[bagwell359]

Thanks, so instead of going with silver/copper hybrid cable , pure copper would be better match for he6se? I was thinking to order pure copper but then I thought if I sacrifice the details and separation.

I’ve provided my eq settings to highlight my sound preference. I find he6se v2 little bit bright with flat eq.

I haven't tried copper/silver hybrid with the 6se, but I have a silver and its too bright IMO for it. Some of my best cables are DIY.

I started buying up market cable around 1979. I sold and listened to a lot of high end stuff in the 80's and somewhat up to 2005.

My conclusion is air tight fit, good connectors, and quality parts done DIY will often match stuff in the thousands. In the later 90's I was shown this $5k per 5 ft power cable for amps. Pulled out my trusty $500 new ($250 used) Synergistics, and it was either a tie, or my old high end cable won - still have it today.

Watch the ego draw too - "I've got the Nordost Frey 2 speaker cable - they are select, only owned by the most discerning....." those folks are well into the fog.

 

[KamijoIsMyHero]

Has anyone had the chance to compare the HE6SE V2 with the OG focal clear?

Apart from usual differences between planar and dynamic drivers, the clears sound mid-tiered in comparison. The detail retrieval and instrument separation is much much better in the HE-6se with the right amping. The tonality of the highs are better in the Clears though, just very smooth presentation up there with no real faults. With HE-6se, there is some zing due to that orthowall effect. I don't mind the trade off though if it means I can get the better bass response, detail retrieval and instrument separation.

 

[bagwell359]

Apart from usual differences between planar and dynamic drivers, the clears sound mid-tiered in comparison. The detail retrieval and instrument separation is much much better in the HE-6se with the right amping. The tonality of the highs are better in the Clears though, just very smooth presentation up there with no real faults. With HE-6se, there is some zing due to that orthowall effect. I don't mind the trade off though if it means I can get the better bass response, detail retrieval and instrument separation.

Very insightful. The HE-6/500 demand the fuzzor mod. The 6se has fazors maybe 1/2 as wide, so putting the felt on them doesn't have the same impact - maybe 1/4 as much, but some of that zing (sounds like IM distortion) is gone. Parametric EQ gets rid of about 1/2 of it, but EQ w/o fazor is more like 35% of it. The treble notes do resolve a good deal better with those two changes. Also silver or silver plate cable not such a good match (they are with the HEX v2), stick with O2 free copper. Screens off clean up a lot too - much less boxed in sounding.

 

[bagwell359]

Has anyone had the chance to compare the HE6SE V2 with the OG focal clear?

Not head to head. The Focal Clear is a good unit off the shelf having a similar sound to the HD-600 with some more technicals in the bass, and a little more treble purity.

The 6se v1 off the shelf was not the lion I hoped for. It needed new cables, pads, fuzzor, screens off to become at $699 a masher of the entire $0-$1000 price range.

I'd say they would be a compliment. They are not that similar. I'm a planar guy so $699 with $180 of mods I would take over the Clear But if the 6se's are not modded and the price is erased as a factor - its a pure preference choice IMO.

I like my modded used HE-500 ($510) over both for enjoyment and overall gestalt - but it loses some technical battles along the way.

 

[chrismoyer]

Not head to head. The Focal Clear is a good unit off the shelf having a similar sound to the HD-600 with some more technicals in the bass, and a little more treble purity.

The 6se v1 off the shelf was not the lion I hoped for. It needed new cables, pads, fuzzor, screens off to become at $699 a masher of the entire $0-$1000 price range.

I'd say they would be a compliment. They are not that similar. I'm a planar guy so $699 with $180 of mods I would take over the Clear But if the 6se's are not modded and the price is erased as a factor - its a pure preference choice IMO.

I like my modded used HE-500 ($510) over both for enjoyment and overall gestalt - but it loses some technical battles along the way.

What's your preferred pad on the HE6SE?

 

[bagwell359]

What's your preferred pad on the HE6SE?

Dan Clark Ether Angled Lambskin - $79. It doesn't seem to do all the things it does for my 500, so there might something else better. I do believe angled is the way to go and I do like leather. Of course that's the same formula for the Ori pad which give a nickel width soundstage, flaccid mid bass, and missing treble. So search or borrow to get the right one.

 

[519514]

You know what f*cking sucks about the HE6, HE6se, and HE6se V2? The headbands. Hifiman has neglected to put what I feel is far-and-away their comfiest headband on any of these models, the "Newly Enhanced Comfort Headband". I thought about going Audeze, but I really want my Hifiman cans to keep being Hifiman cans, even in appearance.

It turns out you can attach my favourite Hifiman headband to the HE6se yourself. Very easily, if you're comfortable removing the housing from the driver so you can pop-out the little grommets that the headband screws go into.

As such, I now have two headbands for sale, if anyone is interested. Hifiman's Hybrid Headband, and a better looking version of the HE6 Original Headband - albeit with a couple very minor marks on both.

Here's my end result:

 

[519514]

Has anyone had the chance to compare the HE6SE V2 with the OG focal clear?

