[sfoclt]

I've been switching between my two main (and new) headphones for a bit, and I thought I'd post my comparison of the two:

Hifiman HE-6SE V2 vs Focal Elex
I'm using high/resolution Progressive Rock music files for this comparison (24/96 and 24/192), as well as some High-Res and some vinyl rips of Metal albums (Heavy/Doom/Thrash).
The chain: PC -> USB -> Soncoz LA-QXD1 -> XLR -> Topping A90 -> XLR. The Hifiman plays at 12 to 2 o'clock on med gain, the Focal Elex at 9 to 11 o'clock on low gain.

Hifiman HE-6SE advantages
- CLEAN and NEUTRAL: It is very impressive how clean and neutral the HE-6SE sounds. There is little to no peaks or valleys to be had here. Bass could be a touch more powerful (Antdroid's measurements are on point), especially compared to the Elex.
- TRANSIENTS and DECAY: The impacts on drums and cymbals come out strong and clear, making the easy to follow. Decay is also very quick, which leads to the next point:
- INSTRUMENT SEPARATION: I have absolutely no trouble hearing every instrument in the mix.The Elex is more congested on complex, layered passages.
- VOCALS: Vocals come out clearer and more natural on the HE-6SE. The Elex is thicker sounding.
- EXTENSION: Both Treble and bass are well-extended and every sound is present and clear.
- LESS FATIGUING: I don't know exactly what causes this, but moving from the HE-6SE to the Elex, I feel the Elex sound is more fatiguing on long periods.I'm not talking about comfort here (that's a latter point): there is something in the sound that fatigues me. Maybe a resonance on a particular frequency, maybe the slightly stronger bass, higher air pressure, I just don't know.

Focal Elex advantages
- BASS: The Focal Elex has a stronger bass and lower midrange bass presence than the HE-6SE. It gives a warmer sound, but it makes it more congested and thicker in complex passages.
- SOUNDSTAGE: The Elex feels like speakers on your ears, and really give a good, enveloping sound. The HE-6SE's soundstage is a bit... tall: it feels as though sounds are coming above and below my ears sometimes, or at other times it feels like a wall.
- BUILD QUALITY: The Elex looks and feels premium. The HE-6SE looks nearly identical to the 400i.
- LOWER VOLUME: The HE-6SE does not like to play at low volume it seems: when I lower the volume lower than where I feel is the appropriate volume, the HE-6SE seems to lose some parts of the music, making it sound very dry. It's particular and I've never really noted something like this in my other headphones.
- GF FACTOR: Both headphones are open, but the HE-6SE is completely open, and my girlfriend can hear it from the living room. Not so with the Elex, which doesn't project outwards as much.

± COMFORT: Comfort is a wash between the two. The Elex is lighter, but the headband touches only the top part of my head. The HE-6SE is heavier, but the headband touches a wider part of my head and the weight is better distributed. Some days I prefer one over the other, some it's the other way around, and some I just put on the DCA Aeon Flow Closed RT which is more comfortable than both.

Conclusion
The HE-6SE is the more proficient headphone of the two: it has a fantastic transient response, has a very clear and neutral sound. It is amazing at critical listening, and plays very well with the genres I prefer (complex, layered Progressive Rock and energetic, guitar-driven Metal). The Elex is a great headphone as well, and has a speaker-like quality to its sound, but it is simply not as proficient as the HE-6SE when it comes to the complex music I enjoy.

I've been switching between my two main (and new) headphones for a bit, and I thought I'd post my comparison of the two:

Hifiman HE-6SE V2 vs Focal Elex
I'm using high/resolution Progressive Rock music files for this comparison (24/96 and 24/192), as well as some High-Res and some vinyl rips of Metal albums (Heavy/Doom/Thrash).
The chain: PC -> USB -> Soncoz LA-QXD1 -> XLR -> Topping A90 -> XLR. The Hifiman plays at 12 to 2 o'clock on med gain, the Focal Elex at 9 to 11 o'clock on low gain.

