[ksb643]

That's $50 over Adorama regular price

Yeah I know. But if they were to run out...

 

[Guipnox]

That's $50 over Adorama regular price

$100 over: https://www.adorama.com/hmhe6sev2.html?emailprice=t

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Put on my HE6se V2's today and it was a little underwhelming. I decided to dive into some nostalgia and hit my 70's FM playlist. I don't stream and own copies of all my music, so of course you can hear the differences in music before the loudness war.
I spent most of the afternoon in high gain, which is really rare for me. For background I use an iFi Pro iCAN and I usually hang out in mid gain, around 12:00, with big chunks of bass boost and 3D sound effects enabled. Today nothing seemed very bassy, very clear, or very exciting.

I am not sure if the problem was the choice of music or me adjusting from the Grado GH2/iBasso SR2's/Focal Elex's train I was on for the last week, plus.

Try them again tomorrow and see how they sound.

Check Windows sound volume settings. Recent Win 11 update reset it to 71% and I lived with it for 2 days wondering what the hell happened to my hearing as everything started sound less dynamic.

 

[ksb643]

Has anyone tried out any new headphones recently. I love these but want a second pair. Lighter more comfortable. Thinking about the ETA mini.

 

[Shane D]

Check Windows sound volume settings. Recent Win 11 update reset it to 71% and I lived with it for 2 days wondering what the hell happened to my hearing as everything started sound less dynamic.

Thanks for the update, but I keep my Windows volume at about 29%. My DAC (BF2) does not have volme control.

 

[ra990]

Thanks for the update, but I keep my Windows volume at about 29%. My DAC (BF2) does not have volme control.

Please look into ASIO or WASAPI exclusive modes of Windows. You are attenuating a huge amount through the Windows mixer, and this will impact what you hear. It will be better if you can raise your Windows volume to 100% and attenuate volume at your pro ican.

 

[Shane D]

Please look into ASIO or WASAPI exclusive modes of Windows. You are attenuating a huge amount through the Windows mixer, and this will impact what you hear. It will be better if you can raise your Windows volume to 100% and attenuate volume at your pro ican.

That wouldn't be possible. At 100% volume, the Pro iCAN would max the volume at 8:00 in low gain, if it even got that high.

 

[ra990]

That wouldn't be possible. At 100% volume, the Pro iCAN would max the volume at 8:00 in low gain, if it even got that high.

You've got some work to do on your system. Something isn't right if thats the case. Your DAC is getting a really crappy digitally attenuated (by almost 80%) signal, so you can expect not to be getting the best out of it. What is the output voltage of the DAC? Max volume at 8 o'clock on the ican volume dial on low gain, with the HE6? Something isn't right my friend, PM me if you want any help.

 

[Shane D]

You've got some work to do on your system. Something isn't right if thats the case. Your DAC is getting a really crappy digitally attenuated (by almost 80%) signal, so you can expect not to be getting the best out of it. What is the output voltage of the DAC? Max volume at 8 o'clock on the ican volume dial on low gain, with the HE6? Something isn't right my friend, PM me if you want any help.

Maybe not with the HE6se V2's. Today I was actually them in high gain at 10:00.

But for most of my other (efficient) headphones, that would be accurate.
I have no idea on the voltage from a BF2.

 

[Rattle]

I use Jriver and use it's internal volume to trim -6db or to taste. Using wasapi of course, this allows much freedom with volume without losing any quality. Windows mixer is a no no for digital audio. Especially with something as good as bifrost 2 / unison.

 

[Shane D]

You've got some work to do on your system. Something isn't right if thats the case. Your DAC is getting a really crappy digitally attenuated (by almost 80%) signal, so you can expect not to be getting the best out of it. What is the output voltage of the DAC? Max volume at 8 o'clock on the ican volume dial on low gain, with the HE6? Something isn't right my friend, PM me if you want any help.

Just out of curiosity, I jacked my Windows volume to 100%. Now I max out on my IFi Pro iCAN between 9:00-9:30 (in low gain) with my HE6se V2's, depending on the music. That is in Tube mode with bass boost and 3D sound effects engaged. Without the effects engaged I am assuming I might get to/past 10:00.
The BF2 outputs 4.0V via the XLR's.

I don't listen above 75Db's.

I am guessing that my Grado's and iBasso's would not even be useable in this set up.