I'd love to hear comparative impressions of these two cans, as well.

 

[thefitz]

What's your preferred pad on the HE6SE?

Dan Clark Ether Angled Lambskin - $79. It doesn't seem to do all the things it does for my 500, so there might something else better. I do believe angled is the way to go and I do like leather. Of course that's the same formula for the Ori pad which give a nickel width soundstage, flaccid mid bass, and missing treble. So search or borrow to get the right one.

I found the Ether Angled pads to be a little too shouty and sheen for me. Right now, I am really enjoying Dekoni TH-X00 pads, particularly with the attenuation rings. Great results with the Hybrid and Sheepskin. Both kick like a horse. Sheepskin is more clear and natural sounding, but is the more intense sounding of the two. The Hybrid kicks a little harder and is a little hazier, but is the more relaxed listen. The Hybrid sounds great (but kicks a little less hard) without the attenuation ring, but the Sheepskin is way too honky without it.

I switch all the time, but I think I'm going to keep the TH-X00 sheepskin + attenuation ring on for the foreseeable future.

 

[519514]

I found the Ether Angled pads to be a little too shouty and sheen for me. Right now, I am really enjoying Dekoni TH-X00 pads, particularly with the attenuation rings. Great results with the Hybrid and Sheepskin. Both kick like a horse. Sheepskin is more clear and natural sounding, but is the more intense sounding of the two. The Hybrid kicks a little harder and is a little hazier, but is the more relaxed listen. The Hybrid sounds great (but kicks a little less hard) without the attenuation ring, but the Sheepskin is way too honky without it.

I switch all the time, but I think I'm going to keep the TH-X00 sheepskin + attenuation ring on for the foreseeable future.

I'm going to give the attenuation rings a go.

 

[Slim1970]

I found the Ether Angled pads to be a little too shouty and sheen for me. Right now, I am really enjoying Dekoni TH-X00 pads, particularly with the attenuation rings. Great results with the Hybrid and Sheepskin. Both kick like a horse. Sheepskin is more clear and natural sounding, but is the more intense sounding of the two. The Hybrid kicks a little harder and is a little hazier, but is the more relaxed listen. The Hybrid sounds great (but kicks a little less hard) without the attenuation ring, but the Sheepskin is way too honky without it.

I switch all the time, but I think I'm going to keep the TH-X00 sheepskin + attenuation ring on for the foreseeable future.

Same pads I have on mine and my favorite of all the ones I’ve tried so far.

 

[cfranchi]

I took more time with my HE1000 v2 and HE6se v2, I have to say that I have a slight preference for HE6se v2, it has a more direct connection with music, it is a bit more coherent, HE1000 v2 is a great headphone however.

I learnt also some things : HE1000 v2 loves power, I’m sure HE6se can scale greater (I have class A headphone amp, 2x10w @50 ohm).

 

[thefitz]

This HE6SEv1+Dekoni TH-X00 Sheepskin+Attenuation Ring has been quite a revelation. The combo has somehow increased clarity/removed haze, yet somehow also toned down the harshness considerably.

The album 'So' by Peter Gabriel is famous for being one of the best mixed albums ever, however it's quite hot in the treble. Cymbal work and "s" sounds can be really fatiguing on that album. With this pad combo, I don't miss any of the detail, yet the upper treble doesn't make me squint.

 

[tkddans]

This HE6SEv1+Dekoni TH-X00 Sheepskin+Attenuation Ring has been quite a revelation. The combo has somehow increased clarity/removed haze, yet somehow also toned down the harshness considerably.

The album 'So' by Peter Gabriel is famous for being one of the best mixed albums ever, however it's quite hot in the treble. Cymbal work and "s" sounds can be really fatiguing on that album. With this pad combo, I don't miss any of the detail, yet the upper treble doesn't make me squint.

If possible, could you please share links to where you purchased what you got? Sorry if these mods were already discussed somewhere back in the thread!

EDIT:: I think I found the sheepskin pads and attenuation rings on the Dekoni website. I ordered them now. Do you know how to put them on? Or have a link to a tutorial for applying them to the HE6SE V1/2?

 

[thefitz]

If possible, could you please share links to where you purchased what you got? Sorry if these mods were already discussed somewhere back in the thread!

It's these guys:
https://drop.com/buy/dekoni-premium-earpads-for-fostex-th-x00

Elite sheepskin for TH-X00, with the attenuation ring. Not sure if the TH-X00 pads are easily attainable elsewhere since they're a "Drop exclusive" etc.

TH-900 pads work well too (they're they same as HiFiMAN pads except they're flat along the edges instead of gently tapering inwards at the base), but the TH-X00 pad with the attenuation ring has been the magic sauce for me.

I had Dekoni TH-900 Hybrid pads for quite a while and they were great. Hybrid TH-X00 pads without the attenuation rings were an improvement. Adding the attenuation rings thickened but slowed the bass, so it's more of how you prefer your presentation.

Sheepskin TH-X00 pads were very honky sounding without the attenuation rings, very unpleasant. With the rings, yeah, can't believe my hears. Hah.