Hifiman HE-6SE advantages
- CLEAN and NEUTRAL: It is very impressive how clean and neutral the HE-6SE sounds. There is little to no peaks or valleys to be had here. Bass could be a touch more powerful (Antdroid's measurements are on point), especially compared to the Elex.
- TRANSIENTS and DECAY: The impacts on drums and cymbals come out strong and clear, making the easy to follow. Decay is also very quick, which leads to the next point:
- INSTRUMENT SEPARATION: I have absolutely no trouble hearing every instrument in the mix.The Elex is more congested on complex, layered passages.
- VOCALS: Vocals come out clearer and more natural on the HE-6SE. The Elex is thicker sounding.
- EXTENSION: Both Treble and bass are well-extended and every sound is present and clear.
- LESS FATIGUING: I don't know exactly what causes this, but moving from the HE-6SE to the Elex, I feel the Elex sound is more fatiguing on long periods.I'm not talking about comfort here (that's a latter point): there is something in the sound that fatigues me. Maybe a resonance on a particular frequency, maybe the slightly stronger bass, higher air pressure, I just don't know.

Focal Elex advantages
- BASS: The Focal Elex has a stronger bass and lower midrange bass presence than the HE-6SE. It gives a warmer sound, but it makes it more congested and thicker in complex passages.
- SOUNDSTAGE: The Elex feels like speakers on your ears, and really give a good, enveloping sound. The HE-6SE's soundstage is a bit... tall: it feels as though sounds are coming above and below my ears sometimes, or at other times it feels like a wall.
- BUILD QUALITY: The Elex looks and feels premium. The HE-6SE looks nearly identical to the 400i.
- LOWER VOLUME: The HE-6SE does not like to play at low volume it seems: when I lower the volume lower than where I feel is the appropriate volume, the HE-6SE seems to lose some parts of the music, making it sound very dry. It's particular and I've never really noted something like this in my other headphones.
- GF FACTOR: Both headphones are open, but the HE-6SE is completely open, and my girlfriend can hear it from the living room. Not so with the Elex, which doesn't project outwards as much.

± COMFORT: Comfort is a wash between the two. The Elex is lighter, but the headband touches only the top part of my head. The HE-6SE is heavier, but the headband touches a wider part of my head and the weight is better distributed. Some days I prefer one over the other, some it's the other way around, and some I just put on the DCA Aeon Flow Closed RT which is more comfortable than both.

Conclusion
The HE-6SE is the more proficient headphone of the two: it has a fantastic transient response, has a very clear and neutral sound. It is amazing at critical listening, and plays very well with the genres I prefer (complex, layered Progressive Rock and energetic, guitar-driven Metal). The Elex is a great headphone as well, and has a speaker-like quality to its sound, but it is simply not on the same level as the HE-6SE, technologically speaking, especially when it comes to the complex music I enjoy.

I'm keeping both, and with the Aeon Flow Closed RT (retuned), they will form the triumvirate of my main home headphones for the foreseeable future.

FWIW, bass, soundstage and control at lower volumes are the benefits of using a speaker amp.

 

[toddking777]

I have a question about how to make sure I'm not clipping my amp with these power-hungry headphones. I just hooked up my HE-6SE V2s to my home stereo system for the first time. My system consists of a Focal Arche DAC/preamp and McIntosh MC-2105 amp. I'm using the headphone output, not the speaker taps, on the McIntosh. With this setup, I'm finding that I have to turn the gain up much higher on the Focal Arche (using the "high gain" setting and little attenuation) than with any other headphones. How can I be sure that I'm not clipping the McIntosh with this input signal? If someone more familiar with the technicalities of this could advise me, I would appreciate it. Thanks.

 

[jaker782]

I have a question about how to make sure I'm not clipping my amp with these power-hungry headphones. I just hooked up my HE-6SE V2s to my home stereo system for the first time. My system consists of a Focal Arche DAC/preamp and McIntosh MC-2105 amp. I'm using the headphone output, not the speaker taps, on the McIntosh. With this setup, I'm finding that I have to turn the gain up much higher on the Focal Arche (using the "high gain" setting and little attenuation) than with any other headphones. How can I be sure that I'm not clipping the McIntosh with this input signal? If someone more familiar with the technicalities of this could advise me, I would appreciate it. Thanks.

