[hp4fun]

Well good news then, I haven't picked one out yet, but I'm looking for a not too expensive low wattage tube amp to drive the HE6SE V2, so the HE-Adapter should be good for my set up.

Thank you for the response and helpful details

Thanks for the detailed response

Did you run across any low wattage tube amps with XLR inputs that might be used with the HE6SE+HE-Adapter?

Happen to see this today. Seems might fit into your description and expectation.

I know it is not necessarily a great amp for general discussion , but maybe it is good enough for he6se? If you don't like it, you can still return and no buyer remorse.


https://electronics.woot.com/offers...1eb823e04020a1c0e11&utm_source=Slickdeals+LLC

 

[Oregonian]

Curious gents...............the available headband that is the same as version 1 is available from HFM for $125. Would consider putting it on the V2 HE-6SE but when I look at the attachments to the cups what I see is a (forgive my description) a knurled stainless steel screw/bolt. Anyone done this swap and what did you use to loosen screw/bolt? Not a lot of meat to grab on to - wish it was a Phillips or straight blade screwdriver-type but HFM once again makes things interesting...................

 

[hmscott]

Happen to see this today. Seems might fit into your description and expectation.
I know it is not necessarily a great amp for general discussion , but maybe it is good enough for he6se? If you don't like it, you can still return and no buyer remorse.
https://electronics.woot.com/offers...1eb823e04020a1c0e11&utm_source=Slickdeals+LLC

I also buy stuff from woot!, and I saw that amp too

It's "nothing special", and has multi-room outputs which I don't need. I thought about picking it up cheap anyway, but thank goodness it's been sold out already.

If I do get a SS amp I've already decided on picking up an Emotiva A-100. For under $200 used, with a huge toroidal transformer, and lots of good headphone owner reports - it is "almost" perfect. I'd not need to use the HE-Adapter as the A-100 has internal jumpers to pass the full output of the amp through the headphone jack. Pretty crazy stuff.

I would be concerned about someone else down the line getting access to that A-100 amp and blowing their ears out. So I'd not use the A-100 internal jumpers. And, I'd need to gut the impedance matching parts in HE-Adapter to use that framework to connect to the A-100 speaker outputs.

So, I'm back to looking for about a 25w(-75w) tube speaker amp. I might as well get a tube amp as the HE-Adapter was built to connect to a tube amp. And, I like tube amps. There happens to be lots of tube amps built around 25w, so all I need to do is decide I need one and then start looking.

The TA-20 is driving the HE6SE V2 great right now, like *WOW* great. The 2nd set of WBC XLR cables arrive today so I can hook up the Topping A90 and see if 6w balanced output improves the HE6SE V2 sound performance.

Curious gents...............the available headband that is the same as version 1 is available from HFM for $125. Would consider putting it on the V2 HE-6SE but when I look at the attachments to the cups what I see is a (forgive my description) a knurled stainless steel screw/bolt. Anyone done this swap and what did you use to loosen screw/bolt? Not a lot of meat to grab on to - wish it was a Phillips or straight blade screwdriver-type but HFM once again makes things interesting...................

For my comfort the current HE6SE V2 headband fits me comfortably for as many hours as I have been able to spend the time to wear it, over 12 hours+. But changing the headband might be a fun DIY project someday so I should probably pick one up now while they are still available, thank you for reminding me.

 

[antdroid]

Here is my current chain with HE6SE v2

PC/Chromecast to Schiit Bifrost 2 DAC then to Feliks Elise MK2 as a preamp to the Parasound ZAMP V3 rev 2 to HE6SE
or - direct Bifrost 2 to passive preamp knob to ZAMP to HE6SE

I made a DIY Speaker Tap before as a test, but then I bought these two things and put it together and it works well:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07SQB7BD3/

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07WSQMD34/

 

[mimart7]

Interesting thing about this amp, is that the manufacturer specifically mentions using the speaker taps for headphones:

https://www.decware.com/newsite/TABOO.htm

" Some hardcore headphone enthusiasts will also use these speaker binding posts in an unexpected way by using the amplifiers binding posts to further tune their headphones by installing various size resistors."

 

[hmscott]

Here is my current chain with HE6SE v2

PC/Chromecast to Schiit Bifrost 2 DAC then to Feliks Elise MK2 as a preamp to the Parasound ZAMP V3 rev 2 to HE6SE
or - direct Bifrost 2 to passive preamp knob to ZAMP to HE6SE







I made a DIY Speaker Tap before as a test, but then I bought these two things and put it together and it works well:



https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07SQB7BD3/

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07WSQMD34/

That is all very nice

How is the impedance matching done with the Parasound direct to the HE6SE V2? Or does the Parasound drive the HE6SE V2 ok without matching because 50ohms's isn't too far off? Does the Parasound get "hotter" than when driving speakers due to the impedance mismatch?

How does the Feliks Elise MK2 sound driving the HE6SE V2? Or does 200mW do anything with the HE6SE V2?

BTW, is this your review of the Feliks Elise MK2?
https://www.headphones.com/blogs/news/feliks-audio-elise-mk2-impressions

Thank you for the detailed info!

 

[antdroid]

That is all very nice

How is the impedance matching done with the Parasound direct to the HE6SE V2? Or does the Parasound drive the HE6SE V2 ok without matching because 50ohms's isn't too far off? Does the Parasound get "hotter" than when driving speakers due to the impedance mismatch?

How does the Feliks Elise MK2 sound driving the HE6SE V2? Or does 200mW do anything with the HE6SE V2?

