Has anyone here tried soldering SMC plugs onto the V2 instead of the 3.5mm connectors?
I know, that sounds crazy but hear me out. I'm interested in determining why the older HE series sounds different from the new ones. The older ones have a more wrap around sound that is significantly more layered and 'alive' sounding. Not saying the older series is better, just different, and I'm curious as to why. All of the esteemed older HE's share the same cups, rear plate, and fabric of the current V2's. The differences between the old vs new are the drivers, driver plates/shields, pads, SMC connectors, and possibly the wire type soldered to the drivers.
- You can put the same pads on the V2 versus an old HE, and the older ones still retain their unique sound. The V2's don't take on the older sound, so the pads aren't a contributing factor.
- Obviously the drivers & driver plates are different, and that may be all there is to it. However, if it was just the drivers I would imagine there would be other Hifiman models out there that people report sound just like the old HE series.
- The SMC connectors are unique to the older series. I've spent a lot of time comparing 1/4" / 6.35mm plugs enough to know that they all have unique sound signatures to them. It's possible the SMC's may also have a unique sound to them that is a contributor to that classic HE sound along with the drivers.
Before I head down the path of soldering some SMC's to see what sound change it makes, has anyone already looked into this?
Firstly, the thickness of, and tensioning of the mylar, distance from mylar to magnets, along with the shape of the mylar, magnetic strength, two sided vs one sided, how much the stators block the ear facing driver, pads, resonance of the cup, rear screens (of the round cups) determine the sound far more than the terminations or cables.
Physical Differences HE-6 6 screw vs HE-6 SE v1:
Major:
1. Mylar different make-up, thicknes (2 micron vs 1 micron), tension. Said to have smaller effective area (few % less)
2. Stators cover much more of the inward facing mylar of the 6 screw
3. The distance from magnet to driver is more in SE
4. Stock pads - quite different
5. 6 screw has the 1/4 flap and batting to cut resonances, 6SE does not.
Minor:
1. Cables are different, the 6SE are trash, the original 6 appears to be prone to oxidation, but was built on a better scale.
2. bodies - different material, so different resonances.
3. headbands different
4. more glue used on 6SE (thought to cut movement of the driver - less CSD, but less bass?)
Note: cribbed some points from @lamdastorm (post #21,183 in the main OG HE-6 thread)
The shape of the driver: the long cups use thinner mylar than the classic OG HE-6/HE-500, most notice the expansive height of the long cups, and narrower width (look at the shape). Nothing in HFM's manufacture delivers bass impact like the HE-6 6 screw. Magnetic strength, mylar differences, tension. When you compare the HE-500 and 6 screw - the differences are: gold vs aluminum traces and tensioning - and witness the large differences.
The SE v2 has a bit better tuning in the upper mids than the v1, but if the difference between the 6 screw to the v1 can be expressed as 100, the difference between the v1 and v2 is ~18 by my ear.