 

[ra990]

Just out of curiosity, I jacked my Windows volume to 100%. Now I max out on my IFi Pro iCAN between 9:00-9:30 (in low gain) with my HE6se V2's, depending on the music. That is in Tube mode with bass boost and 3D sound effects engaged. Without the effects engaged I am assuming I might get to/past 10:00.
The BF2 outputs 4.0V via the XLR's.

I don't listen above 75Db's.

I am guessing that my Grado's and iBasso's would not even be useable in this set up.

Interesting, I had the same combo (pro ican with the HE6sev2) and on low gain, I was frequently near the max of the volume pot. It sounds like you listen at fairly quiet volume (good for your ears), but you might want to consider either an amp that has a gain switch that actually reduces the input gain (some have low gain at like -9db), or you can put a preamp (like the Topping Pre90) between your DAC and Pro Ican and attenuate the volume on that.

 

[Shane D]

Interesting, I had the same combo (pro ican with the HE6sev2) and on low gain, I was frequently near the max of the volume pot. It sounds like you listen at fairly quiet volume (good for your ears), but you might want to consider either an amp that has a gain switch that actually reduces the input gain (some have low gain at like -9db), or you can put a preamp (like the Topping Pre90) between your DAC and Pro Ican and attenuate the volume on that.

i have several amps and one is a Violectric V220. It has -12, -6, 0, +6 and +12Db increments.
As I said above, I don't go above 75Db's.

 

[bagwell359]

He6sev2’s treble is rolled off compared to Sundara (which has more treble detail) such that sounds from hi hats or snare drums sound better and feels like it has more impact to me. However, when it comes to dynamics, which I understood it to be the sense of physical movement of air, I still have a hard time trying to understand. Perhaps dynamics is not what I understand it to be

How much juice do you have? Sundara is 9.5 db more efficient. So the HE-6's need about 4x more WPC to play at the level of the Sundara. In practical terms they need 2 wpc @ 50 Hz.

Also assuming we are talking properly working units the Sundara mid/upper bass is boosted to make up for how it falls off starting at 70 Hz. Sundara is down 5 db by 30 Hz. And a full 10 db at 20 Hz. All 6's are still cranking to 20 Hz. Also the treble has a sizeable peak at 6.5k and rings at 4.5k and 8.5k. Overall it's a bit rough and raw to me.

Sundara is a very good mid fi can at a low price. The HE-6 SE is a high end can at a mid-fi price.

 

[NascentAP]

How much juice do you have? Sundara is 9.5 db more efficient. So the HE-6's need about 4x more WPC to play at the level of the Sundara. In practical terms they need 2 wpc @ 50 Hz.

Also assuming we are talking properly working units the Sundara mid/upper bass is boosted to make up for how it falls off starting at 70 Hz. Sundara is down 5 db by 30 Hz. And a full 10 db at 20 Hz. All 6's are still cranking to 20 Hz. Also the treble has a sizeable peak at 6.5k and rings at 4.5k and 8.5k. Overall it's a bit rough and raw to me.

Sundara is a very good mid fi can at a low price. The HE-6 SE is a high end can at a mid-fi price.

I should have enough power (ares2>sa-1 all balanced), which should be -4wpc based on the impedance chart. I run it on low gain with the volume around -3pm.

And just to be clear, I agree with everything you wrote. To me, it’s no contest between he6sev2 and Sundara - he6 outclasses Sundara in everything except for treble detail. The treble peaks you describe in Sundara, I hear it and probably describing it as treble detail, which underlies my belief that the treble is comparatively rolled off in the he6. For example, around 1:15 into Top gun anthem (amazing track to to listen with he6 btw), a triangle starts to kick in and it’s more forward and detailed in the Sundara to me.

I also hear/feel the boosted mid bass you describe in the Sundara as well. On bass heavy tracks, the Sundara gives me a nice jab/strike to the center of my ear drums. The mid bass doesn’t feel lacking but the lack of sub bass is very noticeable. With the He6 however, the incisive punch is there but it’s also accompanied by a wall of sub bass slam that hits at the side of my head. The weird thing is, this dynamics is not only limited to bass frequencies- even higher frequency notes (ie piano strikes) seem to hit with a more noticeable movement of air hitting my head.

All this is to explain that my post was in response to someone who felt that Sundara with their gear is more dynamic and musical with a fuller body than the he6, which is antithetical to my own experiences (as well as many here). My post you quoted was my poor attempt at trying to reconcile what I hear with what the other person I was referring to heard and trying to find a objective common ground.