[bagwell359]

Can anyone please share their preferred EQ profiles for the V2s? The Harmon profile by Oratory totally jacks up the sound imo with a complete loss of detail, although I think it’s really made for the V1. Wondering what you all use

Dont have one but given the curves, it needs less at 1.8k than the v1. I have a pile of HFM's and over 3k I look for waterfall peaks and apply very narrow EQ not to exceed 3 db, and most only have two areas of heavy ringing to suppress. That usually takes care of any hot treble complaints. In the case of the v2. It looks like 4k and 9.8k. Something like 3950 Hz, -2.8 db Q 6.70, 9800 Hz; -3 db, Q 7.70 It also need a bass boost at 35 Hz and under 2.2-3.2 db range should do. I can't find a waterfall plot for the v2 so I'm leaning on experience.

 

[theangelboy]

The HE-6 SE v* is a lot better than any 560 - except it does take real power to run the 6SE. The 560 lacks technicals, doesn't have the same bass timbre. Has a tough spike at 5k, and a pretty big hump at 1k. I'd listen to the XS, 6SE, 560, and the Ananda. before buying any of them if I could manage it.

Yes, the HE6se is more technical for sure. It's more articulate/detailed and the bass hits harder and is more immediate compared to the HE560 v4. Imaging is also better on the 6. I'm definitely not arguing that the HE560 is a better headphone, just pointing out the similarities.

In fact, with the same pads, I don't hear any major differences in sound sig between the two. They sound to my ears (and measure) very, very similar, technicalities aside. Both the 1khz and 5khz regions are within a db or two of each other on my sets when using the same pads.

Disclaimer: Homemade rig, not comparable to other rigs, etc., etc.
Ignore the elevated bass on the 560's measurements, I accidentally left my bass shelf EQ on and I'm too lazy to do the measurements again.

Both with the Pelipad


Both with the 105mm velour pads from AliExpress (what I usually use on my HE6se)


So is the HE6se v2 a better headphone than the HE560 v4? Yes, absolutely. But the 560 is half the price, lighter, and much easier to drive, with less worry about driver QC while maintaining a similar overall sound (albeit, less technically capable). I think it's an option for someone who it turned off the HE6se for any of the aforementioned reasons.

EDIT: Just to be clear, while I think the HE6se v2 has a technical edge over the HE560 v4, I don't think it's huge. Maybe only 10-15%. It's certainly not double, as the price would suggest. Law of diminishing returns is alive and well here.

 

[Katsukare]

Hello guys,

Is my drive stuck again? I just received the he6se back from Hifiman for probably the same problem... first time the left driver sound recesed and has no bass. Now is sound ok with bass on both drivers but is... boring at least.... has little Soundstage, imaging is bad, details well I don't know first pair I listen for 2 days... but what I miss is the synergy, the wow factor that I have with first pair........

I take pictures of the driver so left one touch the magnets in the middle of the driver, when music plays is moving a little the middle part stays stuck...

left driver


Right driver

Yup your drivers are stuck. Mine did the same thing recently and I just had them replaced within the 30-day window from Adorama. Such a shame these headphones are so problematic. They probably have to be one of the best headphones I've heard in a while...

 

[hmscott]

It's weird, when I bought my HE6SE V2 from Adorama January 29, 2021 for months before / after I hadn't seen anyone complain about these "stuck magnets", none at all that I can recall (I haven't gone back to look), so IDK what has happened since to cause this to start happening so frequently.

It seems so odd, something must have happened. Has Hifiman made any comments as to what is going on causing the magnets to keep sticking?

I see a lot of people modding their grills and opening the innards to the air - do you think that might be contributing to the problem? Maybe the stock grill / backing protects the foil from getting so much excursion - it may sound better with all that stuff pulled off and "chicken wire" replacing the stock grill, but IDK it seems a big change to the headphone, and could be contributing to the problem?

Maybe when one of you has this problem again, and you get a new HE6SE V2 from Hifiman, also ask them to restore it back to stock with the stock grill and backing material - I haven't pulled mine apart, so I don't know, but I'm concerned about doing this mod myself - I have the grills in my cart for a good long time. It would be great to be sure this mod doesn't cause problems down the road.

It might make a nice control test to see if a stock unmodded HE6SE V2 with stock grills from the start makes it longer before sticking magnets... just a thought.

Update: Owners without mods are having this happen too, I didn't know that... the ones I saw reporting showed images of their open grills... sigh.

I never modded or removed the backplate: 2* stuck.
If anything changed it the quality at hifiman

People are reporting stuck drivers even without the grill mod.

I've had the grill mod for who knows how many months now and, *knock on wood*, haven't yet experienced the diaphragm sticking to the magnets.

Sorry to hear that, that is too bad. I hope Hifiman figures it out quickly and they start shipping reliable HE6SE V2's again soon.

 

[arielext]

It's weird, when I bought my HE6SE V2 from Adorama January 29, 2021 for months before / after I hadn't seen anyone complain about these "stuck magnets", none at all that I can recall (I haven't gone back to look), so IDK what has happened since to cause this to start happening so frequently.

It seems so odd, something must have happened. Has Hifiman made any comments as to what is going on causing the magnets to keep sticking?

I see a lot of people modding their grills and opening the innards to the air - do you think that might be contributing to the problem? Maybe the stock grill / backing protects the foil from getting so much excursion - it may sound better with all that stuff pulled off and "chicken wire" replacing the stock grill, but IDK it seems a big change to the headphone, and could be contributing to the problem?

