[GU1DO]

I am ready to return my Aryas (I have had them for four days now). Though their soundstage is expansive, and imaging is good (I can hear the softest part of every mix), I recently listened to a track that had a single piano playing, and it had sounded a bit "off": not as well reproduced as when I use my Martin Logan speakers. Like, a "plasticky" upper midrange. There are only a few tracks where I have noticed things like this (it's not my dense mixes), but it's there. I use the same set of well mastered songs I've listened to hundreds of times to test gear, and will play 20 second clips back to back of certain tracks rotating through different equipment, using the same DAC, to substantiate the evidence. I don't see much reason to keep the Aryas under those circumstances.. nothing will improve. I think with HiFiMan, knowing the company's "opportunistic" manner in which they charge "what the market will bear" for everything, you have to buy a HE-1000SE or a Susvara to get a midrange that sounds better.

I did find some HE-6SEs at a reasonable price, and have 3.6 watts a channel available to power them when using balanced connection. Would you say they are more tonally accurate?

I am not expert in tonality but i would say all hifiman headphones share the same tone some way or another , if you didnt like the Aryas because of Like a plasticky effect thing i guess you have to go up to the HEKse because i experienced it some times in almost all of hifiman headphones, HEKse was the lowest (i dont have much experience with susvara) or try other brands with totally different tone like the Sennheiser.

 

[Articnoise]

I feel there is a similar house sound between the HE6se and Susvara. I did a very quick swap and wasn’t able to tell difference. But after a while the soundstage imaging higher frequencies and boat load more comes out on Susvara. So HE6se gives you a small taste. I feel bass on HE6se is a bit better.

I don’t know about the HE6se, but the HE6 and Susvara doesn’t sound very similar. HE1000se and Susvara OTOH does.

 

[Bonddam]

It was done a quick listen no longer then a minute.

 

[kdphan]

Got my HE6SE today
paired with the woo audio WA11 and it's not bad...
Can't wait for my WA22 to come (hopefully soon) and pair with the Brooklyn DAC+

 

[bagwell359]

I am not expert in tonality but i would say all hifiman headphones share the same tone some way or another , if you didnt like the Aryas because of Like a plasticky effect thing i guess you have to go up to the HEKse because i experienced it some times in almost all of hifiman headphones, HEKse was the lowest (i dont have much experience with susvara) or try other brands with totally different tone like the Sennheiser.

Cannot agree. The HE-5LE, HE-5, HE-4 have one sort of sound; HE-500 and HE-6 a different and better one; HE-560 and Ananda's are quite bright. The Edition X v2 is quite reticent in the upper mids and highs. The HE-400i a bit "fun" and "wild". HE5SE is nothing like the original "5", the HE6SE is a fine modern take on the HE-6, there is nothing plasticky about it.

All of the ones I currently own (5) all take to parametric EQ and arguably sound more similar than before, yet they are all different.

The Arya does have some sort of issue at 5k (ringing? simple rise in output?) planars can sound plasticky with that sort of thing (speakers and cans) and outside of the HE-5LE which has spikey output all over the place NO other HFM I have owned before or heard has a peak at 5k, therefore the contention that Arya's follow other HFM cans does not work for me.

 

[bagwell359]

I am pretty sure that 3.6 Watts won't suffice to make the He6SE shine.

HE6SE's work for me with 4 WPC (Class A). I do tend to listen at fairly low levels (no clipping of amp or ears), so if you are really into volume, you might need 6-15 range.

 

[ostewart]

Damn I had almost forgotten how good the HE6SE is with Metal (Heart Of A Coward just came on). They hit so hard yet the layering and control are sublime.

 

[bagwell359]

Damn I had almost forgotten how good the HE6SE is with Metal (Heart Of A Coward just came on). They hit so hard yet the layering and control are sublime.

They don't quite have the bullet like impact of the HE-6 in the lower bass, but they have a consistent clarity and definition from top to bottom (minus the dip in the upper mids, and the rise a bit above that) that HE-6 does not have. The 6SE doesn't have as many rough spots in the treble either. They don't image as well as the HE-500 or the HEX v2, but 6SE has more definition and more control than either. They do need a decent amount of power. The stock pads are quite awful sonically (I think they had some Sunara pads left over). If I was down to one headphone I now own this would be it.

 

[bagwell359]

I try to keep some sort of balance on the listening time of the cans I own that I think are good/very good. Lately no HD-600, because I'm saving it for my BH Crack build (to resume in July). But the real shocker is: I'm not reaching for the HE-500 very much, even though they sound better than ever before. I'm checking out the HEX v2 a bit, but the HE-6se is now 75% of my listening. Who'd have figured it would kill the HE-500.... still not selling it....

 

[cangle]

It's been a while since I've posted here or even followed this thread but after about 6 months of being distracted by the LCD-4z I have finally performed the grill mod on these headphones. Here's what it looks like:

I ended up using a metal grill topper and cut it to size then glued some tulle net fabric on top to make it a bit harder for large pieces of dust or other things to get into the drivers. I really like this mod and it's not too hard to do. For me, it increases the soundstage and makes the treble less harsh. Just putting my hands over the grills I can see how closed in they sounded prior to this modification.

My main listening recently has been with the LCD-4z but I do think the 6SE can compete even though they cost a fraction of the 4z's price at the $699 sale price that I got the 6SE for. The 4z has from my perspective a bit more of a natural or organic sound with very good bass extension while the 6SE has cleaner treble, faster bass, and a much more neutral presentation. I'm driving both of these headphones with the 789 out of the ADI-2 Dac, single ended for the 4Z and balanced for the 6SE. It may not be the ideal amp especially for the 6SE but I am able to get sufficient volume from it and don't plan to upgrade amps anytime soon.