I am not familiar with that amp, but since you are using the headphone out, I suspect the gain on the amp through headphone out is lacking, requiring you to increase the preamp volume on your Arche. This should not clip the amp as you are just increasing the volume of the signal going into the amp. Since the 6se is so power hungry, I would strongly advise you to hook them up to the speaker taps of the amp rather than going through the HPO and use a lower gain on your Arche for starters.

 

[sfoclt]

I have a question about how to make sure I'm not clipping my amp with these power-hungry headphones. I just hooked up my HE-6SE V2s to my home stereo system for the first time. My system consists of a Focal Arche DAC/preamp and McIntosh MC-2105 amp. I'm using the headphone output, not the speaker taps, on the McIntosh. With this setup, I'm finding that I have to turn the gain up much higher on the Focal Arche (using the "high gain" setting and little attenuation) than with any other headphones. How can I be sure that I'm not clipping the McIntosh with this input signal? If someone more familiar with the technicalities of this could advise me, I would appreciate it. Thanks.

I use a McIntosh 2505. Use the 16 ohm speaker taps directly. I set the gain knobs on the front at about halfway. Sounds great, and very dynamic with lots of slam. My preamp (Audiopax Model 5) has low and high gain and I’ve heard no clipping with either setting. I just set by what sounds best with which source.

 

[nahpungnome]

So it seems customer support wants the whole headphone...don't know that I want to do that. Guess I'll just live with the loose side. Seems kind of silly to me that they don't just request the bad headband back.

Edit: Decided to just send the headphones back. The looseness is pretty annoying. Still would rather have just sent them the band, but oh well.

 

[KCXT]

Been listening extensively for the past week. These are definitely very capable headphones and to my ears sound quite special through my THX 789 (balanced output w/ aftermarket Arctic cable) but the strain/limitation is definitely perceptible at higher volumes; not so much that things sound bad but it hits the point of dynamic compression and going louder makes the treble suffer. They're a nice counterpoint to my HE-500s and provide a refined experience vs the blood-pumping, ass-kicking satisfaction the HE-500 is capable of through the 789's balanced out. Those can get very loud without losing composure but the HE6SE is more demanding (as many have noted before me).

The A-100 (jumpers in, Arctic cable w/ supplied 4-pin/SE adapter) pushes the HE6SE better, resulting in a slightly bigger and fuller sound but also more 'hazy' and not as 3-dimensional. Not objectively bad per se but some magic is lost vs the 789. That depth of detail and very fine nuance no longer shines through and IMO that's really where the HE6SE stands apart. I daresay that the HE-500 + THX-789 even offers a bit more air and breadth of sound than the HE6SE + A-100. The A-100 is meant to be a more old-school type of amp from what I understand and it also powers my desktop speakers (JBL Studio 530s), so that's its main purpose and headphone function is just icing on the cake.

I use my headphones at my desk when working and don't have the room to extensively change my amp configuration, so it's just a matter of deciding what to keep in my stable. The HE-500s are the favorite and Elegia my closed-back option, with the DT-1990s having taken a backseat long ago... I'm thinking the DTs get sold and the dust settles with a rotation of HE-500, HE6SE, and Elegia. Frankly, this is a great problem to have and represents how many excellent options exist nowadays.

 

[toddking777]

I use a McIntosh 2505. Use the 16 ohm speaker taps directly. I set the gain knobs on the front at about halfway. Sounds great, and very dynamic with lots of slam. My preamp (Audiopax Model 5) has low and high gain and I’ve heard no clipping with either setting. I just set by what sounds best with which source.

Thank you and the prior poster for your helpful replies. Sorry if this is a naive question, but how do I hook the headphones up to the speaker taps? Do I need a special cable or converter for this purpose?

 

[nahpungnome]

Thank you and the prior poster for your helpful replies. Sorry if this is a naive question, but how do I hook the headphones up to the speaker taps? Do I need a special cable or converter for this purpose?

