll come down to what your tracks are demanding. Deep Subbass rumble and weight, I'm talking 50hz and down, HE6se wins. Everything else, including micro dynamics, Clear wins.

 

[cactus_farmer]

I haven't heard the LCDX but I do have a Clear OG and in terms of bass punch I'd say its a sidegrade at best/just different.

OK, and original HE6 would just be an obvious upgrade to the Clear for bass slam overall?

 

[chrismoyer]

After reading all these reports (especially from Resolve at The Headphone Show) that the HE6SE V2 is basically a weaksauce version of the original HE6 with worse dynamics and slam, it concerns me - would I even notice an improvement going from something like an Audeze 2021 LCD-X or Focal Clear Mg to an HE6SE V2 in terms of bass slam/dynamics?

I have an OG he6 4-screw LP and I wouldn’t consider the SEV2 a weak sauce copy. Not sure I can really tell a difference, but the SEV2 needs more power. 6-screw might be different.