I would recommend this modification to anyone who has this headphone at least just to see what a less restrictive grill can do for the sound.

 

[bagwell359]

It's been a while since I've posted here or even followed this thread but after about 6 months of being distracted by the LCD-4z I have finally performed the grill mod on these headphones. Here's what it looks like:



I ended up using a metal grill topper and cut it to size then glued some tulle net fabric on top to make it a bit harder for large pieces of dust or other things to get into the drivers. I really like this mod and it's not too hard to do. For me, it increases the soundstage and makes the treble less harsh. Just putting my hands over the grills I can see how closed in they sounded prior to this modification.

My main listening recently has been with the LCD-4z but I do think the 6SE can compete even though they cost a fraction of the 4z's price at the $699 sale price that I got the 6SE for. The 4z has from my perspective a bit more of a natural or organic sound with very good bass extension while the 6SE has cleaner treble, faster bass, and a much more neutral presentation. I'm driving both of these headphones with the 789 out of the ADI-2 Dac, single ended for the 4Z and balanced for the 6SE. It may not be the ideal amp especially for the 6SE but I am able to get sufficient volume from it and don't plan to upgrade amps anytime soon.

I would recommend this modification to anyone who has this headphone at least just to see what a less restrictive grill can do for the sound.

Good job.

Mine has the same type of metal pattern, but mine is uglier (gray industrial), I don't use any fabric (just store it when done).

One does lose a bit of bass->upper bass, but it cuts down the over abundance of reverb at a number of frequencies, so you get less smear and more focus/definition. You do get some more soundstage, but that isn't the strong suit of the 6se. I use EQ to put back the bass. The treble is airier and less strident.

 

[Oregonian]

Finally addressed the "surgical tube stock cable" issue..............lol. Found a Q French Silk cable on the for sale board, swapped out the headphone connectors for the stock 3.5mm versions (thanks to Ted @ Headphone Lounge - highly recommended - used him a dozen or so times over the years and he never fails to impress me). Now to listen to these gems...............

 

[cangle]

I use EQ to put back the bass

Yeah I played around with EQ once using a recommended profile from someone on Reddit and was impressed with the improvement in the bass with EQ applied.

 

[bagwell359]

Finally addressed the "surgical tube stock cable" issue..............lol. Found a Q French Silk cable on the for sale board, swapped out the headphone connectors for the stock 3.5mm versions (thanks to Ted @ Headphone Lounge - highly recommended - used him a dozen or so times over the years and he never fails to impress me). Now to listen to these gems...............

The cable I use for the my HEX v2's are pure silver made by Ted. I'd like to use them on other cans but they are a specific size. Anyhow very nice piece. For the 6se I use a Custom Cans cable, OFC, very low impedance, destroys that stock malarkey.

HFM cursed to make great cans coupled with absolute dreck cables.... better than the other way round.

 

[bagwell359]

The cable I use for the my HEX v2's are pure silver made by Ted. I'd like to use them on other cans but they are a specific size. Anyhow very nice piece. For the 6se I use a Custom Cans cable, OFC, very low impedance, destroys that stock malarkey.

HFM cursed to make great cans coupled with absolute dreck cables.... better than the other way round.

Yeah I played around with EQ once using a recommended profile from someone on Reddit and was impressed with the improvement in the bass with EQ applied.

Hz db Q type

85 +3.0 .78 low shelf 2 -helps give authority to bass, but isn't fat or amusical.
460 -1.8 .82 digital bell 2 at both ends: 100 and 900, pull down the other adjacent curves, and yes needs a small drop from 700-900.
1580 3.9 1.3 analog bell - most necessary setting, rounds out voices from that lemony/curt edge.
4000 -3.9 2.70 dig bell 2 - takes off edge, but centered very much on 3800-4200, not broad.
9850 -6.8 6.00 " " - toggle this off/on a number of times, the sizzle/long decay issue of many HFM cans are scotched.
12000 +4.8 5.00 " " - this brings in the treble where it needs help to extend upward, and makes up a bit with what is lost at 9850 with a correct signal.

Edit Add:

Here my 10 band parametric that I use most often (have 5):

00028 Hz +2.4 1.00 Low Shelf
00480 Hz -1.6 3.00 Digital Bell 2
01090 Hz -2.1 9.00 "
01740 Hz +4.7 0.80 "
03000 Hz +2.0 6.80 "
04300 Hz -3.4 6.80 "
09000 Hz +4.0 5.50 "
10500 Hz -4.6 6.50 "
14500 Hz +5.2 2.80 "
18500 Hz -7.5 1.00 High Shelf

The 18.5k setting might seem like a waste, and I really can barely hear to 15k, but there is some disortion up there, or maybe its less micro movements for the membrane - but it takes off about 1/3 as much hash as the 10.5k setting that cuts down ringing (a lot). p.s. I think my nasty range is a bit higher than most.

According to several well regarded outfits my setting at 1740 Hz is not enough, but even a db more and the mids are really shouting, no thanks. I've banished the hollow distant sound with this setting. This can cannot be enjoyed w/o EQ once you hear this one set well (you need that 4300 Hz cut a lot too).

And of course I disdain the moronic bass settings promulgated by people that insist on putting us ALL in a uniformly crap room. I'm sure the bass uber alles crowd can never get enough regardless of amusical it is. But if you are concerned with hearing the recording fairly close to how it was recorded, than uniform bass boost under 100 Hz is just crap.