I made my own, but you'd want something like this: Balanced XLR to Speaker Taps - BANANA PLUGS Hifiman HE4 HE5 HE6 HE500 adapter | eBay

 

[sfoclt]

Thank you and the prior poster for your helpful replies. Sorry if this is a naive question, but how do I hook the headphones up to the speaker taps? Do I need a special cable or converter for this purpose?

1. Get an adapter like the one above, and then connect your headphone cable to the adapter cable (and connect the adapter cable directly to the speaker binding posts, using the 16 ohm taps on the McIntosh). However, the McIntosh has really tight connectors on the back that don't take banana plugs directly, so I changed the ends on my adapter cable to take these lugs (which are small enough to fit the vintage McIntosh speaker terminals):

https://www.parts-express.com/gold-spade-lug-crimp-terminal-22-16-awg-8-2-pair--095-674

2. Remember to practice good procedures when using speaker amps. In order: unplug the headphones (by unplugging the headphone cable form the speaker adapter cable), turn on source, turn on preamp and turn down volume, turn on amp, plug in headphone cable. And then the reverse when done (unplug headphones before turning anything off).

 

[Nimzerz]

Try wiring that on the 8 or 4 ohm tap instead. The higher damping factor would be better and you should still have plenty of headroom left for the HE-6. I've always done this when hooking my HE-500 up to Mcintosh gear. I'm still floored every time I hear them off of my cousin's MC2205 or MC240. He just recently got a MC2105 so I'm excited to try that as well.

I've heard the MC1900 and it sounded pretty comparable to the 2205 from what I could remember, though maybe a little less refined. The MA5100 was good too, but was much noisier given the old transistors in it--it definitely had a more holographic sound to it, though. If it wasn't for the hum of the tubes and noise floor from the MC240, I'd say it was a match made in heaven. That amplifier blew all the others out of the water in regards to soundstage and overall timbre.

I'd imagine that the smooth and slightly warm house sound of Mcintosh gear would pair even better with the HE-6.

 

[toddking777]

Thank you again for all of the advice. I wish that the cable on Ebay to connect the Hifiman headphones to the speaker taps on the McIntosh cost a little less than $160. I have a tube preamp (PrimaLuna Prologue 3) and am thinking of putting it in the signal chain. Once I do this, I will report the results here.

 

[thefitz]

Thank you again for all of the advice. I wish that the cable on Ebay to connect the Hifiman headphones to the speaker taps on the McIntosh cost a little less than $160. I have a tube preamp (PrimaLuna Prologue 3) and am thinking of putting it in the signal chain. Once I do this, I will report the results here.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/113437046309

This is the one I used, and it isn't much better than the one I made (better looking, that's about it). I don't think there's an easier cable to make!

 

[toddking777]

Unfortunately that item is no longer available on Ebay. How would I make this cable myself. I would imagine I have to attach an XLR connector to my speaker cables. It there more to it than that? How is that done? Thanks.

 

[hp4fun]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/113437046309

This is the one I used, and it isn't much better than the one I made (better looking, that's about it). I don't think there's an easier cable to make!

Wow, nice price! Why I did not see this before....

Sure the lqi cable looks better and quality appears to be better but this should work equally!

I bought Dyson Audio cables in the past and they are good!

 

[thefitz]

Unfortunately that item is no longer available on Ebay. How would I make this cable myself. I would imagine I have to attach an XLR connector to my speaker cables. It there more to it than that? How is that done? Thanks.

Grr, didn't notice that, sorry.

It's a snap to make. Literally, all you need is a male 4-pin XLR jack that you can get on Amazon for under $10, four banana jacks (or whatever connector you want), and as much speaker wire as you need. There are diagrams all over the internet showing you what pin is what for L-/L+/R-/R+. Solder a length of speaker wire to each terminal of the inside of the XLR jacks, and screw on the appropriate banana jack on the other end. That's it!

https://images.app.goo.gl/YrZ82UAsRcrZasYB7

I forget whether or not that image is mirrored, but you'll know once you plug it in, hah.