[rizena]

Hi, I had ever paired CMA12 (not master) with HE6se. I would say it sounded good but still couldn't match setup with dedicated headamp tbh.

It means that the match is not good. I knew.

 

[Slim1970]

Hi, I had ever paired CMA12 (not master) with HE6se. I would say it sounded good but still couldn't match setup with dedicated headamp tbh.

From a sound and technical standpoint it’s a good match. On the flip side, the CMA Twelve lacks the power to get the most out of them. I was hoping when the CMA Fifteen was announced that Questyle would give it a bump up in power. It’s actually the same 2 watts as the Twelve. Bummer, because I loved the sound of the Twelve with just about all my headphones when I had it home for a demo.

 

[Brahmsian]

Emotiva BasX A-100 is great at "low" money as mentioned many times. It drives HE6SEv2 to max. I connect them to it in TV room. Primary amp is ifi iCan Pro. Also Emotiva A2m is released.

Justin Weber discussing headphone amps at CanJam. He builds tube amps but only a minute into the video gets asked which solid state amps he listens to, mentions the A-100 to use with the He-6. A-100 has now been replaced with the A2m, which I just ordered. 50 watts per channel into 8 Ohms. Only $299. With the THX 789, I find that on some recordings I have maxed out the gain.

 

[543933]

Justin Weber discussing headphone amps at CanJam. He builds tube amps but only a minute into the video gets asked which solid state amps he listens to, mentions the A-100 to use with the He-6. A-100 has now been replaced with the A2m, which I just ordered. 50 watts per channel into 8 Ohms. Only $299. With the THX 789, I find that on some recordings I have maxed out the gain.

I don't know that guy but if he also recommend A-100 for HE6SEv2 then I'm OK
I was happy from Monoprice THX 889 for some time until I found that cut's low and high ends a little bit and not energetize/fun sound. To sterile and flat. ifi iCan nano was cheaper and much more better to me but of course not when driving HE6SEv2

 

[Brahmsian]

Turns out I had the 789 in SE mode. Balanced, I have enough headroom. On the third gain setting, I don’t go past noon on the dial and that is already driving them loud. I might not have ordered the A2m had I realized, but I’m still looking forward to hearing what it does to the He6sev2.

The following vid explains how to install the jumpers. Easy peasy. Goes without saying you have to be real careful about the volume knob.

 

[mikecheck95]

What do you think guys… He6se or LCD-x for technicalities

 

[gimmeheadroom]

I haven't heard the LCD-X but my LCD-3F is definitely the more refined, capable, and technical headphone. That does not take anything away from the HE6SE for me in terms of enjoyment though- it's just a different window into the music.

 

[Blackrao]

What do you think guys… He6se or LCD-x for technicalities

he6se is tuned better, lighter and half the price seems like a no brainer

 

[mikecheck95]

he6se is tuned better, lighter and half the price seems like a no brainer

Already own the lcd-x and would have to upgrade source gear

 

[thefitz]

What do you think guys… He6se or LCD-x for technicalities

I have had no less than two pairs of LCD-X (in addition to three pairs of LCD-XC).

The two headphones are very different. The biggest difference is the fact that the LCD-X is absolutely trivial to power, and the HE6SE is the biggest diva pain in the ass headphone to power in production right now.

You gotta plug these things into a speaker amp, or at least a headphone amp that can serve 12-15 wpc into the 50 ohms with trivially low output impedance. Must. I will die on this hill. A lot of people will tell you that their Jotunheim, A90, or THX amp are just fine. I think they're missing out.

Are you sure you want to enter that realm? Maybe you have a setup like that already!

If you don't plug your headphones into a nuclear reactor, perhaps you'll get more enjoyment out of the LCD-X. Or, at least, it's much less work to get the LCD-X to their full potential.

 

[mikecheck95]

I have had no less than two pairs of LCD-X (in addition to three pairs of LCD-XC).

The two headphones are very different. The biggest difference is the fact that the LCD-X is absolutely trivial to power, and the HE6SE is the biggest diva pain in the ass headphone to power in production right now.

You gotta plug these things into a speaker amp, or at least a headphone amp that can serve 12-15 wpc into the 50 ohms with trivially low output impedance. Must. I will die on this hill. A lot of people will tell you that their Jotunheim, A90, or THX amp are just fine. I think they're missing out.

Are you sure you want to enter that realm? Maybe you have a setup like that already!

If you don't plug your headphones into a nuclear reactor, perhaps you'll get more enjoyment out of the LCD-X. Or, at least, it's much less work to get the LCD-X to their full potential.

This has been the biggest deterrent so far. I can plug my LCD-X into a phone and get great volume. They’re driven well by modest source gear. I would need to go out and buy at least a Jotunheim for the HE6 (which seems to be the minimum people are even willing to entertain). Even so, it’s a barrier to entry… and for what gain? Do the he6se really have the slam and technicalities of the og he6… is it better than just EQing a bass shelf into my LCD-X? Likely something I need to figure out on my own.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

Great volume is not the same as "driven well."

 

[mikecheck95]

Great volume is not the same as "driven well."

Yes but an HE6 would not be able to be driven to volume off of a phone. Most high-end headphones wouldn’t. So the LCD-X is an outlier meaning I agree with you that the real problem is whether it’s worth it to upgrade all of my source gear and possibly invest in a speaker amp and if the gains warrant this when I could just get like… an LCD-3 for probably similar money (wouldn’t need to upgrade gear) once all is said and done.

 

[thefitz]

This has been the biggest deterrent so far. I can plug my LCD-X into a phone and get great volume. They’re driven well by modest source gear. I would need to go out and buy at least a Jotunheim for the HE6 (which seems to be the minimum people are even willing to entertain). Even so, it’s a barrier to entry… and for what gain? Do the he6se really have the slam and technicalities of the og he6… is it better than just EQing a bass shelf into my LCD-X? Likely something I need to figure out on my own.

Do the HE6SE have the same attributes as the HE6? Apparently not, but I don't know for sure.
Do the HE6SE slam? Yes, they kick like a horse.
Do the HE6SE slam run with a Jot/THX/A90 the same way they do with a speaker amp? F*CK NO.

While I just got an LCD-4 again, I sold my first LCD-4 to buy an HE6SEv1 (before the fire sales) and speaker amp and was happier with that combo. And I was using a Schiit Mjolnir as a preamp, which has more power than the Jot.

If you're willing to jump over (frankly insane and unreasonable) hurdles, the HE6SE is an artform unto itself as far as production headphones go. I sent an Arya and HE-1000v2 packing because, frankly, they didn't trounce over the HE6SE like they should have, and the HE6SE slammed better. But I had the rig to make it so.

Great volume is not the same as "driven well."

I'm going to get that as a tramp stamp.

 

[thefitz]

Yes but an HE6 would not be able to be driven off of a phone. Most high-end headphones wouldn’t. So the LCD-X is an outlier meaning I agree with you that the real problem is whether it’s worth it to upgrade all of my source gear and possibly invest in a speaker amp and if the gains warrant this when I could just get like… an LCD-3 for probably similar money (wouldn’t need to upgrade gear) once all is said and done.

I had an LCD-X and LCD-3F at the same time (more than once), and felt they were distinct enough to listen to both. The LCD-3 isn't trivial to drive (110 ohms) and the presentation is quite different in the midrange.