Maybe when one of you has this problem again, and you get a new HE6SE V2 from Hifiman, also ask them to restore it back to stock with the stock grill and backing material - I haven't pulled mine apart, so I don't know, but I'm concerned about doing this mod myself - I have the grills in my cart for a good long time. It would be great to be sure this mod doesn't cause problems down the road.

It might make a nice control test to see if a stock unmodded HE6SE V2 with stock grills from the start makes it longer before sticking magnets... just a thought.

I never modded or removed the backplate: 2* stuck.
If anything changed it the quality at hifiman

 

[deafenears]

People are reporting stuck drivers even without the grill mod.

I've had the grill mod for who knows how many months now and, *knock on wood*, haven't yet experienced the diaphragm sticking to the magnets.

 

[hmscott]

I never modded or removed the backplate: 2* stuck.
If anything changed it the quality at hifiman

People are reporting stuck drivers even without the grill mod.

I've had the grill mod for who knows how many months now and, *knock on wood*, haven't yet experienced the diaphragm sticking to the magnets.

Sorry to hear that, that is too bad. I hope Hifiman figures it out quickly and they start shipping reliable HE6SE V2's again soon.

 

[bagwell359]

Yes, the HE6se is more technical for sure. It's more articulate/detailed and the bass hits harder and is more immediate compared to the HE560 v4. Imaging is also better on the 6. I'm definitely not arguing that the HE560 is a better headphone, just pointing out the similarities.

In fact, with the same pads, I don't hear any major differences in sound sig between the two. They sound to my ears (and measure) very, very similar, technicalities aside. Both the 1khz and 5khz regions are within a db or two of each other on my sets when using the same pads.

Disclaimer: Homemade rig, not comparable to other rigs, etc., etc.
Ignore the elevated bass on the 560's measurements, I accidentally left my bass shelf EQ on and I'm too lazy to do the measurements again.

Both with the Pelipad


Both with the 105mm velour pads from AliExpress (what I usually use on my HE6se)


So is the HE6se v2 a better headphone than the HE560 v4? Yes, absolutely. But the 560 is half the price, lighter, and much easier to drive, with less worry about driver QC while maintaining a similar overall sound (albeit, less technically capable). I think it's an option for someone who it turned off the HE6se for any of the aforementioned reasons.

Good reply. Used 6SE v1 does not have the sticking problem and should be available for a good price.

Given we agree on the advantages of the v2 over the 560 v4 - that somewhat debases the close freq results you observed.

Still want to put up the XS as a major alternative to the 560, not to mention the 400, Sundara, and Ananda.

 

[CUBIX]

Yeah, I don’t do moods I remove the grill just to see if something is wrong... I don't know what to write this time... I'm embarrassed for ther embarrassed... I regret so much that I didn't get my money back first time... these headaches sound so good but this bulls*it...

 

[DenverW]

Man this stuck magnet thing makes me paranoid. I haven’t noticed any problematic sounds and I’m using peer pads, knock on wood.

I’m having difficulty picking out what I’m looking for in the pics posted with the stuck magnets. I dont suppose someone could treat me like a 1st grader to interpret the pics?

 

[Guipnox]

Man this stuck magnet thing makes me paranoid. I haven’t noticed any problematic sounds and I’m using peer pads, knock on wood.

I’m having difficulty picking out what I’m looking for in the pics posted with the stuck magnets. I dont suppose someone could treat me like a 1st grader to interpret the pics?

Me too lol

 

[theangelboy]

Man this stuck magnet thing makes me paranoid. I haven’t noticed any problematic sounds and I’m using peer pads, knock on wood.

I’m having difficulty picking out what I’m looking for in the pics posted with the stuck magnets. I dont suppose someone could treat me like a 1st grader to interpret the pics?

Me too lol

I made a little diagram of what to look for on the other HE6se thread that you might find helpful. https://www.head-fi.org/threads/hifiman-he6-se.886229/post-16685778

I should note that I haven't ever had a problem with a stuck diaphragm myself, this is just what I have observed from other's posts and examining my own. But based on the images I've seen, it seems that there are different degrees of how much of it sticks but it always seems to stick to the outside magnets.

 

[Menkau-ra]

Man this stuck magnet thing makes me paranoid. I haven’t noticed any problematic sounds and I’m using peer pads, knock on wood.

I’m having difficulty picking out what I’m looking for in the pics posted with the stuck magnets. I dont suppose someone could treat me like a 1st grader to interpret the pics?

It's very easy to see if you open two grills. The yellow membrane is stuck to the magnet on a bad headphone. On a good headphone the membrane is free and there is some space between membrane and magnet. Also when you put on your HE6se with no music on a bad headphone would create a sealed feeling, like a closed back on one side only. You would know it if you had it.

 

[bagwell359]

HFM designs and produces so many great planar drivers. They have a very cheap labor pool. They could afford the time and effort on quality to blow away the industry. Greed is tough to overcome

 

[a7xdeity]

I've had these for awhile and Love them over pretty much every HP out there. Currently Have a audeze headband conversion with Dekoni Hybrids . Running it off 2 parasound Z.amp V3's in bridged mono per channel. Looking to see if anyone has any comparisons with a Bryston 3b-st.