BTW, is this your review of the Feliks Elise MK2?
https://www.headphones.com/blogs/news/feliks-audio-elise-mk2-impressions

Thank you for the detailed info!

The Parasound zamp has well more than enough power for the HE6SE V2 and it sounds really filled in and good resolving capability. It's more full sounding than my Jotunheim 2 and less bloomy sounding than out of the Feliks Elise. The Parasound is 60W in 4ohm/45W in 8ohm -- i estimated its like 7.2W at 50, but thats just an estimate. I reduced the parasound gain dials to about 35% to 40% to improve volume control on my passive volume knob...

I used my measurement rig to set 50% dial on the passive knob to be about 77dB SPL, which put the parasound dial at around 35-40% of it's max gain capability. This also helps ensure i dont blow up my ears. Nice feature on this amp to have gain controls.

As far as heat goes, I've run it all day and it's not hot at all. My Jotunheim 2 and Bifrost 2 are both much hotter than it.

The Elise Mk2 review you linked to is mine! It can get the HE6SE up pretty loud, but it does sound like the dynamics are missing, and low end is a little bloomy. I wrote about it a little more in my HE6SE review on my blog: https://www.audiodiscourse.com/2021/01/hifiman-he6se-v2-review.html

I'll have to do a follow-up when I get more time with all my mods and speaker amp upgrades.

 

[hp4fun]

The Parasound zamp has well more than enough power for the HE6SE V2 and it sounds really filled in and good resolving capability. It's more full sounding than my Jotunheim 2 and less bloomy sounding than out of the Feliks Elise. The Parasound is 60W in 4ohm/45W in 8ohm -- i estimated its like 7.2W at 50, but thats just an estimate. I reduced the parasound gain dials to about 35% to 40% to improve volume control on my passive volume knob...

I used my measurement rig to set 50% dial on the passive knob to be about 77dB SPL, which put the parasound dial at around 35-40% of it's max gain capability. This also helps ensure i dont blow up my ears. Nice feature on this amp to have gain controls.

As far as heat goes, I've run it all day and it's not hot at all. My Jotunheim 2 and Bifrost 2 are both much hotter than it.

The Elise Mk2 review you linked to is mine! It can get the HE6SE up pretty loud, but it does sound like the dynamics are missing, and low end is a little bloomy. I wrote about it a little more in my HE6SE review on my blog: https://www.audiodiscourse.com/2021/01/hifiman-he6se-v2-review.html

I'll have to do a follow-up when I get more time with all my mods and speaker amp upgrades.

Did you have a chance to test the sound without Elise in the sound path? Wondering how much the Elise and parasound contributes, individually.

Thanks in advance!

 

[jsmiller58]

Here is my current chain with HE6SE v2

PC/Chromecast to Schiit Bifrost 2 DAC then to Feliks Elise MK2 as a preamp to the Parasound ZAMP V3 rev 2 to HE6SE
or - direct Bifrost 2 to passive preamp knob to ZAMP to HE6SE







I made a DIY Speaker Tap before as a test, but then I bought these two things and put it together and it works well:



https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07SQB7BD3/

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07WSQMD34/

Really amazing setup... but this is the kind of thing that keeps me from getting the HE6-SE!

 

[antdroid]

Did you have a chance to test the sound without Elise in the sound path? Wondering how much the Elise and parasound contributes, individually.

Thanks in advance!

The impressions are with out elise. The elise as a preamp just smooths out the edges a little bit but it's very very faint. If anything, it adds a hint of deeper bass but the effect isn't as noticeable with the elise + zamp as it is with the elise +a90 I had going before or the elise+jot2.

 

[antdroid]

Really amazing setup... but this is the kind of thing that keeps me from getting the HE6-SE!

Infinite scaling!! Next stop the power of the sun!!

 

[mayurs]

Infinite scaling!! Next stop the power of the sun!!

I am running a pretty similar setup to yours only mine is an Euforia instead of an Elise. Initially I was running my HE6SE using the volume control out of my Sonnet Morpheus driving my power amp. But since I brought in the Euforia I can positively say that the HE6SE is my endgame HP. The only thing that will probably change this, is if some day I plonk big money for a Susvara, but I am in no hurry for that.

The changes from driving the HE6SE directly via the Sonnet Morpheus DAC-Pre vs having an Euforia as a pre are as follows:

Bigger soundstage
Mids take a center stage and are now crystal clear
Top is airier and smoother without a hint of sibilance
Bass gets tighter and the slight boominess is gone.

Absolutely loving my HE6SE

 

[landwalker000]

Infinite scaling!! Next stop the power of the sun!!

So I just order the HE6 myself. Are you happy with just the Parasound now? Do you plan to try and run it in mono and get another?

 

[chrismoyer]

Does anyone know if the Adorama $699 deal on the HE6SE V2 is all the time or periodic?

Still listed as $1799, but this link will get you the $699 price:

https://www.adorama.com/hmhe6sev2.h...s0n6UXUUkEWrHSVWVHtTI0&utm_source=rflaid62905

 

[KamijoIsMyHero]

Does anyone know if the Adorama $699 deal on the HE6SE V2 is all the time or periodic?

Still listed as $1799, but this link will get you the $699 price:

https://www.adorama.com/hmhe6sev2.h...s0n6UXUUkEWrHSVWVHtTI0&utm_source=rflaid62905

If I remember correctly it was supposed to be a newsletter/member exclusive pricd but it got posted on the forums. I guess the HE6se sold enough that they keep bringing back that price.

No clue if it is periodic but I never seen the price be down that often and for that long for the V1s.